Curbing press freedom

I currently have a new use of my free time - teaching college students. It has been a joy, really, trying out something new. It’s basically all new to me, the environment of the academe and being in the niche of young people. Sometimes it comes so new to me, that I often find myself dabbling in unknown terms and concepts.

In one of the first few meetings, I asked them why take Communication? The answers amazed me as their reasons varied. Others wanted to try out something new, deviating from the life of doing science and technology in their high school years. Others had dreams of working in the media industry as producers and reporters but those dreams were shattered by the reality of the job --it doesn't pay well and the risks are high.

Of course, I had to appease them and explain to them otherwise that the job is fulfilling and all instances matter on a case-to-case basis. But in light of the recent events with the government threatening the franchise of a broadcast company seeking renewal, I also ask myself; is the job really worth it?

If I back up all my opinion on what I have also learned in college, I personally feel that this is an attack on press freedom. The constitution clearly states that we are supposed to have freedom of the press and that it is the fourth estate - as the watch dog against the government. But the situation now is the contrary with the media being controlled by the government in a subtle way. Of course, they won't admit it. But that is the way it is, content is being manipulated. If they tell the truth they are being tagged as fake and sometimes called out in speeches. It isn't supposed to be this way.

The media and all its other forms is supposed to be a reflection of the public and what it ought to know. Journalists owe it to the people to give the right information. We live in a day and age where it is so easy to fool individuals with made-up information that becomes easy to comprehend. It pays to be an informed citizen.

With all this going on, how can I tell the next generation that we are in an okay society? It is hard to sugarcoat the truth that the way things work today aren’t normal. We are in a subtle martial law, and we won’t even admit it. The promises made by the administration before they occupied their positions are gone, like false hopes. Indeed, we hoped for the best but got this instead. I know we deserve more than what we have now. Yes, we must have faith in our leaders but they cannot curb press freedom just because they want to.