Journalists' Dangerous Trade

One the leading dailies say that Ilocos and Davao are the two most dangerous places for journalists to work. The correspondent may have been goaded to write the story because of the recent spate of murder of press people from North to South. Most of the victims are in the broadcast industry of the Amplitude Modulation (AM) band who occasionally deliver biting commentaries on what they perceive in their area as newsworthy that seriously affect the people.

To stop further damage on the already-mudded name of the culprits supposedly guilty of graft and corruption, illegal logging, illegal gambling and the like, “loquacious” radio anchors are silenced permanently to end their stories.

It’s baloney to believe some op-eds saying that the Philippines has the freest press in Asia. They sometimes fail to mention that media practitioners are under the constant threat of extinction whenever listeners, mostly politicians and the powerful, are irritated with what they hear from the airwaves.

This is not only a sort of prior restraint and intimidation but the total prevention of the dissemination of facts and the curtailment of freedom of speech and of the press guaranteed by the Constitution.

Arlon Serdenia, Ilocos chair of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) disclosed that he was to conduct seminars on basic reporting and ethics understandably to train media practitioners to be more professional and efficient.

I totally agree with Mr. Serdenia. Better still, broadcasters especially in the AM band must be required to have finished an academic course in Broadcasting if not a Mass Communications degree. I must concede that there are talents who learned their craft not from a university but through diligent and unceasing reading of broadcasting materials. These are also open in accepting suggestions and FAQ responses from competent men and women in the trade

Unlike in swimming that you have to swim to learn it, it’s dangerous to learn how to broadcast by broadcasting and merely rely on guts and instinct.

I knew announcers who fall under that category. Decades of working inside the announcer’s booth does not guarantee the prevention of a blunder which may even be subject to prosecution as in the case of libel or defamation. Issues and sentiments are diversified. They come at the spur of the moment.

There was a radio anchor in the province who could have directly presented facts instead of sensationalizing an issue. After asking the side of the accused (as in the case of malversation), he shuttles to get the side of the accuser. In the ensuing clash of opinions between the protagonists, the broadcaster (second year high school drop out in the early 60s) squeezes in his reckless opinion and makes stupid commentary to the delight of his audience. As a result, the rating of the station that mostly caters to the “bakya” (C and D audience) crowd surges.

I almost fell from my chair one breakfast when I heard him translate “NN is expected to be in hot water because of strong and damaging evidence against him.” He translated “hot water” literally instead of its figurative sense.

Admitting that “some of our colleagues work with the politicians or some under the politicians’ payroll to augment their living,” Serdenia stopped in saying that some in the press may write or print issues that damage the adversary of politicians or they can print and broadcast op-eds that praise or elevate their political masters who regularly dole them out “cigarette money” into a god.

Serdenia should also consider giving lectures on the basics like what news is, news gathering and presentation aside from ethics and laws affecting the profession. Not all that is heard in the provinces are called “news”. Radio stations in their format must clearly define what philosophy they adhere to in educating, informing and entertaining their target audience.

In other words, broadcasting is not merely saying blah blah blahs. Little knowledge is dangerous. Rather, broadcasters or press people must also possess sufficient background on the journalism code of ethics and other existing laws aside from being well-informed on current events not only in the country but around the globe.

That saves lives!-30-