ETHICAL AND

PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN
THE PHILIPPINE PRESS AND
MEDIA

Prof. Luis V. Teodoro

Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility
The Philippine Press
Many practitioners are highly skilled. But some problems
persist due to:
• Poor, inadequate or no training
• Low salaries and poor working conditions specially
among correspondents
• The “culture of corruption” in the media and in
society at large

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Corruption and other ethical
problems persist
Press Freedom is Officially the
Norm
▰ The Philippine press and free expression are
protected by Article III Section 4 of the
1987 Constitution.
▰ There is a Shield Law (RA 53 as amended
by RA 1477) which protects journalists and
their sources.

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In addition--
▰ Libel is still a criminal offense
▰ There is no freedom of information law in
the Philippines
▰ The Cyber Crime Prevention Act even raised
the penalties for libel

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Factors affecting practice
▰ The ownership system
▰ Advertising and political pressure
▰ Corruption and other ethical problems
▰ The “culture of impunity,” which
encourages the killing of journalists
▰ Government policy

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Journalism and Media Ethics
▰ Refers to the principles of behavior
appropriate to journalism practice.

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Journalism’s Role
▰ Providing information
▰ Helping shape public opinion
▰ Providing a means of public discourse
essential to a democracy

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The primary determinants of
ethical practice are
▰ Whether an act hinders or helps advance the
dissemination of accurate, fair and relevant
information

▰ The impact of the journalist’s methods on his

or her subjects as well as on the public

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Journalism’s obligations
1. Journalism’s first obligation is to the
truth.
2. Its first loyalty is to the public.
3. It is a discipline of verification.
4. Its practitioners must maintain their
independence from those they cover.

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Journalism’s obligations
6. It must provide a forum for public
criticism and compromise.
7. It must strive to make the significant
interesting and relevant.
8. It must keep the news comprehensive
and proportional

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Journalism’s obligations
9. Its practitioners must heed the demands of their
conscience.
10. Citizens too have rights and responsibilities when it
comes to the news

(Kovach and Rosenstiel, The Elements of

Journalism)

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Ethical Practice
• Helps assure the quality of the service
journalism provides

• Helps protect press freedom by

preempting efforts by external forces to
regulate the press and media

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Basic journalism principles
▰ Truth-telling
▰ Freedom/Independence
▰ Justice
▰ Humaneness/Compassion
▰ Stewardship
(Edmund Lambeth, Committed Journalism)

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Professional standards
▰ Accuracy
▰ Fairness and Balance
▰ “Objectivity”
▰ Relevance
▰ Clarity
These standards are expressions of
journalism’s ethical responsibilities

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Truth telling in journalism
▰ Is as complete and as accurate as
possible
▰ Checks the facts through research and
multiple sourcing
▰ Provides background, and when
necessary, a history
▰ Presents the story as part of a larger
reality
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Reporting the truth demands
that journalists--
• Inform themselves continuously so they can
in turn inform, engage, and educate the
public in a clear and compelling way on
significant issues
• Be honest, fair, and courageous in
gathering, reporting, and interpreting
accurate information

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Reporting the truth involves--
▰ Giving voice to the voiceless

▰ Holding the powerful accountable

▰ Guarding vigorously the essential

stewardship role a free press plays in an open
society

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Reporting the truth
▰ Seek out and disseminate competing
perspectives without being unduly
influenced by those who would use their
power or position against the
public interest

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Reporting the truth means--
▰ Remaining free of associations and activities
that may compromise one’s integrity or
damage credibility
▰ Recognizing that good ethical decisions
require individual responsibilities enriched
by collaborative efforts

(Guiding Principles, The Poynter Institute)

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Minimizing harm
• Be compassionate to those affected by your
actions
• Treat sources, subjects, and colleagues as
human beings deserving of respect, not
merely as means to your journalistic ends

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Minimizing harm
▰ Gathering and reporting information may
cause harm or discomfort, but balance those
negatives by choosing alternatives that
maximize your goal of truth-telling

(Guiding Principles, The Poynter Institute)

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Some current ethical issues
▰ Corruption
▰ Sensationalism
▰ Deception
▰ Bias

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Some current ethical issues
▰ Invasion of privacy
▰ Conflict of interest
▰ Stereotyping
▰ Pack/ cartel journalism

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Some forms of corruption
▰ Extortion
▰ Bribe solicitation and bribe–taking
▰ “AC-DC” (Attack, Collect; Defend, Collect)
▰ ATM Journalism
Corruption compromises
the journalist’s autonomy

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Sensationalism
▰ Exaggeration
▰ Focus on sex, blood & gore
▰ Detailing crimes and other forms of violence
Sensationalism focuses attention on non-
essentials and misleads the public on the
significance of an event

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Deception
▰ Concealing one’s identity
▰ Assuming a different identity for a story
▰ Using hidden cameras and microphones
Deception can trap people into
admitting/committing wrongdoing

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Bias consists of--
▰ Editorializing in the news
▰ Selective use of data
▰ Using judgmental words and phrases
▰ Reporting only one side of an issue
▰ Lack of balance
Bias provides a lop-sided appreciation of issues

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Invasion of privacy
• Using various devices—hidden microphones,
audio recorders, telephoto lenses-- to listen
in on or to photograph news subjects

• Using details from the subject’s life for their

sensational value

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Conflict of interest
• Using various devices—hidden microphones,
audio recorders, telephoto lenses-- to listen
in on or to photograph news subjects

• Using details from the subject’s life for their

sensational value

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Stereotyping
▰ Attributing to individuals qualities falsely
associated with a group that shares common
gender, sexual preferences, or ethnic,
religious, or political characteristics
Stereotyping divides societies and contributes
to conflict

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Pack journalism
• Known as the “Ponente System” in
Philippine practice

• Consists of assigning one reporter to cover

and write a story—the “ponente”—which is
then submitted by other reporters to their
media organizations with their bylines

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Competent journalism is
ethical journalism
▰ Accuracy is the professional expression of
truth telling as an ethical value
▰ Protecting the identities of vulnerable
subjects is among the expressions of
humaneness
▰ Reporting according to one’s conscience
helps assure independence

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