Flimsy Filipino news

Just when I thought we could sink no lower than Mark Logan’s “news stories”, we descended further into the quagmire of ----

I’m sorry, I ran out of a word to describe: the chaos that results when one important event (like the elections) becomes a circus where politicians (you know who they are) spout stupid but dangerous announcements (like they won the elections and there is massive cheating in the scale of the Snap Polls of 1986) and – and this is the kicker – radio and TV news instantly air these pronouncements as big news.

I almost choked as I watched the TV news that showed Eddie Gil proclaiming himself president -- not because I was happy he would finally give everyone a million pesos. But what really disturbs my sleep is the seeming indifference of news reporters on the quality of their reportage.

We can see this when the unsupported claims of politicians are headlined on TV and radio and in print. I am not an avid supporter of the current administration, but I got so miffed at hearing politicians making irresponsible accusations, comparing the situation to the chaos that led to EDSA 1986. Hello?

Back then, people took to the city streets, burning tires and blocking major roads with comandeered buses. Not that I’m suggesting anything here or what.

And don’t think I’m pro-censorship too. I’m all for press freedom. So before you start burning Manila Times, let me just clarify that my worry is the quality of news reportage nowadays.

This has been an old issue. The pressure of stiffer competition and ratings, the tabloidization of our taste for news, and the eroding definition of what makes news have contributed to this degeneration.

News today is a victim of major upheavals in society and technology. We once had reputable leaders whose pronouncements were news worthy. Today, I am surprised that we even find interesting the pronouncements of Kit Tatad, the chief architect of (dis)information dissemination during Martial Law. At least, Eddie Gil’s proclamations are amusing.

Worst, broadcast news (and also print, if I may add), now treats text messages, email and websites as official sources of news. The internet-savvy folks know this: beware of net myths. That is, treat the information you receive from the internet (and text messages) with a grain of salt, unless you can directly verify.

In this way, one famous newscaster and columnist got burned when she relayed a rumor she got from email about Tommy Hilfiger making disparaging remarks about the Filipinos. Net myth!

Thanks to the internet and text messaging the following net myths fooled lots of people: one of the famous muppets on Sesame Street was either slotted to die of, or already died of AIDS; Pope John Paul II died in his sleep; and several unsuspecting motorists died from firecrackers thrown through their car windows by street gangs who had nothing better to do.

Recently, Stephen Bosworth, the same guy who told Marcos to take off during the first EDSA revolt, was rumored to have told President Arroyo to also step down. My 5-minute research so far cannot find out whether this started from text messages or from yet more stupid politicians – maybe both.

The point is, rumors or unverified claims can now be promoted as news stories without the usual scrutiny of the reporters. The lesson seems to be: if some celebrity politician makes a pronouncement, report it. The more outrageous the claim, the more news worthy it is.