By: Jeunesse San Juan
Photo By: Dreamsline Stock Photography
The Philippine press is considered to be the freest in Asia. Alongside the many technological advancements that globalization has brought to us today, journalism has taken it to the next level of adapting that freedom to the freedom of the internet with online journalism. Online journalism, as compared to print, gives both the reader and the writer more power to be involved in the news. But then as the saying always goes, ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ Does this imply a higher degree of self-regulation that online journalists must impose upon themselves? Or does it simply imply that the articles involving print media in the Philippine constitution are not applicable to its online counterpart?
The term ‘mass media’ in the Philippine constitution is referred to as any medium of communication, a newspaper, radio, motion pictures, television, designed to reach the masses and that tends to set standards, ideals and aims of the masses. As of the moment, the Philippine constitution does not recognize the internet as a form of mass media. Though the internet is constructed similarly to how mass media is defined, involving not only transmittal but also the creation or publication, gathering and distribution of news, information, messages and other forms of communication to the general public, it does not fall under the coverage of the constitutional mandate because its ownership and management is not limited to Philippine citizens or wholly-owned and managed Philippine corporations. This is the precise reason on how we can argue that currently existing media laws should not be applied to online journalism.
A substitute to the existent media laws could be a higher internet regulatory body that separates and accredits legit online journalists from sites that are merely for personal uses. Certified online journalists would be given publishing rights over the internet, and media laws specific for online circumstances could then be applied to registered and certified online practitioners. This regulatory body could be part of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) or could be from a funded branch of the United Nations.
With the formation of this regulatory body many questions might arise as to the application of laws to websites for private use. Of course laws would still be imposed upon those posting fraudulent and malicious content on private and/ or personal sites, but it would have to be taken on a case-to-case basis. Violators of online journalistic codes, however, would be facing criminal charges against the government of the country the owner of the site is currently located.
Though the proposal of this institution is rather optimistic, it is a clear solution on how mass media laws could be applied to online publications. The World Wide Web gives its participants so much freedom that it becomes difficult to make such technology of good use to the Philippine society. Come to think of it, absolute freedom does not exist. What print and online media journalists should exercise is the freedom to do what is right. In the same light, this freedom will be the same freedom that will lift the society up from mediocrity, ignorance, and blindness from the truth.
Photo By: Dreamsline Stock Photography
The Philippine press is considered to be the freest in Asia. Alongside the many technological advancements that globalization has brought to us today, journalism has taken it to the next level of adapting that freedom to the freedom of the internet with online journalism. Online journalism, as compared to print, gives both the reader and the writer more power to be involved in the news. But then as the saying always goes, ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ Does this imply a higher degree of self-regulation that online journalists must impose upon themselves? Or does it simply imply that the articles involving print media in the Philippine constitution are not applicable to its online counterpart?
The term ‘mass media’ in the Philippine constitution is referred to as any medium of communication, a newspaper, radio, motion pictures, television, designed to reach the masses and that tends to set standards, ideals and aims of the masses. As of the moment, the Philippine constitution does not recognize the internet as a form of mass media. Though the internet is constructed similarly to how mass media is defined, involving not only transmittal but also the creation or publication, gathering and distribution of news, information, messages and other forms of communication to the general public, it does not fall under the coverage of the constitutional mandate because its ownership and management is not limited to Philippine citizens or wholly-owned and managed Philippine corporations. This is the precise reason on how we can argue that currently existing media laws should not be applied to online journalism.
A substitute to the existent media laws could be a higher internet regulatory body that separates and accredits legit online journalists from sites that are merely for personal uses. Certified online journalists would be given publishing rights over the internet, and media laws specific for online circumstances could then be applied to registered and certified online practitioners. This regulatory body could be part of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) or could be from a funded branch of the United Nations.
With the formation of this regulatory body many questions might arise as to the application of laws to websites for private use. Of course laws would still be imposed upon those posting fraudulent and malicious content on private and/ or personal sites, but it would have to be taken on a case-to-case basis. Violators of online journalistic codes, however, would be facing criminal charges against the government of the country the owner of the site is currently located.
Though the proposal of this institution is rather optimistic, it is a clear solution on how mass media laws could be applied to online publications. The World Wide Web gives its participants so much freedom that it becomes difficult to make such technology of good use to the Philippine society. Come to think of it, absolute freedom does not exist. What print and online media journalists should exercise is the freedom to do what is right. In the same light, this freedom will be the same freedom that will lift the society up from mediocrity, ignorance, and blindness from the truth.
