GM Wesley So and the Philippine media

By the way the Philippine media is covering the exploits of GM Wesley So, one could easily deduce the idea that Wesley is the Philippine chess.

What do I mean by that?

The media does not look at the entirety of sports. It zooms in on the extraordinary.

The media focuses its attention on one personality that can embody the totality of a certain sport.

The media wants a name. It wants a face.

But it wants only one name. Only one face. That is the best way to build up a readership or viewership.

It’s just like serializing the story of a hero, or a “bida.” That way, a news item becomes a hot product to sell.

Take for instance, Manny Pacquiao. He is simply the Philippine boxing. Did you know that Pacquiao is in the news everyday last year – and that is from January 1 up to December 31?

Why that media attention? Pacquiao sells, you know.

Media is business, after all. The political economy of mass media dictates what to land on the pages of newspapers or what to see on TV.

Wesley is indeed lucky – even providential – to get the attention of media. In the first place, he rightfully deserved it.

The thing is, he is not simply covered by the media – he is glorified by it! He is positioned in the minds of the public as a good boy hero.

Am I right to say that it is Wesley who put back Philippine chess in the radar of Philippine media nowadays?

Everything seems going right for Wesley. The successes in international tournaments. The legion of fans and supporters. The media attention.

I don’t think that it is Wesley who went to the media for attention. Wesley just did the right things. He displayed extraordinary talent. He showed a wonderful attitude – that of humility that every Filipino adores as part of our culture.

It is his own nature that is his best PR.

In the end, doing the right things really pays.

A recent news about Wesley:

Wesley So joining Aeroflot chess tilt
By Roy Luarca

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 02:36:00 02/05/2009

Filed Under:
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MANILA, Philippines—It’s going to be another busy year for teen sensation Wesley So.
Minutes after his arrival in Manila from The Netherlands, where he topped Group C of the 71st Corus Chess Tournament, the 15-year-old So said that he is slated to leave anew for the 2009 Aeroflot Open chess championship which starts Feb. 16 in Moscow, Russia.

“The Aeroflot will be a tougher, bigger challenge for me,” said So, currently the world’s youngest Grandmaster.

“Just a little rest and then I’ll resume practice,” added So, who arrived on Wednesday with his father William.

They were welcomed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by National Chess Federation of the Philippines executive director Willie Abalos, who represented NCFP head Prospero “Butch” Pichay, and chess patron Reginald Tee.

Wesley has been bracketed in the centerpiece A-1 division, confined to players with ELO rating of at least 2550.

Other Filipinos competing in the week-long event offering a total purse of 140,000 euros are International Master Richard Bitoon, Jan Emmanuel Garcia and Haridas Pascua.

Bitoon is entered in Division A-2, while Garcia and Pascua will participate in Division B. GM John Paul Gomez and IM Julio Catalino Sadorra took part in Division A-2 last year, with Gomez winding up 21st, and Sadorra 76th.