8/1/2011

A-LIST FILIPINO POLITICAL BLOGGERS AND THEIR READERS:

WHO THEY ARE, WHY THEY ACCESS BLOGS, & HOW THEY PERCEIVE, & PARTICIPATE IN, POLITICS
Mary Grace Mirandilla-Santos
SIRCA grantee
9 April 2011, Cafe Demitasse, Davao City

This work was carried out with the aid of a SIRCA (Strengthening ICTD Research Capacity in Asia) grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada, and administrative support from the Singapore Internet Research Centre (SiRC), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The project was managed under the Centre for Research and Communication in Manila, Philippines.

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Armchair Revolutionaries?

Slacktivism?

Marne Kilates

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Internet, Blogging, and Politics

PUBLIC SPHERE ELECTRONIC REPUBLIC User-friendly Low-cost INTERNET has changed the nature of political communication and the landscape of political participation Personalized Social

BLOGS promising democratic tool for providing information, facilitating political communication, and influencing nature and level of political participation. But, only anecdotal evidence on Filipino bloggers, how they affect their readers, and how both engage in political activities.

Curious Connections
Blogs are founded on bloggers motivation and personal contexts: predisposition, resources, selfinterests, and environment Political participation based on actors intention to influence distribution of social goods and social values and government action Actors motivations and resources are important factors in understanding:
(i) blogs as a form of political participation (ii) how blogs are used to promote participation (iii) potential of blogs in enhancing participation

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What we wanted to find out

A-list Filipino political bloggers

Who they are Why they write political blogs Whether and how they participate in politics Whether and how they encourage readers to participate, online and offline Who they are Why they read political blogs What their attitude is toward politics Whether and how they participate in politics, online and offline

Political blog readers

How we did it
Online Survey

30 A-list Filipino political bloggers (June to Oct 2009)

(McKenna & Pole, 2004 and Ekdale et al. ,2007)

64 political blog readers (Feb to May 2009)

(McKenna & Pole, 2004 and Gorospe-Jamon, 1998)

Elite interviews

Political bloggers Journalists Metro Manila (20 Feb 2010) Cebu City (22 May 2010) Davao City (29 May 2010)

Academics Communications experts

Focus group discussions (FGDs)

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Some notes on Sampling

No consensus on how to define a political blog

Searchability in Google and Yahoo! using terms: Philippine political politics blog Extract individual blogs from blog directories, ranking sites
word politics in blog description or tags; author is a private individual, Filipino citizen, 18 years old or up; blog at least 1 year, with recent posts (from March to May 2009) about politics, average of 2 posts per month contact detail available (or active comment feature) Independent ranking undertaken using http://popuri.us and http://pagerankall.com

Selection criteria

A-list Filipino bloggers are established and popular

WHO are A-List Filipino Political Bloggers?

Male, 25-34 y/o, Metro Manila-based; collegeeducated, employed, high-income; veteran internet users; broadband at home & work Blogging for 2-4 years, 1-2 hrs/day, 3-5 days/week; All blogs allow comments, almost all have links to other political blogs; Read 10+ other blogs Feel that blogging is a form of political participation that has led to an exchange of ideas among individuals even in the real world.

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WHY did they START to blog?

KEEP TRACK OF top 2 box rating THOUGHTS (Very much + much)
63

53

53

INFORM PEOPLE ON MOST RELEVANT INFO

47

INFORM PEOPLE ON 40 MOST RECENT INFO 37 37 HELP 27 SOCIETY

17 17 10 7

47

FORMULATE 10 NEW IDEAS

Keep track I nform I nform Help society Formulate of thoughts people on people on new ideas relevant info recent info Inf luence public opinion Let off steam Alternative perspective Serve as political wat chdog Influence media Help org/ cause Critique political opponents

Critique media

Earn money

Boxed scores are significantly higher at 95% CI

WHY do they CONTINUE to blog?

KEEP TRACK OF top 2 box rating THOUGHTS (Very much + much)
63 57 53

FORMULATE NEW IDEAS

50 47 INFORM PEOPLE ON 43 43 43 MOST RELEVANT INFO 40

SERVE AS POLITICAL 27 WATCHDOG

27 17

HELP SOCIETY

10 3

Keep t rack Formulat e of thoughts new ideas

I nform Serve as Help society Alternative Influence people on polit ical perspective public relevant info watchdog opinion

I nform people on recent info

Let off steam

Help org/ cause

Influence media

Crit ique political opponents

Critique media

Earn money

Boxed scores are significantly higher at 95% CI

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How blogs promote participation?

Activity Frequency Percentage Expressive participation Announce an event 18 60% Encourage readers to contact an elected official 9 30% Other 6 20% Free advertising for a candidate 4 13% Don't know 2 7% Raise money 1 3% Political campaign Paid advertising for a candidate 0 0% Not applicable 5 17%

Encourage readers to participate OFF-line

Activity Vote or register to vote Attend a peaceful demonstration Sign a petition Join a protest rally Join a political group/movement Campaign for a candidate Other Engage in charity Participate in elections Be critical and analytical Practice civil disobedience Frequency Percentage 17 57% Conventional & legitimate 17 57% 14 47% Unconventional but legitimate 14 47% 7 23% 4 13% 3 10%

2 Unconventional & 7% illegal

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Encourage readers to participate ON-line

Activity Frequency Percentage Visit other blogs 26 87% Neutral, conflict-free networking Visit other websites 22 73% Write/send comments to your blog 19 63% Political stand,15 support mobilization Join an online cause 50% Sign an online petition 10 33% Write/send comments to other blogs 10 33% Join a blogswarm 8 27% Other 2 7% Donate money 1 3% Don't know/ refuse 1 3% Not applicable 1 3%

Blogger Political Activities BEFORE and AFTER

Prior to creating After creating Activity blog blog Voted 87% 73% Attended a rally, protest or march 67% 60% Sent e-mail or letters to elected officials 43% 40% Attended a political fund raiser 20% 17% Worked on a campaign 37% 40% AFTER local community meeting Attended ablogging, although respondents feel much more informed 57% 47% about political issues, but only somewhat sure about their 13% Others 17% influence on politics or political discourse. N/A 3% 3%

No significant difference before and after blogging (at 95% CI) Blogging did not significantly change participation in these political activities Some activities are time-specific, such as voting

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Blogger & their Readers: Similar Profile

Profile Gender Age Location Answer with highest frequency Male Female 25 to 34 years old 40% Metro Manila Other Regions Abroad Refused College Currently employed Upper Income (P50,001 up) 7+ years Broadband subscription at home No affiliation Blogger (%) N = 30 80 20 53 67 23 10 57 87 40 70 87 67 Blog Reader (%) N = 64 59 51% 41 48 48 41 44% 9 2 69 88 42 66 84 88

Educational attainment Employment Socio-economic status Internet use (in years) Internet use (mode) Membership in a political organisation

WHY Readers Visit Political Blogs

Reasons Keep updated; Gain awareness and more information Know/read views of others Validate my opinion vis--vis others' views Gain more info and learn Know about issues not picked up my mainstream media Passive; coincidental Politically-inclined Educate the masses; exchange thoughts Entertainment; opinion Written/recommended by a friend Weigh critical views/analyses Frequency 22 16 8 4 4 2 2 1 1 1 3 64 Percentage 34% 25% 13% 6% 6% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 5% 100%

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HOW Blogs benefit readers

Benefits Frequency Percentage Be informed 18 28% Raise social/political awareness 9 14% Validate opinion vis-a-vis others' views 9 14% Know other people's views 9 14% Help shape and inform one's opinion 5 8% Broaden views/perspective 5 8% Keep updated 4 6% Know about issues not picked up by mainstream media 4 6%

Main reason for, and benefit of, reading political blogs are associated with INFORMATION.

Reader Political Activities BEFORE and AFTER

Activity Voted Attended a rally, protest or march Sent e-mail or letters to elected officials Attended a political fund raiser Worked on a campaign Attended a local community meeting Others None / NA Write political blogs/post of their own Attended President Aquino's funeral Prior to accessing political blogs 72* 50 22 8 27 33 3 After accessing political blogs 50 38 28 5 28 31 16** 9 5 2

* Incidence significantly higher before blog reading (at 95% CI) ** Incidence significantly higher after blog reading (at 95% CI)

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Readers Political CYNICISM

Cynicism tendency to have a negative view of, or negative feelings toward, politically significant objects, such as political institutions and processes
Cynicism Low Moderate High Total Percentage (N = 63)* 1.6% 38.1% 60.3% 100%

Highest level of cynicism associated with:

Competence of candidates winning the elections Many politicians are under the control of vested interests Most politicians are out to gain something for themselves

Readers Political EFFICACY

Efficacy feelings of competency and beliefs that one's actions are consequential, which determines a persons incentive to participate in politics
Efficacy Low Moderate High Total Percentage (N = 64) 12.5% 48.4% 39.1% 100%

Highest level of efficacy associated with:

Having a say about what the government does Ways to have a say other than voting Understanding what is going on in politics, government

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Observations: Politics of Political Blogging

Male dominance among bloggers

Aggressiveness and violence in online debates Stressful especially for women Men wont accept defeat top female blogger Polarizationblogs tend to invite, nurture a following from like-minded individuals who agree with bloggers views Blog becomes viral Blog is picked up by mainstream media Gets attention of influential people and gatekeepers

Bloggers of the same opinion stick together

Small audience, but can be influential when:

Observations: Political Blogs & Social Change

Blogging aids in creating public consciousness
Highest popularity in PCIJ blog: Hello Garci and F4

Convergence or complementation of different media

Necessary to effectively shape public opinion! Complemented by face-to-face mobilization

Blogging is only one form of participation

Social change instituted outside blogosphere

Blogging alone declining; convergence with

Facebook & Twitter increasingly used for political information and mobilization! SNS increases exposure of blogs

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Observations: Political Blogging & Journalism

Observations: Political Blogging & Journalism

Low-cost, non-hierarchical, decentralized
Blogs criticized against journalistic standards: accuracy and accountability

Traditional vs. Citizen Journalism: A Caution

In traditional journalism, stories go thru editor, publisher has legal accountability In blogs, blogger functions as writer, editor, and publisher! Foregone editorial filter makes blogger solely responsible for what she or he writes

Journalist Blogging (J-blogging)

Journalists as source of political information thru blogs Blogs transforming journalism or j-blogs normalized?

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What did we find out? (1)

A-list Filipino political bloggers & their readers are:
Majority are young males Have the resources (money, time, literacy, broadband) Located in countrys political capital

Filipinos start to blog to keep track of thoughts and inform others; continue to formulate new ideas
In sync w/ readers reasons and perceived benefits Self-serving motivations dominate for both

Credibility is currency in the blogosphere

A-list bloggers show antagonism toward paid hacks Readers look to credible bloggers, with established reputation offline or in mainstream media

What did we find out? (2)

Most engage in expressive, conventional, & legitimate forms of participation
Critical yet non-hostile actors in political blogosphere

No significant difference in participation for both bloggers and readers before and after accessing blogs
No indication that blogs encourage more participation.

Blogs are a medium for providing/acquiring information, raise awareness and enrich knowledge
increased knowledge of real politics may have contributed to readers high level of cynicism may have downplayed value of resources, as most readers feel only moderately efficacious and uncertain of influence

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What did we find out? (3)

Political blogs have yet to create tangible macroimpact on political participation
Most contribution limited to information-sharing, for now No influence on political activities in politics as usual More value-added during urgent political issues or crisis Gain traction when it goes viral, picked up by mainstream media, and/or attract attention of gatekeepers.

Despite limited impact, blogs formulate new ideas

Could lead to more vibrant discussions, online/offline Support democracy by allowing expression and encouraging participation despite the odds in Philippine politics.

Sidelined Issues
Disengagement from online political discussion
Bickering and personal attacks among bloggers and readers

Wrong info or smear campaigns can spread like wildfire thru blogs
Accuracy sacrificed for quick access to controversial information

Censoring blogs?
High-profile case of bloggers sued in court by private individuals and government official How to impose Blogger Code of Eethics?

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Future Research
Catalytic effect of SNS, like Facebook, and microblogging site, Twitter in mobilizing netizens How blogs, micro-blogs, and SNS help shape and influence political attitude vs. traditional media Content analysis of blogs and comments thread New governance approach using new media for political communication
Pnoy replying directly to a netizens note on Facebook

Thank you. Mary Grace P. Mirandilla-Santos mg.mirandilla@gmail.com http://gracemirandilla.tumblr.com/ http://twitter.com/gracemirandilla/

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