Media leaders hit pact on reportage

LOCAL media leaders yesterday sounded alarm bells over a supposed police-media agreement set to be signed by Camp Alagar and news media executives here. Many said they were appalled over claims that police officials and the local media are about to finalize a memorandum of agreement on news coverage procedures in times of crisis situation. Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) president Bobby Goking said he was surprised because the COPC and other big local media groups were not consulted. The COPC, the biggest media group in this part of the country, is the oldest media organization in Mindanao. It was founded ahead of the National Press Club by at least a year.

"This must be a sham," said Goking, referring to the supposed memorandum of agreement. He said he would immediately call for a meeting of members of the COPC board to look into the supposed police-media agreement. Art Bonjoc, a COPC director and the chairperson of the National Union of Journalist in the Philippines here, said he feared that a memorandum of agreement on news coverage procedures could be used to prevent journalists from gathering truthful information. "There is no need for such a pact to be signed by the media with the police when it comes to media coverage," said Bonjoc. "This MOA will only jeopardize our reporting."

Calls for strict regulations when it comes to news coverage of crisis situations were made last year due to the bloody ending of the Quirino Grandstand hostage crisis. Manila-based radio and television station that carried the news live were criticized over the way they handled the coverage of the hostage crisis.
But Bonjoc said efforts to end the hostage crisis without bloodshed failed because the police "did not to their job properly." He added, "Media should not be blamed for it." GMA TV's Nef Lucson said he finds it ironic that the police wants the guidelines imposed on media at a time when the country is preparing to commemorate the Edsa People Power Revolution that took place 25 years ago. "[It's] as if we never learned from martial law," Lucson said.

article from Gold Star Daily News