N.B. – This is a press statement from concerned faculty members, students and staff from the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC).
Journalists and media workers should know crisis reporting,
Aquino administration must be held accountable for disorganized police
Statement from 10 faculty members, 155 students and 4 staff
from the UP College of Mass Communication led by Dean Roland Tolentino
dated August 27, 2010
As the police need to review the handling of crisis situations, it is necessary for journalists and media workers to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses in reporting the hostage-taking last August 23 which left nine dead (including the hostage-taker) and seven wounded. Even if the media’s role is to help shape public opinion, the reporting of relevant information should be also in the context of ensuring the safety of civilians.
While our friends in the media should be commended for providing up-to-date information on what transpired, some media organizations should be criticized for the same reason because they ended up giving TOO MUCH information.
Commendation, however, cannot be given to the police as it failed not only to properly coordinate with media but also to ensure the peaceful resolution of the hostage-taking. Those responsible for the failed operation should even be punished. The disarray in the police operation reflects the disorganization and chaos in the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Aquino administration.
We need to remember some basic rules in covering hostage-taking incidents. First, journalists and media workers should refrain from interviewing a hostage-taker and reporting the latter’s statements while the situation is not yet resolved. Second, broadcast news anchors and field reporters who give live reports must not engage in speculation and innuendo as they try to “kill time” during a lull in their reportage. Third, journalists and media workers should avoid interviewing elements of the police (e.g., snipers taking aim of their target) while an operation is ongoing. Fourth, they cannot report a hostage-taker’s state of mind or mental condition while there is still a standoff because it can make the situation worse. Fifth, they should be very careful when interviewing family members or friends of a hostage-taker as their statements could either even more agitate the latter. Sixth, they cannot give a live, blow-by-blow account of actual police operations as doing so eliminates the element of surprise in ending the crisis.
In analyzing the media’s coverage of what happened last August 23, there was information that proved to be relevant not to the public but to the hostage-taker as he became desperate and ended up killing the hostages. That media covered live the arrest of the hostage-taker’s brother apparently did not help in resolving the situation.
It is appalling that the live coverage was done not to help the public make sense of the situation but only to milk it for all it is worth. The competition for higher ratings among broadcast stations was evident as they tried to provide “exclusive” reports, even going to the extent of interviewing another hostage-taker in 2007 who expressed no remorse in what he did. He even claimed that he did it for the country.
Just like the police, media should use the time to reflect. Journalists and media workers, after all, should not allow themselves to be held hostage by their ignorance of ethical practice because they will end up doing a disservice to the victims and the public. And on the part of the Aquino administration, it should be resolute in resolving crisis situations affecting not only visiting tourists but also the majority of the Filipinos.
Thanks for the Statement… I am a lowly promdi Media Man but I know Journalism Ethics. What is saddening is the continuous use of the term MEDIA as if synonymous to these warring giant media outfits. There are still Hundreds or maybe Thousands of us who religiously follow the ethical standards of our profession, yet because of a single incident (Quirino Hostage) and covered irresponsibly by a handful of Media Outfit, we are now likewise irresponsible jackasses in the eyes of the Public. I would suggest that if we want to criticize a Media Outfit – we should criticize them by their name not by the term MEDIA. Its just an opinion which I believe can alleviate the feeling of those Journalists who are true to the ethical call of their profession. Thanks.
Reply: I appreciate your comment. There are indeed numerous mainstream and alternative media organizations in the Philippines, including of course the campus publications. Just like you, I’d like to think that there are many who observe the highest standards of the profession. There is still hope for the media as there are journalists like you who are conscious of what must be done to shape public opinion. In this context, there is nothing “lowly” about being from the province as the community press plays a vital role in nation-building. All the best!
The guy (Aquino) just sat down in power. Give him a break.
The people to be held responsible for the disorganized police should be the ones who have been training them to be this way for the past so and so years.
So put the blame on the prior administration where it belongs. You can’t expect him to change everything in a blink of an eye do you?
You think you can change the deeply imbedded culture of corruption in a few weeks? C’mon man, be fair.
Give the man some time to make changes. Have a little bit of faith and don’t go blaming the current and newly appointed administration for everything the past administration founded.
Use your sense of journalism more sensibly.
Reply: Thank you for your comment. You’re very much entitled to your opinion as I am mine. You’re right in your argument that the disorganized police are a result of mismanagement of past administrations. However, the current administration needs to be more proactive in instituting necessary reforms (and not just react to whatever issues or concerns that come its way). That it is only about two months in office does not give it the excuse to be merely reactive. We’re not looking for miracles, and we’re very much aware of the plethora of problems inherited by the Aquino administration. All we’re asking for is to implement the administration’s promise of the daang matuwid (right way) based on its analysis of problems besetting Philippine society, which so far seems to be confined to corruption as the root of poverty. But you and I know that corruption is just a manifestation of deeper social problems. Again, thank you for your comment.
I guess everybody missed the point on that tragic day. Instead of team play, everybody just went on their merry way doing what they wanted to do arrogantly for their own selfish purposes. This speaks for both the Media and Law Enforcement. It seemed chaotic from the Boob tube and more so from the ground after all the statements had been gathered. We cannot squarely blame the law enforcement people on the ground for their inadequacies, after all they have been constantly on the sights of the 4th estate. “PARE PRESS AKO! BAKA…” is a statement feared by policemen and this just contributes to the lack of enforcement during crisis situations. This however does not excuse the police on their hand in the event. The last few minutes before the hostage taker went loose with deadly fire was caused by Media coverage (he was watching while being interviewed by a radio announcer – btw, where did he get that cell number that was supposedly a cellphone number given by the police?). Their lack of sensitivity triggered the already irate hostage taker to loose it and let loose. The lesson for us stares us squarely in the face. We need to play as a team first, then agree to all play within the rules and lastly acknowledge each of the mistakes that were committed. Otherwise, we would have not learned anything from the tragedy nor would it improve our lot as Filipinos. Lastly, Noynoy is just a symbol of our desire for change, but if we do nothing as individuals and make changes ourselves in how we live our daily lives and how we conduct ourselves, then expect nothing. In JAPAN and KOREA, those who feel that they had some responsibility for a tragic event would have resigned immediately. Here, government officials and police would say: I wasn’t in the loop or I did not give any order- the Media would say we were just doing our jobs. 8 lives were lost because all were arrogant enough not to talk to each other and just go on their merry ways.