“ T3: Kapatid Sagot Kita!’s June 28, 2013 episode (http://iwantv.org/t3-kapatid-sagot-kita-june-28-2013/) doesn’t disappoint when it comes to giving examples on what not to say when you’re on air. The Tulfo brothers’ language is colorful, to say the least.
“KBP Broadcast Code of 2007’s Article 27, Section 3 says “Name-calling and personal insults are prohibited.” But the public service show hosts referred to police officers accused of brutality and wrongly arresting a civilian because of mistaken identity with the following phrases:
“kabulastugan ng mga pulis
“kolokoy
“bulok n’yong tauhan
“ulupong
“pulis na pulpol
“napakawalanghiya nila
“ In their interviews with both P. Supt. Wilson Doromal, MPD Station 10 Commander and P. Supt. Noel Bunyag, Muntinlupa Police Station Deputy Chief, they even went as far as to underhandedly threaten them with direct complaint to NCRPO chief Dir. Leonardo Espina by saying “Eh kung gano’n, Sir, hindi na po namin ipararating kay Gen. Espina ‘to. Kayo na lang ang bahala?” and “…Naniniwala po kami sa inyong kakayanan…Hindi na po muna kami pupunta kay Gen. Leo Espina, ano, Sir?… Pero kung hindi n’yo kaya by tomorrow, eh pupunta kami kay Gen. Espina.”
“One of the brothers even suggested to Col. Bunyag how deal with his men : “Mula station commander…down, pagsisibakin… pagtatadyakan n’yo palabas ng presinto.”
“Personally, I can’t say that I disagree with the Tulfo brothers’ opinion on erring men in uniform. I myself have a rainbow-colored vocabulary. But saying those words out loud in broadcast media such as television and radio is another thing. At the end of the day, no matter how apt, how brutally honest and true their views are, media people have to observe ethical principles in carrying out their responsibility to increase the people’s level of awareness.
“And that is their blessing… and curse.” Posted by Mumster
“Maritess Vitug’s article featured in Rappler struck me not just because I rarely come across articles on journalism and media in popular news sites, but because its contents echo some points raised in my Comm 110 ethics class. Vitug was invited to the global media forum, with the theme “Future of Growth Economic Values and the Media”, by the Friedrich Neumann Foundation for Freedom in Bonn, Germany. From the forum, Vitug “picked up four strands”, namely:
“Journalists’ work has become more important in this digital, complex world.
“News organizations are no longer just limited to reporting the news.
“Media should be part of the dialogue on values in business and economic growth.
“Economically free societies do not necessarily nurture free media.”
“For this media watch, I would like to comment on the example she gave under the second point on how news organizations are no longer restricted to just reporting the news. She mentioned how BBC has an NGO, BBC Media Watch, which is “funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation”. This aims to help in disseminating information to those who’d like to be trained under their “Mobile Academy”. Somehow, Vitug’s sentiments matched mine. She said “the BBC global brand may be tarnished if the project fails or if there’s wrongdoing.” Also, I can infer that maybe (if any in the future) if bad news of Bill Gates may surface, BBC may defend or protect him since he is a project benefactor. BBC may indeed lose public trust and weaken the credibility of their news. Under the code of ethics, this is under “advocating causes”. Being a whole company involved in this organization, BBC must nurture it but at the same time focus on the news without the bias from their other involvements. While reading the article, I felt like it seems like a risk on the part of BBC to take action in these things. Then again, in the Philippines, the huge networks do have their own foundations (i.e. ABS-CBN Foundation, etc.) which cater to their many advocacies (like Bantay Bata, Bantay Kalikasan, etc.). Truly, journalists and news organizations aren’t only there to deliver the news, but also act on causes, hopefully, as much as possible, without compromising the news.” Posted by Pseudonym #1
