WHY ARE MEDIA AND

INFORMATION IMPORTANT IN
A DEMOCRACY?
MIDTERM : Lesson 1
LMS – MODULE 2 –LESSON 5
At the end of the lesson, you will be able
to:
• explain the importance of free and independent press media and information in a
democracy
• analyze the dangers brought about by the emergence of post-truth and
alternative facts
• summarize basic journalistic standards and principles
• justify the need for freedom of expression, editorial independence, plurality, and
diversity
Freedom of Speech, Freedom
of expression, and Freedom
of the Press in Philippines
• Democracy comes from the Greek word “demos” and “kratos”
which means “rule of the people.”  In a democracy, the
people become the source of power and legitimacy for
government leaders (best demonstrated by the process of
election).
 Freedom of Speech, Freedom of expression,
and Freedom of the Press in Philippines
“No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech,
of expression, and of the press, and the right of the
people peaceably to assemble to petition the government
for redress of grievances.”
- Bill of Rights - Article III, Section 4
 Freedom of Speech, Freedom of expression,
and Freedom of the Press in Philippines
“The right of the people to information on matters of public
concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to
documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or
decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis
for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to
such limitations as may be provided by law.”
- Bill of Rights - Article III, Section 7
• Political leaders are held accountable for their words,
actions, and decisions as public officials. But the workings
of the government can be complex, and the role of a free and
independent press is to closely monitor the government and constantly
keep the people informed. Therefore, the press is traditionally referred
to as the “fourth estate.” It is the branch of power representing the
people. Media act as the people’s watchdogs and “visualizers.” Social
media has also given people direct ways to petition the government.
• The government is prohibited from restricting the freedom of the 
press, but it has put in place some legal boundaries to this right.
Among them are laws that impose penalties for libel or slander.
• LIBEL - a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written
defamation.
• SLANDER - the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's
reputation.
• Journalists are risking their lives doing what they are meant to do–
to give relevant and meaningful information which can help
the public make informed decisions. 
• The biggest threat to press freedom in the Philippines is violence against
journalists. A 2015 report by the UN Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
ranked our country as the third most dangerous country for journalists,
topped only by Iraq and Syria. The CPJ has also called the Maguindanao
Massacre (also known as the Ampatuan Massacre), which happened on
November 23, 2009, “the single deadliest event for journalists in history”
where 34 of the 58 killed were journalists.
• Since 1992, there have been 78 verified cases of Filipino journalists killed in
the line of duty, most of them print and radio journalists in the regions. 62%
of these victims covered politics and 42% covered corruption. This is cause
for concern not only because it undermines the freedom of the press but
also because it proves that our democratic ideals are still far from being
achieved.
Emerging Threats: Post-truth and
Alternative Facts
• The Oxford Dictionary declared “post-truth” the 2016 Word of the
Year because of the rise of public opinions based
on personal and political convictions that reject and disregard facts. 
• Post-truths, dubbed “alternative facts” by the infamous
Counselor to the US President Kellyanne Conway,
are incorrect/inaccurate statements that pose a threat to an informed
community when amplified through social media, fake news websites, and
trolls hiding behind multiple bogus accounts.
EXAMPLE OF bogus accounts
Basic Journalistic Principles and
Practices
• Freedom of the press means freedom from interference by the government. It is
in the best interest of a democratic government to have an informed people
because ultimately, they are the ones who hold the power.
• Media and information literacy is important because it enables the public to
evaluate/ assess the information given to them and to recognize erroneous, false,
or problematic ways of delivering information.
The basic journalistic standards and
principles:
The basic journalistic standards and
principles:
1.Fair and Balanced Reporting. This includes attribution and data triangulation. Neutrality does not mean that a
journalist is prohibited from having an opinion; rather, it means that the methods used in reporting a news
story must be objective. Great efforts must be made to pursue, verify, and present the different facts and angles of a
story.
2.Editorial Independence. This is defined as the concept that editors should have full authority over the content of
the publication. How completely this is practiced is the topic of many discussions on media, but what is most
important is that editorial independence is a long-standing ideal that media organizations, practitioners, and
owners strive for.
In the local scene, while you may notice that the top two networks would not report about the stars and programs
of their rival station, hard news stories are almost always carried by both networks, and it will be considered a
breach of journalism ethics for owners to prevent their reporters and editors from covering a story for purely
personal reasons.
3.Plurality and Diversity. Media must serve all people regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, language, or culture.
Information must not allow only one or a few groups to dominate over the rest. Part of the responsibilities of media
is to encourage members of different ethnic, racial, religious, and sold social groups to participate in nation-
building.