Media remains the main battleground for the hearts and minds of voters.
As we approach the start of the official campaign period (Feb.9), members the Philippine Press Institute came up with a media covenant for elections.
The covenant was drafted when PPI, with the support of The Coca Cola Export Corporation, conducted a seminar-workshop on preparing journalists for the 2010 election in Cagayan de Oro in October 2009. This week, in Cebu, the covenant was approved by 31 journalists who represented PPI newspaper members.
PPI members are newspapers all over the country.
Preparing journalists for election coverage is part of PPI’s advocacy of “Building Better Communities through Civic Journalism.”
PPI recognizes that its members would be subjected to additional pressures during the campaign season,thus the need for this covenant.
“We, journalists from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, recognize the role of a free media in a democracy. We recognize the importance of honest, orderly, peaceful and credible elections in strengthening our democracy.
“We shall abide by the basic journalism principles of accuracy, truth-telling, fair and balanced reporting, humaneness, and stewardship in covering the elections
“We shall remain vigilant and impartial in our coverage of elections using our own resources.
“We shall not accept gifts from politicians and their supporters to attack their opponents or in exchange for favorable coverage.
“We shall not misuse and abuse our privilege as journalists.
“We shall ensure that the stories that we write are fully verified.
“We shall report on stories about reforms and positive changes.
“We shall help educate the voting public on the election processes and laws.
“We shall be firmly committed to our own media organization and avoid being used by groups and individuals engaged in partisan politics.
“As journalists of the members of the Philippine Press Institute, we pledge to uphold the PPI Code of Ethics and this covenant.”
We are aware of the transgressions of many of the members of media. We do not condone those acts that violate the basic rules of journalism of being truthful and fair in our reporting.
As watchdogs of our democratic institutions, we know that it’s important that we are credible.
This covenant is our way of reminding ourselves of our commitment to the profession and to society.
Congratulations!
This is one step towards democratic maturity.
Thanks, Anna. We are aware of the shortcomings of our profession. But we hope that to the best of our ability, we would be able to contribute to the betterment of our country by helping make sure that we have an honest and credible election in 2010 and that the results would be the true will of the people.
We cannot have 2004 elections and Hello Garci all over again.
Ingat lang kayo, delikado ng propesyon ninyo.
Ellen: andam kaw gid..praying for you always..where will you be assigned? sa Antique? I read in one of the papers that Antique is one of the Hot Spots..what this means I really don’t know..It seems that the words from Fair Lands of Antique Province “home of the peaceful and free” do not seem to be anymore…masubo!
“The proof of the pudding is in the eating”.
If true, we can now see how balance reporting looks like. But we can not yet clap our hands and praise PPI for coming out with the covenant. Reporting during election is always bias toward or against certain candidates, which reminds me how FPJ was treated by the media especially by the two TV stations last 2004. Let’s still have to wait and see.
There’s however no mention on how to deal with those who don’t follow the rules. Is there any penalty or punishment for violators? For the covenant to be effective, the PPI should come out with something for the journalist to think about.
NAWA…ito ang SIMULA ng pagiging professionals ng ibang kinauukulang media practitioners at maging PATAS sa pagbabalita o sa kanilang mga isinusulat na DATOS upang maging kapakinabangan sa mga makababasa nito.
Di kaila na mayroong bayarang media practitioners at entities na one-sided sila? Dapat neutral ang Media para ang taong bayan e di maturete ang kukote sa kaiisip kung ANO ba TAMA o MALI?
YON LANG at Mabuhay kayong lahat and increase your tribes!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
RE: Reporting during election is always bias toward or against certain candidates, which reminds me how FPJ was treated by the media especially by the two TV stations last 2004. Let’s still have to wait and see.
Ito ang aking saloobin Igan Florry, Korek ka coz’ ang daming Pinoy ang galit sa ilang kinauukulang media entity at manunulat nito?
Who demonized Pres. Erap last EDSA DOS con Hello Garci…di ba ng PCIJ, PDI, Kapamilya, Phil Star, at iba pa?
During EDSA 3…grabeng paghamak ang ginawa nila sa Masang Pilipino na kesyo ipangalandakan pa na mga amoy-lupa, patay-gutom at iba pang below the belt na maaanghang na salita?
I witnessed EDSA 3 dito sa Pinas at dito sa abroad pagbalik ko ng bakasyon at aking napagtanto na ang daming sinungaling sa hanay ng pagbabalita.
Lalo na itong ABS-CBN…obvious talaga at mabuhay ang NET25 and The Daily Tribune na isa sa mga tunay na tagapagbalita coz’naging maka-Masa sila.
At NAWA e matauhan na ang ibang pasaway at bunga ng kanilang bias na pagbabalita e ang AMPATUWAD event na kabayaran sa kanilang hanay sa di patas na pagbabalita.
Tuloy ang Pinoy e walang tulak-kabigin kung ano ba ang tutuong istorya sa likod ng kamera!
Only thing I wish you all from my heart, pramis, wa biro… ingat lang kayo, dahil indi man kayo kandidato, am sure target na naman kau.
#5: “Reporting during election is always bias toward or against certain candidates, which reminds me how FPJ was treated by the media especially by the two TV stations last 2004.”
The covenant proposes to remedy the above.
Points to consider:
FPJ, by declaring to free his drinking buddy, Erap, an objective in running for the presidency had brought to himself negative vibes from many voters, including the media.
His declaration may have worked with FPJ and movie celebrity groupies but not the rest of the sambayanan, including the media.
FPJ may have won the elections anyway, with or without the media’s help, but we all know happened there.
The media did report anomalies in many election districts, but we also know what happened, there – the wanton disregard and violation the law by Garci, Abalos and the rest of Gloria’s goons.
This covenant cannot work without public support. So, it is really up to all of us, working together, to have an honest and clean elections. Those who can vote must vote. Those who cannot must provide for and encourage those who can.
This covenant cannot work without public support. So, it is really up to all of us, working together, to have an honest and clean elections. Those who can vote must vote. Those who cannot must provide for and encourage those who can.
Well said, Isagani!
#9 “Reporting during election is always bias toward or against certain candidates, which reminds me how FPJ was treated by the media especially by the two TV stations last 2004.”
If you read between the lines, above statement is no longer the case and no need to argue about it. It was just a “reminder” for ME and only cited as an example of how the media engaged in bias and unbalanced reporting, a practice that has been on going since journalism came into existence. The covenant and even the participation of the public is not an assurance to remedy this problem and ensure clean elections. How can the public guard to ensure clean and honest election if there are people like garci, abalos, bedol, military and police generals and comelec officials who themselves cheat for other candidates for financial considerations? Do you really honestly believe that the public can do something about it? The only time that we can achieve a clean and honest elections is when pigs fly, that is when officers of the electoral watchdogs are saintly and extremely honest and non-partisan.
The point and question in #5: What will the PPI do with those who can’t resist practicing “Cash or Check Journalism?”
Again we still have to wait and see.
Florry, my comment is not intended to argue your point. My comment is merely a point of fact that the media played both sides of the issues.
As to #11, there will always be what you call “Cash or Check journalism.” There are many deliberations of this issue; whether journalists can indeed be fair considering that they are also on a payroll, that they could be influenced by the side that their employers patronize.
The covenant puts a strongly commit journalists to abide by their pledge – to report the facts regardless of personal, business and economic affiliation. This covenant, in this coming elections, serves as a code of ethics that they are bound to abide by and must exercise in full conscience.
For our part, we cannot just wait and see. We must support them. We must actively participate and do the best we can to help ensure an honest and clean 2010 elections.
Correction:
The covenant puts a strongly commit journalists to abide by their pledge
should read:
The covenant strongly commits participating journalists to abide by their pledge to report the facts regardless of personal, business and economic affiliation.
I think there is nothing wrong for a newspaper entity to support a particular political party which also promote the same ideologies and principles as its Publisher. But in the same vein, the newspaper will maintain a balance of Opinions writers and columnist to cover every major parties.
We have have several major dailies here and the Biggest one the Toronto Star, nearing the end of the campaign but throughout the campaign its editorial will be leaning towards its Party of choice, will announce which Party it will endorse and that is always the Liberals and in the opposite side the Tabloid type, raunchy but just as big seller Toronto Sun will do the Same and the stick to Conservatives. Of course reporting should most of the time be based on facts as these entities have their own Ombudsman to guide their own papers to ethical behaviour and there is always the threat of Lawsuits.
“We are aware of the transgressions of many of the members of media. We do not condone those acts that violate the basic rules of journalism of being truthful and fair in our reporting.” anong aksiyon ang puedeng gawin sa mga transgressors na ito kasi mas nakakarami ito, base sa experience. Ex. titirahin ang ilegalista para magkapera katulad ng sugalan, bold show atbp.
marami rin ang nagpapanggap na media paano ito mako-kontrol mas malakas pa itong mgangotong talo pa ang mga lespu.
From Nap Casambre:
That’s all baloney. It seems that the entire media has been bought by presidential candidate, Villar. Just watch the number and frequency of his TV ads and the pro-Villar articles in the newspapers.
From Hehe Batongbakal:
Parang sira na plaka ang Philippine Press Institute echoing media covenants in the past. Narinig ko na and mga ito nung nasa high school pa yata ako.Many summer moons ago. Puro naman kayo na bayaran.
From DC Ferrer:
Sana lahat ng nasa media sundin ang covenant na ginawa nila. Alam natin na marami pa rin ang mga taga media ang nabibili ang kanilang dignidad at integridad. Huwag nating hayaang masira ang tiwala ng sambayanan sa lakas ng pamamahayag. Huwag kayong masilaw sa salapi. Isipin nyo ang susunod na henerasyon. Matakot tayo sa batas ng Diyos at batas ng tao.
Tagumpay sa mga mamamahayag, tagumpay sa sambayanang Pilipino!
Anong “Covenant” ang pinag sasabi ng mga journalist na to?
Tingnan nyo na lang kung ano ang pinag susulat ng mainstream media. Puro sila lahat kay Noynoy. Ngayon kung nabayaran sila ni Villar o pandak e doon sila.
Tapos may drama pa tong Namfrel at PPCRV. E pareho naman silang control ng Luceferian Jesuits. Anong pag kakaiba nila?
Dito ang mga newspapers would endorse candidates..NYT, Jersey Journal,etc. and tainted din ng preferences ang kanilang endorsements..pati na nga ang mga unions, pero ok naman..that is what democracy is all about, hindi ba? puera lang kung hindi sila magsasabi ng totoo sa kanilang news coverages..
Ellen: nasa picture ka ba? ikaw ba yong nasa likod na ang mata mo lang ang makikita?
Rose, I’m on the second row. Fourth from the right. Seated, in white and peach-colored shirt.
Hello y’all,
This is an interesting forum. hope indeed springs eternal. ano? democracy? says who? but then again, maganda pakingan. sometimes, to psychologically survive our political landscape, we need to delude ourselves.
Mr. xman, galit ka sa mga jesuits. don’t blame you, but would love to hear your luceferian experience. am sure you’ve interesting stories.
Mr. isagani, you said “the covenant strongly commits participating journalists to abide by their pledge to report the facts regardless of personal, business and economic affiliation”. this looks soooo very good in paper, full of idealism, but then again, if we have no iota of idealism, what do we have left??
Dcferrer, wow! i heard a chinese/fil businessman from back home said…..”Walang filipino na mahal ang presyo”. Buti na lang, di yan sinabi sa harap ko. I sent a strong message by refusing to acknowledge his invitation for dinner. Tanong sa akin, how come you didn’t even acknowledge the invite.Sagot ko, not only can’t we breathe the same air, i will not be able to swallow my food. Di lang yon, dinamay ko ang buong angkan niya.
We’re all forgetting one thing, that is endemic in our cultural fabric…the culture of lack. psychologically, we’re already at a disadvantage. It’s like swimming against the tide.Kahit saan tayo itapon, dala-dala natin yang culture of lack na yan, unless we shift our consciousness.That my darlings is a herculean task.It’ll take many generations to accomplish, if at all we’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Well, I still pray for the sake of our lahi, this election will turn out bloodless. Frankly, i do not like Villar. He’s not any different from the rest. Noynoy, sige, baka sakaling hindi magnanakaw….don’t forget,Hacienda Luisita. Erap, well, the Philippines maybe deserves another years of Erap. Teodoro? is Glorias candidate, maybe. So, vamos a ver whats going to happen.
To you Ms. Tordesillas, i thank and salute you. please keep on blogging. Lets all dream of a democratic Philippines. After all, libre ang managinip….lolz. ciao y’all…kikay
Hello Ellen,
Just curious, what happened to the “Hello Garci” episode. Did it get stuck under the carpet? Nagkalimutan ba tayo?? Am not from backhome, and unfortunately, I don’t read the Phil news. Nakaka depress, and I’ve no energy to debate the otherside, parang sayang ang laway ko.
Btw, I grew up in a household of people constantly debating about our political landscape. It was not as corrupt then, siguro kasi walang internet. Lolz…who knows, bata pa ako at that time. Again, thank you….K
Kikay, welcome.
House rule lang. Do not capitalize your comments. Pangit basahin ang all capitalized.
Tingnan mo, I edited your comments, mas maayos basahin.
Thanks.