Public urged to monitor media

CEBU, Philippines - Times have changed. Those in print and broadcast media must be more critical in treating news stories as the public is now on its full gear watching over their actions, this according to an award-winning journalist in a recent forum here.

Ms. Miriam Grace Go, award-winning journalist and the assistant managing editor of online magazine “Newsbreak”, said during the recent Marshall McLuhan Forum Series on Responsible Media held at the St. Theresa’s Little Theater, this city, that the public - especially the youth - have a role to countercheck media outfits that have the tendency to be bias in reporting.

“If you are a media practitioner…accuracy, balance, ethics, and fairness should be the guiding principles of journalism,” she said.

She added that the public, with the onset of technology, should use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to advocate for responsible journalism because the “reach is more immediate.”

The public is also encouraged to file report on media outfits which they think are impartial in their reportage.

Lawyer Ruphil Bañoc, station manager of dyHP, said that the media sometimes feel powerful but admits that there is an urgent need for media outfits to be open to criticisms.

“We accept corrections off-air,” he pointed out.

Carlo Dugaduga, chairman of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters ng Pilipinas, said that the KBP ensures that their members work consistently on strengthening “responsible journalism”.

“Dili man man mi malipay kung walay mo-comment… dili mi labaw sa tanan,” he said.

Meanwhile, Go implied in her lecture that there are some media outfits that are “too proud” to admit that they are bias.

She made allusions to some media outfits which placed a yellow ribbon on their mastheads during the death of former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino last August 1 of this year.

She said that while media outfits respect the demise of Aquino, it is also their responsibility to be non-partisan.

To emphasize her point, she raised this question: “If Imelda Marcos would die, would they put a red ribbon on their mastheads?” — Marjun A. Baguio (THE FREEMAN)