Media council slams harassment of reporter
ILOILO CITY: The Iloilo Media-Citizen Council (IMCC) has strongly condemned the alleged harassment by a vlogger from Bacolod City of a radio reporter in this city.
“The Iloilo Media-Citizen Council strongly condemns the harsh and unbecoming statements made by a vlogger from Bacolod City, known as (Bugris), towards Jill Caceres, a reporter of XFM Radyo Patrol Iloilo,” the council said in a statement on Monday, March 25.
The IMCC said that the vlogger’s actions are “unprofessional and constitute a form of harassment.”
During a Facebook livestream, the vlogger referred to the reporter as “stupid,” “ugly,” and “inept,” and made inappropriate allusions to her private parts.
The vlogger’s statements came after the reporter interviewed a mentally challenged individual which was subsequently shared on the radio station’s official page.
“We believe that if the vlogger, who is now based in the Middle East, has concerns regarding the reporter’s coverage of a man wearing a placard indicating he is a robber or a thief, the appropriate course of action would be to file a complaint with the radio station or the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, which has regulatory authority over radio stations,” the council added.
The council cautioned that resorting to gaslighting and personal attacks will not resolve the issue but could instead “lead to hostility and potential threats against the reporter.”
Launched in September last year, IMCC’s main role is to serve as a regulation and reconciliation body for complaints about news reportage of its member news organizations, including bloggers and vloggers.
The council operates on two levels: addressing complaints and issues within the tenets of fairness, accuracy, and protection of vulnerable sectors of society, such as women, children, and persons with disabilities, among others.
IMCC urged media practitioners to exercise prudence and sensitivity in their reporting, particularly when subjects may be subjected to ridicule or harassment.
“It is our duty as media professionals to uphold the principles of fairness, accuracy, and respect for human dignity in our reporting,” it added.