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Tag: Media Ownership Monitoring

Duterte wants media as watchdog and partner

Press Undersecretary Enrique Tandan delivers his message at the MOM launch.
Press Undersecretary Enrique Tandan delivers his message at the MOM launch.

By VERA Files

President Duterte welcomes media’s role as watchdog even as he considers it a partner in informing the people about what the government is doing for them, a Palace official said.

In a message he delivered in behalf of Press Secretary Martin Andanar at the launching of the Media Ownership Monitor (MOM) website ((http://philippines.mom-rsf.org/ ), Thursday last week, Press Undersecretary Enrique Tandan said, “President Duterte believes that, as partners for change, the members of the media have a huge responsibility in keeping the government institutions in check. Change happens when there is a constant voice that keeps the government up on its feet, making sure that no detail will go unknown from the public eye.”

But the President also wants media to be a partner in delivering the government’s messages to the people. ‘’For the President, this is how the media works as the government’s sidekick, so to speak,” Tandan said.

The powers behind media in the Philippines

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Oftentimes, many people including government officials blame media for the many problems that they face in their governance.

Media-bashing was a standard fare in many of the speeches of former President Aquino. President Duterte has followed the same line.

Although the media-bashing reflects a warped appreciation of the role of media, it is also a recognition of the power of media- in its role as a vehicle of information to the public.

VERA Files, Reporters Without Borders Germany partner to monitor media ownership in PH

Lisa-Maria Kretschmer, head of Research & Project Coordinator of  Reporters Without Borders Germany Media Ownership Monitor, explains the project they are undertaking with VERA Files in the Philippines. Beside her is  LUZ Rimban, VERA Files trustee.
Lisa-Maria Kretschmer, head of Research & Project Coordinator of Reporters Without Borders Germany Media Ownership Monitor, explains the project they are undertaking with VERA Files in the Philippines. Beside her is LUZ Rimban, VERA Files trustee.

By YVETTE MORALES

VERA Files has partnered with Reporters ohne Grenzen, German section of Reporters sans frontières (Reporters without Borders, RSF) to embark on a three-month study of media ownership in the Philippines.

The Media Ownership Monitor (MOM) Philippines is part of RSF’s global project to study the extent of the concentration of media ownership, a prerequisite for securing freedom of the press and defending the diversity of opinions.

Vergel Santos, Chairman of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, who was one of the participants in the roundtable discussion held last week to kick-off the project, called the MOM a “terrific,” much-needed initiative that will open people’s eyes to the power behind the media organizations.