PhilStar's Class over Crass

[OTO]

A few days ago I read an article on an old issue on PhilStar concerning one reader's complaint about the low quality automotive reviews of PhilStar.

I think the journo's response is pilosopo and completely ignores the shortcomings that the PhilStar reader not so eloquently pointed out. But I cant fault the journo's position either seeming too many nasty words ala Jeremy Clarkson would spell no more access to test drives which motoring journos live on or advertising revenues for the newspaper. Before we start bashing the journo we have to consider that they are writing from an average local car buyer's perspective. Sitting capacity, fuel efficiency and over all value are on the top of the general list while speed & performance are just a fantasy unlike reviewers abroad who have more choices, experiences and finances allowing them to be more picky.

Even considering the whys of local reviews in general doesnt motivate me much to read local reviews. Here in the house we stopped buying local mags cause the info could be freely read online by folks who arent afraid to speak out for the benefit of prospective customers.

Do you folks agree with journo's response to the reader's criticism that you need not point out the negatives of a car in an entertaining fashion and understate the problem to such an extent that it appears that the car is a perfect 10 out of 10 with a small snag?

[carlocaraddict]

when was this published?

[number001]

when was this published?

Last week ata....

Anyway this one was printed today....

Regular Backseat Driver James Deakin put it best when he said I’d opened the floodgates with my column on "Class vs. Crass" last week. Your voluminous reactions were intelligently written and argued and were actually split right down the middle, with some giving the motoring journalists of the Philippines the reassuring pat on the back and others expressing their desire for more in-depth and hard hitting articles. Here are some of the said reactions…

Don’t compare yourself with others. Just go on writing the way you write — simple, honest, relevant, to the point and hard hitting (at times). — Cris Lara

How to improve? Simple enough. I’ve never seen a failing grade for a car evaluated by motoring journalist in the Philippines. — 09206221103

Be as professional as you can be. Keep your pride. We have our own class as Filipinos. Keep it up and keep your heads up! — Ian, Cavite

What that grammatically challenged chap probably meant was that very few local motoring journalists give unbiased, non-car company junket tainted car reviews. — 09178888800

No need to emulate the Americans or the Europeans. We have a different culture and different motoring needs. In my opinion the local motoring press is doing a fine job. — 09194117916

Regarding Mr. Magsajo’s column, that person probably meant that you guys do an independent technical evaluation of vehicles featured and not sound like you’re just reading specs off a handout. Thanks. — 09196776327

Those were just some of the many (!) reactions sent about the topic. All of your reactions have been sent and discussed among the writers of this column. Yes, even those that bashed our competition’s writing style, that we could not print for obvious reasons. (We just don’t stoop that low to resort to putting down the competition, although they do that to us occasionally.) We’ll do our best to share it with our peers from other broadsheets, magazines and television shows, as well. Thanks for your Backseat Driver comments, guys. We’re grateful for the constructive criticism.

[OTEP]

Sometimes I wonder why motoring journalists don't just tell things as they are. They probaly have their own interests to protect (the free outings, access to test units, advertisers, etc.).

That's why I prefer to read the reviews here at Tsikot. Real world, real time, unbiased. Sometimes to the point of striking the sensitive nerves of local manufacturers (hi, Isuzu!).

The way some local journalists write makes every car seem like a gift from heaven!

[basti08]

Class vs. Crass
BACKSEAT DRIVER BY Dong Magsajo
The Philippine STAR 06/28/2006

Peers and readers alike have been lauding the very concept of this column since we launched it first some two years back. Apparently, this column has changed the way a number of people view not just columns, but newspapers and their roles in general. It is quite the interactive column that five writers and the rest of The STAR readers share. Indeed, one of the most fulfilling and exciting activities this writer goes through week in and week out is sifting through the muck that is the Backseat Driver inbox and deciding which messages make it to the next week’s reaction part of the column.

The fulfillment and the excitement stem from the fact that we get all kinds of messages that allow us to get a feel for what concerns our readers. Often we are bombarded with questions about cars and the peripheral products that surround them. A lot of times we get sensible if not entirely intelligent comments about motoring in the Philippines. From time to time Backseat Drivers use this column to vent out their frustrations. And, rarely, we get stuff that we just cannot understand.

Early last month, after writing a particularly scathing column on second hand vehicle importation, this writer got several reactions expressing support for (and a few condemning) our stand. There was one, however, that puzzled us completely for both its construction and its content. I sent the reaction to my peers in the hopes of getting a better understanding of where our reader was coming from. It spawned a discussion on whether it was proper to actually hear this reader out or to simply brush the entire episode away as some flimsy exercise in futility and frustration. The reader somehow connected the content of the column and used it to poke a little fun at motoring journalists all over the archipelago. We’ve decided to print the text message — verbatim — for the sake of further discussion. We will not, however, print the contact number that went along with the message to protect our reader from others who might want to push the issue further. (Remember, this is our space. Let’s keep it all in this column, shall we?) Here’s the message…

AUTOMOBILES HAVE SECOND HAND BUSES THAT ARE DANGEROUS, ON THE OTHER HAND, MOTORING JOURNALIST HAVE SECOND RATE WRITING SKILLS, MODERN TIMES NA, MOTORING JOURNALIST HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES SHOULD WRITE LIKE JOURNALISTS IN EUROPE AND STATES, PUT SOME CLASS NAMAN.

I actually intentionally added a period at the end of the message to at least put a merciful end to the almost unintelligible, uh, thought. See, here’s where editors and writers from other publications that I consulted got lost — the first line in the conjoined, uh, thought. What our reader actually means when he (we’re not sure of the reader’s gender) says, "automobiles have second hand buses that are dangerous" is something we have yet to figure out. Following it up with discombobulated noun-verb/plural-singular continuity only compounds our woes. At first some of my peers tried to wash their hands clean by saying that the reader could only be referring to me as the "motoring journalist". However, towards the end of his thought, he somehow quantifies it and implicates them all by saying "motoring journalist here in the Philippines".

From there, the issue became not whether we should try to find out what this reader wants from us (so that we might collectively improve) but whether we ought to even take this jab about improving our writing skills from someone who obviously has trouble writing himself. So what I did was argue in behalf of our reader. What this guy wants, I told them, is for us to improve. Will it not do us well to at least try to find out how this one person thinks we can improve? I mean, what exactly does he mean by "motoring journalist here in the Philippines should write like journalists in Europe and States"? Must we bash cars and car manufacturers ala-Jeremy Clarkson before we’re considered classy? Must we write kilometric articles and not go straight to the point the way newspaper writers ought to before we’re considered classy? Must we write about GPS and other automotive related developments that American and European writers and their audiences can relate to and forget about the region-relevant issues like Andy Leuterio’s take on diesel fuels and vehicles last week? So what if this guy can’t get his message through? The issue here is whether or not we, motoring journalists, are able to get our message through. Because here is at least one reader who thinks not (I think…).

Of course our discussions did not end with any kind of resolution whatsoever. We don’t know what it takes for us to become at par with writers from "Europe and States" because no one has actually told us what it is about those predominantly Caucasian dominated continents that will make us Asians want to emulate them. And so here, once again, is where you, the other Backseat Drivers of the world can help us. We (and I mean we from the tri-media motoring journalist lot in the Philippines) would honestly, seriously want to know how you think we can improve to the level where we don’t walk the line between class and crass. We honestly, seriously want to improve for your benefit. We honestly, seriously want to have more than just "second rate writing skills" compared to our illustrious counterparts from "Europe and States". We honestly, seriously want to be classy in your eyes. How do you think we can do that? Do text in to let us know. And please make your thoughts clear. We do have faith in your writing skills, you know.
*************

^^^the said article.

pinakanakakawindang sa sinabi ng text responder...

AUTOMOBILES HAVE SECOND HAND BUSES THAT ARE DANGEROUS, ON THE OTHER HAND, MOTORING JOURNALIST HAVE SECOND RATE WRITING SKILLS, MODERN TIMES NA, MOTORING JOURNALIST HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES SHOULD WRITE LIKE JOURNALISTS IN EUROPE AND STATES, PUT SOME CLASS NAMAN. .....

....*ahem* practice what you preach naman...

[ILuvDetailing]

Buttom line most local motoring journalists don't say it as it is... to put it bluntly parang silang salesman ng kotse, yes salesman ng kotse. Hey if they can't handle criticism they shouldn't be in this business.

[OTO]

I really need an editor sometimes. My first draft sucks. Ma-polish nga ng konte.

[OTEP]

Saying the truth is not the same as 'bashing' naman.

They just need to point out what's good and what's bad with a certain vehicle. Gaano ba kahirap iyon?

Siguro mahirap kung may dinner kayo ng Honda, outing ng Isuzu, test unit from Toyota, etc.

[OTO]

Alas any negative truths is bashing in the eyes of the automaker or those who are at the other end.

Here's a question, is there a significant difference from 1 car from another locally? Other than branding & product positiong parang little to no difference in terms of the tangible item at hand.

[OTEP]

Yes, it may be 'bashing' for the manufacturer. But why should an unbiased and honest journalist care? Therein lies the politics.

[basti08]

honestly for me, there are some local motoring journalist who are still not at par with their foreign counterparts. Those who i have obseved that have obvious biases over some more popular brands. but im not saying that foreign auto writers arent bias, sometimes i feel that they are like that too.

but if im a motoring scribe, i dont need to even care if im at par with those europeans nor americans...i dont think there is any mandate that says that they are the BENCHMARK anyway... so, ill just do my job properly & transparently.

[ILuvDetailing]

Here's an example... watch motoring today, check out their "review" segment, I don't see them pointing out any negatives, only positives. Almost every car that comes out of the manufacturing lot has its negatives, and its all about compromise for us.... the buying public, and thats the reason we read car magazines/articles to get lowdown, the good points and bad points be it handling, fuel consumption, acceleration, interior, ecetera ecetera.

[Horsepower]

The problem maybe is that, there's a conflict of interest.

These so called "journalists" are often sponsored by motor companies. Of course, these people would want their "benefits or perks" to stay, clouding their delivery of judgements. For them to give a better opinion, they should refrain from accepting sponsorships/support from car brands.

I've tried reading local car reviews and it's far from being objective. Usually, you'd sense that they're all praises over something so insignificant then downplay the bad points (if ever they point out some). Then when you get to see or buy the car, you get that big slam that it's not a small issue at all.

I'm glad i've joined this forum, even though it was down for the past days (i kinda missed it, this is actually my homepage). Here, you'll see all sorts of raw information straight from the horse's mouth. Then, it's all for you to judge.

[Chip]

I have a very good friend who's into car reviews as a hobby more than anything else really-he once got a lot of heat for making a bad review about a certain tri-star japanese brand and they banned him from testing their vehicles for the better part of a year. He says there are two main reasons why motoring journalists don't put down anything bad, especially in the dailies.

1. The said manufacturer WILL pull out all current ads for their brand if they do.
2. No future ads for an indefinite period of time.

Since ads are the lifeblood of newspapers and at the end of the day the journalists do still work for the daily, they cannot do anything that will jeopardize their source of income or risk getting axed.

eto pa malaking factor:
Mahirap kasi baka mabugbog e! hehehehe

[nicolodeon]

Sometimes I wonder why motoring journalists don't just tell things as they are. They probaly have their own interests to protect (the free outings, access to test units, advertisers, etc.).

Unfortunately they do. A lot of journalists have to protect the interests of theitr sponsors and padrinos. This situ is not limited to the Philippines - it's a global "phenomenon", even in the migthy US of A.

That's why I prefer to read the reviews here at Tsikot. Real world, real time, unbiased. Sometimes to the point of striking the sensitive nerves of local manufacturers (hi, Isuzu!).

The way some local journalists write makes every car seem like a gift from heaven!

Ditto.

[BlueBimmer]

tv automotive shows such as auto focus and motoring today are pure crap, well sa review section lang hehe

[ILuvDetailing]

Unfortunately they do. A lot of journalists have to protect the interests of theitr sponsors and padrinos. This situ is not limited to the Philippines - it's a global "phenomenon", even in the migthy US of A.

Unfortunately this is the harsh reality of motoring journalism, with regards to the letter... well its hard to be like Jeremy Clarkson if you don't have a backer like BBC.

[ghosthunter]

That's why whenever I read a local car review, I always read it with a pinch of reality on the side.

[OTO]

Unfortunately this is the harsh reality of motoring journalism, with regards to the letter... well its hard to be like Jeremy Clarkson if you don't have a backer like BBC.

You'll also need to have a writing style that can get away with anything. So long as you got the public/mob on your side you'll win any arguement in the court of public opinion.

[OTO]

I have a very good friend who's into car reviews as a hobby more than anything else really-he once got a lot of heat for making a bad review about a certain tri-star japanese brand and they banned him from testing their vehicles for the better part of a year. He says there are two main reasons why motoring journalists don't put down anything bad, especially in the dailies.

1. The said manufacturer WILL pull out all current ads for their brand if they do.
2. No future ads for an indefinite period of time.

Since ads are the lifeblood of newspapers and at the end of the day the journalists do still work for the daily, they cannot do anything that will jeopardize their source of income or risk getting axed.

eto pa malaking factor:
Mahirap kasi baka mabugbog e! hehehehe

You make it out as if they're "mukang pera". ;) Then again you can't feed the family with "integrity" these days. Doesnt make as much money.