Broadcasters urged: Be fair, responsible

CEBU, Philippines - The officials of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) in Cebu City yesterday accepted the challenge for its members to be fair and responsible in their news reportage and commentaries.

News sources, in a dialogue with KBP officials yesterday, asked the broadcasters to be fair and responsible.

Lawyer Ruphil Bañoc, KBP-Cebu chairman, said he always encouraged the broadcasters to be responsible in their news reports by seeing to it that all sides are presented.

He likewise urged the commentators to be fair in their commentaries.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama encouraged KBP members to continue exposing anomalies committed by government officials. He however asked not to be compelled to comment on issues that he does not want to.

The KBP held a News Sources Forum at the City Hall in line with its celebration of the broadcasters’ month. During the forum, city administrator Jose Mari Poblete lectured broadcasters about responsible reporting.

He said responsible reporting means verifying the details first before reporting it on the radio or printing it on the newspapers.

He made an anecdote of a farmer who prepares his farm first before planting it with seeds, then take care of the plants until harvest time. According to him, responsible reporters are also like farmers. 

Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy, one of the panelists in the three-hour forum, said he was once a victim of irresponsible commentaries of some commentators who attacked him over the air lanes following the successful raid of a cyber sex den in his town.

Sitoy said he was blamed for allegedly not making any action against the illegal activities until the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents raided the cyber sex operation.

“Kon gitawag pa ko nila ila unta nga mahibaw-an nga ako maoy nakig-coordinate sa NBI ug sa ubang ahensya sa kagamhanan aron nga maronda ang illegal nga kalihukan,” Sitoy said.

Sitoy also advised broadcasters to be sure in the translation of the English words citing an incident that a radioman used the word “komitir” as a supposed visayan translation of the english word “commit.”

 “Ayaw tawon ninyo murdera ang paggamit sa pulong uy!” said Sitoy, but some of those who attended the forum also laughed at him because Sitoy’s word “murdera” is also not the accurate translation.

Senior Superintendent Louie Oppus, deputy regional police director for operations, requested the members of the media to wear identification cards while on their tour of duties to gain respect. (FREEMAN)