Popular Culture and the Media Notes

  • Popular culture evolves with technology and is influenced by both the working class and companies.

  • Focus: avenues for disseminating popular culture.

Printed Media

  • Examples: books, magazines, newspapers, comic books.

  • Printed media: information in print, held and read by hand.

  • Traditional media: the oldest form of information transfer, tracing back to movable type.

  • Printed media: an avenue for disseminating popular culture and creating cultural icons.

  • Umberto Eco's Numero Zero: illustrates how people can be swayed by what they read, with comprehension often following absorption.

  • The Philippine Magazine (1905): was not widely "popular" due to its English content, limiting its accessibility.

Comics / Komiks

  • Antonio “Tony” Velasquez: created Kenkoy (1928) for Liwayway, a very popular comic.

  • Senator Manny Villar: has cited Jose Rizal’s “Ang Matsing at ang Pagong” as one of the first comics in the Philippines.

  • Rise of komiks: exemplified by titles such as Darna, Captain Barbell, Trese, Sskait, and Arkitekyuklid, which have become significant in Philippine pop culture.

Radio and Music

  • Radio programs: have the power to influence, convince, and even enrage listeners.

  • Telegraph (1837): served as a precedent for electronic communication, paving the way for radio.

  • Nikola Tesla (1891): developed the high-frequency transformer, which was crucial for radio technology.

  • Guglielmo Marconi (1895): achieved the first radio transmission, marking a milestone in communication.

Brief History of Radio Broadcasting in the Philippines

  • Radio arrived in the Philippines: in the early 1920s.

  • Henry Hermann: established stations such as KZKZ, KZRM, and KZEG (June 1922).

  • 1925: KZKZ was replaced by KZRQ.

  • Radio dramas and commentaries: were broadcast in Tagalog and local dialects, making them “pang-masa” (for the masses) programs.

Future of Broadcasting

  • Podcast: is a rising media format because of its accessibility and niche content.

  • Podcasts: consist of audio files (or vodcasts, which include video) that are accessible on a distributor's website.

  • Many radio/TV stars: are turning to podcasting due to fewer restrictions and the ability to reach a targeted audience.

  • Radio pop culture icons: include figures like Joe Rogan, Rhett & Link, Grace & Mimai, and Bianca Gonzales, who have successfully transitioned to digital platforms.

  • Radio technology: paved the way for broadcasting music, transforming how music is distributed and consumed.

The Advent of Music

  • Recording and broadcast technology: has had a profound societal impact, changing how people create, share, and enjoy music.

  • Thomas Edison (1877): invented the first phonograph, allowing sound to be recorded and reproduced.

  • Emile Berliner: developed the flat-disk phonograph (gramophone), which was improved around 1920, making it more practical for mass production.

  • These innovations: created a mass market for pop music, enabling widespread distribution and consumption.

Major Pop Music Genres

  • Adult contemporary/Easy listening: features classics, light opera, and softer rock (e.g., Céline Dion).

  • Classical music: includes the works of eminent composers such as Bach and Mozart, appreciated for their artistic and historical value.

  • Country: ranges from traditional to urban and rock country (e.g., Hank Williams, Taylor Swift).

  • Disco: spans classic disco to contemporary techno/EDM (e.g., Bee Gees, David Guetta).

  • Eclectic Pop: blends pop, rap, rock, and techno (e.g., Jay-Z, Beyoncé).

  • Electronic: relies heavily on electronic effects and digital instruments (e.g., Skrillex).

  • Experimental: incorporates non-musical objects and unconventional manipulation techniques.

  • Folk: uses traditional instruments to create authentic and often narrative-driven music (e.g., Bob Dylan).

  • Gospel: reflects spirituality and religious themes (e.g., Jamie Rivera, Gary Valenciano).

  • Jazz and Blues: covers all eras, celebrating improvisation and soulful expression (e.g., Herbie Hancock, Louis Armstrong).

  • Opera: primarily from the romantic period, known for dramatic vocal performances (e.g., Rossini, Verdi).

  • Rap and hip-hop: includes both classic and contemporary artists (e.g., Ludacris, Jay-Z), focusing on rhythm, lyrics, and cultural expression.

  • Rhythm and Blues, Funk, Soul: features both classic and contemporary artists (e.g., Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin), emphasizing rhythm, groove, and emotion.

  • Rock: encompasses old rock and roll, classic rock, hard rock, and metal (e.g., Elvis Presley, The Beatles), known for its energetic performances and rebellious spirit.

Indie Music

  • Indie music: emerged in the late 1980s in the UK, encompassing genres like Britpop and Riot Grrrl.

  • Online indie artists: often gain popularity online but tend to go mainstream as their audience grows.

  • Created without major record companies: allowing artists greater creative control.

  • Smaller labels: are often more open to fresh and unconventional performers, fostering innovation.

  • Indie music began underground: with artists like Dave Days and Boyce Avenue gaining initial traction through online platforms.

Traditional Music in the Philippines

  • Pre-Hispanic music: was found in isolated areas, used during village feasts, and connected to beliefs in spirits.

  • Malayo-Polynesian family: shares a common cultural heritage reflected in their music.

  • Hispanic-type music: features Mediterranean tunes and the use of the guitar, influenced by Spanish colonization.

  • “Folk” songs (kundiman): are performed with a plucked-string orchestra (rondalla), showcasing Filipino musical traditions.

Audiovisual Media

  • Film: is based on photography, which has its roots in the camera obscura.

  • Joseph Nicéphore Niépce (1826): created what is considered the first modern camera.

  • Daguerre & Talbot: further developed and popularized photography, making it more accessible.

  • Eadweard Muybridge (1877): created “moving photographs,” a precursor to modern cinema.

Types of Film

  • Films: can be categorized as narrative, documentary, or animated.

  • Narrative films: tell fictional stories or recreate actual events using actors and sets, involving pre-production, production, and post-production phases.

  • Documentaries: present nonfiction content, capturing real-life circumstances and events.

  • Animated films: tell narrative stories through animation, often produced by studios such as Illumination and Pixar.

Genre Analysis

  • Genre analysis: is an important aspect of pop culture studies, helping to categorize and understand different types of films.

  • Early films: were inspired by books, pulp fiction, vaudeville, and circus performances, borrowing elements from various forms of entertainment.

  • Contemporary genres: include crime, mystery, romance, adventure, horror, and thriller, each offering distinct themes and tropes.

Video Culture

  • Big film releases: became available on home video in the late 1980s, changing how people consume movies.

  • Sony Betamax: was one of the first tape recorder formats for home video, but it was eventually overshadowed by VHS due to marketing and availability.

Some Firsts in the Philippine Cinema

  • First films: were screened at Salon de Pertierra (January 1, 1897), introducing cinema to the Philippines.

  • Antonio Ramos (1898): shot local scenes in Manila, capturing early Philippine life on film.

  • Zamboanga