Web Radio in the Philippines
ABSTRACT
This thesis explored factors that led to the convergence of radio and the web. This study also examined the concepts of free labor and weisure in web radio. Six web radio stations in the e-Radio Portal site were included in this study; three AM stations: DZRH, DZAS, and DWXI, and three FM stations: Love radio, Yes FM, and Big Radio. Data were collected through in-depth interview with the station representatives of the six web radio stations, and the managing director of e-Radio Portal. Online interview of web radio users was also conducted.
Guided by Terranova’s Free Labor Theory and Conley’s concept of Weisure, this study found that majority of web radio station respondents do not think web radio users who patronize their station are working for the radio station. The web radio users also share the same perspective. However, two characteristics of Free Labor (enjoyed and unwaged labor) surfaced from the gathered data and confirmed that free labor is done by web radio users. However, they are not aware that they are already working for the web radio station. The concept of weisure is not found to be applicable to the Philippine context because some web radio users are not aware that they are already doing free labor although listening is a form of a leisure activity.
This study also found that media consumers and users in the Philippines equate labor and work with monetary value. This manifests the lack of media literacy among Filipino audiences and media consumers. This also shows the level of criticality that the current Filipino audiences have when it comes to their activities with the media. They do not realize that their presence per se is a factor for media networks to gain profit from the advertisers.
Soriano, A.O. (2012). Web Radio in the Philippines: Creating a new Workforce for Media Networks?, Unpublished undergraduate thesis, University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.