People have started to point fingers over yesterday’s Bus Hostage Crisis wherein several foreigners were killed by the hostage-taker, a dismissed policeman. The media is getting a lot of attention now because they “covered” the event too much and exposed the movements of the police to the hostage-taker. Reporters, news editors, and TV station executives are getting blamed for what happened yesterday. I honestly don’t think it’s fair to blame the media because ultimately they were just doing their job – to deliver the news and the story to the public. In reality the problem last night was the lack of strong leadership and crisis management.
The police partially blamed the media when they said that their movements were restricted because of the coverage and that the hostage taker was monitoring the incident via media reports. The moment they realized this they should have decided on a media blackout because they knew for a fact that the operation was being put at risk by the coverage. President Noynoy Aquino, in a statement, later said that he didn’t want to impose a news blackout because his government is all about transparency. Now here’s my problem with the entire scenario: IF A NEWS BLACKOUT WOULD HAVE SAVED LIVES, THEN IT IS THE DECISION OF THE PNP OR THE PRESIDENT TO CALL FOR IT. All it took was one word and all the coverage would stop. But did the word come? No. Why? Because of a promise to be “transparent”. Transparency should not come at the price of the lives of innocent people.
It is not the Media’s decision to do a news blackout. It goes against the very fiber of their being to do so. Journalists and reporters are trained to go after the story and to deliver it to the people to keep the public informed. They do so with a laser-like focus which sometimes gets them into trouble. However without that focus and dedication then we would just end up with mediocre reportage.
We ALL HAVE ROLES. The role of the media is to cover and deliver the news. The role of the PNP is to control situations like this. The role of the President is to step in and make sure everything is done properly especially if it’s a major crisis.
Let’s face it guys. Leadership is all about making hard decisions. Sometimes leaders make the right ones and sometimes they just don’t.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
agree
sorry, carlo, but i used to be a media practitioner, and i have to disagree with you. it’s not about putting the blame on the media, but it’s about urging them to recognize and admit that they may have made some mistakes yesterday.
YES, a director of a news show can decide, “wag muna nating i-air ‘tong video, masyadong sensitive; mamaya na lang pag edited na.” or “let’s switch to voice reports first, wala munang video.” it’s not rocket science. it just takes a person with balls to make that decision. and the person with balls doesn’t have to be in government. it can be a person in the newsroom who decides that.
of course it isn’t just the media’s fault. of course it isn’t just the police’s fault. of course, at the end of the day, it’s mostly mendoza’s fault.
i have nothing but the highest respect for media practitioners and journalists. but i also believe that there’s always, always room for improvement in everything we do, journalism and everything else. and unless we develop a culture of learning to be accountable for our actions–even when we only partially contribute to the problem–nothing will ever improve.
Sorry, pahabol lang. After the Ducat hostage-taking incident in 2007 (the one with the little kids held hostage in the schoolbus by their principal), the Philippine Center for Media Freedom & Responsibility wrote an article about covering hostage situations.
Yes it’s their (our, since I was one of them too) role to cover and deliver the news, but it can be covered and delivered responsibly. Hindi naman kailangan total news blackout, but people can decide how much to show.
I will say, though, I noticed that one of the TV5 cameraman respectfully zoomed out when the bodies were being brought out. That’s the kind of responsibility I’m talking about.
I clearly remember how I was glued to the TV when it happened and kept on mouthing that this shouldn’t be seen on live TV. There’s clearly poor management of the situation by PNP. That I believe is without question. But as the action progressed, Twitter and Facebook was flooded by calls of people to media to not show police strategy and troop position because it’s possible the hostage taker is getting all the information. Media has complete access to these network not to know these clamor for more responsible coverage of the situation. These fell on deaf ears as some news personalities twitted it’s not for them to stop the coverage but for the Police to do so. That to me sounds so full sense of irresponsibility and opportunism. This is not the first incompetent action of the PNP that we’ve seen and to think that it will be the last is being too optimistic. With this kind of PNP, I think Media should act with more sense of responsibility after receiving demands from audience not to show the assault live.
Agree. I don’t blame the media. I blame the lack of preparedness and non-existent tactics of the police.
but how can media still afford to contact, interview and act like negotiator at the height of the situation. is live reporting of blow by blow tactical ops. valid? as long as they can get away with it. meron din naman yatang pagkkulang on their part.
ha ha ha! blame game it is! sure, blame the president… Are you saying the media and the pnp or whoever are sooo stupid and irresponsible that they need to have that ‘word’ from somebody else before doing something sensible (that everybody in cyberspace are already shouting out)? my, my, my, let’s face it. i’m sure some folks out there sa media knew what they should have or shouldn’t have done. It’s all about the ratings.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not blaming the media. Everybody had their own share of mistakes – the president, the media, the pnp, etc…. I just don’t agree the media should be excused because they’re “doing their job”.
Hi Carlo,
I agree that the Police botched things up; but I also believe that “media” should accept their part in the debacle. Almost all accounts say that Mendoza became confused and agitated when he watched what was happening on TV. This triggered his rampage.
Media men have a tendency to play on the emotions of the viewers in order for their segment to sell. I think they did their job a little too well. I agree that media has an obligation to relay the news as it happens; but “people” have an obligation to make sure that their acts do not take the lives of other people. Since I’m almost sure that media men are people too, then they have the same obligation.
Just because someone is given the license to drive a car, it doesn’t mean that he can drive it recklessly. Media needs to know when to come in and when to step back; and when people’s lives are at stake, I believe that stepping back is the more prudent thing to do.
You’re also right about leadership. It’s about making the tough decisions. However, we are all called to be leaders… that includes policemen and media men.
I disagree with that Mr. Carlo,With what happened it clearly shows that most media people are not concerned with the lives at risk.. to them all they care about is a good story and exclusivity… if they cared.. they could have just televised it with a few minutes delay…
should it be a live coverage even if lives are at risk? Certainly no. They need not be told to stop broadcasting live… it is very unethical to risk the lives of others for just a good rating.
and you say “We ALL HAVE ROLES. The role of the media is to cover and deliver the news.” even if lives are at risk? that is clearly stupidity!!
“The role of the PNP is to control situations like this.” – the police were very busy in handling the situation and yet the media adds on to pressures and the problem which needs to be controlled. . . then. . . blame the police huh..?
Media should act with more sense of responsibility.
as a saying goes..”if you can not help build, do not help destroy” think about that. Would broadcasting live in a situation like that help build or destroy lives?
And so I ask, if you were the media, would you show the assault live?
I agree with rowie. We didn’t really need a complete media blackout, but, a more responsible news reporting.
The news reporters and cameramen should know which part of the action they should let the public know. We didn’t need a blow-by-blow update.
For me, the ones to blame are the PNP, the media, the usiseros, and the President for sacrificing the lives of the hostages just to maintain “transparency” in his government. If it was Gordon, GMA, Obama, even Estrada, I feel they would’ve ordered the media to stop covering the hostage situation. Tsk.
With what happened it clearly shows that most media people are not concerned with the lives at risk.. to them all they care about is a good story and exclusivity… if they cared.. they could have just televised it with a few minutes delay……
should it be a live coverage even if lives are at risk? Certainly no. They need not be told to stop broadcasting live… it is very unethical to risk the lives of others for just a good rating.
“We ALL HAVE ROLES. The role of the media is to cover and deliver the news.” even if lives are at risk? that is clearly stupidity!!
“The role of the PNP is to control situations like this.” – the police were very busy in handling the situation and yet the media adds on to the problem which needs to be controlled and then… blame the police huh..?
Media should act with more sense of responsibility.
as a saying goes..” if you can not help build, do not help destroy” does that live broadcast build or destroy lives?
so if you were the media, would you show the assault live?
Let’s get things straight, lol . . . a lot of people to blame and a lot of CLUELESS people with wrong insights:
-the MEDIA people have JOBS
-there JOB is PROVIDE NEWS however gruesome it may be, it was done but still they should have persevered more to provide in-depth coverage, ITS FOR THE AWARENESS stop covering your eyes people
-if they need to stake their lives to cover news, it should be done because it is how a good journalist/reporter needs to be, IF NOT this line is not for you
-there is no such thing as ethics or what not if you want to TELL THE TRUTH
-the HOSTAGE TAKER, good move sending the kids and others out. Lacked patience, because you’re fighting a righteous cause (if it’s true). At least he didn’t shoot any former fellow officers, bravo. But sad ending.
-the POLICE people have JOBS
-there JOB is to protect and follow protocols even if they need to put their lives on the line, which in this scenario NEVER HAPPENED
-the NEGOTIATOR did not negotiate anything, he’s just a messenger. He never pacified the hostage taker nor did he make decisions on his own to get the job done, and that is to control the situation in there favor and get the hostages A LIVE (not lifeless bodies)
-the GROUND COMMANDER did a VERY AWFUL job (it’s like watching a grade school play RTS) no strategy at all, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS LACK OF EQUIPMENT OR TRAINING if he strategized accordingly and thought over the scenario he would have either taken out the hostage taker alive, parleyed or had him dead without other people dying (I quote: “Our police force and SWAT are now a laughing stock” CNN)
-the POLICE grunts should have not played “patintero around the bus” they should have followed CROWED CONTROL protocols which covers getting the MEDIA and by-standers far, far away (like the next galaxy away) from the scene to provide safety and suppress intel. And nice move man handling “the brother” +rep for aggregating the hostage taker to killing the hostages. What’s the deal with hammering the bus windows, giving more aggregation to the hostage taker?
-the OMBUDSMAN nice call, “we’ll review your case” . . . hostage taker with gun with foreign hostages, sigh* (if I was Noynoy, I would have fired him that same day)
-the SWAT, OMG I’ll keep it short . . . they are REALLY FUNNY I saw them throw FLASHBANGS and DID NOTHING AFTERWARDS, OMG did nothing. Helloooo! Did somebody did not read the manual or something, FLASHBANGs do have a purpose “it’s to blind then take down the target – short exp”. And kindly somebody FIRE THE PERSON who ordered and thrown the TEAR GAS, it’s basically the most RETARDED MOVE (confined space, low air circulation = GAS CHAMBER for the hostages) free kill for the cops +rep, I’ll move on to the most important
-the PRESIDENT, what an awesome move not stepping in . . . FOREIGN HOSTAGES, hello? International incident coming your way, foreign trade, our economy, our OFW abroad, our country’s REPUTATION . . . hello? Real nice move, sigh*.
What a sad day for everyone, all side is accountable but more over there are people who are RESPONSIBLE and made mistakes which cost lives.
Nais ko lang ipaabot na akala moy napakagaling itong EDCEL LAGMAN na ito kung makapagsalita at tsaka sa mga AROYYO eh minana lang naman talaga ng kasalukuyang administrasyon ang kawalan ng modernong kagamitan at sapat na pagsasanay at kaalaaman ang ating kapulisan dahil nga sa bilyong bilyong naka-CORRUPT ng administrasyong ARROYO. Kung yung bilyong bilyong naka-CORRUPT sanang mga pera ay pinambili na ng mga makabagong kagamitan at pagsasanay ng ating mga kapulisan para sa pangyayaring naganap noong lunes August 23, 2010 hindi sana nangyari ito.
If we were to look at it from a competence point of view, we’d be looking at many parties to blame for incompetence. But truth of the matter is, it is a crisis situation with many variables going around. There’s no 100% surefire procedure on how to resolve this kind of a situation.
That is why I tend to look at it from the point of view of intent, not competence.
That being the case, I hope the philippine media can be punished severely.
Why them ? Because they know, very obviously, that what they show on live TV will be seen by the gunman. They also know that it will worsen the situation. They also have options to not show or report sensitve details. But they chose, willingly, to report so much details on TV. So, they dont give a d*mn about other people’s lives. If I were President, I’d push thru for the imprisonment of the president/CEO, news department head, news director, reporters, cameramen who was involved in the incident. Because any one of them could have willingly not shown sensitive video or details. Any one of them could have stopped being part of the problem.
How thick of them to blame the government or police for not enforcing media blackout or media control. It’s like saying … we’re supposed to be a**holes, blame the government for not stopping us for acting like a**holes.
Are they at fault for the murder ? No. But the situation would have turned out a lot better if they didnt poke their noses into it.
To paraphrase the above. Did they kill the victims ? No. But they encouraged him to.
In my mind, they are accomplices to the crime. Because they know full well the possible consequences of their actions.
As far as the police or the negotiating team are concerned. Obviously, we are all not pleased with their skills or what happened. But I believe every one of them acted with the intent of saving lives and having the best possible outcome. You have to consider that the policemen put their own lives at risk in doing these things.
It’s a chaotic situation. Things dont go as planned. At least they had the right intent.
Obviously, the same cannot be said for Philippine media.
As expected, the philippine media publish reports or opinions saying their actions were justified. As expected, they dont show opposing views. They control the media, after all.
Starting immediately, I will specifically watch the advertisements during the news shows and boycott all products being advertised during these programs. That way, I will be expressing my protest for how they handled the situation. I hope everybody can do the same.