What the media does

I really didn’t want to talk about the issue during the Sinulog festival involving some members of the media and the public information office of the city. However, I would like to enlighten the audience as to the importance of the Press, especially in a very big event such as this. You see, we have been partners with the local government unit ever since the festival came into fruition, and it has been instrumental in marketing several initiatives to audiences in different parts of the globe.

The Press does not simply cover the event just to get access and brag that he or she was given the exception of bypassing long lines. They do it because it involves a great number of people --not even thousands, but millions. The cliché of being the watchdog of society holds true. They look at the event like a hawk, from the audience to the implementation of peace and order, also making sure that everything is going on as planned. When something goes wrong, it is often the media that notices first, asks questions first, and demands answers first.

They also highlight other stories in the feast of the Santo Niño that may not have been told elsewhere. Media personnel have a sharp set of eyes to see what others couldn’t or didn’t bother to notice. It could be a devotee who has walked barefoot for decades, a street vendor trying to make ends meet, or a child seeing the grand procession for the first time. It is in these stories where others are inspired, or where the government is finally compelled to take action. It is in the amplification of the message where their power lies, and it is also where the responsibility becomes heavier.

While it is set as that, not everyone in the media is also the same. Others may have only a meager requirement to deliver to his or her network compared to others who are expected to produce continuous, real-time coverage. Some work with full crews and equipment, while others are a one-man team navigating crowds, deadlines, and limited resources. Yet all of them, in one way or another, serve the same purpose: to inform, to document, and to ask questions on behalf of the public.

There are many other reasons to say how important the media functions in an event such as the Sinulog. In the spirit of making their lives easier, a decent media center would have sufficed, especially for the first few hours when information is critical and coordination matters most. While there are hiccups and rooms for improvement, the prayer is for it not to happen again. I always believe that coordination and good messaging is key not only for dealing with the Press, but with every campaign.

The city now shifts to the ASEAN meetings, where we are once again the star as the host. One can only hope that the lessons learned from Sinulog will guide the way forward, because when the media works well with the government, the public ultimately benefits.