Objective reporting impossible if media gets payola, admits official

Sep. 10, 2008

Tagum City-Objective reporting can hardly be achieved if media practitioners would allow themselves to get paid by politicians, Davao del Norte governor Rodolfo del Rosario said.

He expressed his views as he counted on media practitioners to scrutinize performance of politicians and to provide an open analysis of how they are doing as public officials.

But if political intervention gets in the way of media reporting, del Rosario saw possible distortion in reporting and that media practitioners. He said media practitioners would not be able to get (an honest) analysis of the true situation.”

“Politicians must know whether they are doing good through proper reporting,” he said in an interview after he led the blessing of the first-ever local government Media Center in the Davao Region.

He was hopeful of developing the practice of media especially after Davao del Norte practitioners organized themselves and formed the Davao del Norte National Press Club. Del Rosario said he looked forward to institute “discipline” among their ranks.

Del Rosario said he expected positive performance of the media to benefit the reading public because the people of Davao del Norte deserves something better.”

He also said he was glad of the young crop of practitioners, whom he noticed were trying to practice objectivity in exercising their craft.

Aside from taking a mere garage and transforming it into the Media Center building, the provincial government of Davao del Norte has also declared October as Press Freedom Month.

Activities would be lined up in celebration of the first Press Freedom Month in Davao del Norte this year including the induction of newly elected officials of NPC Davao del Norte. (PIA)

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