Savior Complex, Stereotyping, Sensationalism of the Filipino Poor: Critical Media Analysis of Raffy Tulfo in Action’s Charity Episodes
Document Types
Paper Presentation
School Name
De La Salle University, Manila
Track or Strand
Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS)
Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)
Duaqui, Yellowbelle, D.
Start Date
25-6-2025 1:00 PM
End Date
25-6-2025 2:30 PM
Zoom Link/ Room Assignment
Meeting Link: https://zoom.us/j/91582616739 Meeting ID: 915 8261 6739
Abstract/Executive Summary
In the Philippines, one of the significant issues in society is the continuous growth of poverty and inequality. In the field of media, poverty porn is a word used to describe any content that exploits the images and narratives of impoverished individuals to gain sympathy, notoriety, and funds for a particular cause. However, there is a lack of research on poverty porn in the social media context, especially in the Philippine landscape. Thus, this study focuses on the portrayal of poverty in social media, specifically in the charity content of Raffy Tulfo in Action YouTube channel. Inductive content analysis was utilized on the ten charity episodes released between 2021 and 2024, each with over 200,000 views, investigating their narrative styles and visual imagery. This analysis was supported by Critical Media theory, aimed to identify the emerging patterns of poverty porn across the episodes, applying the concepts of power and ideology, commercialization and commodification, and hegemony. Five key characteristics of poverty porn present in the episodes were identified: sensationalism, savior complex, narrative manipulation, stereotyping, and unexpected advertising. Findings revealed how the channel often represents people in poverty as passive beneficiaries and enforced the host’s role as a heroic figure. The emotional appeal and commodification of struggles were intentionally used to gain audience engagement and promote the channel’s brand. In conclusion, this study highlights the ethical issues of poverty porn in social media, focusing on the need for a more nuanced portrayal of the poor, upholding their dignity.
Keywords
poverty porn; media portrayal; sensationalism; Philippine media; savior complex; stereotyping
Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)
Media and Philippine Studies (MPS)
Initial Consent for Publication
yes
Statement of Originality
yes
Savior Complex, Stereotyping, Sensationalism of the Filipino Poor: Critical Media Analysis of Raffy Tulfo in Action’s Charity Episodes
In the Philippines, one of the significant issues in society is the continuous growth of poverty and inequality. In the field of media, poverty porn is a word used to describe any content that exploits the images and narratives of impoverished individuals to gain sympathy, notoriety, and funds for a particular cause. However, there is a lack of research on poverty porn in the social media context, especially in the Philippine landscape. Thus, this study focuses on the portrayal of poverty in social media, specifically in the charity content of Raffy Tulfo in Action YouTube channel. Inductive content analysis was utilized on the ten charity episodes released between 2021 and 2024, each with over 200,000 views, investigating their narrative styles and visual imagery. This analysis was supported by Critical Media theory, aimed to identify the emerging patterns of poverty porn across the episodes, applying the concepts of power and ideology, commercialization and commodification, and hegemony. Five key characteristics of poverty porn present in the episodes were identified: sensationalism, savior complex, narrative manipulation, stereotyping, and unexpected advertising. Findings revealed how the channel often represents people in poverty as passive beneficiaries and enforced the host’s role as a heroic figure. The emotional appeal and commodification of struggles were intentionally used to gain audience engagement and promote the channel’s brand. In conclusion, this study highlights the ethical issues of poverty porn in social media, focusing on the need for a more nuanced portrayal of the poor, upholding their dignity.
https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2025/paper_mps/8
