The Primer: Media In Focus is a show that deals WITH the media - on how is a story being reported — and less about what the story is to begin with. But this is a special case. The issue probably fell under this show’s criteria because the person at the center of this commotion is herself a member of the media.

I didn’t exactly keep this as a secret (haha), but if you have been reading my tweets and posts this past week, you would know that I’ll be taping for this week’s episode of Media In Focus at the ABS-CBN News Channel Studios tomorrow afternoon. The topic of the hour-long talk show will be the now explosive Malu Fernandez controversy that stemmed from a) the rudely discriminatory tone of the lifestyle writer’s article on her encounters with Overseas Filipino Workers and b) the general public’s inability to appreciate her acerbic wit. The guests for the program will probably be the journalists from the daily broadsheets, some NGOs who look after OFWs, probably Malu herself and yes, bloggers! It must be noted that other bloggers like Nick of Tingog and Kapuso Ederic of Tinig were also asked to participate but both begged off due to different reasons. I was told that Sassy Lawyer and Josel (more than 1900+ comments!) will be there as well.

 

Here are the possible issues:

 

  1. Did Malu Fernandez exercise proper discretion in writing the article (and corresponding follow-up) ? Is there really such a thing as target audiences? Are the rules of ethics blurred or relaxed when it comes to writing entertainment or lifestyle pieces compared to straight news and more high brow columns?
  2. Is the writer’s publication culpable in anyway? Does the concept of command responsibility apply in cases of acerbic wit gone-out-of-hand/ distasteful writing devoid of wit?
  3. How did the media deal with the issue? Was the media reaction late or was the story just not big enough for mainstream media to pick up before the actual explosion of the issue? How should the media cover such stories in the future? Should it wait until an issue reaches fever pitch before taking action?

Obviously, those issues are outside the realm of yours truly and I’ll let the journalists, lawyers and Malu to figure out those things for themselves. I was invited to be a guest for my suggestion to start a writing project. Therefore, I will have to verbalize my concerns as a blogger who in my own little way took part in this massive cyber-indignation rally we launched against Malu’s article.

  1. Has blogging emerged as a legitimate and more importantly, significant avenue for people to voice out their dissent and opinions? It must be emphasized that this is the first time that bloggers are being cited as one of the bigger players in this developing story. Have we really gained enough cred to hold enough authority to somehow police the mainstream media by a)whistle-blowing on the incidents of unfair journalism and b)direct them into more news-worthy stories? (the story of Pyro comes to mind) Have we truly arrived as a new and emerging flank of Philippine media or is this a mere fluke?
  2. What polices the blogging community from similarly hateful comments directed at people bloggers choose to crucify? Should there be a mechanism to also check the abuses that bloggers commit? A deluge of very personal attacks have come Malu Fernandez’ way and it’s clear that those comments do nothing as far as enhancing the degree of discussion is concerned.Do bloggers have the responsibility of policing their own commenters?

So there. Wish me luck. It will be shown tomorrow at 6.

Update: They just asked me on how I wanted to be introduced - I just told them to say that I’m Benj, a 22 year-old medical student, collegiate debater and blogger at Atheista.net. Hehe

 

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