Media Corruption

Excerpted from "News for Sale: The Corruption &

Commercialization of the Philippine Media" with the author's permission

By CHAY FLORENTINO-HOFILEÑA Director of the Journalism Graduate Program of Ateneo de Manila University

Payoffs to journalists have become so much a part of the journalistic culture that they have engendered a language all their own. These are some of the terms used in the journalistic community to refer to various forms of corruption the media.

AC-DC

For attack-collect-defend-collect. A kind of journalism where the reporter attacks a person in order to collect money from that person's rival or enemy. The same journalist then defends the person originally attacked, also for a fee.

ATM journalism

Refers to reporters who receive discreet and regular pay-offs through their automated teller machine (ATM) accounts. News sources simply deposit cash into these accounts instead of issuing checks or handing the money over to the journalists in envelopes. Often, the accounts are in the names of relatives, rather than of the reporters themselves. ATM journalism became popular in the 1990s, taking over from the more simple "envelopmental journalism" that took place in the 1970s and '80s.

Ayos

As in "fix," the act of bribing reporters either with money or other gifts like late-night entertainment.

 

Bicycle Gang

Refers to the contacts of politicians in television news desks who ensure that video

footage of candidates barnstorming in the provinces is circulated to the different TV networks by a messenger riding a bike.

Blood Money

 

A pay-off to ensure that a story or critical article is killed or else slanted in the briber's favor before publication. This is different from "smiling money".

Bukol

From the Tagalog word that means a bump, usually on the head. A reporter gets a "bukol" or is considered "nabukulan" if he or she fails to get a share of the largesse being distributed by politicians and other news sources whom they cover.

Didal

Refers to the practice of media handlers pocketing for themselves a part of the money intended for distribution to reporters. For example, if a party's media bureau sets aside a P2,000 allowance for each of the reporters covering an event, the media staff would distribute only P1,000 to P1,500 and keep the rest. The reporters in this case consider themselves "nadidal."

Envelopmental journalism

 

A take on "developmental journalism," which became popular in the 1970s.

Journalism is deemed "envelopmental" if it involves an envelope of cash paid to journalists to sway their reporting.

Hao siao

A derogatory term used to refer to pseudo-journalists, those not employed by a

reputable news organization but pass themselves off as journalists in order to cash in on payoffs and bribes made by news sources, particularly during elections.

Inteligensia

Cash given as bribe or protection money to the police, a part of which goes to journalists covering the police department. Some reporters have begun using the term to refer to the regular payments that they get from law enforcers.

Main Event

Refers to the act of distributing cash to journalists. A press conference or news coverage is not deemed over until the cash is dispensed -- this is considered the "main event."

Orbit

Like planets revolving around the sun, reporters also make the rounds of offices, particularly the police stations, to get their weekly payola. The term may also refer to any effort to visit offices for the purpose of soliciting money from news sources.

Placement

The position or department within the media bureau of a government agency or company that is in charge of ensuring that press releases are sent to news offices and published or aired when they should be. While there aer PR professionals who do the job, some journalists are hired to ensure "placement' as well. Some journalists also moonlight as writers for candidates, ensuring placement by making appeals to their friends in newspapers and broadcast agencies.

Point Man

A reporter or editor working in a news organization but who is also paid by a candidate or political party to ensure that press releases are published or aired and also to warn the candidate of negative stories emanating from rival camps.

Shepherds

 

Journalists who are either jobless or on leave from their news organizations and act as guides to reporters covering a a particular candidate or party. Shepherds take care of the reporters' needs including accommodations, food, plane fare and other transportation expenses, as well as "extras" like nights out.

Smiling Money

Cash that is given to reporters or editors for no particular reason except to create goodwill between a source and the journalists. It can also be used to refer to a payoff given after the publication of a positive story, supposedly as a gesture of the source's appreciation.

Sulig

A thousand pesos

Tigbas

Cebuano word for "cut", used to refer to a hatchet job

Warik-warik

A Cebuano term used to describe unscrupulous people; to journalists in the provinces, these are the counterpart of Manila's hao siao.

(Compiled by Manny Mogato and Vinia M. Datinguinoo)

hotmanila.ph

Arangkada for July 21, 2005

 

MGA KONTRABIDA

 

Si Luis "Chavit" Singson nabantog sa iyang kabagis ug ka-relasyon nga bold stars. Pero usa siya sa gipasidunggan sa pagpalagpot sa kurakot nga pamunoan ni kanhi presidente Joseph Estrada niadtong 2001.

Silang Juan Ponce Enrile ug Fidel Ramos gikaintapan nga mga berdugo sa martial law sa diktador nga si Ferdinand Marcos. Pero silay nahimong bayani sa Edsa 1 nga nipalingkod ni kanhi presidente Corazon Aquino sa Malakanyang niadtong 1986.

Si Atty. Allan Paguia maoy abogado ug torotot ni Erap. Pero siyay nahimong instrumento sa pagpagawas sa Garci tapes nga kon kapamatud-an mahimong maoy mopalagpot ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sa katungdanan.

-o0o-

Naapil sila sa mas taas nga listahan sa kasaysayan sa mga kontrabida kansang mantsado nga kagahapon napapas sa mga pasidungog tungod sa ilang wa paabotang tampo sa pagbisto ug pagbadlong sa malupigon, abusado ug mapahimuslanong mga pamunoan.

Sa eskandalong nakatay-og karon sa administrasyong Arroyo, wa pay klaro kinsay sunod nga Chavit, o Johnny, o Eddie. Pero nag-unang kandidata mao si Sandra Cam, ang nikumpisal nga tigkolekta sa payola sa jueteng para sa bana, anak ug bayaw ni Presidente Arroyo ug ang wa pa nganli nga politiko nga gihulagway ni Arsobispo Oscar Cruz nga maoy labing suhiton sa giingong kalambigitan sa presidente sa jueteng.

Maglisod pag-qualify si kanhi senador John Osmena.

-o0o-

Klaro si Osmena nga igo lang nikabayo sa sitwasyon. Naghuwat siya nga motakilid nang administrasyon una nipahibawo sa iyang pagbalitok ngadto sa oposisyon. Ang kabasa na sa papel ni Osmena maoy hinungdan nga bisan topnotcher siya sa nangaging lokal ug nasudnong mga eleksiyon sa Sugbo, way nahibung nga sa labing unang higayon sa iyang pamolitika gipilde ug gibasura siya sa mga Sugbuanon.

Maong bisan pag moingon si Osmena nga mosawop ang adlaw karong hapon, daghang Sugbuanon ang magduda sa iyang kamatinud-anon. Mao nay ganti sa iyang kamapahitas-on nga naglakip sa iyang paghudlat sa mga Sugbuanon nga magpuasa sila tungod sa ilang pagsalikway ni Erap.

-o0o-

Pero nagtoo ko nga, sama nilang Singson, Ramos, Enrile ug Paguia, si Osmena dunay importanteng papel nga huptan sa pagbisto sa kinatibuk-ang langyab sa Gloriagate scandal. Sa tanang mga politiko, siyay labing unang nakahimog makuting pagtuon sa resulta sa niaging eleksiyon, nga wa magpaabot sa langayng proseso sa Comelec (ang iyang election protest batok ni Senador Rodolfo Biazon di kairog hangtod makahatag si Vice Presidential Candidate Loren Legarda sa kapin sa P80 milyones para sa recount sa mga balotang naapil sa iyang protesta batok ni Bise Presidente Noli de Castro).

Ang kahinog ni Osmena sa politika mahimong maoy makagiya niya paghipos sa mga dokumento nga mas mopalig-on pa sa kasayuran sa Garci tapes. Ang iyang ka-oportunista mahimong makaalagad sa mas dakong nasudnong interes. [30]  leo_lastimosa@abs-cbn.com

Gloria's Letter to CBCP

His Excellency Archbishop Fernando R. Capalla, D.D.
President, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines

Dear Archbishop Capalla,

With a deep sense of appreciation of their profound concern for the
country and our people, I read the Bishops' RESTORING TRUST: A PLEA
FOR MORAL VALUES IN PHILIPPINE POLITICS. I read it both as President
and as a simple individual, one of the flock whom the Lord has called
upon the Bishops to shepherd and provide moral and religious guidance
to.

As a part of our political system, I am greatly saddened to realize
that our people now so mistrust that same political system. As
President, I am greatly humbled to realize that I now owe the Filipino
people a huge debt of service, a debt that to the best of the
abilities that God has given me, I must now try to repay.

In all humility, I took to heart the admonition that I should not
simply dismiss calls for my resignation from office, and that through
prayer, we can arrive at decisions for the common good that are based
on moral precepts.

On the matter of moral accountability and the need to restore trust, I
have initiated the creation of a commission or similar body to look
into the truth behind issues recently raised against me. While
accepting the principle of accountability, it may be noted that such
issues were raised at a time and in a manner that seems to give
credence to the observation that various groups may be manipulating
situations for their own agenda, perhaps with the aim of grabbing
power. I am hopeful that the process of searching for the truth will
shed light on these disturbing matters as well.

On the matter of effective governance, I took to heart the admonition
to discern deeply as to whether the erosion of trust is so severe as
to be irreversible. I believe that subsequent events and revelations
may have given a more balanced view to this question, and that my
decision to stay in my office is the correct one.

If we allow our country's President to be pressured to resign under
these circumstances, when the issues raised might have speculative or
controvertible basis, then we expose our already weakened political
system—a system that needs fundamental reform—to the possibility of
never ending political crises of a similar nature in the future.

With my decision comes the responsibility to sincerely strive to be,
like the men and women that the Bishops have committed to form, a
leaven of social transformation for our country. I pray that God will
give me the strength and wisdom to do so.

Having made my decision, I have tried to make my peace with God as
well. I trust in His infinite mercy and capacity to forgive all of us
who are sinners. I am hopeful that others, being human and so perhaps
less compassionate than the Lord, may still find their way to setting
aside a space in their hearts for me.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Bishops for their
guidance these trying times. I wish to let them know that trusting
completely in the Lord, I have surrendered myself to His will.