‘They’ve turned to blogging to channel their interest and passion for film, TV and celebrities.’
By GAY ACE DOMINGO
Vocabulary.com defines a blogger as “someone who writes regularly for an online journal or website.” The bloggers, especially the entertainment bloggers, are multifaceted creatives who employ not just words, but especially-crafted videos and interesting photos and graphics to communicate to their audience the latest happenings via their personal websites and social media platforms. Because they work on their own, they are not governed by traditional rules. But precisely because they work on their own, without a supervisor like an editor to vet the content, blogging is at times associated with fake news, badly written text and unprofessionalism.
The Philippine Entertainment Bloggers Association (PEBA) seeks to be a game-changer. It desires to uplift the state of entertainment blogging and establish it as reputable, trustworthy.
Launched last February through a well-organized general assembly, PEBA made a splash in showbiz. The GA, held at no less than Mother Lily Monteverde’s posh 38 Valencia Events Place, was attended by 38 founding members. The PEBA kickoff featured song-and-dance numbers by artists from major talent agencies; a raffle with a smart TV as grand prize; video greets from Toni Gonzaga, Alden Richards, Melai Cantiveros and other celebs; plus plenty of good food and loot bags filled with giveaways.
PR heads of entertainment and lifestyle companies supported PEBA’s GA by sending food, gifts, and products. The fun and camaraderie among the bloggers were evident in the post-event photos and videos.
PEBA was conceptualized during a coffee chat among blogger-friends Richard Mark Rosete, Albert Bryan Abelido and Nazamel Tabares. “We were just randomly talking about what-ifs in the blogging industry and how we can better level it up. What if we can contribute more to the entertainment industry, what if there’s a way to help each other out as bloggers?”
PEBA president Albert Bryan Abelido told Malaya Business Insight.
Perhaps unknown to the public, many entertainment bloggers hold full-time jobs. Some of them are employees at big companies. Others are teachers and professionals; others are freelance creatives like photographers and artists. They’ve turned to blogging to channel their interest and passion for film, TV and celebrities.
In spite of this, there are stories about bloggers being treated as “second-class citizens” at events and conferences. In PR circles, the phrase “warm bodies” was coined to refer to media persons, more precisely bloggers, who are invited to pack the venue and show the client that the event was a success.
PEBA wants the world to take their group seriously. That is not a motherhood statement as Albert shared, “Our plans revolve around connecting with industry professionals, enhancing blogging practices and providing opportunities for entertainment bloggers. We’re targeting to organize skill-building workshops, an awards or fellowship night, and streamlining the PEBAyanihan program.”
In a official video message, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte urged PEBA members to give blogging a good name, saying “I want to challenge you… As an organization you now have the responsibility to be a good model to your fellow bloggers by upholding ethical standards… As you share stories about our favorite personalities, embrace fairness, objectivity and integrity in storytelling.”
With the skills, background and plans to back up their mission, PEBA is poised to be a dynamic force in Philippine showbiz. “We are here to forge meaningful collaborations and provide engaging and legitimate stories,” said Albert. “We are here to stay!”
