Today is Halloween and it can't be denied. Halloween brings me back memories of the 90s and early 2000s with Magandang Gabi Bayan (Good Evening Nation) which had reporter Noli De Castro and Korina Sanchez-Roxas back when she was still single. One of their most "memorable" times was the MGB Halloween Special which had some rather scary reenactment accompanied by De Castro's really sensationalist, powerful voice. Fortunately, MGB ended in 2005 (I was still in college) though the memories are still there. I do feel there was this hidden trauma I had to the useless arguments I got as a teenager to when it was in college. I remembered how I got into arguments with people who kept insisting on the aswang stories they heard with their "best source" to be De Castro himself. Unfortunately, the videos are still up on ABiaS-CBN's Youtube channel which you can check them out for yourself.
I actually wrote back then how sensationalism is what sells in the Philippines. I guess that's why ABiaS-CBN had decades-long high ratings for some time because of the simple-mindedness of people back then. How does sensationalism sell? Well, they want something more exciting even when it's not the truth than the boring truth. I've remembered how (as a child) I had crazy classmates who kept believing in the existence of aswang, manananggal, and other non-existent monsters. The rise of the MGB Program and the yearly Halloween special was successful because of sensationalist-loving Filipinos. The stories felt so real, so scary, and it was entertaining. What's worse is that even after a scientific explanation is given - they will still not take it! It's just like how people were eating RAW RIVER FISH and were blaming their stomach parasites on witchcraft even after the doctors proved it to be otherwise. They were eating the kinilaw (raw fish) without proper preparation. Just watching them eat it from a basin with dirty hands is so disgusting. Even worse, people threw their waste into the river so how could it not result in them getting sick?
I was thinking about the possibility that the MGB Halloween episodes were most likely scripted. Why do I think they were scripted? It's possible to script out an interview just for the sake of ratings. Most of the scenes of the monsters were just reenacted. There was NO VIDEO EVIDENCE of the claims whatsoever. I think the people were probably paid to appear and to make up a scripted story. I feel many times that the interviews were most likely scripted but they sound so convincing. Even worse, these possibilities were not put into consideration the need for ethical news reporting. This also made me remember how I wrote about how can Filipinos improve if irresponsible journalism has almost no consequences. Why hasn't the authenticity of the interviews even been checked? Fortunately, MGB already ended last 2005 but the damage of these idiotic Halloween specials is still there.
Also, there's a big difference between the now-canceled ISPUP from ABC-5 or Bubble Gang from GMA-7 doing their fake documentaries on Halloween. At least, ISPUP is what it is - a parody show. I remembered watching Halloween specials on ISPUP where Candy Pangilinan and Jon Santos did a good job making their unbelievably stupid horror stories and you can still have a good night rest. However, for the MGB Halloween specials - they tend to be presented with the thought of what if it's true. It's giving unnecessary fears rather than necessary fears. News about COVID-19 may be scary but the purpose is to INFORM THE PUBLIC. Such isn't probably the case of MGB Halloween Specials with how they're presented. It's a NEWS PROGRAM so why are they doing these documentaries?
At this point, I'm glad ABiaS-CBN is really getting backlash now also because of tabloidism style where ratings matter more than truth. How can ABiaS-CBN be really doing check and balance if it cares more about ratings than the truth or cares only when the truth is convenient? Besides, how many Filipinos really do care enough to sign for its renewal? Until now, the bidding for one million signatures to renew ABiaS-CBN's franchise by the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) has NOT even reached HALF A MILLION. I guess the digital age and some re-education had slowly awakened the Filipino mind. Filipinos like any other race are still capable of evolving. I guess that's why ABiaS-CBN kept fighting against constitutional reform - which in turn became its undoing. Either way, I'm just glad ABiaS-CBN is getting its just desserts. Either they grow up or they'll end up shutting down not by government intervention but by their own hand.
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