By Hedda Tady
(Tady is part of a growing grassroots movement called Movement for Media Reform — MMR — which aims to address the burning issue of bias, propaganda and disinformation on news and social media. In this article she poses some questions to journalists that beg some answers on whether or not they have the monopoly of truth or faithful to their own professional code of ethics.)
Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin ‘said’, “there is no journalism in social media”. Then perhaps, journalists ought to get off social media, too? How so?
Read the following:
- Raffy Tima tweets, June 2, 2022 : In journalism, there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.
- Vera Files publishes, June 3, 2022 : “ (Of Imee Marcos) she is a fugitive from the law” (in reference to Imee not having travelled to the US since coming back from foreign exile).
- Raissa Robles’ recent ‘picture’ of Mindanao, June 2, 2022, does not need further description.
- PDI’s ‘story’ on what JV Ejercito said re: Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘involvement’ with Pharmally : has it been corrected? Ejercito’s reply came out June 3, 2022.
Did these Filipino journalists convene prior to June 2 and decide they will go against their own code of ethics?
With the criticism hurled at bloggers/social media content creators in response to the incoming government’s proposed media protocols, let us remind our journalists corps, what, truly, is their PROFESSION all about. They seem to have forgotten.
According to the International Federation of Journalists, the global voice of journalists:
“The IFW Charter of Ethics for Journalists was adopted at the 30th IFW World Congress in Tunis on 12 June 2019.
The charter is based on major texts of international law, in particular the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
“The journalist’s responsibility towards the public takes precedence over any other responsibility, in particular towards their employers and the public authorities.
Journalism is a profession, which requires time, resources and the means to practise – all of which are essential to its independence….
This international declaration specifies the guidelines of conduct of journalists in the research, editing, transmission, dissemination and commentary of news and information, and in the description of events, in any media whatsoever.
- Respect for the facts and for the right of the public to truth is the first duty of the journalist.
- … He/she will make sure to clearly distinguish factual information from commentary and criticism.
6. The journalist shall do the utmost to rectify any errors or published information which is found to be inaccurate in a timely, explicit, complete and transparent manner.
9. Journalists shall ensure that dissemination of information or opinion does not contribute to hatred or prejudice and shall do their utmost to avoid facilitating the spread of discrimination on grounds such as geographical, social or ethnic origin, race, gender, sexual orientation, language, religion, disability, political and other opinions.
13. … He/she will avoid any confusion between his/her activity and that of advertisingor propaganda.
15. Journalists worthy of the name shall deem it their duty to observe faithfully the principles stated above. They may not be compelled to perform a professional act or to express an opinion that is contrary to his/her professional conviction or conscience.”
After reading all of the above declarations, can a regular reader FAIRLY conclude that many members of the “best” among our journalists corps might need to revisit what they signed up for when they took to social media and joined the conversations, all the while unashamedly BRANDISHING their titles as “journalists”?
Politikal Pinoy 