It’s a journalist responsibility to report everything about anything that bears the truth (or at least truth as their editors/publishers/bosses slant). It’s their duty to entertain, inform and educate.
When a reporter has coverage (a news or event worthy of a reporters presence to be published or broadcast), it is either assigned by her editors or publisher or a personal prerogative (but this seldom happens only if your publisher/editors trust your decisions very well or if you are on their top roster of reporters or cream of the crop).
All journalist want acknowledgement of their work (if they don’t have talent at least their effort). A journalist can and will do everything that will put her on top of her profession. Either stick to the rules or break the rules.
Journalist/reporters barely have to choice to decline an assignment for coverage. If a reporter wants acknowledgment and get the best jobs then he/she should always be available for ANY assignment. It’s not a matter of choice. But that is for journalist who prioritizes career over their family.
When a journalist prioritize his/her family over his/her career he/she will be very careful on choosing and accepting assignment that will put his/her neck and life on the line.
It’s sad that Ces Oreña- Drilon was abducted by the Muslim Extremist terrorist group Abu-Sayyaf today (June 10, 2008) together with her camera man Jimmy and his assistant and a professor at Mindanao State University.
But Ces knows the danger going to that No Mans Land. More so it wasn’t an assignment but she went there on her own, she wanted a scoop (an exclusive). She is known to be bull-headed. During the Makati Manila Peninsula siege, she was so stubborn not to go out of the building when she was told to vacate the premises by the military men because she is doing her job and they were not her bosses to tell her what to do and when to pull-out.
Now, she was told never to go in that God-forsaken land without at least some military escort to protect and defend her at least. No. She wanted to appear tough. She wanted to make waves again. She wanted to be on top of her league again since there are more budding broadcast journalists nowadays.
Common sense is not always common when we get the hype. I think she was on a hype of feeling the popularity she will have once she gets an exclusive. She forgot what the female journalist went through before getting the fame they now enjoy, or did she not? Is this a bold move for her to rescue her dying career?
I’m sorry I am bickering; I hope she gets rescued and no harm will come to her. But we all know that is way beyond the truth. Her mother broadcast company does not yet admit for the kidnapping but reports are everywhere and they are asking for P20million ransom for her safe return.
It’s sad that either our government will be blamed again for their failed efforts to wipe-out the Abu-Sayyaf. It’s sad that this kidnapping will turn the people’s attention away from the Manila electricity over pricing problem (MERALCO), an issue they also used to turn the people’s attention away from the Jun Lozada expose of the corrupt practices of the present Arroyo administration.
People have short attention span, we never get to close a book if we jump from one issue to another.
Revealing glimpse into the politics of your country.
Thank you for sharing.
From a distance and being unaware of any facts outside of your post, I would be reluctant to blame the kidnapping victim for her suffering at the hands of terrorists! Let’s blame the actual terrorist-criminals, not the reporters who are trying to document a story.