SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – Organizers of the Binibining (Bb) Pilipinas Pageant Coronation Night on Sunday, March 30, asked Rappler to stop real time live updates so as not to preempt the live broadcast of media partner ABS-CBN.
In an email to Rappler, pageant organizers said that they were “requesting the Rappler Team not to do real time live updates during the 2014 Bb Pilipinas Coronation Night. Online updates should coincide with the live broadcast on ABS-CBN.”
Attended by thousands at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the coronation event was recorded by network ABS-CBN for a delayed telecast. While the actual event began at around 8 pm, the network had decided to air one and a half hours later – following its Sunday program, “Gandang Gabi Vice.”
The network, one of the partners of the Bb Pilipinas pageant, organized by Bb Pilipinas Charities Incorporated, had exclusive rights to air the program on its channel.
Rappler declined the request as it had previously set up a live blog page that was published on March 25, a full 5 days before coronation night.
Rappler sent the organizers a statement that said: “Part of Rappler’s mandate is to bring the experience of events we cover to those who cannot be there in person – the Internet and social media have made this possible in ways that were previously impossible. Rappler has live-blogged many important events from the Corona Trial in 2012 to the selection of Pope Francis in 2013. Since the site went online more than two years ago we have also live-tweeted various important lifestyle and entertainment events, including the annual Bb Pilipinas and Miss Universe pageants. In this new age of social media, controlling the flow of information online is an exercise in futility, as one way or the other, the audience will live-post highlights from the event, whether it be on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.”
Censorship
Journalists sent by Rappler to cover the event were barred from entry to the Smart Araneta Coliseum. They however found other ways to get inside.
The organizers insisted however on censoring social media, saying ABS-CBN “will only allow live tweets from abscbn.com and creme silk [sic]. No one else.”
The organizers also said, “Sorry we can’t allow Rappler to do live tweets or live blogs later at the coronation night.”
Aware of its duty to inform the public interested in who the country’s representatives to the international beauty pageants would be, Rappler stood by its decision to live blog the event. – Rappler.com
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