The Power of Anonymity

The UP CMC Office of Research and Publication

invites you to the

CMC Research Brownbag Series

The Power of Anonymity: People Living with HIV/AIDS in the Philippines and the Internet

By Prof. Fernando A. Austria, Jr. Department of Broadcast Communications

CMC Auditorium, UP College of Mass Communication 30 July 2013, 5:15 PM

ABSTRACT The stigma and discrimination associated with sexual orientation and gender identity complicates the struggles of those at risk of getting HIV and people living with HIV/AIDS. The ability to shift from real world identities to online anonymity becomes empowering for these individuals as they are able to pursue their fight against the disease. In the blog of Pozziepinoy, through the emails sent to him, we see how sexual orientations and gender identities are suppressed and ignored: allowing these individuals to face the conditions and confront the other problems associated with this disease.

ABOUT THE LECTURER Fernando A. Austria, Jr. spent 20 years in the advertising industry where his involvement spanned a range of activities; from strategic communication planning to communication management; creative execution to production direction in various media -- radio, television, print and non-traditional vehicles like events, theater, graphics, and new media. At present he is a professor of Broadcast Arts and Studies at the Department of Broadcast Communication at the College of Mass Communication, University of the Philippines, Diliman. He teaches a wide range of courses from radio and television production and direction to theory and research. His research interests include culture and media with special emphasis on media audiences, gender representation in media and production procedures and aesthetics.