Freelance multimedia journalist bridges alternative and mainstream media
by Athena Altiche
Chantal Eco, 37, is a freelance multimedia journalist based in Manila. She contributes to Bulatlat, an alternative media outlet that aligns with her commitment to amplifying the voices of marginalized sectors through storytelling. She carries these same principles into her full-time role in mainstream media at Deutsche Welle (DW), a state-funded television network in Germany.
She graduated from the University of the Philippines Open University with an Associate in Arts degree and began her journey in media as a community radio anchor in Tacloban City.
Alternative Media
Eco moved to Manila, worked with alternative media, and took on various roles such as photographer, videographer, writer, video editor, and news producer. She said, “Ever since naman nasa alternative media na ako. Bago ako mag contribute sa Bulatlat ay part na ako ng national secretariat ng Alternative Media.” (I've always been in alternative media. Even before I started contributing to Bulatlat, I was already part of the national secretariat of Alternative Media. I had to freelance with outlets that provided pay because an allowance alone was no longer enough).
She recalls one of her impactful published pieces under alternative media, a data-driven story on reclamation projects in the Philippines. She worked on it for nearly a year as part of a fellowship program.
Now that she is with Bulatlat, her contributions are mostly through photography, documenting grassroots communities across the country.
Photos by Chantal Eco (Published in Bulatlat)
Staying in alternative media also comes with many sacrifices especially in finances. She said some survive on a very minimal allowance, but in her case, having a family means that allowance alone is not enough, even with side hustles. This is the turning point where she moved to freelancing, and started finding clients and mainstream media work.
Mainstream Media
Eco shared that it is her first time working in mainstream media, and it is with DW Media. She said, “Sa mainstream sa Pilipinas hindi kasi mababa ang sahod kaya hindi na ako nag-apply.” (In the mainstream media in the Philippines, the salary is low, so I didn’t bother applying anymore).
She explained that her income depends on the number of approved pitches. Most of the stories that mainstream media outlets prefer revolve around environmental issues such as those concerning Indigenous Peoples (IPs), the drug war, press freedom, and other human rights-related topics.
Most of her contributions are in video format, which is her area of expertise, and occasionally writes articles.
She also mentioned the dynamics of her work. “Hindi naman siya breaking news. Ang gusto lang nila ay feature. Hindi ako mag shoot ng hindi na-pitch at hindi na-approve.” (It’s not breaking news anyway. What they want are features. I don’t do shoots unless they’ve been pitched and approved).
The Both Worlds of Media
Joining alternative media out of passion and mainstream media to sustain her finances has worked well for Eco. She said that both worlds should not be at odds, but instead should work together. “Hindi naman siya mainstream vs. alternative. Dapat nagtutulungan naman talaga. As what Ma’am Diosa Labiste said, ang isang journalist, kahit nasa mainstream na siya he or she can practice naman kung ano ang pinapractice ng alternative media practitioners,” she said. (It’s not really mainstream vs. alternative. They should actually work together. As Ma’am Diosa Labiste said, a journalist even if they are in the mainstream can still practice what alternative media practitioners do).
Guided by her principles to report on the marginalized and underreported, she made sure to bring that advocacy into the mainstream. She is grateful that the DW media values this kind of storytelling.
For Eco, journalism, whether in the alternative or mainstream space, is about purpose. She said no one gets rich from it, but if someone wants to be a storyteller and make a lasting impact on communities, then it becomes a calling.
Covering stories of the marginalized, Eco shared, “Kapag naikwento mo ang istorya na hindi pa nalalabas at napasalamatan ka ng komunidad, it is a reward na walang perang kapalit kaya maraming nagtatagal sa industriya ngayon.” (When you’re able to tell a story that hasn’t been told yet and the community thanks you for it, that’s a kind of reward that money can’t buy—that’s why many people stay in the industry today).
Editor's note:
This article is part of the spotlight interview of members of the Photojournalists' Center of the Philippines. Celebrating the life, work and contribution to the photojournalism industry of the PCP members.