Sunday, March 05, 2006

No more deep throats?

I remember my former professor Fr. Joaquin Bernas write that the proscription against prior restraint is not all there is to press freedom.
The press freedom clause in the constitution also protects media practitioners against what is called "subsequent punishment."
In other words, the press must not be burdened with apprehensions that their publications would later on put them into trouble by the state.
If the press publishes in fearful anticipation of a state-sponsored backlash, then there is no press freedom.
Recently, the National Telecommunications Commission has issued a memorandum circular banning stories with "anonymous sources".
According to the report by the Philipine Daily Inquirer, news from anonymous sources is not allowed.
This memo could very well change the way broadcasting of stories with "un-named sources".
Since anonymous sources is no longer allowed, then news reporters are obligated to include in their report the sources of their stories.
Such a situation is an affront to a newsman's basic freedom.
Since news reporters are now obligated to identify the sources of their stories, then nobody will come forward to feed newsman with "tips" or "leads" with which newsmen usually pursue their stories.
The relieance of anonymous sources has traditionally been used as a starting point in the exposes of corruption like so-called fertilizer funds-scam, malpractices in government, including cheating in elections.
Most of these "un-named" sources are sometimes low ranking government employees, but who are "in-the-know", or who can point to the paper trail of documentary evidence that will eventually establish wrong-doings by high-ranking government officials.
They talk to newsmen, always on the condition that their identities are not revealed.
One of the triumphs of journalism was the conscientious publication of stories which eventually exposed what was later on known as the Watergate Scandal. It resulted in the resignation of a President.
The truth prevailed because the reporters of the Washignton Post relied on an anonymous, un-named source to whom the reporters Bernstein and Woodward would only identify as "Deep Throat" (identified 30 years later as Mark Felt of the FBI).
Now, the state is banning the use of "anonymous" sources in broadcasting news reports.
Who will now come forward and talk to newsmen, and give leads to newsworthy stories?
This is suppression of press freedom of the highest order.

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