Senator Grace Poe has underscored the vital role of print media as a source of credible information in the era of fake news.
Poe issued this reminder at the induction of officers and general membership meeting of the United Print and Multimedia Group at the Manila Hotel on Wednesday, March 26.
“Print remains essential in media today, because it is seen as a bastion of accountability and responsibility,” Poe said.
“Indeed, the distinct feature of social media is speed; the content creator’s objective is to go viral; and the spreading of information or misinformation is easily facilitated by clicking the share button,” the senator said.
However, Poe said ethical practices in journalism, most important of which is fact-checking, are consistently upheld in print media.
“This is probably why print media is trusted and can confidently brand themselves as the guardians of truth,” she added.
It has also been observed that traditional print and broadcast media brand have been more resilient to accusations of fake news as compared to social media platforms and digital news outlets.
Nevertheless, Poe noted that what occurs in the digital world affects those in the non-digital arena and can affect public opinion, sell a product, or elect a candidate.
Still, she said freedom of information and access to accurate and correct information are vital to a democratic state such as the Philippines.
“The power to choose and choose wisely is built upon the premise that ordinary citizens are presented with all the facts," she said.
Poe also reminded that online platforms like Facebook and Tiktok only facilitate the spreading of information and the responsibility for the content still lies with the journalists, bloggers, or the ordinary people behind these articles or accounts.
“The same is true for print media. Your role has not been diminished with the passage of time and technology. It is still is as important today as it was yesterday," Poe added.
The lawmaker recalled that a January 2023 global study of 10,000 consumers commissioned by Two Sides and conducted online by the independent research company, Toluna, showed that 71 percent of respondents believe reading printed materials offers a deeper understanding of the stories.
Considering this study, Poe said she believes print and digital media are complementary, and not mutually exclusive.
“Print media’s virtues of depth, thoroughness, and trust can be married to the speed and wide reach of social media,” she pointed out.
“But I leave that up to the competent minds on how to best integrate print with digital campaigns, and leverage the strengths of each,” she said.