Speaking of Media

State of denial

“It is strange, but not at all surprising, that this repressive Arroyo presidency would dismiss the significant drop in the press freedom index given by inter-national media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres/RSF)….

“Perhaps the Arroyo administration believes that shackling journalists in the middle of a coverage or doing nothing to protect them or news blackouts are standards of a free press. After all, its politics is nothing but a vicious game of perception, mostly selective perception.

“Malacañang depicts things according to what could give the administration a political advantage. It only believes what it wants to believe and entertains per-ceptions only when they are favorable to President Macapagal Arroyo and her administration. Its aversion to independent polls, surveys and studies, no matter how objective they are, is a sign of insecurity and of its being in a state of denial.”

Philip Paraan, a Philippine Daily Inquirer reader, on Malacañang’s cold reaction to the 2008 global press freedom index of the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres that placed the Philippines 139th among 173 countries, Nov. 3

A legitimate story

“It is our responsibility as journalists to report on people and events that affect public interest. The public has the right to know. Abdullah Macapaar alias Com-mander Bravo is one of the country’s most wanted men, a key figure in the collapse of the peace process in Mindanao. He’s a legitimate story, and our interview with him aired Oct. 20 and 21 adhere to ethical standards of journalism.”

Maria Ressa, ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs head, on allegations that the network violated the Broadcast Code of 2007 when it interviewed  Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s Commander Bravo

Sticking to the truth

“As critics, the media must never give false criticism contrary to the objective truth. In a war of false criticisms, only misunderstanding and rancor are the victors in the fray. Truth stands above all, thus, every media practitioner must be undeviatingly loyal to the truth.”

Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, during the 30th Catholic Mass Media Awards ceremony at the GSIS theater, BusinessMirror, Nov. 2

Limited access to information

“The PNP circular denying media access to police blotters is ill-advised and should be rescinded immediately.

“A police blotter is public record and should, thus, be made available im-mediately upon request not just to media but to every lawful citizen of this country.

“Requiring a court order or the approval of a police commander before being allowed access to the blotter is patently illegal as it is a clear violation of the constitutional right to access to information.

“We understand and appreciate Director General Jesus Verzosa’s wish to make the PNP more sensitive to and respectful of human rights, as he did in stopping the practice of parading suspects in public.

“In this case, however, we believe he is overzealous and urge him to immediately rectify the situation.”

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, on the Philippine National Police directive prohibiting the media and public from accessing the police blotter unless they were permitted by the police chief or were able to secure a court order, Nov. 6

A fair chance?

“If forcing media organizations to publish everybody’s own version of a story that put them in a bad light is supposed to help enhance their credibility, the media can do without the help. Journalists don’t need to be reminded that credibility is essential to any news organization’s survival. But substituting legal diktat for independent news judgment won’t enhance the credibility of any news organization. It just curtails a news organization’s right to exercise editorial judgment and discretion and it will ultimately kill press freedom.

“With Congress dead set on mounting this fresh assault on the media’s independence and freedom, all that the press can do is trust the Supreme Court to rush to its defense when the time comes. It would be useless to ask the President to veto the bill once it is sent to her desk. Proclamation 1017, which the police and military used as an excuse to shut down one newspaper, should indicate where her sympathies lie as regards this piece of legislation. After all, this is an administration that didn’t think twice about handcuffing and detaining journalists for the ‘crime’ of covering the standoff at Peninsula Manila.

“The press is likely to have better luck with the Supreme Court. The Constitution clearly says: ‘No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression or of the press.’ Following dictation is not an exercise of freedom.”

Inquirer editorial, on the right of reply bills, Oct. 4

Comments are closed.