MANILA, Philippines – Pinaalalahanan ng National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) ang mga media practitioner noong Linggo na ang anumang anyo ng kabayaran para sa “favorable coverage” ay banta sa editorial independence.
Ayon sa NUJP ang pagtanggap ng anumang anyo ng kabayaran “erodes trust in our profession and in its practitioners and plays into the narrative that journalism can be bought and sold, undermining its critical role as a watchdog against corruption, whether in government or the private sector.”
Ito ay matapos magpost si Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto sa social media na binayaran ang mga broadcasters na sina Korina Sanchez at Julius Babao para makapanayam sina Curlee at Sarah Discaya, ang natalong karibal nito noong May midterm elections.
Itinanggi ng dalawang news anchor ang anumang unethical practice.
Dahil dito, nanawagan ang NUJP sa media community na “revisit and reaffirm” ang ethical guidelines na makikita sa Journalists’ Code of Ethics at NUJP’s Ethical Guide for Filipino Journalists.
“Difficult as it is, we cannot take pride in calling ourselves journalists without adhering to the basic standards and guiding principles of the profession,” ayon sa NUJP.
“The media community has long been aware of these conditions and the dangers they pose to the ethical practice of the profession. It has been working tirelessly to address these,” dagdag pa nito. RNT/MND
