Noynoy does an ‘Obama’, taps new media

MANILA – Shortly before leaving his Quezon City residence for his lunch appointment on Tuesday, Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III sat in front of a computer web camera. In Makati City, his “new media team” and a group of reporters waited for him to appear on the video screen.

“This is my first chat. It’s my first time to interact through the Net. My generation is not that computer literate,” the Liberal Party presidential candidate said as he began talking to his audience.

Like a regular press conference, the niceties were short. Reporters immediately fired away questions.

“How do you like the experience surrounded by the biggest stars?” asked a journalist, referring to Aquino’s three-minute political ad featuring the biggest stars of the two leading television networks.

“It reinforces the responsibility that I have for people supporting our campaign,” Aquino responded. Sometimes, his voice was choppy, and he often squinted at the camera, but the exchange was lively.

“Are you in favor of expanding right of reply to online content?” another journalist asked.

“I would like to see a balance between right and responsibility. It should not transgress the rights of others,” Aquino said.

The video chat was limited to journalists and his campaign team. But according to Yolanda Ong, Aquino’s media manager, the medium may be used in the campaign.

Ong was also Aquino’s media manager in the 2007 senatorial elections.

“It’s an interesting activity. There are interruptions. I’m disoriented when they pan in and out. But in time, we will be better at this,” Aquino said.

The senator recognized the role of the Internet in the campaign. “We’re trying to reach all Filipinos not only here in the country. New media facilitates interaction. We would want to move into an issue-driven campaign rather than a personality-driven campaign. Issues will be vetted out here,” he said.

ABS-CBN

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