THE National Union of Journalists of the Philippines has issued a statement reminding its colleagues that soliciting and accepting money, gifts and other compensation for favorable coverage threatens editorial independence.
The NUJP posted the statement on its social media account after posts surfaced alleging a P10 million payment was demanded for interviews and coverage.
“It also erodes trust in our profession and in its practitioners and plays into the narrative that journalism can be bought and sold, undermining its critical role as a watchdog against corruption, whether in government or the private sector,” the statement said.
The union acknowledged that the allegations against Korina Sanchez and Julius Babao have yet to be substantiated. It also noted that soliciting and paid content are common practices.
“In some cases, this is a matter of survival in an industry where many colleagues are paid minimum wage or less for their work,” the statement reads.
Some media workers are forced to seek advertisers and sponsors to earn their salaries or are forced by circumstance to supplement their pay with “allowances” and “gas money” for coverage. Others accept public relations work for local politicians, government agencies or corporations to get by.
The statement noted that while these circumstances typically do not apply to wealthy media personalities, unethical practices persist across the industry, from high-profile journalists to struggling reporters and correspondents.
“We note these realities not to excuse practices that violate the Journalists’ Code of Ethics that we adopted in 1988, but to provide context as to why some colleagues find themselves in ethical dilemmas and at the mercy of political and business interests,” the NUJP said.
The NUJP urged colleagues to revisit and reaffirm ethical guidelines using resources like the union’s Ethical Guide for Filipino Journalists. It also called on news managers to ensure staff and correspondents are fairly compensated.
“Ethical practice is difficult, if not impossible, when even media workers’ basic needs are not met. Difficult as it is, we cannot take pride in calling ourselves journalists without adhering to the basic standards and guiding principles of the profession,” the statement reads.
The NUJP said it is ready and has been working with media and press freedom groups for a safer, better and more ethical practice of journalism in the country.
