Reporters Sans Frontieres has recently released its list of the safest and most dangerous countries for journalists.
Out of 178 countries, the most dangerous for journalists are:
- Rwanda
- Yemen
- China
- Sudan
- Syria
- Burma
- Iran
- Turkmenistan
- North Korea
- Eritrea
While the top ten safest countries for journalists are:
- Finland
- Iceland
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Austria
- New Zealand
- Estonia
- Ireland
Immediately after the Emerald Isle is Denmark, followed by Japan and Lithuania. Germany is 17th on the list, while the United Kingdom is at 19th, followed by the United States and Canada. Spain is at the 39th, while France is at the 44th. Russia is at the 140th spot.
Iraq is at the 130th, while Afghanistan is at the 147th.
Closer to home, Hong Kong is at 34th, while Taiwan is at the 48th. Indonesia is at 117, while Cambodia is at 128th. Singapore is at the 137th, while Malaysia is at the 141st.
According to the report, “the Philippines, Ukraine, Greece and Kyrgyzstan all fell sharply in this year’s index. In the Philippines this was due to the massacre of around 30 journalists by a local baron, in Ukraine to the slow and steady deterioration in press freedom since Viktor Yanukovych’s election as president in February, in Greece to political unrest and physical attacks on several journalists, and in Kyrgyzstan to the ethnic hatred campaign that accompanied the political turmoil.”
The Philippines is at the 156th spot. And yet the public and several media practitioners delude themselves into thinking that the press in the country exercise too much freedom. Think again!
I have said this before and I will say it again, there is no genuine democracy where there is no free press.
Thank you for this sir! And on the whole, I do agree with you.
Outside of certain…biased…individuals I don’t think you’ll find many who actually believe our press has too much ‘freedoms’. Those who argue that are usually trying to hide something. As you well know, there can be no true freedom of the press when the fear of physical retribution hangs over the media.
That being said, I do have certain ‘issues’ with the some members of the media. For me, the caveat comes with how some exercise those freedoms. There are media practitioners who abuse those freedoms and act in willfully irresponsible manners; whether its interjecting themselves into the stories (in essence becoming the story), flaunting long-held and sacred journalism standards, engage in yellow journalism (in the classic sense) or practicing envelopmental journalism. Those who act in that manner sully the proud profession that is journalism.
I think the hostage crisis recently provided a striking example over how some members of Philippine media misconstrue their mission to provide balanced coverage of events. It becomes more striking when you understand the high standard and strict guidelines that international organizations hold themselves when it comes to handling crisis situations. And yes, part of that is the responsibility of the government to handle the media in times of crisis. But, like the BBC points out in their guidelines, even before government entities get involved there are certain things members of the press just do not do.
The last nine years as well have provided ample examples of the pervasive rot in Philippine journalism: envelopmental journalism. I can cite the most egregious examples, but I think you know who they are as well. Self-censorship in the name of self-interest is a problem; one that undermines faith in the impartiality of media. And this isn’t really a new situation. One esteemed journalist (old-timer) wrote back in the 1960s that when the Philippines would need an enema the hose would be inserted in the NPC. Of course, he was going to war with the NPC at the time over an expose he ran on some anomalies there.
Of course the situation among some press practitioners is a reflection of the corrupt nature of Philippine government and, yes, business.
Again, this is not a criticism of the entire journalism industry. I firmly believe that the Philippine press is one of the finest in the world; the issues that they face on a daily basis just to execute the most basic of their responsibilities is heroic.
But, there are a number of ‘journalists’ who instead of upholding the honor and integrity of the Philippine press, drag it down. Unfortunately, while they may be the minority, they provide those who would muzzle the media with ammunition to push their perverted agenda.
As Anding Roces wrote in his farewell column, the media can be a pillar of Philippine free society and a beacon that guides this nation to greatness.
It won’t until the peace and order situation is put in order and the safety of journalists practicing their profession is ensured. I mentioned earlier that some engage in self-censorship for monetary gains; others do as well just to stay alive. That is an untenable situation in a supposedly free society. Not to mention things like the FOIA being shot down, the lack of whistleblower protections, the failure to enact and enforce laws that protect anonymous sources, the complete and utter failure to crack down on death threats and murders. All create a situation in the Philippines that is less than free. As you and the Index rightfully point out. That is shameful and an embarrassment.
You fix that and I am sure that those ‘media members’ (though I am loath to call them that) who engage willfully in unethical practices will disappear.
