Nalzaro: Gwen’s free lunch
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
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I THOUGHT that Gov. Gwen Garcia’s practice of giving lunch to reporters had been stopped after it was criticized a long time ago. But Vice Gov. Greg Sanchez, Gwen's political rival, disproved this during the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Congress last Sunday.
I attended the activity but had left when Greg raised the matter during the interaction with news sources portion. I had to be at the burial of the mother of dyRF's Ike Durano at the Queen City Gardens.
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We cannot question Gwen's wisdom in offering food to reporters covering the Capitol beat. She said it is out of hospitality.
We cannot also blame the reporters who partake of the food thinking there is no string attached to it. But the governor should not do it regularly. Perhaps biscuits and coffee will do. Unya didto sa office ni Greg bisan soft drinks ug siyakoy lang.
Si kanhi governor Tingting de la Serna niadto ngoyong man toy ipakaon niya sa mga reporters.
Every media organization has its ethical standards. If accepting the food is against company policy, then radio station officers or newspaper editors should inform the reporters about it. Gwen cannot force them to eat.
Pero naay komedya nga kun ma-late ang ubang reporters, ang una nilang pangutana inig-abot dili man kun humana ba ang presscon. Ang ipangutana kuno mao ni: Nanga-on na mo? Si Pedrita, Gwen's alalay, maoy suhito ana.
The vice governor has a point in saying that reporters may end up being biased because of those freebies. But that is more of Greg's perception.
Does he really think that reporters can be influenced by a mere packed lunch? Greg admitted that reporters also seek out his reaction to Gwen’s statements, especially if it is about their conflict. But he said that some reporters act like they are lawyers cross-examining him.
Greg actually answered his own questions. The fact that reporters also get his side means that they are fair. Greg can only cry bias if reporters don’t get his side.
Let the output of the reporters be the ultimate judge. If it is slanted, then by all means he can react.
That's the problem with some news sources. They cry bias if news items or commentaries are not favorable to them. But if it favors them, they won’t protest.
Greg should ask his own Bantay Radyo reporters if the giving of freebies won’t affect their handling of the news.
