Errors of the press, as viewed by Davide, Magpale
“Some media practitioners commit errors, be they in form or substance, which adversely affect the credibility and integrity of the news.”
-- Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale
“Objective reporting man kaha ning inyoha, what comes out of the horse’s mouth so to speak... Be careful in quoting sources... You do not inject your own opinion unless you are an opinion writer.”
-- Gov. Junjun Davide
ONLY A RARE FEW openly wage war against the press or publicly deem journalists as enemies. Most government officials and other public figures who have to deal with media and bear its criticisms are reluctant to flog the press. And if they do, they cushion the unfavorable comment with praise or apology.
Years ago, Cebu Press Freedom Week celebrations included the feature called “reverse interview” where news sources interviewed media personalities on the forum’s supposedly hot seat. Organizers expected a hit-back from the mayor, congressman, or police chief who were given the chance to ask the tough, embarrassing questions.
They didn’t. They held punches, even sounded reluctant, and didn’t come out swinging at “tormentors” in their public life. Perhaps they feared that after the “reverse interview,” the tables would be turned against them again. The interviews tanked; that’s why they’re no longer done on Press Week celebrations.
The two top officials of the province, coaxed into commenting about the press during Cebu Press Freedom Week, were no exception.
Upholding tenets
The governor complained about misquoting of sources, which he said marred objectivity, and opinionating by reporters. But he couched that with a praise: he expected them “to be fair in reporting and transparent pud” but they’re “doing that.” Davide even partly blamed himself for media errors, saying that sometimes he swallowed his words, probably he couldn’t be heard.
Magpale was less apologetic. In the Provincial Board resolution she authored for Press Week, she recognized the role of media but didn’t justify their errors. Instead, she reminded them of journalists’ duty under its code of ethics to “scrupulously report and interpret the news, taking care not to suppress essential facts and not to distort the news by omission or improper emphasis, and recognize the duty to air the other side and the duty to correct errors promptly.”
Those are big basic journalism tenets lumped in the provision Magpale quoted: avoiding errors by omission and wrong emphasis, balanced reporting and right of reply and correcting mistakes.
Gentle reminder
The Capitol officials’ beef against the press was not the sort reporters and editors would get from a distressed journ professor or a harsh media critic.
It was a gentle and, in Davide’s case, reluctant reminder with the hint of a wish that media would do better in their job.
Like Davide and Magpale, most news sources with grievance against the press don’t tangle with journalists openly and intensely. One can only speculate what they say against journalists behind their back. (A public official, showing his contempt, told his staff not to give food to the journalists. Another public official gave free lunch but would scold a reporter in the face if a news report would put the official in harsh light.)
Tolerance towards journalists is pragmatism: news sources need media to send their messages to the public and air their side if they are criticized and have to defend themselves.
Mechanisms
Both Davide and Magpale talked about errors: in quotes and opinionated news, he said; in form and substance, she said. They must know that mistakes in media are inevitable yet inexcusable: some innocent (“occupation” for “occupancy,” “enormity” for “enormousness”), others heinous (a “conviction” at the prosecutor’s office; a “law” passed in the Senate). The cruelty of an early deadline and the rush and heat in meeting it are often cited as reason. But deadline is “given” in the print and broadcast industry. It explains but doesn’t justify errors.
Not well known to the public is that most news organizations have mechanisms in handling errors. Sun.
Star has an “errurs” -- that’s right, “errurs” -- desk that that records all classes of slips and booboos and relays them to the offending journalist and the editor-in-charge, to trace the cause and tighten safeguards against similar mistakes.
Giving it right
News sources and pretty much of the public may not know that the news outlet -- or more precisely, to reassign feeling from an inanimate object, its stewards -- would agonize over any serious error.
But there are remedies: prompt correction, which Magpale reminds journalists is a duty. The offended news source though can help by also promptly pointing out the error, since often it escapes notice by the media outlet even after publication.
News sources like Davide, who admitted his message could’ve been garbled or misheard, could make it plain and specific by putting the crucial part in writing (which may even highlight some sound bite they want to get into the news story or opinion piece). Or they can speak louder and more clearly.