Journalism, Broadcasting, and Multimedia Marketing Communications

[sandrin]

So not only that the News break journalists accept payment to push the propaganda of the opposition and some businessmen but they also "extort" money to cook up a good story. I wonder how much Lacson pays them.

[Lili]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/25/in...=5070&emc=eta1

Oops, sorry. Dancethingy already posted the actual article.

[Mango]

Taken from the manila times

Tuesday, July 26, 2005
THINKING ALOUD
By Roberto Lazaro
Truth in journalism

Truth, whether in journalism or anywhere else, exists in two forms: (1) as it exists in the object where it inheres; (2) as it exists in the mind of the perceiver.

As it exists in an object, it is viewed as the objective truth, the truth in reality, e.g., the truth in an event as the event actually took place and in the way it actually happened.

The truth in the perceiver’s mind is how the perceiver sees it, depending on many personal factors in the individual. For the most part, it is a matter of personal conviction. Which is saying that a person’s knowledge of truth is a matter of his faith in his conviction. Therefore, when a journalist perceives the truth in his object, he has already taken sides without realizing that he is probably being subjective in so doing.

Truth may be difficult to establish because objectivity is difficult to establish, and objectivity is founded on truth, as truth is founded on objectivity. However, in spite of the subjective perception of the journalist, there is still the objective truth in real names, places, events, identities. These are what, after all, the readers want to read and learn, and for them, the news reports they read are expressions of the truth.

Truth in journalism is primary; all else takes a backseat. Therefore, respect for truth and for the right of the public to truth is the first duty of the journalist. Every bit of news and every bit of information he gives out must be inspired and propelled by truth, the underlying principle behind all communication. For without truth as the motivating force of human acts, a person cannot be truly and objectively free in his decisions, in his choices and in his courses of action.

Image, reputation, credibility, viability, profit or whatever, begins and ends with truth in news reporting. Profit begins with truth in reporting. Style, writing skills, flair, superior research would amount to nothing if the truth is slanted or altered in order to achieve dubious ends, e.g., to misinform, to cover-up anomalies in government, or to favor or to promote a specific interest at the expense of the public good.

Truth is a guiding principle and an ultimate end of the journalist. It is a guiding principle because it provides the journalist with the direction he should take along the path of objectivity. And it is an ultimate goal to which all journalistic must tend, but which can be achieved only if the journalist and his newspaper would abide by the imperatives of truth from which fairness and accuracy are drawn.

Truth is not just a powerful defense against seriously damaging falsehoods, e.g., black propaganda or libel but is also a powerful motivator. It motivates professional writers to expose wrong doings in and out of the government, in business and in other sectors of power and influence in society. It requires objectivity and accuracy. Otherwise, truth loses its value and the news becomes a worthless piece of scrap.

Truth in journalism is not an empty play of words but a straight-to-the-point reality, not hiding behind cloaks, but a head-on collision with hard facts. Truth is truth in all angles and no attempt to detract from it can be justified. Deadlines, competition for newsbreaks and the need to catch public attention are not excuses for inaccuracies, slanting or semantics.

Truth-telling in journalism starts with the sourcing of information. The sources of information of a journalist are all those to which his senses have access. In other words, the sources of truth for a journalist come through his sense perceptions. This is because nothing is captured by the intellect which is not first in. the senses. Every bit of information he gathers, and every idea created in his mind, comes through his senses: his visual sense (sight), his auditory sense (hearing), his olfactory sense (smell), his gustatory sense (taste), and his tactile/kinetic sense (touch).

The para-psychological senses (intuition, the sixth sense, the third eye, etc.) must not be used by the journalist in his search of truth in news reporting.

Truths-telling in the processing of a news story that takes place in the newsroom is the editor’s concern. If the field reporter is expected to be truthful, so is the editor who passes judgment on the newsworthiness and trustworthiness of the news submitted to his desk. There should be no biased copy reading, no clipping of factual statements, no alterations of facts or truthful intents of the writer, no misleading editorial euphemisms. Editorial cosmetics or window dressing of truth is journalistic anathema.

People deserve the truth; they must be given the truth.

[sandrin]

The string of Builboards along EDSA is not only an eyesore but also an accident waiting to happen. Just recently, an MRT-3 Edsa operation was disrupted when the giant tarpaulin fell on the tracks causing millions of pesos in damages and inconvenience.
There was also a past incident where in a giant billboard fell on parked cars.
With strong winds brought by typhoons, the billboards become even more dangerous waiting for the next victim.


P50M demanded from ad firm for train accident

The Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC) will demand from billboard company Big Board Advertising some P50 million in compensation for revenue losses and property damages when its ripped tarpaulin fell on the tracks of Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) on EDSA and disrupted its operations Thursday.

This as the Senate vowed to conduct an inquiry into the proliferation of billboards in the metropolis on the dangers they pose to motorists, commuters and the public in general.

Mariano Gui, MRT-3 spokesman, said negotiations for the payment of damages will begin next week.

Payments should cover for the repair of a scraped middle-car train, its panthograph and airconditioning system, Mr. Gui said.

At about 10:45 a.m. Thursday, thousands of railway passengers were forced to take buses and jeepneys when MRT-3 operations were halted.

That morning, strong winds whipped the billboard tarpaulin of Big Board posted at HM Transport building between GMA Kamuning and Cubao stations of MRT-3. The tarpaulin cut off cantenary wires that supply power to the trains.

MRT-3 shuttles daily some 400,000 passengers to major business districts in Metro Manila. It is the cheapest form of land transport in the metropolis, charging between P10-P15 for a ride through 11 stations from North Avenue, Quezon City to Taft Avenue, Pasay City.

Fares for jeepneys are pegged at a minimum of P7.50 and buses at P9 for first four kilometers.

SENATE INQUIRY

Meanwhile, the Senate public works sub-committee will conduct a public hearing next week on billboards as a public nuisance.

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago went ballistic over the incident, saying Metro Manila mayors did not exercise their powers under the Civil Code and the National Building Code to regulate and even ban billboards.

"Metro Manila has become a billboard hell because of the unchecked corporate greed of private advertising firms. It is disappointing that Metro manila mayors turn a blind eye to these nuisances that pose a danger to public safety and to morality," she said in a statement.

Ms. Santiago, chair on the billboards sub-committee of the Senate public works committee, said she would urge the Justice department to move for the lifting of the preliminary injunction issued by a regional court against billboard removal operations of the Metro Manila Development Authority.

She also said the Solicitor General must sue the private advertising firm involved for at least P4 million in damages to the Metro Rail Transit-3.

Ms. Santiago said she found it strange for the court to issue a preliminary injuction against the removal of billboards, while the Civil Code permits the removal of public nuisances even without judicial proceedings.

She earlier filed a bill regulating billboards, including a ban in certain areas. However, no public hearing on the bill has been conducted as the Senate was concerned with bigger issues such as impeachment and the expanded value-added tax.

CODE OF ETHICs

Hugo Perez, immediate past president of the Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines (OAAP), told BusinessWorld in an interview that the Big Board Advertising was not a member of their organization.

"But we are trying our best to invite them so they can be regulated. We want to regulate the members of the industry. Unfortunately, [the incident] happened to them while they are not yet a member," he said.

He said that while key players of the industry were OAAP members, many venture into the outdoor advertising business without knowing the code of ethics of the business and regulations which apply to them. OAAP is a member of the Advertising Board of the Philippines which has industry self-regulatory functions.

He said that OAAP would be attend the Senate hearing.

"We want to participate in the deliberations. We have to discuss this in detail so that [senators] will know the repercussions of the bill," he said.

While the organization, he said, they welcome such proposals as this will benefit not only the industry but the general public, he said there were certain provisions in the bill which might not be applicable and viable for business.

These include certain provisions that require billboards to be built in specific locations, which he feared might make billboards not anymore an effective advertising tool.

Ms. Santiago also said the Civil Code must be amended, as it only authorizes district health officers to determine whether a billboard could be torn down without judicial proceedings. This as she noted that she had not heard of any health officer ordeing a billboard to be torn down. "Either they are not aware of this power or they have been bribed by the ad firms," she said.

She also noted that the National Building Code prohibits billboards that obstruct the view of official traffic signs, obstructs the natural view of the landscape or pose a traffic hazard, and that offend aesthetic and cultural values and traditions of Filipinos.

"Primary responsibility for implementing these provisions of the National Building Code lie with the city mayors. I would like to know why they have been remiss in this duty," she said.

[richpol]

W/O billboards, main highways will look dull! ...

[sandrin]

But there's alot of them visually polluting the highway and causing accidents as well.
I would rather see more greenery and lightpost than a string of ugly billboards.

[richpol]

where exactly? i think billboards placed in the metro have "art" in them.. especially in c-5. they add effect to the otherwise dull place

[sandrin]

C5 billboards are farther apart so it's not an eyesore yet. C5 must regulate the billboard mounting now to prevent the view from becoming a visual pollution.
It's the string of billboards along EDSA that makes the highway look unsightly.

[dancethingy]

I agree with Sandrin, actually i would like to ban almost all those freakin billboards, no matter how hot those bench models are.

More greenery, more visually appealing. architecture, and creative ways to advertise.

ON a side note, i really love the new advertising campaign of Dove. I love that they feature women from all different spectrums of size, shape, and age. It's so positive what they're doing. It helps women be more confident and comfortable in their own shell. It makes me want to buy their stuff. In times when the unattainable cover girl is being forced as the "ideal" norm, its nice for dove to come back to Earth for most women

[Sinjin P.]

Bench b/low Billboards are really an eyesore...Tempting...heheh...
plus the Folded n' Hung illegally low jeans.. and other bikini related billboards

[daDJ]

Billboards give character to a major thoroughfare or area. EDSA, SLEX, NLEX, Roxas Boulevard, Quiapo & Cubao without billboards would look boring. I really like those that light up at night. Very visually appealling - a feast to the eyes.

[Sinjin P.]

Originally Posted by daDJ

Billboards give character to a major thoroughfare or area. EDSA, SLEX, NLEX, Roxas Boulevard, Quiapo & Cubao without billboards would look boring. I really like those that light up at night. Very visually appealling - a feast to the eyes.

Yes, I even had seen an aerial view of South Superhighway at Bellevue hotel and it looked so vibrant with all those Billboards.

[Lili]

Originally Posted by sandrin

But there's alot of them visually polluting the highway and causing accidents as well.
I would rather see more greenery and lightpost than a string of ugly billboards.

I agree with this @Sandrin. But I'd sooner find out how visually appealing those billboards are as claimed by some of you once I get there.

[xDieselJockx]

I was curious about these Billboards also, there is just way too many of them around MM or I think even in Cebu.

[bagel]

Actually, going back to something that Bustero posted at the beginning of the thread, the proliferation of billboards would probably be self-regulated by the market. If there is a demand on billboards, then the billboards will go up.

But I think that billboard real-estate owners and billboard selling companies would stand the gain from limits on billboard placements. Case in point. My sister used to work in "non-traditional media" for an international advertising firm. She chooses and buys space on billboards for advertising clients. So if Dove Lotion wants to advertise to a certain demographic, she chooses where to purchase adspace.

Now she tells me that the most expensive billboards in the United States runs along the California Highway 101 corridor. The reason for this is that billboards along this route are controlled by local laws. There is a very limited number of billboard space available, making the existing adspace fetch premium prices.

I would think that billboard leasing companies in the Philippines would benefit from controls on ad locations (at the expense of advertisers). If I owned billboards in the Philippines, I'd push for the control of billboard space as long as my existing boards are untouched.

[Lili]

I wonder what happened to the handpainted billboards, those I think are works of art, not the digital photographed billboards you see everywhere.

[Sinjin P.]

Billboards add beauty to our street thoroughfares but it would be more beautiful if lush greeneries were sprouting more...

[bustero]

handpainted billboards di na uso. too expensive not as nice.

the most expensive (effective) billboards DO NOT displace greenery at all, if there is a patch of green there probably are not too many eyeballs there.

[sandrin]

MMDA backs Miriam’s bill to remove billboards

Chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metro Manila Development Authority on Saturday expressed support for Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago’s move to remove huge advertising billboards in Metro Manila that did not conform with rules on construction and location.

Fernando said advertising billboards should comply with the government’s regulations.

"Our lawmakers need to formulate a law that will control these billboards being placed on roads to ensure the safety of the people and property," Fernando said.

The MMDA seeks to limit putting oversized and misplaced billboards in Metro Manila because they pose danger to motorists and pedestrians.

But owing to its limited power the MMDA only able to remove billboards along sidewalks and those that fell on the road.

Billboards put up by the Metro Rail Transit on its rail posts and station walls that distract the attention of drivers on EDSA could not be touched owing to a recent ruling of the Court of Appeals, preventing the MMDA from dismantling the advertisement displays of Trackworks Rail Transit Advertising Vending and Promotions Inc.

The appellate court said the MMDA’s act of dismantling the billboards of Trackworks has the "detestable effect" of trampling on the company’s right under the contract for advertising services, resulting to injustice.

In a resolution, Santiago sought for the removal of all billboards on the streets of Metro Manila that violated the Building Code.

She noted that the excessive and inadequately controlled proliferation of billboards visible from highways endangers the "uniqueness of our state and our communities and our scenic beauty."

She also sought for the regulation of all billboards in order to reduce traffic hazards, protect property values and the public.

Under Santiago’s bill, billboards should be set back at least 25 feet from any road or street and 1,000 feet away from any right-of-way, underpass, overpass, bridge or tunnel, and intersection.

Billboards would also be off limits within 1,000 feet of any historic site, school, church, hospital, retirement or nursing home, cemetery, governmental building, Public Park, playground, recreation area, and convention center.

Meanwhile, vice chairman Cesar Lacuna of the MMDA said there is a need to have the materials used in billboards such as the tarpaulin to undergo inspection to determine its durability.

Lacuna suggested local government units particularly the engineering department to enforce the provisions of the National Building Code to get rid of illegal billboards in their areas while the proposed measure is being prepared at the Senate.

Fernando and Lacuna said the MMDA would be willing to provide help to the Senate in the crafting of the law and the immediate removal of billboards.

Santiago came up with the proposed measure a day after a torn-off tarpaulin from an advertising billboard landed on the MRT overhead cable wire, paralyzing its operation for eight hours.

The MRT management claimed it lost more that P5 million in revenues owing to the incident. Jefferson Antiporda

[marites4]

yeah I really don't think a giant billboard about a subway sandwhich is artistic and attractive although it does benefit the Subway company by subliminal message to go to Subway but like MMda Bayani said it should be good for the majority and not the welfare of just a few.