It’s not quite that journalists already in the profession are unaware or insensitive. Many care deeply about social justice, but don’t find opportunity any longer to practise that kind of journalism in commercialised media outlets. So part of our challenge is to strengthen those already in the profession to get strategic and even subversive in finding smart ways to cover such issues within the inherent limits of their media….easier said than done, but it’s possible.

Thank you for your comments.

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Kathryn Roja G. Raymundo
Project Officer

Thanks and God Bless!

Ruel V. Pelone

I mean, there are journalists–be it in print, broadcast, or television–who are calling themselves journalists but in reality they become spinmasters of some, if not all politicians in this very corrupt country of ours–the Philippines.

Even if a writer writes the truth, those spinmasters would always defend their corrupt politicians that in turn the writer who writes the real and hard facts is getting blame–and is oftentimes called “demolisher” or, a member of demolition team.

As the days go by, journalism in this country is slowly being dominated by pseudo-journalist who claims to be the vanguard of truth but in reality exist because of one motive, that is, to protect the interest of his or her “boss”—the corrupt politicos.

I too, was a victim of these so-called journalists. Worse, they belong to a big network.

The news programs should devote space and time to the reporting of all events of public interest. The question is whether what is being reported, as a totality, provides an accurate picture of the state of the country. If that picture is distorted–is bad news, as a matter of policy, emphasized to the detriment of other news that the media organization is suppressing or giving limited emphasis to, for example?–the public should complain about it and demand that it be corrected. The answer to the question thus hinges on the accuracy of the media’s reporting.

Luis V. Teodoro

I agree with you when you said that media can be a catalyst for change. And for me, one way to achive that is to open the eyes of the people to what is really happening. Hence, good reporting is needed.

I have one question though. If you open your television and watch the NEWS, a big part of the lineup (aside from showbiz etc) is the violence that proliferates accross the country (rape cases, extra-judicial killings, murders and so on). Do you think these reports, or shall I call it eye-openers, would contribute to the hopelesness that the Filipinos feel towards the country? Do you think news programs should equally give good news an equal amount of attention or air time so that the people would think that Philippines is not just about politiking politics and relentless murder cases?

I’ve been thinking about thgis lately, and perhaps you can elighten me. =)