Sunday, July 29, 2012

P.Noy and TV Patrol

The first time I saw this Youtube video clip of President Benigno Aquino III being shared on Facebook, I did not give attention because of the length and the notion that it may just be like any other tribute speeches given by a special guest.  But when I checked back again my account, the shared clip was gaining more and more likes and love from people. There are praises and boos.

But please hold back your assumptions and please watch the video first.


Although I admire the current Philippine administration, but I have a few reservations. But I will not talk lengthily about those in this blog because we will focus on the President's speech and TV Patrol. I just would like to stress some important observations that I gathered after watching the above video.
  • The Filipinos finally got their voice back. The incumbent President is the new voice of the masses.
  • Transparent leadership. Maybe not 100%, but the honesty of the incumbent leadership is holding up strongly. 
  • P.Noy will say whatever, whenever, that he feels is right to say. Even if this means straining some chords.
  • The media is not very supportive of the government. Even unfairly critical at times, according to the President.
  • Speeches can be biting. Who says anniversary speeches must be pure tributes and praises? Criticisms and rebukes can be part of the mix to fight hypocrisy and abuses of media power.
  • No. 6 is secret.
TV Patrol is already considered an institution in media reporting and what best to prove that but its 25th year in the business of broadcasting. Their reporters and their hugely-paid commentators all speak in the vernacular to quickly connect to the masses. And the presentation is tabloid-y.

Everything seems normal until the speech of President P.Noy was delivered. Without doubt, the talk was not many may have expected coming from the President, but should already be not surprising in terms of the Law of Consistency. The Law states that the President is frank and can have a laser-sharp focus in terms of his agenda in public affairs.  The TV Patrol event is no exemption for rebuking, perhaps to teach an important lesson about reforming a bad, dark habit of the press.

Some sectors celebrated the brutally frank assessment of the President about the ways one of TV Patrol's main host may have deliberately and intentionally delivered his or her commentaries of the general affairs of the present government. I am among the thousands who shouted 'that is right, Mr. President! Talk in our behalf!"

P.Noy's speech mirrored the way the media perform its role and the manner the public may have grown weak or have retired entirely to care what the media is reporting about our affairs in this land.

I agree with the President in many of his observations that media responsibility must be observed at all cost and the media platform should never, ever be used by anyone for any vested interest to leave negative impressions or lingering thoughts in the people's minds (But curiously, why does management allowed or tolerated these for so long?).

The role of the media encompasses reporting the society's ills and its many highs. There are freedoms and privileges that a media person enjoys but there are also limitations to that freedom. The media plays a vital role in shaping the society's and the people's behaviors and attitudes towards fellowmen, the government and the world in general. Above all, there are responsibilities attached to that role, namely: that of being sincere, logical, rational and advocate of fairness and justice.

The President has admitted that there are flaws and misgivings that his current administration and the media can talk about. But these are not enough reasons why the media shouldn't be reporting also the positives. And the Filipinos, who are by nature truth lovers, must be proud of its new leader who have taken the bold step to fight, with a biting fang the hypocrisy in the media.

And I am optimistic that the President will live up to his commitment to be not influenced by anyone, even if they threaten PR disaster of the highest kind or votes being allocated to his opponents when election comes.

Ciao.

4 comments:

  1. Just because I feel that this needs a pop culture reference from one of my favorite cartoon series, this is a "ka-boom" moment for Philippine media. Have we been living in such rancid government conditions for so long that we cannot deliver good, uplifting stories without snide, underhanded commentary about something completely unrelated? Sadly, these so-called journalists are masters of the successfully swaying public opinion into favoring their own agenda.

    Of course, like teased hair, or anything else vile, this has to stop.

    The country badly needs journalism that will unselfishly deliver news biased only to the truth. True, there is no perfect government. But we should not debase one that is trying to make it good after the horrific governance of she-who-must-not-be-named.

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    1. I didn't knew that being biased can be positive. Yes, only if it is to the side of the truth! Call it subjective and I agree that there are just two sides to it - the right or wrong. There is no middle ground. Good points you shoot in Pol.

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  2. That News anchor/commentator is not helping the Government, instead he have so called crab mentality! selfish one!

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    1. That's the sad part. Hindi na nga nakakatulong, nambubuwisit pa.

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