MANILA, Philippines - The online news websites played an important role as source of information on the country's first automated polls, but majority reported mainstream and sensational stories, according to a media watch dog.

In a study released on Monday, the Manila-based Center for Media and Responsibility (CMFR) noted the how online news coverage of the May 2010 elections "reflected the changing media landscape."

"From just a mere complement to the traditional media during the 2007 elections, the online medium has evolved into a distinct and powerful source of news and information for the 2010 automated polls," CMFR said in its report.

However, it noted that most news websites "focused on the national elections especially the presidential race... The reports on local elections were mostly sensational, personality-based and election related-violence."

According to the group, the most reported stories were:

1. National candidates
2. Sensational local races
3. Election-related violence
4. Preparations and controversies of the automation process
5. Overseas-absentee Filipino voters

For the elections, CMFR monitored the following news websites: www.inquirer.net, www.philstar.com, www.GMANews.TV, www.abs-cbnNEWS.com, www.pcij.org (Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism), www.mb.com.ph (Manila Bulletin), www.verafiles.org (VERA Files), www.bulatlat.com, www.pinoyweekly.org, www.NBNi.TV, www.mindanews.com, www.newsbreak.com.ph (Newsbreak Online), www.thepoc.net (Philippine Online Chronicles), and www.100Araw.com.

Micro sites, special sections

Despite the mainstream content of the news websites, CMFR wrote that some websites included "micro sites and special sections" that thoroughly discussed election issues.

"The website counterpart of the mainstream media organizations GMA 7’s GMANews.TV, ABS-CBN 2’s abs-cbnNEWS.com, Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Inquirer.net and The Philippine Star’s Philstar.com functioned not just as archives for their parent organizations’ reports but as supplements to its limitations," CMFR wrote.

The watch dog noticed the following notable microsites and special sections:

www.GMANews.TV: "Eleksyon 2010" Interactive Map on “Who went where and when? The 2010 elections campaign trail map”

www.abs-cbnNEWS.com: “Halalan 2010: Boto Mo Ipatrol Mo Ako ang Simula (Elections 2010: Your Vote, Your Watch, I am the Start)”; special sections In-Depth and Insight, and; micro site for the poll automation guidelines. It also noted In-Depth stories from Newsbreak Online, including the inside stories on Sen. Manny Villar’s alleged conflict of interests in relation to his business transactions.

www.Inquirer.net: “Eleksyon2010 Special Coverage” with video streaming and podcasts election reports on 2007 elections; video report of Inquirer's Presidential Debate; geopolitical maps on voting population dynamics per municipality, city from 2004 to 2010; guidelines and downloadable documents for the 2010 automated polls; interactive match-up of political figures

www.philstar.com: “Election 2010” with video streaming and podcasts election reports

www.NBNi.TV: “Hatol ng Bayan (Nation’s Judgment)” 2010; geopolitical map showing the regional voting population; surveys; instructional videos on the automated voting process

Most of these sites, CMFR noted, have profiles of the running candidates and external links to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) website.

Treatment of Stories

According to CMFR, majority of the major news websites offered sensational stories, followed the he-said-she-said format, are personality-based, and leaned toward the popular issue.

CMFR noted the different and more balanced reporting of the following groups:

www.pcij.org : In-depth reporting on ignored and less tackled issues on other media outfits; highly critical of dirty election practices by candidates, especially presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

www.verafiles.org: More in-depth report on less tackled election issues and provided information lacking in other medium

www.newsbreak.com.ph: They provide accurate information and focused more on election issues rather than the sensational election news stories.

Note: Newsbreak is a content provider and editorial consultant of abs-cbnNEWS.com. Both are partners of The Philippine Star.