Why don’t we have intelligent culture articles published in the local media? Or why don’t we have intelligent magazines published locally? And by local media, I mean the printed media in the form of newspapers and magazines. Is it too much to ask for something like a Vanity Fair or a New York Magazine type of publication? I guess it is.
We have a plethora of showbiz gossip magazines. Nothing wrong with that, they cater to the majority. We have a lot of those blogs too. Now, I have to admit that I like reading about showbiz occasionally. I appreciate showbiz articles written in an intelligent, analytical manner (Yes, intelligent and analytical can be applied to showbiz when done right). But we don’t seem to have that in the Philippines. We do have a showbiz website, though, in English peppered with grammatical errors in every sentence. But at least there’s a website, right? Beggars can’t be choosers.
We have a lot of fashion magazines as well. But it’s like these magazines only repeat themselves and they lack ooomph.
The two local culture-related publications I used to love reading before but are now no longer in publication were Pen and Ink and Jessica Zafra’s Flip. My friend suggested I get a copy of Rogue Magazine because he says it’s good. I’ll make a mental note to do that when I get to the bookstore, if they carry it here in my neck of the woods. Here’s a sampling of a controversy the magazine caused in February. And of course, there is the current Joey Mead brouhaha with her wearing nothing on the cover, just body paint of the Philippine flag.
This post came to mind because I have been reading Vanity Fair online. I read this essay on Coldplay and I had to laugh. It’s funny but smart. I rarely am able to read funny-smart locally. But I guess, since articles of this kind are sure to offend a sector of society (and we have a whole lot of the holier-than-thous), then
it would be kinda hard to have it here. And wishing for something like Slate or Wonkette or the Huffington Post would be just that, wishful thinking.
Okay. So I’m off to reading again. And if there’s a local publication that I might have missed that I shouldn’
6 Comments
June 18, 2008 at 2:25 am
what about philippine tatler?
June 18, 2008 at 9:47 am
or Playboy philippines? don’t people buy playboy for the articles?
but seriously, didn’t its EIC say something about intelligent articles?
June 18, 2008 at 11:20 am
That same link I had above reviewed Playboy and more or less bashed it because it didn’t keep the essence of the international brand. But part of its strategy was having Palanca awardees as writers.
Hey I have it on good authority that Playboy USA does have some insightful articles. Hehe.
I won’t given talk about Tatler. Just google blogs and read what they say abou it.
June 18, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Maybe you should set up your own mag, Ams. It could be your calling
June 18, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Hey Fats.
I wish I had the money to do so. That’s the ultimate dream, to have a publication all my own. That way I won’t have to argue with publishers about profitability and can maintain a certain kind of standard that would appeal to smart readers.
Someday…:)
June 18, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Amee, I agree with Fatima. Why not an online mag like Slate? Count me in as a subscriber.
For my part, I read the Phil Inquirer online for showbiz news and occasional political/business/tech news. Manila Bulletin makes me yaaaawn. Showbiz news is soooo bloody fawning it’s unbelievable, but at least I get a laugh out of them.
Cheers,
Marjorie