Fear of the Unknown
It can be as trivial as picking up the phone without a caller ID. Or, great as our apprehension whenever something ends and a new phase begins. When I was in first grade, I looked up to sixth graders and wondered if I could be like them someday. It felt ordinary when I reached that point... Nothing special really. Instead, I feared the thought of getting into high school. In my first year, I looked up to seniors and wondered about the same thing as before. Then, I performed well and graduated. I was always the diligent kid. Nothing changed. In college, especially as I went to UP, I worried about not getting along well with people. I felt so alone, until I got used to it and appreciated my newfound freedom. To my surprise, it took less effort than imagined establishing good friendships. Another fear set in: My internship and thesis! And now that they’re done, the ultimate fear comes along: Are we fully equipped to pursue a career in media?
A personal guide comes in handy. Let me share an interesting project that I did for my ethics class:
Statement of Commitment
I, Mary June Conti, a Christian, Filipino, iskolar ng bayan, and future media practitioner, sincerely promise to commit myself to principles of media ethics and social responsibility. I shall treat every worthy endeavor as a manifestation of my indebtedness to God, my family, mentors, and country. I will rise as high as I can, and dedicate the glory to them.
I was born and I shall die here in the Philippines. Motherland calls me to render service. I will not fail her.
Mass communication is the purveyor of images that form the community’s collective memory. It is my vital role to cultivate nationalism.
Mom, as my first teacher, always told me not to be ashamed to ask questions. Should an ethical dilemma and confusion arise, I will not hesitate to consult the wisdom of my elders.
I have spent seventeen years studying. I will not cease learning. I will always pursue excellence as I put my talents to good use.
I got the passion for television and radio production-related tasks, most especially for writing and dubbing. I will show it forth.
Colleagues admire my ideas and imagination. I will continue being unique through expressions of creativity.
I have high hopes for our generation. I can contribute by becoming a dedicated media practitioner. I shall never be contented with mediocre work. I shall diligently strive to think of better ways to do things.
There exists a tight competition among practitioners in the industry. I accept it as a challenge. Should I be looked up to as a media personality many years from now, I will constantly remind myself of the ultimate purpose: Service.
Introspection
Perplexed by television and interested in news and current affairs, I took Broadcast Communication in UP Diliman. I could still remember my entrance interview, which was conducted by Professors Avecilla and Austria. Sir Chito, seeing my high grades in Theology classes, asked why I wanted to study in UP. He warned that my mind would be corrupted by bad influences in the university. I confidently said that I have faith in the strong foundation that I have established in the past years. I also believed that experiences in this institution would widen my perspective on things and would better equip me for a career in media.
Through future assignments of covering events, featuring personalities, going places, and discussing matters of public interest, I hope to learn more about myself: What makes me human, and how occurrences affect the lives of people.
Credibility is of utmost importance. It goes with the essence of being a broadcaster. Experience taught me that courage emanates from the confidence that you are doing the right thing. Integrity is a value that I hold dear: Doing right, even when nobody’s watching. Keeping a clear conscience, I shall take every forward step in my career.
I shall be loyal to the company with which I am working, but in case of a conflict, public welfare takes precedence.
From Personal To Professional
Character is the inward motivation to do what is right and good no matter the cost. It is reflected in all the roles that we play. No matter where we go, it shows. At home, in school, in the church, at the workplace... everywhere! We cannot just operate with a double standard. And so, I determined the core values which I hope would drive my efforts in all areas of life:
Core Values
Faith
Truth
Love
Freedom with responsibility
Justice
Human dignity
Peace / Nonviolence
Hope
Service
Ranked Priorities
1. Faith. Everything is a blessing from God.
2. Family. Whatever happens, they will be there for me. Home is where I feel safe and
warm after engaging in the little battles of everyday.
3. Career. Work is pleasurable because I love what I do. I see myself as having a
high degree of job involvement because the path that I have chosen is largely
connected to my self-image.
4. Friends. Communication is therapeutic. Laughter puts more life in everything.
5. Organizations. I find people who work for the same goals as mine. We share
victories.
6. Money. It is just a means, not an end.
The Personal Code of Ethics Rationale
The years I spent in the university gave me the foresight that there is a huge gap between the academe and the industry. I am finding that out. I really have a lot to learn. But I also believe that as a beginner, I have to build all roads on today. Tomorrow’s ground is too precarious for plans. It is but appropriate to develop my own code now rather than wait for problems to arise before examining myself. When I reach that point, all I have to do is reaffirm my values.
Writing The Story
1. Motive – that’s what matters. I would be liable if I write with reckless disregard for the truth and knowledge of falsity.
2. I have lots of creative juices. There is no room for copying another’s work and claiming it as mine.
3. I will be careful in choosing words. I will strive to reduce bias in language, being sensitive to labels involving sexual orientation, political beliefs, religion, racial and ethnic identity, and disabilities. I will edit out words that may escalate conflict between groups.
Sample situations:
A Moslem gets involved in robbery. Mentioning his or her religion is uncalled for.
In doing crime stories, I should avoid using words that are derogatory to women, or those that box them as stereotypes. Examples: chicks, kerida, kulasisi, katulong (the appropriate term is kasambahay)
4. In my article, I will properly describe suspects as suspects and avoid using shots of a police lineup to support such.
5. I shall solicit comments from people on different sides of the issue and correctly attribute statements. I will be meticulous when it comes to titles or ranks of police and military men. If a source requested anonymity, I will not divulge the name.
6. I will use information derived from SMS and the telephone only as guides, but not as the main content of my report.
7. In doing a crime story, I shall not focus on the gory and personal details but instead shed light on the motives and factors underlying the behavior. I will not include sensational details which are not essential to a factual report.
Reporting
1. I will take extra care in handling the details when reporting on the police and the military. I must not be an obstruction to government operations.
1.1 I will not relay the following details on air: delegation of troops,
headcount of soldiers, and their detailed mission.
1.2 In hostage-taking incidents, I will let policemen perform their duty
first, before bombarding them with questions. I will coordinate with the ground commander for crowd control. After all, that ground commander is responsible for designing an area for mediamen and providing a spokesman.
Bad example:
The Pasay hostage-taking ended in tragedy: The child died and so did the hostagetaker. At the heat of the incident, TV crews interfered. There was extreme pressure and heat due to the lights that were focused.
1.3 The official negotiator in a hostage-taking should be the source of
instructions. I shall not negotiate. If I need to, I will seek clearance first from my superior. I shall keep safe distance from the hostage-taker, out of the line of fire.
2. During campaign period, I shall not present results of surveys matter-of-factly. Reporting on approval ratings, I shall include information on sampling, research design and methods, and the source organization.
3. When reporting on products with alleged health hazards, I will not mention the label until a final result in the investigation has been released.
4. I shall not disclose names of sexual abuse victims or give descriptions that will make them identifiable. My reports shall not carry identification that will maim a child’s future.
5. I will be extremely cautious when identifying casualties.
6. I shall avoid language and footage that are racist, gender-biased, disrespectful of men, women and children, sects, communities, and political beliefs.
7. I shall avoid writing about close relatives or friends, except when I am the only one capable of writing about negative stories that need to be brought into the open. Should I be assigned to report on a story that presents a conflict with my personal interests, I shall consult with my boss.
8. I will always put quotations on their proper context.
Bad example:
In 2004, a footage showed Roco turning away after a series of questions, saying that he didn’t know how to answer them. This was the visual support for a report that he walked out after getting irritated with questions about his declining ratings. (From Jet Damazo, Newsbreak, March 1, 2004)
9. Bribery comes in many forms which I shall be wary of: Expensive gifts, cash in envelopes, meal stubs, and paid-for travel.
10. My profession demands objectivity in the treatment of subjects. I shall not allow favor-asking and camaraderie affect how I treat people whom I’m supposed to report on. To be sure, I will not get them as sponsors in important occasions such as wedding and baptism.
Announcing
1. As an anchor, I will be punctual so that I can rehearse the materials that shall be read on air. I shall be aware of the veracity of my statements and not just be a mere reader.
2. When doing a commentary, I shall not air personal attacks. I will always argue with valid points. Presenting the other side is a better way to persuade.
3. My commentary shall be well-researched before I deliver it across the airwaves.
Interviews (On / Off Air)
1. I shall give venue for all sides of the story. When someone’s character or integrity is being attacked, I shall give the other party an opportunity to respond.
2. I shall not ask leading questions. Interviewees must be respected. Granting the interview means that they trust the station, and I will not destroy that trust by putting them in an awkward situation as they respond.
3. I will not force an interviewee to answer an issue that he or she has yet to get to the bottom of.
4. In times of tragedy or calamity, I will give people time to mourn. I will be highly sensitive in dealing with interviewees who are in pain.
5. I shall not relay off-the-record comments to the public. Neither will I report on comments made by somebody who was not aware of being covered.
Producing Programs
1. I commit myself to quality. It is my mission to leave everything a little better than I found it and producing programs that promote Christian values or nationalistic ideals is the way to go.
2. At the moment of success, I will share the credit. I am a team worker, and I recognize that each member is important.
3. I cannot change media overnight, but I can pitch good concepts and defend them in the best way possible.
4. In writing scripts, I will be conscious of the values that I promote. I shall not encourage drinking, drug-taking, crime, violence, and promiscuity.
Blogging
1. Free as it is, I will use my blog to inform about real occurrences, not to mislead.
2. In expressing opinions, I shall not engage in name calling.
3. I take responsibility for all the contents of my blog, including comments.
4. I would not dare say anything online which I cannot utter in person.
5. I accept that blogging entails acceptance of criticism. I will peacefully deal with them.
Relationship With The Company and Co-Workers
1. I will not use the station’s property for personal gain nor will I use the Press I.D. for perks which are unrelated to my duty.
2. I shall speak with my co-worker if he or she is engaging in unethical behavior. I will correct him or her, but not in a self-righteous manner.
3. I will not tolerate sexual harrassment nor use sexual favors to my advantage.
Dealing With Mistakes
Humility is a Christian virtue. I will give corrective statements soon after realizing a mistake. I will not let being a member of the Press get into my head and turn me into a prima donna.
Self-Improvement
1. I shall continue to enrich myself through reading, watching, and browsing. I should be a knowledgeable practitioner worthy of the public’s high regard.
2. Committing myself to constant improvement, I will also attend seminars with other practitioners. With pleasure, I will grant interviews to requesting students for I was once in their place.
Revisions
All that is written here is a result of my learning from the academe and my internship in both radio and television. After one year of engaging in the “real world” of media, I shall endeavor to reexamine this code and reaffirm my values. Who knows? Sticking to my long-held principles might not be that hard after all!
About The Author
MJ graduated elementary from Mater Carmeli, a school run by Carmelite nuns. One of the things that she learned there was through the example of St. Therese of the Child Jesus: Simple things that are dedicated to God make the difference.
She went to Lourdes School of Quezon City (LSQC) for secondary education. It is a Catholic, Filipino, and Marian, Franciscan-Capuchin institution. Much of the ideals that she holds at present were inculcated during her stay at Lourdes. As a training ground, it provided a Christian environment where students open their eyes to issues affecting themselves, the nation, and the Church. Students were motivated to earnestly search for truth, think critically, attain academic excellence, and view things in the light of faith. MJ believes that LSQC made her more inclined to self-reflection and dialogue. Justice and solidarity with the poor were emphasized.
Before she graduated, her only sister Alma Jessica passed away at the age of eleven. MJ always found inspiration in her memory. Jessica did not live a normal life due to Cerebral Palsy, and that trial served as an encouragement for MJ to exert her best efforts and go further in life.
She still goes back to her alma mater as she serves through the Squirettes of Mary Immaculate every Sunday. The organization is part of the Parish Youth Ministry in the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes.
In UP, MJ became a member of the following organizations and swore to never put them in bad light. ;-)
1. Union of Journalists of the Philippines-UP
2. Gawad Kalinga
3. DZUP Radio Circle
4. UP Red Cross Youth
MJ is an advocate for a child-friendly and developmental mass media. She believes that she is going to make it in the industry and thereby contribute in decreasing violent images and personality-oriented reporting in television.
If all else fails, get back to the basics.
List pros and cons (short-term and long-term)
Call-A-Friend or Call-A-Mentor
Emergency Numbers
When in dire need of advice or simply someone who could help you figure it out, choose from among the following trustworthy individuals:
Ms. Joyce Andaya
High School Principal, Lourdes School of Quezon City; Former adviser
Emeline Andrade
Best friend and batch mate in Broadcast Communication
Charity Temple
Batch mate in Broadcast Communication
Roberto Mabagos
Friend and batch mate in Lourdes School of Quezon City
Or E-mail: Professor Almond Aguila
