The Principled Journalist

THE PRINCIPLED JOURNALIST (1991)

1. THE PRINCIPLED JOURNALIST IS AN HONORABLE CITIZEN who asserts and fully enjoys the rights of citizens and exercise the duties and responsibilities of citizens and who should not abdicate them in the illusory framework of “media neutrality”. Journalists like other Filipino citizens have the duty to assert Philippine sovereignty and the socio-economic and political interests of the democratic majority of the people, link up closely with other organizations of citizens, and avail themselves of rights of the rights of the citizens to form associations for purposes not contrary to law and to peaceably assemble for the redress of grievances. Principled journalists, as all honorable citizens, deserve the respect of the bigger community, and keep away from decadent and anti-social behavior.

2. THE PRINCIPLED JOURNALIST IS A PUBLIC SERVANT in the context of the media’s functions to serve the people’s right to know and the people’s right to express their grievances, demands and opinions, in a situation where the media are being used today more by vested interests to keep the public uninformed about or distracted from the most important truths affecting them. Principled journalists would never allow themselves to be used as mercenaries.

3. THE PRINCIPLED JOURNALIST IS A PROFESSIONAL who values the question of ethics, the urge and actual efforts for skills upgrading and career development, and “does homework” for quality stories that adequately serve the people’s right to know and the people’s right to express their grievances, demands and opinions.

4. THE PRINCIPLED JOURNALIST IS A WORKER, and struggles for collective job security, fair compensation, just and humane working conditions, the right to form strong and genuine trade union organizations, the right to bargain collectively and to strike if necessary. Principled journalists take the stand of the working press.

5. THE PRINCIPLED JOURNALIST IS A LEADER, on two levels: (a) public opinion leadership for nationalism, humanism and democracy; and (b) activity in organizations of mediapersons as leaders or dependable members, as distinguished from journalists who are absolutely constricted in day-to-day requirements of the occupation as set by their superiors, and who help the media people’s organizations on one-shot, case-to-case or sympathy levels.

This 5-point description was first presented by Ed Aurelio Reyes, secretary general of the Philippine Movement for Press Freedom (PMPF), in a message to the 2nd Congress of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) held in August 1991. The NUJP Congress unanimously passed a resolution adopting these points as the organization’s criteria and standard of behavior for its members. As endorsed by NUJP, the PMPF-sponsored Fifth National Convention for Press Freedom adopted it and resolved to campaign for its acceptance by the broader Philippine media community.

Source: The book “Press Freedom: The People’s Right” by Ed Aurelio C. Reyes, pp. 170-171

Retyped for information campaign by: Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.