Consumers Domain
Journalism according to Gloria
'I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.'
-Will Rogers, a humorist
Gloria Arroyo in a recent speech delivered in a top-level conference of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) assailed the media for the ample coverage on her administration's anomalies and this government's inadequacy.
Arroyo urged the media to focus on the 'winners' and not the 'losers'. The winners according to Arroyo is the economy and of course herself as the superhero who saved the same economy from further deterioration.
The losers as insinuated in her speech are those in the opposition and all the others who continue to seek the truth and call for transparency via the Citizens Congress for Truth and Accountability (CCTA).
'I appeal to you not to be used wittingly or unwittingly as pawns in political games, pawns in destabilization,' Arroyo said.
'The coverage of kangaroo courts, lynch mobs and witch-hunts assails the peace of mind and the hope of our people.'
'The public wants winners. You know that, because you always watch your ratings ... The economy is the only winner here today, against those losers who carry no public mandate,' she added.
Thus journalism, according to Arroyo, is not reporting based on facts or what actually transpired. For when such a report or story happens to be unfavorable to the administration, it will be tantamount to the media being pawns for destabilization. Now therefore those news reports should be suppressed.
Further journalism, according to Arroyo, is reporting simply what the public wants (whatever that means). The media should refrain from exposing corruption by public officials because the public presumably would not want to know more about the depth of corruption in the government. Let us say goodbye to the media being the fourth estate then.
If Arroyo would have her way, the role of the media would simply be to report mainly on the achievements of her administration (i.e. if there is any). If she had her way the recent strengthening of the peso should occupy the primary headlines and be presented as if the country's economy is picking up.
Never mind that this currency fluctuation is simply a fleeting picture of a rosy economy that for sure will not translate to benefit the poor Filipino families. Never mind that this 'positive' development has nothing to do with Arroyo's performance but is mainly caused by the increasing remittances of OFWs and speculative trading. Never mind that the economy remains drenched in debt that even the collections from the regressive EVAT could not suffice as payment.
If Arroyo would have her way, all journalists will be propagandists and apologists of her government. If she had her way, all journalists would be grand slam ass-lickers!
Here is Arroyo, a fake president, utilizing the vast power, resources and propaganda machinery of the state to hide the truth, to cover up all her anomalies and continue to cling to the presidency. Now she even wants to stop the whole media establishment from being the last bastion of the poor (who are 'losers') and the powerless (who are also 'losers') as a venue to air their grievances.
(For comments and reactions send SMS to 0919-348-6337 or email to ianseruelo@yahoo.com.)