Frea R.

Belarmino

Journalism 1B

A Critique Paper about Corruption and the watchdog role of the news media

Shiela S. Coronel is a winner of the 2003 Magsaysay Award for Journalism Literature and the

Creative Communication Arts. She is also one of the founders of the Philippine Center for Investigative

Journalism. She wrote the “Corruption and the watchdog role of the news media” that states about all the

function of a watchdog journalist. A watchdog journalist can be that of a protector or guardian.

The role of a watchdog journalist as a guardian is to supply the citizens with information they must have

"to prevent the abuse of power", and to "warn citizens about those that are doing them harm". The array

of topics for watchdog journalism is wide and includes: personal scandals, financial wrong doing. In order

to expose them, watchdog aims at “finding hidden evidences”. The aforementioned aspects are necessary

for the role of the watchdog journalist to help maintain order and warn against disorder.

According to the web page Poliscinews, the media typically plays three roles. In no particular

order, the media plays the role of a gatekeeper, scorekeeper, and a watchdog. The media as a gatekeeper

simply means that the elites who control a particular news entity decide what gets on the air or in a

newspaper. Thus, if the story runs, it becomes news. When the media plays the role of scorekeeper, it

tends to add numbers to spice up the content of the story itself. For instance, a reporter may tell you a

story about three people injured in a crash or that stock prices dropped by 22 points. Numbers and

statistics bring life to a story. When the media plays the watchdog, they are acting as a protector or as an

investigator regarding events that might have an impact on your life. An example would be an

investigation into government corruption and how that corruption has affected your wallet or pocketbook.

Watchdog Journalism, is it really a protector or a guardian or is it a hound dog digging for

information, interviewing the public and challenging their problems and concerns with questions.
 What is the role of a watchdog? Lurking in the shadows for any information, news, accidents and

mistakes. Always ready to pounce on juicy news media that can go viral like the common cold. Is a

watchdog just a propagandist or an agitator to what seems to be laying in silence until woken up for the

media to feast on like vultures?

According to Marc A. Smith and company, social media comes in different forms and structures.

Mapping social media networks can enable a better understanding of the variety of ways individuals form

groups and organize online. Our social media network maps of Twitter have illustrated six different

structures of connection around different kinds of topics.

It is possible to imagine any number of ways that these insights could find application for those

interested in using social media to promote causes, to engage the stakeholders who are interested in their

organizations or missions, and to start or enter social media conversations that matter to them.

As stated, the notion of the press as watchdog is more than 200 years old. Imagine it, that long

time ago watchdogging is popular to the citizens yet the idea of vigilant media monitoring government

and exposing its excesses has gained new traction in many parts of the world. One of the effects brought

is globalization. It causes to fall the authoritarian and socialist regimes and also the deregulation of the

media worldwide.

In this day and age or liberalism, a watchdog may feed on millions and millions of information

but who is to say that the information collected is of true state? Just because the media spills does not

mean it is all of truth right? What should the media or the “watchdog” per say really cover? Do we look

into the important things going on in the world or do we focus on the stardom of actors and actresses’

fame and fortune and then turn a blind eye to war and famine.

The watchdog and the media. What it portrays, what it lets you view, the media only lets us see

what they want us to see but do we really know what happens behind closed door. The viewpoint from the
lens of a camera would be different from the eyes behind the lens. Social media nowadays once again

solely focused on scandal, scams and the destructions of others. While us feasting on the information

given to us by the watchdog.

Is the watchdog desirable? A watchdog can lead to great success in bringing down the most

powerful people. A watchdog, like a dog, guarding and protecting a certain area of responsibility.

Guarding sensitive information that can be of use or the upper hand in power.

As stated to this paper, a watchdog press ensures that individuals who are supposed to serve the

public remain and are held accountable. In my view, the watchdog is indeed desirable. The watchdog

function of news media shapes public opinion- really it is desirable. But somehow, the view of non-

believers to the watchdog role should be subordinate to other goals. I don’t think if it’s a valid reason or

not but for the Leninist views, the press is primarily a collective propagandist and agitator- thereby

building socialism.

I certainly agree to a related view of the press, which preached that in poor countries, the media

should veer away from the Western fixation on conflict and disaster and should instead promote

developmental goals. News media or press does not only function as a watchdog that ensures every other

individual but should also function on eradicating conflicts and promoting developmental goals where

everyone can be benefited.

However, there are persons inclined to doubt accepted opinions about the watchdog role of the

press. As to what some media scholars and critics have argued, the adversarial nature of reporting erodes

trust and support for government. Studies on U.S television reporting says that TV news presents the

image of government as inefficient and wasteful. In my own opinion to that scenario, as long as the press

or news media takes it role very acceptable and advantageous to individuals and to some government

officials, then I am not against on it. But it’s sad to think that media practices somehow leads to

dissatisfaction and democracy itself. It’s a fact we can never deny.

 There are criticisms portraying media exposure of wrongdoing as the provider of scandal. It is

being said to this paper that media as scandalmonger means that the end goal is to arouse and amuse

citizens, rather than inform and mobilize them for reform. In my stand, I don’t think that media is the

seller or provider of scandal because as far as I know, media plays a very significant role in shaping every

individual and strengthening the society. Media doesn’t provide scandals, rather it is the provider of

informations. After all, the blame is always on people and not on the media.

On the other part, more radical critiques of the media say the opposite: that the media actually

rarely perform their watchdog role. In fact, media acts a watchdog to protect public interest against

malpractice and create public awareness. Media of today has an all-embracing role to function against

injustice, misdeeds of our society. That’s the thing we must know about the watchdogs role of media a

desirable one.

The watchdog and the government. Freedom of the press or media is important because it plays a

vital role in informing citizens about public affairs and monitoring the actions of government so that they

can make decisions, develop opinions and communicate their views to the government by assembling,

protesting and sharing ideas. Media serve as the watchdog of the society. They maybe the publics’ eyes

and ears of what is happening and going around especially in circumstances where a significant portion of

the public demand changes in response. This might involve fast checking, interviewing public figures,

beat reporting to gather information and investigative journalism. Watchdog journalism can be expressed

in a variety of news media such as radio, television, internet and print media. Watchdog journalist serve

as protector or guardian to supply the citizens with information to prevent abuse of powers and warn them

about those that are doing them harm. Commonly, problems such as government decision making

process, corporate fraud, illegal activity, immorality, consumer protection issues and environmental

degradation.
 Media has both positive and negative aspect associated with it. One of the advantages of it is that

we can be able to get information to the public in a quick and timely manner. It has the resource to expose

injustices, corruption or abuse of power. It also keeps us updated on news, weather and sporting events.

Hence, the disadvantage of media include a risk of inaccurate reporting and a of privacy. Media have a

big role in contributing to economic and political development of citizens. It has an important factor in

promoting democracy in a democratic country, there must be a protection for the journalist because it is

there right and privilege. Hence, other countries that are not democratic can’t practice this right like in

Burma and North Korea. I can say that if there is no freedom of press or media, there will be no

transparency of what is going around. Moreover, the citizens will be starving or ravenous for the

information.

Public and private media offer a wide range of views and provide coverage of controversial topic.

However, media freedom is compromised by the threat of legal action including under criminal

deformation laws and the Philippines remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world of

journalist. Existing legal protection have genuinely failed to prevent nowadays. The government should

raise an attention and action to this spreading problems for the journalist. There must have support, unity

and equity for the watchdog and government to be able to sustain freedom, democracy and prosperity.

Journalism is a unique vocation. Simply putting in to the paper can change a society more than war and

fear.

Included corruption and schemes, take the Philippines for example the community is more

focused on changing names of a fish because it is named after a hero of the country. Do we not have other

important matters to attend to? No! We focus on stardom gossip and other unnecessary things instead of

focusing on the poverty and hardship shit country is going through. What the watchdog feeds us about the

government is what we believe in not know that lie is in between the said word. Question is, should we

only believe in what we see and hear or should we have to be able to experience it ourselves, quoted

“Seeing is believing.”
 Can the watchdog provide subtle information from all over the world? We only get what they too

can get their hands on but not everything. The snippet of the media all information cut up and stitched up

to be a story we are taught to believe because they are the ones who fetched this information. Sad truth we

are missing out on everything and can only claim to know what we read or view.

What do we know about our government besides voting and our next running president or senates

or mayors and captains? Does the watchdog release anything about our country’s military? What do we

know about our military? Are we prepared? Do we have any equipment ready for war? All we see is what

changes have been going on but the same different cycle, same story and same old news.

The watchdog and the market. Focused on everyone’s need; money. Truth? What do we know

about the stock market or any profit platform for that matter? What does the watchdog focus on nowadays

compared to the times before? So many questions asked yet so little answers. The media today has a high

focus for income, how much could you earn, how much could you invest and make in return. Your return

of investment in the market.

How much one person is worth an actor, creator, business man and entrepreneur?

Why is the watchdog focused on a sole currency or the income of one’s country? The trade of

export and import from one country to another.

How come a watchdog cannot provide the truth about poverty and how the rich stay rich and the

poor become poorer by the day?

How the rich steal from the hardworking poor citizens while they lay atop their mansions with

their feet up on their coffee table. Nowadays a watchdog will provide information on how to earn more

with less time of hard work. How one can loan money and the next day turn into bankruptcy. For example

mainland China, Do you know about the China money trap, ever heard of it? The media has not shown

any light on this matter how many countries are in debt from a loan from mainland China, how come a
watchdog will not release such matter? Is it because China is too powerful or are we just scared of the

truth or Is a watchdog hiding the truth from being brought to light?

The watchdog or journalists sometime cripple the information being fed to us but some brave

enough to expose such matters but with fear for life perhaps that one day the exposure they have given

may have been too dangerous to have shined light on. Watchdogs now focus more on money strategies

such as where to invest, some things called bit coin now or web money. All things now involving one

touch income and cyber currency.

The watchdog and the profession. Have we ever thought about the hardship of a journalist? How

they are sent to different parts of the world to study and investigate problems being faced nowadays. How

does one go about reporting such news and manipulating the media?

Where does this source come from? How do they get this sort of information? Does a watchdog

just lie and wait in the shadows until a certain storyline comes up? Have we ever wondered how they

come up with the news for us to view or read? The articles they create with information where we have no

access to. How does one watchdog go about their daily life digging and scratching and searching for that

certain media coverage that would gain their place of work credit and ratings?

Should we worry about what they feed to us? Must we always believe what they show to us? Do

we just go about listening and viewing everything that a watchdog lays upon us with the world’s news?

What impact does this have on us?

The watchdog’s impact. They must be able to control and also expose corruption. Is it deliberate

that they expose the wrong doing of others or do they do this just to have some sort of justification? What

impact does it have on us though? Does it ruin our sense of view on politics, government, poverty,

famine, war, hardships and struggles?

 A watchdog too should have a keen sense of mind of what it feeds, especially to the younger

generations of our world today. What impact does it cause in the minds of the younger viewers? How

they implant such news in the media that they only see the wrong in others or the mistakes and wrong

doings around the world. How they portray such stories where one looks so wrong with false accusation.

Do they really want to spread such hatred or do we want peace and for everyone to get along.

A watchdog will have the biggest impact as they have the say in what gets put out in the media

and what we should be believing in, evil begets evil and if we are fed all the negativity one watchdog has

put together we will see nothing but the dark side of things.

The watchdog’s dark side. Contrary to popular belief there is good things and bad things, how we

portray them is up to us, how is it portrayed to us is up to them. We must have an open and liberal mind

to how we see things, a watchdog is the feeder and we are the eater. We have to choose what we feed on

depending upon what is being fed to us by watchdogs, journalists and social media.

Their dark side shown by manipulating the outcome of every story whilst we sitting on the other

end waiting for the news to be shown. Watchdogs manipulating such stories and drawing public attention

to a topic can be dangerous. This can stir up a lot of debate and negativity where one starts up a

commotion but will not get involved as they only fed the story but others reacted and cooked up some

more.

The concept of watchdog journalism is not free of criticism that’s why it also has a “dark side”.

The whole field of watchdog journalism has decreased over time and parts of journalism and in 2005

observers affirmed that the current period was “not a time of rich watchdog reporting in any media”. This

comes with the framework and the problem that may journalist tend “towards reflecting the status quo

rather than radically challenging it.”

This part of the article “The watchdog’s dark side” was long and precise however, it seems that it

doesn’t answer the question why the watchdogs have dark sides. The author just wrote the contradictory
about the watchdog journalist. She doesn’t state that the watchdogs are bad people. Watchdog journalist

are accused of wrong doings because of some issues of corruption that watchdogs accused by covering up

the actors both nationally and internationally.

This part of the article was so long and interesting but it seems that it is difficult to understand

especially by the students because of complicated words that have been used. It maybe lack of definition

of key terms. Some words are very difficult to understand particularly average students will have

difficulties in reading and analyzing this article. It would be better and easier to understand if the author

uses simple words yet academically right.

This part of the article could be more efficient if the author gives more examples about the wrong

doings of watchdog journalist because it seems that it lacks of accuracy of information. It would be more

effective if the author stated an example in the history locally or internationally the issue of the journalist

about the media and political scandals. Because it is stated at the article that “The media and politicians

can earn profit from scandal as much as hose from them”. It would be better if she provide more examples

for us readers to be persuade about the statement.

This article was very interesting but it requires a lot of reading comprehension and vocabulary

because of some complicated words that have been used in this article. However, I still recommend this

article to students for them to know the significance of a watchdog journalist.

According to David Wessel, a free press is important because it is an essential ingredient in a

democracy. The press, when it does what it should, speaks truth to power. It is a check on corruption,

excesses, and stupidity in government and in business.

Based from E.J Dionne, a free press is vital to freedom, democracy and the struggle against

corruption. As the historian Timothy Snyder said, ‘If nothing is true, then no one can criticize power,

because there is no basis upon which to do so.’ Autocrats know this, and free citizens should remember it.
 Based from the insight of James Kirchick he said that, a free press is important because it is the

freedom upon which all of our other freedoms are contingent. Today, the greatest threats to free and

independent media are authoritarian governments that censor, imprison, and occasionally murder

journalists. “Fake news” is a euphemism really for false information — has existed as long as there has

been a news media. What’s changed is how capriciously this accusation is thrown by everyone from the

President of the United States on down to describe “news I don’t like.” Over time, the de-legitimization of

traditional media sources will have a corrosive effect on our democracy as citizens will no longer agree to

a common set of facts.

In conclusion, we should be aware of the news everyday not just of our country but also the rest

of the world, we should be able to criticize to a positive point without harm. We should not be embedded

in only what we see or hear but we must also rebuttal with knowledge and strength to withstand any

negativity such as gossip and other things that we will not gain anything from.