Do you think we should consider the right of media and give them

freedom? Is freedom of media worth fighting for? Does the

Philippines benefit from media freedom? Does being indecisive affect
others? In this podcast, we will be discussing this issue that is arising.
I am Wendy Ignacio, and my fellow speakers are Nicole Sevilla, Karla
Marcos, Aejay Pamintuan, Russel Deang, and Ezekiel Cortez. And you
are now listening to WONDERKPODS!

[Russel]: Goodmorning guys! Is everyone good?

[Ezekiel]: yep! Everyone is.

[Karla]: what are we talking about again?

[Russel]: uhmm freedom of media!

[Ezekiel]: oh, freedom of media. Interesting.

[Karla]: I wonder what is freedom of media?

[Russel]: The freedom of communication and expression through mediums including various electronic
media and published materials. While such freedom mainly implies the absence of interference from an
overreaching state, and its preservation may be sought through constitutional or other legal protections.

[Karla]: Why Freedom of Media is very important?

[Russel]: The press is responsible for checking and balancing the administration and the government.
Whenever social evil lurking or corruption and oppression happens, the press is the first to raise a voice.

[Ezekiel]: Moreover, we trust the press to collect, verify, and disseminate the facts and figures which
influence people's decisions. If they don't have the liberty to do all of this, the people may be blinded
away from the truth.

[Karla]: Therefore, we see how if even any one of these liberties is taken away from the press, the
voiceless will lose their voice. Worse yet, if the press will deny doing their job, the elite will run the
country as per their will, thus resulting in uninformed citizens who will thus become powerless.

[Russel]: One of the advantages of media freedom is improving the workings of representative
government by helping citizens communicate with their governments. Because the press is the one who
checks the news and information before they release the word on social media or national TV.
[Karla]: Another advantage of media freedom is keeping the government closer to the people by helping
policymakers better understand how their actions are being perceived. Because people need to know
and understand why certain decisions or actions need to be implemented since the people are the ones
who elected them and put them in the positions where they are now.

[Ezekiel]: Freedom of media has many advantages, but there are still disadvantages. One of the
disadvantages of freedom of media is the media have only a limited right to publish material the
government says is classified. If a newspaper or media outlet obtains classified material, or if a journalist
witnesses classified information, the government may request particular material be redacted or
removed from the article. Because their life might be in danger if they would tell all their information
gathered.
{NEGATIVE}

[Nicole]: hi (s2) and (s3)! Goodmorning guys, how are you today?

[aejay]: still sleepy, but I'm feeling good.

[Nicole]: I feel energetic. I woke up early today and cooked my breakfast.

[aejay]: hey guys! Have you heard the story about the manila hostage crisis?

[wendy]: yo! I know that story, still feel bad whenever I remember that story.

[Nicole]: hey what's that about? Can you tell me what it is?

[aejay]: it is about the hostage taking of Chinese tourists in manila

[nicole]: why is it connected to media tho?

[aejay]: hmm let’s just say that the media had a big role in that unfortunate happening

[wendy]: and decided to take advantage of the situation for the sake of ratings and views, tsk.

[nicole]: so, I can assume that the result is not good right?

[wendy]: sadly yes.

[nicole]: oh, tell me what happened. I haven't heard that story

[aejay]: it happened on the morning of August the 23rd of 2010. Chinese tourists were visiting the
Philippines when Rolando Mendoza got inside their bus and declared them as his hostages.

[nicole]: what is the reason? What made him do it?

[wendy]: Mendoza was a former policeman who was fired from service because of an alleged drug
violation stripping him off from all the retirement benefits, which is only a year away.

[nicole]: oh! So, he's mad cause he felt like they sabotaged him?

[aejay]: yup, so he used this as a way to be heard of his plea

[nicole]: how is this connected to the freedom of media?

[wendy]: the media showed news that angered Mendoza cause there's a television inside the bus.

[aejay]: yep! For the sake of views, because it was a hot topic back then, Filipinos are changing channels
to see the most intriguing news to watch.

[wendy]: what's worst is they revealed the positions of the snipers and created stories that triggered
Mendoza to kill his hostages

[aejay]: and I clearly remembered that Mendoza said, "I will voluntarily surrender with handcuffs on." If
they will listen to his demands

[nicole]: but they did not give him the chance to speak his side nor listen to him, and everything went
wrong?
[wendy]: exactly! I wonder whether the outcome would be different if the officials had listened to his
demands.

[aejay]: Will the victims survive if the media did not interfere? Or would the whole incident never have
happened if someone had just listened?

A free press is fundamental to a democratic society. It seeks out and circulates news, information, ideas,
comment, and opinion and holds those in authority to account. The press provides the platform for a
diversity of voices to be heard. At the national, regional, and local level, it is the public's watchdog,
activist, guardian, educator, entertainer, and contemporary chronicler.