Maria Ressa Rejoices That She Won What She Considers The Test For Press Freedom – Can She Win For Social Relevance The Rotary 4-Way Test?

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This week, the news is that Maria Ressa, CEO of Rappler, has won her tax case at the Court of Tax Appeals; the further news is that the acquittal has been “hailed as a win for press freedom” (Dempsey Reyes & Krixia Subingsubing, “Ressa Tax Case Acquittal Hailed As A Win For Press Freedom,” 19 Jan 2023, Inquirer, newsinfo.inquirer.net). We can also say that it was a win for Peace, as Ms Maria is a Nobel Peace Prize winner (2021).

The Inquirer news says:

Rappler CEO Maria Ressa calls her acquittal on tax evasion charges on Wednesday a “ray of light, hope” amid a slew of legal battles, including the appeal of her cyber libel conviction in 2020. The Court of Tax Appeals ruled that state prosecutors failed to prove Rappler dodged payment of income taxes in a 2015 stock rights sale to foreign investors.

That was “a ruling that media watchdogs and human rights groups praised as a rare victory for press freedom and for ‘every Filipino who has ever been unjustly accused’ by the government.”

Ms Maria herself said, “Today, facts win. Truth wins.” She also said, “It is for every Filipino who has ever been unjustly accused.”

But if you ask me, all that is extremely cold comfort!

All that trouble, and much more, because Rappler has been going after “erring government officials” back in the PRRD Administration. Why not go after the good? Asking for a friend!

Why do public (and private) officials make life miserable for any journalist who practices Truth Journalism? I blame the journalists themselves! Their journalism cannot even pass The Rotary 4-Way Test! Which runs thus:
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
(“4-Way” from portal.clubrunner.ca)

Much better for their own warm comfort if journalists junked “Truth Journalism” in favor of what I call “THiNK! Journalism” inspired by Zig Ziglar, the American motivational speaker of goodwill. (A summary: “True? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary? Kind?” Journalists, THiNK!)

I wrote about it some 19 months ago; see my “Women Journalists, 'Access Is The New Civil Right'” – The Black Wall Street Times. I say, “THiNK! Before You Access” (03 May 2021, bravenewworld, blogspot.com).

(Now that I think about it some more: THiNK! can also be applied on any program or project from the public or private sector – in order to determine whether one should support it or not.)

More to the point: Why do not journalists and/or their mother agencies “investigate” public and private programs and projects so that if they approve they can help disseminate and help private people and/or parties appreciate and adopt them?

If not something like my kind of journalism, why do notjournalists practice something like the “Rotary 4-Way Journalism” instead? Asking for a friend!

Even with the Rotary 4-Way Test applied by itself, journalism should be a thriving industry – always and always, a victory for all!@517

 

 

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