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 April 2011, Phuket, Thailand

Internet, Blogging, and Politics PUBLIC SPHERE ELECTRONICREPUBLICELECTRONICREPUBLIC But, only anecdotal evidence on Filipino bloggers, how they affect their readers, and how both engage in political activities. INTERNET has changed the nature of political communication and the landscape of political participation Low-cost User-friendly BLOGS promising democratic tool for providing information, facilitating political communication, and influencing nature and level of political participation. Personalized Social

Curious Connections BLOG MOTIVATION PERSONAL CONTEXTS PREDISPOSITIONRESOURCESSELF-INTERESTENVIRONMENT POLITICAL PARTICIPATION INTENTION TO INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT ACTION DISTRIBUTION OF SOCIAL GOODS & VALUES

What we wanted to find out and how A-list Filipino political BLOGGERS and READERS  Who they are  Why they write/read political blogs  Whether and how they participate in politics  What their attitude is toward politics  Whether and how they encourage readers to participate 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 2010) (McKenna & Pole, 2004 and Gorospe-Jamon, 1998) Elite interviews and FGDs SNAPSHOT

Male, y/o, Metro Manila-based; college- educated, 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 WHO are A-List Filipino Political Bloggers? Feel that blogging is “a form of political participation” that has led to “an exchange of ideas among individuals even in the real world.”

WHY did they START to blog? KEEP TRACK OF THOUGHTS INFORM PEOPLE ON MOST RELEVANT INFO INFORM PEOPLE ON MOST RECENT INFO HELP SOCIETY FORMULATE NEW IDEAS

WHY do they CONTINUE to blog? KEEP TRACK OF THOUGHTS FORMULATE NEW IDEAS INFORM PEOPLE ON MOST RELEVANT INFO SERVE AS POLITICAL WATCHDOG HELP SOCIETY

How blogs promote participation? Expressive participation Political campaign

Encourage readers to participate OFF-line Conventional & legitimate Unconventional but legitimate Unconventional & illegal

Encourage readers to participate ON-line Neutral, conflict-free networking Political stand, support mobilization

Blogger Political Activities BEFORE and AFTER No significant difference before and after blogging (at 95% CI) Did not significantly change participation – Some activities are time-specific, such as “voting” AFTER blogging, although respondents feel “much more” informed about political issues, but only “somewhat” sure about their influence on politics or political discourse.

Blogger & their Readers: Similar Profile 51% 44% 40%

WHY Readers Visit Political Blogs

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

* Incidence significantly higher before blog reading (at 95% CI) ** Incidence significantly higher after blog reading (at 95% CI) Reader Political Activities BEFORE and AFTER

Readers’ Political CYNICISM Cynicism – tendency to have a negative view of, or negative feelings toward, politically significant objects, such as political institutions and processes 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 person’s incentive to participate in politics 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”

Observations: “Politics” of Political Blogging Male dominance among bloggers  Aggressiveness and violence in online debates  Stressful especially for women  “Men won’t accept defeat” – top female blogger Bloggers of the same opinion stick together  Polarization—blogs tend to invite, nurture a following from like-minded individuals who agree with blogger’s views Small audience, but can be influential when:  Blog becomes viral  Blog is picked up by mainstream media  Gets attention of influential people and gatekeepers

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

What did we find out? (1) A-list Filipino political bloggers & their readers have similar profile – Male, young, with resources (time, money, broadband) Filipinos start to blog to keep track of thoughts and inform others; continue to formulate new ideas – Self-serving first, before serving others Credibility is currency in the blogosphere – Paid hacks are outcast – Established reputation online and offline

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 – No indication that blogs encourage more participation. Knowledge of “real politics” may contribute to high level of cynicism – may downplay value of resources—what one can do with resources on hand

What did we find out? (3) Political blogs have yet to create tangible macro- impact on political participation – Most contribution limited to information-sharing, for now – More value-added during urgent political issues or “crisis” – Viral, media exposure, influential people and 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.

Thank you. Mary Grace P. Mirandilla-Santos