The problematic visit

THE TRIP that a group of Filipino journalists took recently to Israel at the invitation of its government raises no simple ethical issues and involves norms not always generally applicable. In this case, prudence and fairness recommended waiting to see the reports before making a judgement. 

Going on a sponsored trip, with the standard freebies — transport, hotel, food — on its face, may seem unethical for journalists, but it’s not always the case. Familiarization tours arranged to visit a country or a new tourist site have become such a common practice in this country, as our news organizations rarely provide for the expense of foreign travel or even local trips. Editors generally take advantage of such opportunities for the news these provide, with little cost to the news company. Travel educates, and exposure to foreign culture and landscapes provides learning experiences. But the risk of compromising journalistic independence remains. 

The case at hand, however, has rightly raised red flags as the destination involves a government and leaders in great need of a favorable press around the world. Israel’s prime minister stands accused of crimes against humanity in the International Criminal Court. That circumstance alone makes the journalists fair targets for criticism. Those who went should have been ready to ask difficult and pointed questions of their minders, and especially of the officials whose agencies may have been included in their itinerary. Those who went should have been given a pre-departure crash course about the issues that caused many in the world to view Israel among the rogue nations of the world.

It would be a waste of opportunity for the case to be left without extended discussion within the Philippine press community – where the historic practice involves an external sponsor for journalists to write about travel destinations and places of great news interest, including a country like Israel. Whatever — journalistic resolve should ensure that the result of such sponsored exposure includes worthy reports produced by journalists skillful enough to make the best of a bad or problematic situation.