A Call for RESPONSIBLE Journalism
Monday, August 27th, 2007As I mentioned in my previous blog, I attended a 2-day training for school paper advisers. Not only did I learn more about the How-Tos of writing articles for the school paper, I also learned, MORE IMPORTANTLY, to always uphold responsible journalism even at the campus level.
With the recent controversy about MALU FERNANDEZ of People Asia and Manila Standard Today, mentioning on her article derogatory statements about OFWs in Dubai, I just can’t let this urge of writing a blog about it pass. As Teacher Elsie, our ISBB Directress, has repeatedly said, we must be eternal teachers - we must always take advantage of the chance to teach our students good values and right attitudes wherever we may be. And so, I decided to write this here for all my students to learn about responsible journalism, even if you’re not a student journalist.
Here are samples of Malu Fernandez’ statements on her June 2007 People Asia article "From Boracay to Greece" :
- However, I forgot that the hub was in
Dubai
and the majority of the OFWs (overseas
Filipino workers) were stationed there. The duty-free shop was overrun with
Filipino workers selling cell phones and perfume. Meanwhile, I wanted to slash
my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them.
“Hey there? Where are you from? Are you a domestic helper as
well?” I thought I had died and God had sent me to my very own private hell.On my way back, I had to bravely take the economy flight
once more. This time I had already resigned myself to being trapped like
sardine in a sardine can with all these OFWs smelling of AXE and Charlie
cologne while my Jo Malone evaporated into thin air.
Who wouldn’t be irate with these statements? Even if I am not an OFW, I still felt insulted with these words from the writer. Her article surely fired up the emotions of Filipinos, especially those who are OFWs in Dubai. And even if she has apologized already and resigned from her post, personally, that are still not enough.
I’ve written this not to evoke some more anger from whoever will be reading this. I just want everyone to be reminded that yes, there is freedom of the press, but there’s also such thing s as responsible journalism, journalistic virtues, journalism ethics. Simply put, when we don’t have anything nice to say (or write), then don’t say (or write) a word. And when I say "nice" here, it does not mean we are to put ONLY positive words about something or someone; understand that anyone can publish his/her opinion or reaction about something or someone, so long as that opinion or reaction has relevance to what the whole article is saying. Relevance here is further defined as something that has an intention of eliciting something good in the end and making others have a better understanding of the subject being discussed in the article.
WITH THIS I would like to reiterate, especially to campus journalists, be more careful with what you write. Be responsible in every word that you say and publish. Remember to be honest and always be on the truth’s side, but remember too that there is a time and a proper venue where you can say out loud whatever it is that you would like to be heard.
As we say it, we do not wash our dirty linens in public =)
Finally, TO THE EDITORS, Malu Fernandez’ case should not be taken solely by the said writer. Whoever the editor of her article, and also the Editor in Chief, should also be responsible for the havoc brought about by what was published. The editor(s) could have screened the article by Malu Fernandez. They could have graded the facts — are they significant to the article? do they make sense? or are they just a crap of words used to make the article longer? The editor(s) could have stopped this mayhem even before it started.
