The “Gray Zone” Areas of the West Philippine Sea as Journalism Beat: Proposals for an Informed, Continuing, and Safe Coverage by Marichu C. Lambino (RLC credits-grant from UP Dept of Journ, UPCMC, UPD OVCRD, UPD OC, UP Diliman) Research Presentation, live, May 29, 2024 1pm UP College of Mass Communication 2F PhStar Rm2
ABSTRACT: Philippine journalists, broadcast reporters, researchers, film documentarians, and media personnel covering the sea lanes of the Philippine exclusive economic zone, also called the West Philippine Sea — either as embedded in Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels or on their own — have been subjected to physically aggressive acts of the fully armed China Coast Guard (CCG) — such as ship ramming, allisions, dangerous and intentional ship-sideswiping, menacing flanking and blocking by CCG and water cannon firing of a volume that can capsize boats. Some journalists on their own have been on the receiving end of these aggressive acts from the CCG. This subject matter of journalism coverage remains uncategorized: Is it a regular beat or frequent on-the-spot coverage practice? If it is a regular beat: Is it a law enforcement beat since the PCG is a law-enforcement unit? Or is it coverage of an undeclared conflict zone? If the area is an undeclared conflict zone: Can this journalism practice be theorized and elevated as conflict reporting in journalism? Or is it in reality, an in-between category and considered a “gray zone” necessitating new research, new norms, new guidelines and codes of safety, contextualization, and study? This research and study will explore the subject matter as a regular journalism beat — the “West Philippine Sea beat” or the “gray zone beat” as it were (or an area of frequent coverage, if news organizations are not logistically prepared to declare it a regular beat) and present research-based recommendations to start the discussion on a more informed, continuing, and safe coverage of the West Philippine Sea, and a fuller understanding of the role of journalists in what may be an “undeclared” conflict zone or an in-between “gray zone”.
Music by The Dawn used here non-commercially for academic purposes.
Image Credits: Photo by Myra Lambino, models: Lester Lambino and Alex Lambino
