Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Position Paper: MEDIA, THE FOURTH ESTATE SHOULD BE ALLOCATED A REGULAR BUDGET

Rationale:

Media has played and continues to play a critical role in holding at bay graft and corruption. It is a vital institution in a democracy. That’s why it is called “forth estate”. Strengthening media via budget allocation will strengthen the fight against graft and corruption and helps democracy prosper.

Points in favor of allocation of budget for Media:

- Media has helped protect the loss of billions of pesos from government funds due to the fear of exposure by media.

- Helping media therefore aids prevent malfeasance.

- Media also engenders efficiency in the delivery of services by honouring/citing the efficient and chastising the mediocre.
Suggested Use of Budget for Media:

- Training to professionalize media people; including scholarships

- Life insurance of accredited members, especially because of unsolved murder cases against media men.

- Mortuary. It is a pity to see media people begging the politicians for casket and burying expenses. Poverty, especially among provincial media could prevent more objective treatment of news.

- The AC-DC phenomenon continues as media men struggle to survive. This will hopefully disappear with budget.

- Some allocation maybe granted for lawyers’ fees in cases of libel. This fund makes media people more aggressive to expose anomalies.

- Some funds maybe allocated for equipment, vehicle and office rental, etc.

Impact of Granting Budget for Media:

- On publishers – will improve their business as there will be more media activities such as fora, trainings, travels, etc.

- Journalism colleges will flourish as there would be more enrolees eventually professionalizing media.

- Columnists, announces and writers will be more busy.

- Media personalities will be socially at par with any government functionary.

- Budget allocation will breathe meaning to media, the fourth estate.

Accountability of Media Fund Expenses:

- Media fund expenses shall be audited by COA. Just like any agency.

Negative Arguments against granting budgets for media:

- Budget allocation would make media vulnerable to pressures by government officials.

Response: Independent

Institutions of government such as Commission on Audit and the Judiciary are essentially independent in spite of receiving budgets.

Conclusion:

Based on the foregoing premises, the grant of a regular budget by congress will strengthen rather than weaken the independence of the press.

When it is strong, it is in a better position to fiscalize, and expose anomalies. Eventually, Media will help minimizing, if not eradicating graft and corruption. Other malpractices, strengthening our institutions.

In brief, providing regular budget for media is more than justified.

And its urgency increases by the day!