'Constructive' approach to reporting PHL-China dispute sought

From GMA News (Aug 27): 'Constructive' approach to reporting PHL-China dispute sought

Philippine media should be "constructive" in writing stories about the country's months-long territorial dispute with China over portions of the South China Sea, a security analyst said Tuesday.

For one, local journalists should avoid describing China as a “bully,” said Prof. Rommel Banlaoi, vice president of the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies.

“For me, the term 'bully' will not contribute. You have to deal with China in a constructive manner," Banlaoi addressed journalists who attended the Red Cross Award for Humanitarian Reporting.

He said the South China Sea issue has aroused in countries involved in overlapping territorial claims a sense of nationalism that "exacerbates the increasing anxiety in the South China Sea."

"The South China sea dispute, in my opinion, cannot be resolved peacefully if claimants are driven by nationalistic and ethnocentric sovereign agenda," Banlaoi said.

The media's mistake, he said, is to "reinforce this brand of popular nationalism that is counter-productive in the peaceful resolution of the maritime dispute."

"Media bytes, pieces, and quotes that reinforce this brand of popular nationalism do not contribute in the creation of a public environment conducive to the promotion of peace and security," Banlaoi pointed out.

He even warned that the media, through its reports, could unintentionally encourage "racial hatred, prejudices and contempt," Banlaoi said.

Banlaoi cited the Chinese newspaper "People's Daily," which he said described the Philippines a "loud, noisy crying baby that deserved to be fed." He said the Chinese media has depicted the Philippines as an "enemy" in the dispute.

"Many Chinese media report the Philippines as the attacker, provocateur, troublemaker, in the South China Sea. The Philippines is also being criticized by China for inviting the world's worst troublemaker - the United States," Banlaoi said.

In the end, he urged both countries should work together in correcting the media reportage on the dispute.

"Both countries had to view the South China sea as a water that unites rather than divides the countries," he said.

War, conflict reporting

More than reportage on territorial dispute, the media's role in covering conflict and war was also discussed in the event.

Ed Lingao, multimedia director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, noted the distinction between war reporting and conflict reporting. He said the first deals simply with covering the war while the latter talks about the conflict that caused the war and its solutions.

A veteran war reporter who has gone to Afghanistan and Iraq, Lingao said among the problems of journalists in covering war are lack of background knowledge, being insensitive to the victims, and the "macho" bully nature of war journalists.

"You must listen, learn and analyze. A lot of reporters think they're just here because they're here to represent the network. But in the end, you have to (ask), 'Why are you really here?' You're here to listen, learn, think and then you report," Lingao said.

Lingao also said war reporters should primarily write for the victims "who need the writing the most."

"Who are we really writing for? Combatants? Military victims? Policy makers? Public readers? In the end, we're writing for all of them. But I think you need an order of priorities. Who needs writing the most? I would think those who need your writing are those who are most in need, the victims," Lingao said.

Meanwhile, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines chairperson Rowena Paraan said reporters should also report "the solutions to the war, not just the war."

According to Paraan, reporters should avoid exaggerating the emotions in a story, oversimplifying reports, being one-sided and selective, and creating confusion.

Reporters should also do more verifying on reports, at the same time not rely on press releases and media briefings and find more sources to complete a story, Paraan added.

"(A war reporter) should look at the political situation under which he is performing his duty and address the situation," Paraan said.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/323824/news/nation/constructive-approach-to-reporting-phl-china-dispute-sought