By Alex P. Vidal
“Societies have always been shaped more by the nature of the media by which men communicate than by the content of the communication.” —Marshall McLuhan
POLITICIANS and their subalterns who call the media “fake news” if they can’t get a favorable report or commentary shouldn’t be tolerated and allowed to go scot free, so to speak.
They should be exposed right away as “panit sibuyas” or onion-skinned and discouraged from staying in the public service so they can no longer draw salary from the public coffers.
If they are allergic to media criticism they can always resign and transfer in the private sector where they can perpetuate their idiocy and build their own legacy and kingdom without public scrutiny and accountability.
Public officials are expected to welcome any inquiry on their activities and performances in the name of public interest; they must welcome any criticism from the media, including requests for full disclosure of important documents and transparency from the taxpayers as long as they are working in the government.
If they get mad in a slightest criticism—or if they detest unfavorable reports and commentaries—they aren’t fit for a public office.
Being constantly badgered by media criticism is part and parcel of their having been elected or appointed in the positions paid by the taxpayers.
If they get a negative publicity it means they need to improve their services somewhere. They need to correct a mistake and level up.
It doesn’t mean they are good-for-nothing.
-o0o-
A negative media comment or news will not abruptly end their splendid career as politicians or public servants.
It will even boost their stock or give them the leverage to improve and become better if they know how to appreciate the wisdom of a constructive criticism in public service.
Media’s role will always be adversarial.
They can’t earn the public trust as “fiscalizers” or doyens of check and balance if they pay homage and do the bidding for the politicians.
Press people are the politicians’ partners in nation building, not rivals or detractors.
In fact, they should start to worry a lot if nobody from the media is writing or reporting and commenting about their activities and performances anymore.
If they are not anymore being mentioned in the news and commentary sections of leading media outfits, this means they have become irrelevant and inconsequential.
Being in that dreary level is already a red alert for any politician or public servant if they are about to be hurled in the dustbin of history.
-o0o-
IF we don’t know how to control our emotions in the social media, we will only have ourselves to blame if we get into trouble.
Like what happened to Boracay resident Ronald Quiboyen and Ronel Mas of Zambales, who both used the social media to announce they were giving rewards to anyone who can kill President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Quiboyen threw himself under the bus when he proposed in his Facebook account to double Mas’ P50 million offer in the Twitter to P100 million to anyone who can finish off the loud-mouthed and hard-hitting president.
Of course we all know they were only joking.
They aren’t that rich and crazies to spend that much just to order the assassination of the country’s most feared leader in this century and declare it in the social media to boot.
But their kind of joke isn’t funny.
Even those who don’t admire Mr. Duterte and those who have no love lost for the arrogant president will agree that their threats were tantamount to gross violation of the laws on inciting to sedition related to cybercrime, and violation of Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees on the part of Mas, who is a public school teacher.
We may agree to disagree without being unlawful and violent.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)
