Rappler Should Know Better Journalism for Bongbong, Toni Gonzaga – And Farmer Juan


Differently, my personal construct is communication for development (ComDev) – read my “Media Is In The Wrong Media Class Struggle – Media Should Be A Force For Good![1]” (14 July 2021, Communication for Development, Blogspot.com).

So! About the YouTube interview of Bongbong Marcos by celebrity host Toni Gonzaga, "The Greatest Lesson BongBong Marcos Learned From His Father[2]," ANN writes (Author Not Named, 17 September 2021, Rappler.com):

In an open letter, the Ateneo Martial Law Museum slammed Toni for helping spread propaganda and downplaying the atrocities during the Marcos dictatorship. The group also invited Toni to interview Martial Law victims, and offered to facilitate this if she would agree.

According to its Facebook post, the Ateneo Museum “aims to be a comprehensive online learning resource that our community of educators can use to teach the values of human rights, freedom, democracy, and engaged citizenship to Filipino students.” Unfortunately, neither Ateneo Museum nor Rappler teaches the exercise of Thinking Journalism that my ComDev necessitates.

Above, the logo-image of Rappler with CEO Maria Ressa says, “Journalism is not a crime.” What the Ateneo Museum and Rappler are observing is the same; I will call it here Contrarian Journalism – when you don’t like someone’s journalism, you denounce it and demand what you want done instead. Isn’t that a crime against humanity?!

In contrast, Toni’s friend Bianca Gonzalez has the attitude of a good journalist (good Christian); she says:

As a friend, I choose to reach out privately and dialogue respectfully, instead of “call out” publicly. Because for me, that is what a true friend would do. Even family and friends can have different views. My friends know that my stand has always been #MarcosNotAHero, and I will continue to be vocal and share my stand.

“Reach out publicly and dialogue respectfully” – that is one thing the Ateneo Museum should have done!

ANN says:

Toni's interview with Bongbong … has drawn criticism, especially from Martial Law victims and their families. The Martial Law years under the rule of Bongbong's father is considered as the dark chapter in Philippine history, marked by atrocities and abuses.

If one YouTube interview with Bongbong can draw such negativity from the Ateneo Museum and Rappler: It may be that we use our journalism to spread bigotry. We may even betray much hate. So, our journalism not only ruffles feathers but ruptures hearts.

What about the 5 million Farmer Juans; what kind of journalism do they deserve from Rappler & the rest of Philippine media?

I already told you: ComDev. That considering all the approaches to development journalism enumerated by Yvonne T Chua in her article “Development Journalism[3]” (Oxford Research Encyclopedias):

The approaches range from development journalists as willing partners of government (statist) to watchdogs (investigative), and from interventionist (participatory or emancipatory) to guardians of transparency.

For Farmer Juan, for continuing and sustainable development not only of his family but of his entire village, my journalism has been and will be always statist, never investigative, always guardian, and always & ever interventionist!@517


[1]https://communicationfordevelopmentphcomdev.blogspot.com/2021/07/media-is-in-wrong-media-class-struggle.html

[2]https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/celebrities/bianca-gonzalez-response-toni-gonzaga-bongbong-marcos-interview?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR1oYwYXqyiQVpzG3WTBb4u3y4BVDngY6GAD2OuoSAzF5tLLsXlPwxdLE3c#Echobox=1631939374

[3]https://oxfordre.com/communication/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228613-e-799

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