Slumbook entries as national news

JEERS TO The Manila Bulletin for classifying as national news a story on Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s music, food and other preferences. Marcos Jr. Is believed likely to run for vice president in 2016.

In its September 14 article titled “25 things you probably didn’t know about Bongbong Marcos” published on page 6 under the National News section, the Bulletin enumerated 25 pieces of personal information about Senator Marcos, who had been invited to the Bulletin for a roundtable discussion with its writers and editors. The Bulletin said that Marcos “revealed a bit of personal information, largely unknown to the majority”, and listed down things such as his preferences in music, food, hobbies, and his childhood memories.

Following the pattern of previous articles reporting personal details concerning government officials, the article did not establish the relevance of these pieces of information to Marcos’ duties and responsibilities as a senator. A previous CMFR monitor on media attention to President Benigno Aquino III’s love life said, “Reporting the private lives of government officials whether elected or appointed can be justified if what’s being reported is relevant to these officials’ discharge of their public functions.” (“Gossipy and trivial“, May 13, 2011)