“Why are you doing a newspaper?” I’ve been asked. The answer is very complex and quite a journey, which has just begun. Let me tell you about it.
I had an epiphany one day on how much influence Media (TV, Newspaper, online social media) can have in our world. It is absolutely massive. Media can shape our opinion in so many different ways including but not limited to Religion, Politics, Conflicts, Products, Opinions, Food, and Health, Transportation, music, movies, financial, education and so much more. It could be newsprint, online news, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, books, advertisements, and TV shows. Media can be a good influence as well as a bad . I believe it should be used for the good of the community.
If I talk to you personally and we both communicate our thoughts on a particular subject we both could change our opinion on that subject. How much more if we write our thoughts and thousands of people read it. How about if I write and publish your thoughts? What if we allow everyone to voice their opinion? What if you get a chance to say what you think?
It really comes down to the intention and media communication. Is it for self interest or is it for the community as a whole?
My first big exposure in the Filipino community came when my wife Luisa Marshall was offered the opportunity to produce a TV show in 2009. It happened really fast. One day Luisa was working on a show to raise money for 2009 Typhoon Ondoy at the River Rock Theatre. Then someone from Shaw TV asked her to talk on camera to promote the event. When they looked at the footage they noticed Luisa looked great and communicated really well on TV. They offered us a TV show. That show became SIMPLY THE BEST.
The Luisa Marshall Show which from what we know is the first Filipino based Celebrity talk show in many years and is most popular going into our 6th year.
Within months of starting this show, I realized we were a target of some other Filipino media in the lower mainland. That is when I learned all about the famous Filipino “crab mentality”. People we helped and supported considered us now as the enemy. They wanted to put us down at all costs. We were under attack. Without getting into all those details which you can read at www.driven2action.com I will comment on what happened next.
Once we stood up to certain other media in the Filipino community many people came to us with their own stories. Mostly about stories of them losing their money one way or another along with bullying and threats. I listened to story after story. I could not believe that so many people could be victimized in a small community with nobody doing anything about it.
At that time, I realized the reason that more people were constantly being taken advantage of was not all of the victims before them never reported what happened to them and more importantly the ones that did never got support from the local media to look into it.
That is like someone getting raped or sexually harassed and not coming forward. Usually more victims get the same abuse if the perpetrator is not exposed. Once someone comes forward many other alleged victims feel empowered to do the same. Look at high profile allegations such as famous and most beloved TV and movie actor Bill Cosby. It took decades before anyone came forward with their allegations against him.
We encouraged anyone that was being taken advantage of during that time in the Filipino community to come forward and tell their stories online. One example of the power of reporting abuses in the Lower Mainland Filipino community is shown on Nellie Vandt’s website www.nellievandt.com. There are allegations that go back 20 years. If you have been bullied, scammed or taken advantage of, it is best that you report these issues to protect your own community in the future by exposing the culprits. Someone should have done that prior to you being victimized.
What really bothered me is some of the local media talked about these same issues behind the scenes but never did an investigative report on them in public. It took the mainstream newspaper The Province to do the first proper objective and researched story by Dan Fumano.
That is one of the main reasons that we are interested in a newspaper. Someone has to report and protect the community and it is the duty of media.
Most media in the Filipino community did not do proper unbiased investigative reporting to help protect the community in this case. Instead, they would actually still uplift these same people allowing them to gain trust and power in the community which raises the risk of more victims. Some media are still supporting members of the community that are well known to abuse their fellow kababayans when given the chance. If something happens in the future because of these supporting relationships I will hold those media groups partially responsible.
That is one of the main reasons that we are interested in a newspaper. Someone has to report and protect the community and it is the duty of media.
I told my editors and reporters that they have full freedom to act like proper media. I told them “If I (the publisher) do something wrong I expect you to write about me”. We will hold all parties responsible for their actions whether it be business, personal or political party.
For many years I felt a newspaper would tie in with our TV show. Luisa Marshall did not want to ruffle any feathers in doing so. She supported all the local Filipino Media and wanted to remain that way. I heard reports lately that some local media were not supporting upcoming events if Luisa Marshall or SIMPLY THE BEST TV were supporting them. This holds the event or business hostage to make a choice between TV or Newspaper. With us having a newspaper all businesses and events will be given more choices.
That was the defining moment that we agreed to start a newspaper online and in print. I was not going to stand by and allow one media to force others to make choices.
There is a lot of things that need to be fixed in this community and we will do our part to help fix them. We need your help in doing so.
We are mostly interested in local BC news. Please come to us with your info, stories, and events, what your associations are doing. Send us your concerns. Tell us about things you don’t feel are right. Tell us about things that are right. We want to hear it all.
Please join us in this journey.
Steve Marshall
Publisher
Steve Marshall loading the First Edition of the MetroVan Independent Newspapers. Photo by Kimi.
