Press(ured) Freedom

by Khatrina Bonagua

The Philippines Press is known to be one of the freest in Asia. With a

constitutional guarantee of this freedom, no wonder journalists in the country are all out
in covering, writing, and reporting the haves and have-nots of the land.
Ironically, along with this freedom, being a Filipino journalist is also branded as a
very dangerous job in the country. Sad to say, there is more than what is in Article 3
Section IV of our Constitution, for almost anyone can see, hear, and feel what the real
thing is behind the shots on the screen and ink on the paper.
Also called the "fourth estate," the journalist uphold the philosophy which holds
institution and individuals accountable for what they did, do, or will do. Journalist are
branded as the watchdog in the society. But then, given the situation in the country
(tagged as the second most dangerous place for journalists to live in--- next to Iraq,
which is a warzone), it looks like the watchdog is the one being watched. Where does
press freedom now lie?
Retrained only by laws dealing with libel and sedition, the Philippine press, by the
book, seems to be free--free to give voice to the voiceless; free to provide the much-
needed surveillance; free to set the country's agenda; free to criticize and comment; and
free to do just about everything else between. Indeed, looking at the surface, the
watchdog is doing what it is supposed to do- to give the bark and the bite. But looking
more deeply, one can notice that the watchdog that endlessly barks and bites is not free
at all. Around its neck is tired a leash which restrains it from doing something that is
beyond its limit.
The leash that controls the watchdog is, who else, but it's master. Media entities,
such as television stations, radio stations, and newspapers, are controlled by their
owners and publishers. Now, this is the covert way of restraining the freedom of the
press: censorship by friendship.
Unknow to many, most of the media outlets in the country are largely controlled
by the elite. The Lopezes of ABS-CBN, the Gonzons of GMA-7, the Pangilinans of TV-
5, the Yaps of Manila Bulletin, the Gokongweis, The Ranzons, The Gos, and so many
more. These media bigwigs inevitably control, in one way or another, what must and
must not be broadcast and published. They have a say to every word that will see print;
they can set what should be brought to the attention of the public; they can make or
break a person in just a snap; they can sway every string of words and every camera
shot into their own agenda.
With those things in mind, one can pose these questions: Are journalists free to
express themselves? Are they free to write anything, without thinking of what they
master dictate? Are they free to publish and broadcast stories which interlock with their
employer's interests? I don't think so.
I believe that the Philippine press, is not all free. Freedom of expression in the
country is like freedom of expressing the selective truth. In one way or another,
journalists are restrained from fully disclosing facts and data; journalists are barred from
telling the public what they (the people) need to know; for media owners, journalists
should report only what interests the public for 'if it (story) sells, then you're in, but if it
does not, then you're out".
There is no such thing as "freedom of the press" when journalists are being hit in
ample pockets. Who cares about fairness, responsibility, credibility, objectively, when as
human beings, the money that they get from their jobs is more important? Sad to say,
for some, it is much better to lose their ethics than to lose their humble paychecks.
As a media practitioner, as future journalists, we can definitely make a change.
Cliché as it may sound, we are the hope of the Philippine press. This early, now that we
are in the academe, as fresh as the new journalism graduates, we must be the ones
thinking and believing. Indeed, it is hard to change culture, the way media is. But I
believe, through one stroke, one shot, we can change the world. Let us practice ethics
and do our responsibilities. As much as possible, we must be objective---neither taking
sides nor attaching strings. We must adhere to "trabaho lang, walang personalan" when
it comes to reporting and writing the news. I know that this idea won't sell or won't land
us an envious place in the industry, but then the realization of such an idea is better
than financial rewards.

No pressure, though just expressing.

By: Danak , Romer

Segismundo, Jeriesh