“A strong democracy
requires access to high-
NEWS LITERACY
for Citizenship
in a Democracy
Asian Institute of Journalism and
Communication
2020
❑ Why is news important?
❑ What is lost when
journalists or media outlets
are stopped from reporting
the news?
FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES IN
PHILIPPINE DEMOCRACY:
❑ “Sovereignty resides in the
people and all government
authority emanates from
them.”
❑ “The prime duty of the
Government is to serve and
protect the people.”
quality information and an
ability for citizens to come
together to debate, discuss,
deliberate, empathize, and
make concessions.”
Bradshaw, Samantha & Howard, Philip N. (2019), The Global Disinformation Order: 2019 Global Inventory of Organized
Social Media Manipulation, p. 21. Working Paper 2019.2. Oxford, UK. Project on Computational Propaganda.
Citizens are
sovereign in a
democracy.
EXAMPLES OF FREEDOMS AND
RIGHTS GUARANTEED IN
THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS:
Right to elect government officials
❑
❑ Right to assemble peaceably and petition the
government for redress of grievances
❑ Freedom of speech, of expression, and of the
press
❑ Right to information on matters of public
concern
 Why is it important for
citizens to exercise
freedom of expression
and of the press and
the right to
information?

What can
❑ Encourages open discussions and
public debate on matters of public
concern
❑ Guards the public interest
Promotes transparency in government
news do for
democracy?
❑

❑ Keeps power in check by making

officials accountable
❑ Fosters good governance
❑ Affirms the sovereignty of the citizen
❑ Helps strengthen the democratic
process

INFORMATION INVESTIGATION
❑ Provide fair and full ❑ Investigate
information so citizens concentrated sources
can make sound political of power, particularly
choices governmental power
 ANALYSIS
❑ Provide coherent
frameworks of
interpretation to help
citizens comprehend a
complex world
PUBLIC FORUM
❑ Provide a forum for dialogue
among citizens, through
pluralistic & interdisciplinary
approaches to issues, &serve as
a common carrier of the
perspectives of varied groups in
society
“There can be no daily
democracy without
daily citizenship.”
RALPH NADER
SOCIAL EMPATHY
❑ Tell people about others in their
society & their world so that they
come to appreciate the
viewpoints &lives of other
people, especially those less
advantaged than themselves
MOBILIZATION
❑ Serve (when desired) as
advocates for political programs
&perspectives, & mobilize
people to act in support of these
programs, without
compromising verification
standards &public interest