In Medias Res Archives

Timely electoral news long before 2025 midterm vote

WITH ELECTIONS some three years in the future, two events call media and voters to think on the exercise, its problems and its perils.

Making a difference

THE DECISION of Google and its subsidiaries such as YouTube and about a dozen others not to accept political advertising during the official campaign period of the 2022 elections invites approval as well as hopes that Philippine media organizations would do something similar. It would be in affirmation of...

A failure to celebrate

IT WAS not just the cloudy morning and last night’s rain which left our small flag hanging limp at the gate. As with so many things during the pandemic, Independence Day stole up on us and we failed to rouse ourselves to check out the practiced motions of patriotic...

Business as Usual: Media Publicize Undeserving Candidates

By Luis V. Teodoro THE SIGNS are already there. It’s still business as usual for the media, and it doesn’t augur well for the outcome of the May 2019 elections. That exercise is crucial for two reasons. Assuming that it will be fair, honest and fraud-free, and that...

Two Impeachments, Separate Truths

By Melinda Quintos de Jesus NEWS ACCOUNTS tracking the House hearings of the Larry Gadon motion of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno make the inevitable reference to the impeachment proceedings against former Chief Justice Renato Corona, the first such trial in the country’s political history. But government...

Against Disinformation

By Luis V. Teodoro THE DEMOCRACY and Disinformation Conference held last February 12 and 13 at the Ateneo de Manila University Rockwell campus in Makati City wasn’t exactly ignored by mainstream media. But not all media organizations seemed ready to report the event. With very few exceptions, only the...

Changing Owners, Changing Interests

By Luis V. Teodoro THE PRIETO family decision to sell its majority interests in the Inquirer media group to business tycoon Ramon S. Ang, president of San Miguel Corporation, the largest conglomerate in the country and a major advertiser, has understandably raised concerns among journalists, media advocacy groups and...

Curbing Fake News

By Luis V. Teodoro THE DANGERS to free expression and press freedom of Senate Bill 1492, which would penalize any person, group or media organization that deliberately spreads “fake news,” are so apparent one wonders if its sponsor and supporters in the Senate have seriously considered its Constitutionality–or, for...

The Media and Terrorism: Critical Failure in Critical Times

By Luis V. Teodoro THE DIFFERENCE between the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) interpretation of the June 2 Resorts World Manila incident as a robbery attempt rather than an act of terrorism and that of House of Representatives Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who said it was a terrorist deed, is the...

The Media and Martial Law: Never Again

By Luis V. Teodoro PRESIDENT RODRIGO Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao thrusts upon the media several responsibilities. These include closely looking into the reasons for the declaration, monitoring its implementation towards making sure that the rights of every citizen are not violated, and challenging any attempt to prolong martial...