MANY, if not most, people harbor the (mis)impression that journalists are obliged to report only what they record and observe, nothing more, nothing less, and that journalists should be totally free of bias.
Nothing could be more wrong.
Journalism has often been described as the "profession of truth" -- even if, at times, it may fall short of this -- because its avowed intent is to provide people with the accurate information about the events, issues and personalities -- governance in particular -- that affect them so may make the best possible decisions about their individual and collective lives.
In short, the profession exists to serve one of the most basic rights of people -- freedom of information. And as history has proven time and again, an informed citizenry is an empowered citizenry.
While informing the people, of course, necessarily entails reporting on self-evident truths, just as, if not even more, important, is the duty of journalists to call out and challenge falsehood. Not just because this is obviously the antithesis of truth but because, especially if coming from the government, such lies are harmful to the interests of the people whose interests journalism serves.
For journalists to merely record and report false statements, no matter how accurately, without context or without refuting these would be a disservice - not just to their audiences but to themselves as well - and be just as bad as concealing the truth.
Why a disservice to themselves? Because journalists are not separate from the society they belong to and work in. They, too, are citizens with as much stake in the national welfare as everyone else. And their citizenship is realized by acting as observers committed to providing their fellow citizens with the best information with which to make decisions about their lives.
It is a role that must not - cannot - be relinquished, even in times of crisis when governments will typically seek to control the flow of information.
And what of bias? No one can be totally unbiased. It is an impossibility, and anyone who professes to be so is either lying or dead to the world.
In fact, an honest journalist is open about biases and, instead of rejecting these, work to manage these to prevent them from taking over or distorting reportage. Some biases are, in fact, useful or desirable like a bias for social justice, a bias for human rights, a bias for transparency in government.
And by the nature of the job, there are two biases that are indispensable - a bias for the truth and a bias for our audiences.
What journalists are actually called upon to be is objective and fair. This means trying to get as many sides of a story as possible, allowing as many voices in an issue to be heard, without, of course, sacrificing that one quality essential to the craft - accuracy, or the truth as can best be determined.
Like I said, at times, journalists and even news outfits may fall short of their avowed duty. But by and large, Filipino journalists have remained fiercely committed to being true to the tenets of the profession, with many - 184 since 1986, to be exact - paying for this with their lives.
Why is it necessary to explain this?
Because on Monday, July 23, when President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his third State of the Nation Address, you can be sure journalists will be closely recording, scrutinizing and, if need be, challenging his every word. And that, for all that he abhors being questioned or criticized, is a good thing for all of us.