Monday, September 24, 2007 Editorials: Media twins
MEDIA recognizes freedom’s twin: responsibility.
This theme dominated the recent celebration of Cebu Press Freedom Week (Sept. 16-22).
This year’s lead convenor, Sun.Star Cebu, led the tri-media in holding activities contributing to the continuing dialogue with media’s sources and public, as well as the journalists’ continuing education for rendering their public service.
On the eve of Cebu Press Freedom Week, Gov. Gwen Garcia challenged media to be “reciprocal”: to “assimilate responsibility and obligation” even as media invokes their freedom.
Reporting about sex
The Sept. 18 forum on “Sex and Journalist” emphasized improvement in covering human sexuality and other related themes.
News coverage can be redeemed through the use of politically correct language, images and footages that are sensitive to the topics tackled, as well as the rights of children and minors, whether as sex crime victims, perpetrators, sources and audience.
In-depth coverage, particularly through explanatory reports, can highlight crucial information that will promote education and prevent public health crises, such as an increase in teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, illegal abortions and sex trafficking.
Youths, parents, educators, nongovernment organizations and other members of civil society should be proactive in sieving media images and messages that do not promote the open, mature and responsible discussion of sexuality and related concerns.
Dealing with news sources
Another Sept. 18 forum addressed “Reaching out to news sources.”
To promote the continuing media education of its partners, workers from the tri-media discussed the process of writing news and opinion, as well as the standards guiding media coverage.
Local media sources were lauded for resorting to legitimate channels in ventilating their concerns, as well as complaining about news coverage and commentary. News sources were advised to study carefully actual news content before imputing journalistic motives in news handling
The practice though of some media practitioners to dabble in public relations (PR) was denounced as it would result in a conflict of interest, violating the professionalism of both industries. Another concern raised by a PR practitioner was some consumers’ tendency to complain first to the media without raising the grievance to customer service.
The Philippine National Police reiterated its policy of transparency except in releasing certain data, which could jeopardize operations.
During the Sept. 21 third quarterly meeting of the Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC), a documentary by Publio J. Briones III was shown. “Covering Priests—Clearing the Air, Bridging the Gap” was the latest initiative capturing the continuing efforts of the CCPC and the Church to improve coverage of clergy members involved in sex crimes.
Reaching out to future journalists
Sun.Star Cebu facilitated the participation of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas Cebu College (UPVCC) in Deputy Speaker Raul V. del Mar’s “Future Journalists Program.” Last Sept. 20, del Mar inaugurated the college’s new multimedia newsroom, for which he granted P500,000 for its refurbishment and another P500,000 for purchase of new equipment.
Sun.Star newsroom workers gave students and teachers of journalism programs in various schools glimpses to the challenges and rewards of reporting, editing and writing opinion for newspapers in the Sept. 20 forum, “Reaching Out to Future Journalists.”
Marking CCPC’s first research collaboration with academe, the Sept. 21 quarterly meeting witnessed the turnover of the study conducted by UPVCC and STC students and faculty evaluating the five local papers’ coverage of the recent electoral campaign. This baseline study provides trends and directions for improving future coverage and media evaluations.
Addressing media issues
In a Sept. 20 “Forum on Media Issues,” tri-media practitioners tackled libel venue, libel and press freedom, and the practice and ethics of freebies.
A Sept. 17 forum had government and media dialoguing on “Anti-terrorism Law: Must It Scare Us?” The Human Security Act was scrutinized for its effects on free press, speech and assembly.
