GMA News reporter Ivan Mayrina spoke up against repeated accusations hurled against mainstream media about being biased and purveyors of fake news, while explaining the long process behind delivering news.
“Sa bawat istoryang napapanood ninyo, pawis at minsan dugo ang binubuhos namin. Bago umere ang isang 2-minute TV report, ilang editorial layers ang dadaanan. Ilang beses kaming tatanungin, ilang beses na hihimayin ang mga detalye. Minsan nga dadaan pa sa abogado bago ma-clear for airing,” Mayrina wrote.
[ads2]
He said when they fail to deliver accurate and fair news, they are guaranteed to get punished.
“Kaya naman kapag sumablay kami sa truthfulness, accuracy, fairness at balance—mga time-honored principles sa journalism–pananabon at (in serious cases) parusa ang katapat,” Mayrina said.
Noting that reporters solely rely on their credibility to produce news, he admitted that as human as they are, they also commit mistakes, which they stand accountable for and correct.
[ads1]
“Kredibilidad ang puhunan namin sa industriyang ito. Pero nagkakamali rin kami at—mas mahalaga—umaamin, at itinatama ang pagkakamali kung meron man. Tinitindigan naming mga “mainstream journalists” ang accountability. That much, we owe our audience,” he added.
But he has this to say to those who are quick to judge mainstream media as “purveyors of fake news.”
“Pero dahil lang hindi naging pabor sa isang tao o kampo ang balita ay nagiging fake na ito. Hindi dahil ayaw niyong marinig ang ibinalita namin ay hindi na ito totoo,” he said.
“I am a mainstream journalist. And I take exception to the statement that we are purveyors of fake news,” Mayrina added.
Mayrina posted this on Facebook in reaction to GMA Network’s statements refuting Communications Asec. Mocha Uson’s claims that she was victimized by one of the network’s
fake news about her regarding her entry to a mosque with her boots on while allegedly taking a selfie.
GMA Network said that they were merely quoting ARMM Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong, who criticized Uson for taking a selfie inside the mosque in Marawi City.
[ads3]
