GMA expands Election 2013 coverage

In the 2010 Elections, GMA Network was a leader in media coverage—both on television and on the web. Harnessing the power of social media, GMA’s Department of Multimedia Journalism gathered and delivered breaking news in real time through social networks Twitter and Facebook. Meanwhile, YouScoop tapped into the network of citizen journalists for both online and on-air dissemination of the news.

This year, GMA will be taking the game to the next level with two new web applications and a series of online programs for the 2013 elections.

The next level
GMA’s Vice President for Multimedia Journalism Howie Severino says the company’s background in radio and TV give the media giant an advantage—even in an increasingly online world.

“[It’s about] scale. We have a large news organization with a lot of resources and with a big audience,” says Severino. “The ‘big-ness’ of GMA News’ election coverage is the combination of different platforms and media—from the very traditional radio to the newest forms [online]. We have a very powerful means of spreading, gathering and verifying information.”

Television, he says gives breadth. Radio gives listeners “the visceral experience of hearing on-the-ground witnesses, live.” Meanwhile, the internet provides speed, depth and global distribution in real time.

For example, GMA’s new Kandidato Buzz Index (http://www.gmanews.tv/kandidatobuzzindex) is a real-time visualization of which senatorial candidates are being talked about the most online. Readers will also be presented with the freshest and most relevant social content.

Meanwhile, the Voting Experience Poll (http://www.gmanews.tv/votingexperiencepoll) lets Filipinos report on how their voting experience was and whether they encountered any problems. This becomes a database from which we may determine public sentiment towards the elections. From there, Filipinos may also share their experience on their social media accounts.

For these applications, GMA partnered with U.S.-based company Mass Relevance, which has previously worked with other broadcast companies to visualize social media content and data around live events. Mass Relevance has powered similar visualizations for CNN’s coverage of the 2012 U.S. Presidential Elections.

The online form will also be used to actively engage Filipino voters with new content. “We are creating a range of platforms and channels for people to air their concerns and questions, campaign for their chosen candidates, or argue with people as in a debate,” says Severino.

In the E13 Google Hangout, anyone with an internet connection can watch a curated panel of experts discuss election-related issues from May 13 to 14. Viewers may tweet the panel their questions using the hashtag #e13hangout.

“The business of journalism is becoming more and more multi-platform. It’s not enough to be present on-air; you need to be present everywhere,” says Pia Faustino, multimedia manager at GMA Network. “More and more people are turning to the internet as a main source of info, and we need to be there to provide them with the info they need.”

Five Google hangouts will be hosted on Election Day, for topics such as Election Day problem resolution, overseas absentee voting, and controversial candidates. There will also be a hangout held after the closing of the polls, where candidates will gather to speak on an open platform.

A post-elections hangout will be conducted on May 14 to discuss citizen journalism highlights and wrap up election topics.

‘Filipinos are concerned about their country’
GMA’s Action Center has also organized a Social Media Helpdesk which is devoted to responding to voter concerns. This Helpdesk will also log and verify election-related incident reports such as crime, PCOS machine malfunctions and the like.

Using Twitter to send breaking news and photos is now a protocol for all GMA reporters and producers. The latest feed may be viewed at

http://twitter.com/GMANews and http://facebook.com/GMANews. 

Citizen journalists may also submit first-hand accounts of incidents, no matter where they are in the Philippines, through http://www.youscoop.tv, the YouScoop mobile apps for iOS and Android, or through Twitter and Facebook.

“These days, everyone who has a cell phone has the power to tell a story. Anyone with a Facebook or Twitter account can post something that goes viral,” explains Faustino. “Filipinos are concerned about their country. If they see something important, we’re giving them the power to make it known to even more people.”

"ELEKSYON 2013" GMA News and Public Affairs elections coverage

GMA News and Public Affairs all set for its biggest, most comprehensive elections coverage, "ELEKSYON 2013"

GMA News and Public Affairs mounts its biggest, most comprehensive election coverage this Eleksyon 2013, reestablishing itself yet again as the Philippines’ news authority.

Running a full 28 hours from 4:30 AM on election day until the morning after, GMA’s news teams will be reporting from a total of 47 strategically selected live remote points throughout Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao including the GMA originating regional stations Cebu, Davao, Dagupan, Ilocos, Naga, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro and satellite stations Bacolod and General Santos.

Using the latest in transmission technology including a Digital Mobile News Gathering System, live reports will be sent to GMA’s election hub: a two storey set that took weeks to construct inside the largest - almost 1000 square meter - GMA network studio. The Eleksyon 2013 set includes a massive data and call center desk and an all-new social media center - with a Google Hangout which will allow the public to engage in discussions with moderators and guests throughout the coverage - in addition to the traditional anchors’ and talk areas. Adjacent to it, a fully equipped election war room to handle coordination among hundreds of staffers has been prepared.

GMA News and Public Affairs pillars Mel Tiangco, Mike Enriquez, Vicky Morales, Arnold Clavio, Howie Severino and Jessica Soho will lead the coverage, providing analysis as to the hows and whys of the country’s second automated elections. They will be utilizing state of the art computer graphics technology as they anchor: including virtual screens and a new tracking system to enhance the presentation of real time immersive graphics, similar to what was used by CNN during their 2012 U.S. Presidential election coverage.

In 2010, GMA led all media organizations in providing a consistently fast, accurate and uninterrupted count as soon as the first PCOS machines transmitted the numbers. Viewers can expect even more from GMA this 2013, the network will be able to provide information as to how each national candidate performs - not only nationwide, but as far down as city level.

GMA’s news pillars, reporters and producers from its television, radio, web and social media platforms come together for Eleksyon 2013 in an effort to deliver information to as many people as possible. The coverage will be supported by GMA’s election partners – COMELEC, PLDT, Smart Communications, the Catholic Media Network, the Phil. Center for Investigative Journalism, AMA Education System and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, among many others.

Even citizen journalists have been tapped to contribute. In preparation for Eleksyon 2013, GMA News Online conducted a series of training workshops for these journalists – they will be posting video, photos and information on election day through GMA’s YouScoop website.

To further ensure accuracy in its reports, former COMELEC Commissioner and Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals Teresita Dy-Liacco Flores will serve as GMA News and Public Affairs’ in-house election consultant throughout the coverage.

GMA News Online will highlight social media in this election coverage, using web applications powered by U.S. based social media visualization company Mass Relevance. The Kandidato Buzz Index application visualizes which candidates are most talked about on Facebook and Twitter, while the Voting Experience Poll will allow social media users to report problems they have while voting.

GMA News and Public Affairs has gone all out for Eleksyon 2013. Weeks before election day, GMA Public Affairs aired a slew of specials aimed at voter education including the programs Bayan Ko, Paninindigan, Pagsubok ng mga Kandidato, Camera Juan, Kandidato, Landas, Kasaysayan ng Eleksyon, the Dapat Tama Advocacy Ads and Bilog videos among others. On election day itself, GMA Network will be connected to COMELEC’s mirror server -- which guarantees immediate vote results from the polls.

The right to suffrage is the great equalizer – giving the power back to the people in choosing their leaders. GMA News and Public Affairs takes its responsibility to serve as the voters’ watchdog closely to heart. All its efforts for the Eleksyon 2013 coverage are firmly grounded in an advocacy that has become the organization’s rallying cry this season: Dapat Tama or doing what is right for the sake of the nation.

Your online precinct finder to check your polling precinct

COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS PRECINCT FINDER

Tips:

Go to this link before going to your precinct

Bring a kodigo before you vote

Do not wear expensive jewelries

Vote Wisely

If a stranger approach you giving money in exchange for a candidate's vote get it but you are still the one to decide who to vote.

Remember that no candidate will know if you voted for him or not 

You can tell a lie or just deny.

The money from him is yours it is your tax