|
||
| ABS-CBN Statement in Response to the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility |
|
We thank CMFR for acknowledging the impartial reporting of ABS-CBN. We disagree, however, with its reading of intent and motive behind the story of the fake document on Sen. Benigno Aquino III. We were not motivated by the desire “to scoop” nor did we prepare the story earlier. The time-frame was decided by the fast spread of the document on the web and on text and, more importantly, by the timing of the denials of Fr. Caluag and Sen. Aquino, which happened while our flagship newscast was already airing.
We acknowledge we could have done a better job, but the priority was to air the denials as soon as we got them because if we didn’t, non-professional journalists – the greater part of the Public we serve - would continue to believe the document is authentic. We err on the side of Truth. The key idea behind our decision is a paradigm shift in the way the role of the journalist is changing. Professional journalists and media institutions are no longer the gatekeepers of old. Technology has changed our world, and we journalists must factor that in our decision-making. If we don’t report it, it would still spread as truth until media organizations expose it as false. That is our role in our new world. ABS-CBN has done several stories of internet hoaxes like the Villar mansions – spread as fact, complete with pictures – all of which turned out to be fake. We are surprised that CMFR is urging us to name our sources. Good sources are not authorized to speak for their organizations. They tell journalists what’s really happening. It’s up to us to sift through and decide whether true or false. At times, sources feed you wrong information, but that’s information as well! It gives you hints about what’s really going on behind the public line. In this instance, we revealed the document was given to us by sources from the Nacionalista party. That is all that’s necessary to understand what’s going on behind the scenes. Everything else is positioning and deflection. Journalists try to avoid value judgement about sources. After all, one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. One thing is clear: if we “exposed” our sources, no one would ever trust us again. Comments (0)
 Write comment
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed
