I can’t help but question can we still trust ABS-CBN, GMA-7, DZRH among other radio, TV, and print news organizations? How do we know if what’s on the headlines are straight facts or a paid press release? Considering that there are entities who offer advertising packages to candidates that include exposure, coverage, interviews via their news and public affairs activities.  

Here is a scenario, Mr. Candidate is paying TV network ACME an advertising package. Mr. Candidate wants not just airtime spots, but wants his name mentioned everywhere, everytime on TV, including news programs. Mr. Candidate pays a lot of money to ACME and ACME does not resist the offer. ACME can get away with this anyway. It’s always a valid excuse to say, media has the responsibility to deliver news to the masses.  

In return, Mr. Candidate would ask ACME to increase emphasis and exposure to anything that involves him, even bad publicities against him. After all, he’s paid the network to let him appear anytime, so he can answer and face allegations.  

Politics today is like a reality TV show, unfortunately what we see on TV is not all real. I should probably say that politics today is like a popularity contest, the more people are talking about you, and the more they see you on TV, newspapers or hear about you on the radio, the surer winner you are.  

If media has the responsibility of delivering news to us. We as people has the responsibility to scrutinize the facts before deciding. It’s like eating. Chew your food first, chew it properly, before you swallow.

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