Journalism in the Age of Media Distrust

Jack Webster Foundation Award Application

By Ali Pitargue

When I told my mother that I wanted to become a journalist, what came to her mind was a
conversation she had with a Filipino reporter named Ada Dacanay De Leon. This occurred in
Manila during the early 1990s, when the Philippines was still reeling from the ouster of ex-
dictator Ferdinand Marcos1 and his state-controlled mediascape.2 The country was in the middle
of consolidating its democracy,3 but my mother still had a hard time buying the objectivity of the
Filipino press. Amused, Ms. De Leon then told her, “You don’t have to believe what you read.
The only item in a newspaper that is actually true is the date.”

Ms. De Leon made this remark in jest, but it has been unsettling me ever since I started pursuing
journalism. This is especially in light of recent cultural shifts, transpiring over two decades after
she said this. Public distrust in media and the spread of disinformation has become
commonplace.

Still, I ground my uncertainties by minding a key role journalism plays in upholding democracy:
to provide citizens the means to make informed decisions.

I do understand why some people are weary of news. Most journalists do not intentionally skew
the facts, but often there can be missing pieces. The most dominant voices in the media originate
from institutions in power, and in the end, media distrust boils down to people feeling
underrepresented.

I don’t have an answer to mending the public’s relationship with the news, but I believe it starts
with rectifying this—to present marginalized people’s perspectives with greater depth.

My decision to pursue this field was initially to sate my longing for adventure, but I now realize
that journalism is more than that. A journalist’s job is to provide the public with a framework for
understanding the world beyond their lives. They can enable people to care about events that
happen across the globe, as well as within their communities. Journalists have the ability to
foster human connections in the stories they broadcast.

It’s been over a decade since I immigrated to Canada, but because of good journalism, I manage
to retain a connection to my motherland. I often ask myself if I still would’ve wanted to become
a journalist if I never moved away, given how Rodrigo Duterte’s government has indicted,

1
Ferdinand Marcos was the president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled as autocrat after declaring
martial law from 1972 to 1981.
2
E. San Juan Jr. (1978) Marcos and the media, Index on Censorship, 7:3, 39-47, DOI: 10.1080/03064227808532787
3
Rivera, Temario. 2002. "Transition Pathways and Democratic Consolidation in Post-Marcos Philippines."
Contemporary Southeast Asia Vol. 24 No. 3 466-483.

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imprisoned, and killed journalists that challenged his extrajudicial killings.4 I consider myself
lucky for having come to Canada, in that I can venture into this career with less worries of my
mortality. With this press freedom, I am able to uncover as many perspectives as possible.

I cannot bring myself to solidify a career goal yet. I do have an appetite for hard news and deep
diving into issues, so long-form projects are on my to-do list. So far, radio is where I shine the
most, but I am eager to become proficient in multiple avenues—video, audio, web, or print. All
have their merits, and in order for important stories to be broadcast, it wouldn’t hurt to present
them flexibly.

4
Reporters Without Borders. Holding the Line Against Duterte's Attacks. https://rsf.org/en/philippines. The
Philippines is ranked at #134 in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index.