THE local chapter of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) is reminding its colleagues in Negros Occidental to observe accuracy in their news reports.
NUJP-Bacolod chairperson Marchel Espina issued the reminder after reports about a passenger plane that crashed in a town in the province on Thursday night, went viral online, which has caused panic among the residents and netizens.
The report first came out from a local radio station.
Government authorities, however, vehemently dismissed the report, citing a statement from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) that there's no plane crash and that all the aircraft are accounted for at the airports of Bacolod and Cebu.
The CAAP also said there’s an approved military special activity in that area.
Espina, in a statement, said: “We have to remember there’s a threat to free press, especially the proliferation of ‘fake news,’ which its sole purpose is to discredit the legitimate news outlet."
She stressed that "journalists should not be peddlers of misinformation.”
“As members of the Fourth Estate, we can’t be irresponsible on our news reports, as the public relies on us for the truth,” she reiterated.
“We have to ensure credibility, balance, and accuracy in our reporting,” she said.
Espina said she understands the tight competition among media outlets, but still, “we have a duty to our readers, listeners, viewers, and followers to be responsible.”
“We must look to ourselves as agents of change as we play an important role in shaping the nation. Our ability to access and impart information always depends on our credibility as a journalist. All of us will be affected if our press freedom will be suppressed due to state censorship or misinformation,” she said.
“Let us all be reminded that fact-based journalism, and not made-up content, is the fundamental of our work. We always have to be mindful about the welfare of the society,” she said, adding “yes, it’s always good to get it first, but it’s even better to get it right.”