I WAS gratified to read the pooled editorial of the Cebu
newspapers
done on the occasion of this year’s Press Freedom Week. There were
many things that they dropped there for their readers to chew, but one
statement immediately caught my attention.
It’s when it said: “Figuring out what people want to know, and what
citizens should know, is one of journalism’s finest burdens.”
That definitely is a mark of maturity, a sign of progress, a certain
sophistication and nuanced thinking meant to blow the bubble of
naivete, simplism, herd mentality, sensationalism, etc., that have
also afflicted local media for long.
It seems to say that journalists these days are now more courageous
and responsible to present things even if these things are unpopular
as long as they believe these things are what their readers ought to
know. It’s a very difficult position to be in.
If truly meant and sufficiently supported by an abiding program of
continuing formation, then these words can give us basis to expect a
press that would really serve the common good, not only in terms of
closely monitoring events, but also and more importantly of creating a
healthy and vibrant public opinion, one committed to truth, justice
and charity.
It cannot be denied that more people are becoming more discerning and
discriminating of what they read and see in the media. They know when
they are tricked. They can easily detect spins, gratuitous claims and
badly researched reports.
They know when a newsman, columnist or editorial writer is biased or
not, reckless or not, engaged in shallow and trigger-happy ways or is
doing serious, responsible work.
More, they now have greater power to answer back, clarify and even
correct erring journalists. Or they can simply turn off and look for
many other alternative sources of news and information that they
consider more balanced and fair. And thanks be to God, we have many of
these alternatives now.
And so media practitioners, given their immense power of influence,
should feel it more sharply that they too, like everybody else, are in
need of a deepening formation to be able to carry out their task and
mission with utmost sense of responsibility. This is, of course, a
very serious duty, not to be taken lightly.
We know that these days many of our journalists do not have a clear
idea of where they ought to base and root their sense of right and
wrong, good and evil, just and unjust. They, of course, simply reflect
the general trend we sadly see in the world today.
Many are just in some fishing expedition with regard to their beliefs
and convictions. “Way klaro,” as we put it in our dialect. And so many
of them just get contented with what may be considered as
politically-correct, or socially or culturally-correct. Nothing beyond
that.
They just depend on some popular consensus, but not anymore going
further to see whether such consensus is truly right and fair. And
these days, the “vox-populi-vox-Dei” theory fails more often than not.
It gives messages and signals that are more uncertain than certain.
We need to remind everyone, journalists or not, to really go back to
basics, go back to the origin, and that can only be God, who is the
ultimate source of everything that is good.
But do you think religion is taken seriously by many media people? I
really wish that it were so, but pieces of evidence are aplenty
showing a cavalier attitude toward religion.
Some even give the impression that religion is what causes biases and
prejudices. They prefer to be guided solely by their own reasoning,
their own thinking, their own bank of data and information
Many fail to realize the import of what St. Paul once said about
charity which is the very essence of God, and the ultimate criterion
for our knowing, judging and reasoning, and in fact, our whole
behavior and life.
“Love does not come to an end. But if there are gifts of prophecy, the
time will come when they must fail. Or the gift of languages, it will
not continue for ever. And knowledge, too, the time will come when it
must fail.” (1 Cor 13,8)
When we, people in the media, are not really inspired by charity, that
is, by God, but simply by some worldly value or our own estimation of
things, then we are yet in the imperfect stage, just as St. Paul again
affirms:
“Our knowledge is imperfect...but once perfection (charity) comes, all
imperfect things will disappear.” (13,10)
many things that they dropped there for their readers to chew, but one
statement immediately caught my attention.
It’s when it said: “Figuring out what people want to know, and what
citizens should know, is one of journalism’s finest burdens.”
That definitely is a mark of maturity, a sign of progress, a certain
sophistication and nuanced thinking meant to blow the bubble of
naivete, simplism, herd mentality, sensationalism, etc., that have
also afflicted local media for long.
It seems to say that journalists these days are now more courageous
and responsible to present things even if these things are unpopular
as long as they believe these things are what their readers ought to
know. It’s a very difficult position to be in.
If truly meant and sufficiently supported by an abiding program of
continuing formation, then these words can give us basis to expect a
press that would really serve the common good, not only in terms of
closely monitoring events, but also and more importantly of creating a
healthy and vibrant public opinion, one committed to truth, justice
and charity.
It cannot be denied that more people are becoming more discerning and
discriminating of what they read and see in the media. They know when
they are tricked. They can easily detect spins, gratuitous claims and
badly researched reports.
They know when a newsman, columnist or editorial writer is biased or
not, reckless or not, engaged in shallow and trigger-happy ways or is
doing serious, responsible work.
More, they now have greater power to answer back, clarify and even
correct erring journalists. Or they can simply turn off and look for
many other alternative sources of news and information that they
consider more balanced and fair. And thanks be to God, we have many of
these alternatives now.
And so media practitioners, given their immense power of influence,
should feel it more sharply that they too, like everybody else, are in
need of a deepening formation to be able to carry out their task and
mission with utmost sense of responsibility. This is, of course, a
very serious duty, not to be taken lightly.
We know that these days many of our journalists do not have a clear
idea of where they ought to base and root their sense of right and
wrong, good and evil, just and unjust. They, of course, simply reflect
the general trend we sadly see in the world today.
Many are just in some fishing expedition with regard to their beliefs
and convictions. “Way klaro,” as we put it in our dialect. And so many
of them just get contented with what may be considered as
politically-correct, or socially or culturally-correct. Nothing beyond
that.
They just depend on some popular consensus, but not anymore going
further to see whether such consensus is truly right and fair. And
these days, the “vox-populi-vox-Dei” theory fails more often than not.
It gives messages and signals that are more uncertain than certain.
We need to remind everyone, journalists or not, to really go back to
basics, go back to the origin, and that can only be God, who is the
ultimate source of everything that is good.
But do you think religion is taken seriously by many media people? I
really wish that it were so, but pieces of evidence are aplenty
showing a cavalier attitude toward religion.
Some even give the impression that religion is what causes biases and
prejudices. They prefer to be guided solely by their own reasoning,
their own thinking, their own bank of data and information
Many fail to realize the import of what St. Paul once said about
charity which is the very essence of God, and the ultimate criterion
for our knowing, judging and reasoning, and in fact, our whole
behavior and life.
“Love does not come to an end. But if there are gifts of prophecy, the
time will come when they must fail. Or the gift of languages, it will
not continue for ever. And knowledge, too, the time will come when it
must fail.” (1 Cor 13,8)
When we, people in the media, are not really inspired by charity, that
is, by God, but simply by some worldly value or our own estimation of
things, then we are yet in the imperfect stage, just as St. Paul again
affirms:
“Our knowledge is imperfect...but once perfection (charity) comes, all
imperfect things will disappear.” (13,10)
