You want TAHO??

It was a rainy Saturday when I started doing my job. You want to know my job? Oh well, it’s cool yet a challenging one. Let me ask you first. Are you familiar with “taho”? Taho (soybean custard) used to be exclusively a street food sold by ambulant vendors and that Saturday, I was able to sell Taho at the AB building. It’s really cool. But I am referring to a different Taho. It’s something we cannot eat literally but figuratively, we can eat what’s inside it and digest the things that we can get from it. Well, I am talking about our magazine. Taho is the official amateur magazine of the freshmen students from the Communication Arts Section 3(1CA3) of the Faculty of Arts and Letters or AB.

Upon the designation of departments where we would work, I really am thinking of going to the marketing department, particularly in promotions. But as the grouping continued, I wasn’t able to go with that department because it would be hard for me since all of them would be males. Since I have no choice, I only had to choose between the sponsors and the circulation. Thinking that I couldn’t help my colleagues that much because I don’t have connections, I went with the circulation department.

At first, I was disappointed of not being in the promotions since I was excited in planning for the promotion of the magazine and I was thinking that being in the circulation is not much important and that it would only be the job of the people who are bored and have nothing to do with their lives. Since I had no choice, I then became on of the staff of the circulation department. On the weeks that the magazine is being made, I found myself indolent because I haven’t done my part in the production of the magazine yet. As time went by and finally it was finished and ready to be published, I was a bit excited because finally, I can do my job. I was thinking that it would be cool and easy. Then the day has finally come. When I woke up, I was quite upset because of the weather; so I told myself that it would be cool. As I arrived in the AB building, I started to look at the people around. Then I suddenly felt something as I tried to talk to the first person to whom I was selling the magazine. I felt bashfulness. Then I realized at that instant that it wasn’t actually that easy to sell magazines especially magazines produced by us students because not all people would mind looking at it and appreciate it. You would also have to give extra effort to convince them so that they would buy your product. The common question that they ask is about the name of the magazine, “Why Taho?” That’s why you have to know the details of the magazine even though you’re not one of those who made it. You still have to know everything about the magazine and the sections in it. You should be able to answer their questions so that they would be really convinced that the magazine you are selling contains articles that are not claptrap. Lastly, you have to use your “charisma”.

Which is which?!Ü

First, who would say that he doesn’t watch TV or listen to radio broadcasts? Oh well, I doubt it. Apparently, like any other people, we are included as the mass of the media whom they please in order for us to be entertained, informed and updated. To be entertained? Well yes, most probably, most of the people look at TV shows and radio programs as the media whereby we acquire some entertainment. As we try to ponder, we will be able to realize that in many other things where we may find entertainment, we can also obtain information.

In radio broadcasts, as we are amused by the songs that are being played on air, we do not simply get pleasure but also information like, knowing the top-rated songs, compositions and FYI’s about the songs and artists; yet these are not only the things that we can get from the radio. We shouldn’t forget the essence of the radio, that it is better used as the medium where we can obtain news and updates about important issues and topics concerning our community and state.

On the other hand, TV would most probably be essential to us merely for entertainment. I do not say that it’s only for entertainment because I would be over-generalizing. What I am trying to say is that, for the majority, television is being used to satisfy themselves while for some people especially the old ones, they use TV for them to be informed and involved on important issues.

The roles of radio and TV and their broadcasts never change. They are there to entertain and give us information. However, as we open our innocent minds, we will see how many people in the industry use broadcasting for their own profit. Competition still emerges. In radio, there are many radio stations as well as in television where TV stations also compete for ratings. We sometimes tend to be encouraged by their power that we don’t care anymore whether we obtain the better information as long as we follow what catches our eyes and appetitive desires.

The best thing to do is to never lose our rationality when it comes on choosing the right or better radio or TV program. In the end, it’ll be ourselves whom we are net giving the sufficient information; thus, it wouldn’t benefit us. It would benefit them because it is in broadcasting where they also find profit that’s why it exists. Well, it helps both parties.