RESPONSBLE RESPONSBLE

JOURNALSM JOURNALSM
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Mediu Ethics und the Mindunuo Crisis in Mediu Ethics und the Mindunuo Crisis in
the PhiIippines the PhiIippines
September 15, 2010 September 15, 2010
Western Mindanao State University Western Mindanao State University
1. shall 1. shall scrupulously scrupulously report and interpret report and interpret
the news, the news, taking care not to suppress taking care not to suppress
essential facts essential facts or to or to distort the truth distort the truth by by
omission or improper emphasis. omission or improper emphasis.
recognize the duty to recognize the duty to air the other side air the other side
and the duty to and the duty to correct substantive correct substantive
errors promptIy errors promptIy..
2. 2. shall not violate confidential shall not violate confidential
information information or material or material given me in the given me in the
exercise of my calling. exercise of my calling.
MASS MEDIA CODE OF ETHICS MASS MEDIA CODE OF ETHICS
. shall resort only to . shall resort only to fair and honest fair and honest
methods methods in my effort to obtain news, in my effort to obtain news,
photographs and/or documents, and shall photographs and/or documents, and shall
properly identify myself as a representative properly identify myself as a representative
of the press when obtaining any personal of the press when obtaining any personal
interview intended for publication. interview intended for publication.
. shall . shall refrain refrain from writing reports which from writing reports which
will adversely affect a private reputation will adversely affect a private reputation
unless the public interest justifies it. At the unless the public interest justifies it. At the
same time, shall same time, shall fight vigorously for fight vigorously for
public access to information public access to information..
5. shall 5. shall not let personal motives or not let personal motives or
interests influence me interests influence me in the in the
performance of my duties; performance of my duties; nor shall nor shall
accept or offer any present, gift or accept or offer any present, gift or
other consideration other consideration of a nature which of a nature which
may may cast doubt on my professional cast doubt on my professional
integrity integrity..
. shall not commit any act of . shall not commit any act of
plagiarism plagiarism..
. . shall not shall not in any manner in any manner ridicule, cast ridicule, cast
aspersions on, or degrade any person aspersions on, or degrade any person
by reason of sex, creed, religious belief, by reason of sex, creed, religious belief,
political conviction, cultural and ethnic political conviction, cultural and ethnic
origin. origin.
. shall . shall presume persons accused presume persons accused of of
crime of being crime of being innocent until proven innocent until proven
otherwise. shall otherwise. shall exercise caution in exercise caution in
publishing names of minors and women publishing names of minors and women
involved in criminal cases so that they may involved in criminal cases so that they may
not unjustly lose their standing in society. not unjustly lose their standing in society.
. shall not take unfair advantage of fellow . shall not take unfair advantage of fellow
journalists. journalists.
10. shall 10. shall accept only such tasks as are accept only such tasks as are
compatible with the integrity and dignity compatible with the integrity and dignity
of my profession of my profession, invoking the , invoking the
'conscience clause' 'conscience clause' when duties imposed when duties imposed
on me conflict with the voice of my on me conflict with the voice of my
conscience. conscience.
11. shall 11. shall comport myself in public comport myself in public or while or while
performing my duties as journalist in such performing my duties as journalist in such
manner as manner as to maintain the dignity of my to maintain the dignity of my
profession profession.. When in doubt, When in doubt, decency decency
should be my watch word. should be my watch word.
Mediu Ethics und the Mindunuo Crisis in the Mediu Ethics und the Mindunuo Crisis in the
PhiIippines PhiIippines
by by Alixander Haban Escote Alixander Haban Escote, Apr 2, 200 , Apr 2, 200
Reporting on a culture other than one's own Reporting on a culture other than one's own
presents tremendous challenges to a mass presents tremendous challenges to a mass
media practitioner, even to a recognized media practitioner, even to a recognized
veteran in the profession. Their ethnic veteran in the profession. Their ethnic
biases tend to surface. biases tend to surface.
WHY? WHY?
nswer: nswer:
Mass media practitioners are onIy Mass media practitioners are onIy
human after aII. Like many other human after aII. Like many other
professionaIs, mass media professionaIs, mass media
practitioners are biased to their own practitioners are biased to their own
cuIture. cuIture.
Majority of the Filipino population, Majority of the Filipino population,
Basically Christians and steeped in Basically Christians and steeped in
generally Negative reportage on a generally Negative reportage on a
"troublesome minority population "troublesome minority population
like the Muslim, is expected to react like the Muslim, is expected to react
adversely to any perceived favor or adversely to any perceived favor or
special treatment accorded the latter. special treatment accorded the latter.
" "Mindanao is portrayed as a war Mindanao is portrayed as a war
zone and that for the uninitiated; it zone and that for the uninitiated; it
is easier to visualize an island at is easier to visualize an island at
war than go to the place and see war than go to the place and see
for one's self the validity of such a for one's self the validity of such a
description description. .
In her article entitled In her article entitled
''The Other Face of Mindanao The Other Face of Mindanao
Gina Mission Gina Mission
" A lot of development activities are " A lot of development activities are
happening in Mindanao, yet it is happening in Mindanao, yet it is
only the insurgency problem that only the insurgency problem that
gets reported. gets reported.
rowth with Equity in Mindanao rowth with Equity in Mindanao
released data states: released data states:
nstead of reporting events associated with nstead of reporting events associated with
Mindanao with a deeper understanding and Mindanao with a deeper understanding and
appreciation of the Muslims as a people, appreciation of the Muslims as a people,
mass media practitioners of whatever faith mass media practitioners of whatever faith
or conviction incite those on the other side of or conviction incite those on the other side of
the fence to defend or attack. the fence to defend or attack.
Mass media practitioners must be aware Mass media practitioners must be aware
of their infIuentiaI roIe and must take of their infIuentiaI roIe and must take
them seriousIy. them seriousIy.
Mass media practitioners can
either make or break Mindanao
with what and how they report
events and activities, especially in
something complicated like a
peace process.
1elling the 1ruth of the "Other 1elling the 1ruth of the "Other
Images of Islam and Muslims in the Images of Islam and Muslims in the
Philippines Philippines
DO's and DON`Ts for non DO's and DON`Ts for non- -Muslim mass Muslim mass
media practitioners covering e vents media practitioners covering e vents
and processes with the Muslims in and processes with the Muslims in
Mindanao Mindanao
--- --- Rufa Cagoco Rufa Cagoco- -Guiam Guiam
Director Director
MSU Center for Peace and Development Studies MSU Center for Peace and Development Studies
Mass media practitioners must observe Mass media practitioners must observe
proper dress and decorum when doing proper dress and decorum when doing
coverage or interviews because part oI coverage or interviews because part oI
becoming a Muslim means being always becoming a Muslim means being always
modest in one's dress; modest in one's dress;
2 2 Mass media practitioners must investigate Mass media practitioners must investigate
the historical background oI the Mindanao the historical background oI the Mindanao
conIlict and the Philippine government's conIlict and the Philippine government's
policy and guidelines Ior peace policy and guidelines Ior peace
negotiations; negotiations;
Mass media practitioners must be highly Mass media practitioners must be highly
conscious oI the distinctions between conscious oI the distinctions between
terms denoting religious identity and those terms denoting religious identity and those
used to reIer to cultures or groups oI used to reIer to cultures or groups oI
persons; persons;
4 4 Mass media practitioners must Examine Mass media practitioners must Examine
not only one source, but all possible not only one source, but all possible
sources oI inIormation about the sources oI inIormation about the
circumstances that engendered the circumstances that engendered the
Mindanao conIlict; Mindanao conIlict;
Mass media practitioners must read up on Mass media practitioners must read up on
the various cultures oI the Muslim the various cultures oI the Muslim
ethno linguistic groups; and ethno linguistic groups; and
6 6 Mass media practitioners must be extra Mass media practitioners must be extra
careIul when describing people who are careIul when describing people who are
suspects in crimes suspects in crimes
'Perhaps the eIIort to project a more realistic 'Perhaps the eIIort to project a more realistic
image oI Mindanao must begin with a simple image oI Mindanao must begin with a simple
lesson in geography Ior reporters, editors, lesson in geography Ior reporters, editors,
publishers, and news producers in Metro publishers, and news producers in Metro
Manila Manila
Rina Jimenez David, Rina Jimenez David,
Philippine Daily nquirer Philippine Daily nquirer
ateIine/HeadIine shouId be ateIine/HeadIine shouId be
where the news happened where the news happened
astly, mass media practitioners must astly, mass media practitioners must
realized realized
that Ior them to grasp the intricacies oI the that Ior them to grasp the intricacies oI the
Mindanao problem would be like pouring Mindanao problem would be like pouring
the waters oI the ocean into a hole in the the waters oI the ocean into a hole in the
sand And, that to understand the sand And, that to understand the
Mindanao conIlict and to come up with a Mindanao conIlict and to come up with a
just and lasting peace, it would take a just and lasting peace, it would take a
collective eIIort Irom all the people collective eIIort Irom all the people
involved and they must be spearheaded by involved and they must be spearheaded by
mass media practitioners mass media practitioners
Mochus Grucius!!! Mochus Grucius!!!
Mugsokol!!! Mugsokol!!!
Sulumut!!! Sulumut!!!
Thunk Yoo!!! Thunk Yoo!!!
Compiled by: Compiled by:
MichaeI Vincent . CajuIao MichaeI Vincent . CajuIao
Information Officer Information Officer
PhiIippine Information ency PhiIippine Information ency- -Zamboana City Zamboana City