Philippine media under attack: Press freedom after two years of Duterte

Summary

The transcript explores the growing tensions between Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's administration and the media. It highlights a series of attacks, threats, and legal actions taken against journalists and media organizations that have reported critically on Duterte’s policies, particularly his controversial war on drugs. The narrative touches on the weaponization of social media to discredit journalists, the spread of misinformation, and the rise of online harassment. Despite these challenges, the press continues to resist, with journalists standing firm in their commitment to report the truth, even amid threats of violence and death.

Takeaways

• 🗞️ The Philippine media is facing a new normal of antagonism from the government, with a record of 85 cases of attacks and threats against the press.
• 🔍 Nine journalists have been killed, and there have been numerous libel cases, online harassment, and intimidation tactics used against media personnel.
• 📰 The Philippine Daily Inquirer, the newspaper with the largest circulation, has been a primary target of public attacks by President Duterte.
• 📺 President Duterte has threatened to block the franchise renewal of the country's largest TV network, ABS-CBN, accusing it of swindling and bias.
• ⚖️ The government has used legal means such as revoking licenses and accusing media outlets of libel and tax evasion to suppress critical voices.
• 💬 Social media has been weaponized to target journalists and spread disinformation, with terms like 'fake news' and 'prostitute' being used to discredit them.
• 🌐 Foreign correspondents have been barred from covering press conferences, and online attacks have become personal, focusing on the appearance and gender of female journalists.
• 📈 There has been a significant drop in public trust in the media, with the government's propaganda efforts seemingly successful in shaping public opinion.
• 📉 The Philippines slid six spots in the World Press Freedom Index, indicating a decline in press freedom under the Duterte administration.
• 🔒 Despite threats and harassment, journalists in the Philippines continue to report on critical issues and stand their ground against intimidation.

Q & A

What is the main concern raised in the transcript about the Philippine media?

The transcript raises concerns about the increasing attacks, threats, and intimidation against the Philippine media, including killings, libel cases, online harassment, and surveillance of journalists and media agencies.

How many journalists have been killed as per the records mentioned in the transcript?

According to the transcript, nine journalists have been killed.

What specific actions has the Duterte administration taken against the Philippine Daily Inquirer?

The Duterte administration has publicly criticized the Philippine Daily Inquirer over reports it deems unfair, accused the Prieto family of owing taxes, and threatened to block the renewal of its franchise.

What is the significance of the ABS-CBN franchise issue mentioned in the transcript?

The transcript mentions that President Duterte warned he would block the renewal of ABS-CBN's franchise, accusing the network of swindling and not airing his political ads during the 2016 campaign, despite being paid for.

What allegations were made against Rappler in the transcript?

Rappler was accused of being a fake news outlet, of being fully owned by Americans which would violate the 1987 Philippine Constitution, and its license to operate was revoked by the Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly violating the Constitution and the anti-dummy law.

How has social media been weaponized against journalists as described in the transcript?

Social media has been weaponized by state propaganda, trolls, and click farms targeting journalists and dissenters with systematic attacks, including the use of derogatory terms, misinformation, and cyber attacks.

What is the term 'byran' used for in the context of the transcript?

In the context of the transcript, 'byran' is a term used in social media attacks against journalists, derived from a wordplay of 'press' and 'prostitute', implying bias or corruption in journalism.

How has the Duterte administration's approach to the media affected public trust according to the transcript?

The transcript suggests that the Duterte administration's actions have eroded public trust in the media, with extreme trust in the government almost tripling since 2015, while trust in the media has dropped for the first time in history.

What challenges do journalists face as described in the transcript?

Journalists face various challenges including harassment, online threats, accusations of bias, being called fake news, sexual harassment, and threats to their families, as detailed in the transcript.

What is the transcript's stance on the state of press freedom in the Philippines under the Duterte administration?

The transcript portrays a negative stance on press freedom, suggesting that the Duterte administration has created a toxic environment for journalists through online attacks, legal harassment, and attempts to control media outlets.

Outlines

00:00

📰 Press Freedom Under Attack in the Philippines

The first paragraph discusses the deteriorating state of press freedom in the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte's administration. It highlights the increasing number of attacks and threats against journalists, with at least 85 cases recorded, including the killing of nine journalists. The Philippine Daily Inquirer and ABS-CBN are specifically targeted for their critical reporting. The government is accused of using legal harassment, online attacks, and attempts at corporate takeovers to silence the press. The paragraph also mentions Duterte's public rants against the media and his false claims about ABS-CBN's ownership, leading to the revocation of its license to operate.

05:02

🔍 Online Harassment and Social Media Manipulation

The second paragraph delves into the use of social media as a tool for harassment and propaganda by the Duterte administration. It details how journalists are targeted with online attacks, including libel accusations, tax evasion allegations, and personal insults. The paragraph also discusses the role of state propaganda and troll armies in creating a toxic online environment, where dissenting voices are silenced through hate speech and misinformation. The paragraph provides examples of journalists who have been personally attacked, their photos manipulated, and their credibility questioned, all part of a broader strategy to discredit the media and suppress freedom of the press.

10:06

🛡️ Journalists' Resilience Amidst Intimidation

The third paragraph underscores the resilience of journalists in the face of ongoing intimidation and harassment. It describes how journalists continue to report despite threats, accusations of bias, and personal attacks. The paragraph also touches on the impact of these attacks on journalists' families and the broader implications for press freedom and democracy in the Philippines. Despite the administration's claims of a thriving democracy and press freedom, the data and experiences of journalists paint a different picture, one of a media landscape under siege and a government that uses its power to suppress critical voices.

Keywords

💡Press Freedom

Press freedom refers to the ability of journalists and media organizations to report news without censorship, restraint, or punishment from the government. In the video, press freedom is a central theme, as it highlights the challenges faced by journalists in the Philippines under the Duterte administration. The script mentions numerous cases of attacks, threats, and legal actions against the press, illustrating the erosion of press freedom.

💡Libel Cases

Libel cases are legal actions brought against individuals or entities for making false and damaging statements about others. In the context of the video, libel cases are used as a tool to intimidate journalists and suppress critical reporting. The script cites 15-16 libel cases as part of the broader pattern of attacks against the press.

💡Online Harassment

Online harassment involves the use of digital platforms to threaten, bully, or otherwise harm individuals. The video discusses how journalists in the Philippines have been subjected to online harassment, including death threats and misogynistic attacks, as part of a broader campaign to silence critical voices.

💡Intimidation

Intimidation is the act of instilling fear or apprehension in someone, often to deter them from a course of action. The script describes instances of intimidation, such as the revocation of media franchises and the public shaming of journalists, as tactics used by the government to suppress press freedom.

💡Media Takeovers

Media takeovers refer to attempts by governments or other entities to gain control over media outlets. The video mentions the Duterte administration's efforts to take over media groups, such as the Philippine Daily Inquirer, as a means to control the narrative and limit press freedom.

💡Fake News

Fake news is false information that is presented as news, often with the intent to deceive. In the video, the term 'fake news' is used by the Duterte administration to discredit critical reporting and journalists. The script shows how this label is applied to any news that is unfavorable to the government, regardless of its accuracy.

💡Social Media Propaganda

Social media propaganda involves the use of social platforms to spread biased or misleading information. The video discusses how the Duterte administration has weaponized social media to target journalists and critics, using tactics such as coordinated online attacks and the spread of disinformation.

💡Duterte Administration

The Duterte administration refers to the government led by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. The video highlights how this administration has been antagonistic towards the press, using various tactics to suppress critical reporting and undermine press freedom.

💡Cyber Attacks

Cyber attacks are attempts to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems or networks. The script mentions cyber attacks against news organizations as part of the broader pattern of intimidation and harassment faced by journalists in the Philippines.

💡Misogynistic Attacks

Misogynistic attacks are those that are directed against women, often involving sexism or prejudice. The video describes how female journalists are frequent targets of such attacks, both online and offline, as part of the efforts to discredit and intimidate them.

💡Weaponized Internet

Weaponized internet refers to the use of digital platforms to spread hate, disinformation, or to attack individuals or groups. The video discusses how the internet, which was once a marketplace of ideas, has been turned into a toxic environment by the Duterte administration to suppress press freedom.

Highlights

Press freedom in the Philippines under Rodrigo Duterte's administration has been under attack with a record of at least 85 cases of attacks and threats against the press.

Nine journalists have been killed, and there have been 15-16 libel cases, 14 cases of online harassment, and 11 cases of website blockage or revoked franchise.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer, the newspaper with the largest circulation, faced public criticism from Duterte for its drug war coverage.

Duterte accused the Inquirer's owners of owing billions in taxes and has focused his tirades on them.

ABS-CBN, the country's biggest TV network, faced threats from Duterte to block the renewal of its franchise.

Duterte made false claims that ABS-CBN was fully owned by Americans, violating the 1987 Constitution.

The Securities and Exchange Commission revoked Rappler's license to operate, citing alleged violations of the Constitution and the anti-dummy law.

Rappler was labeled as a 'fake news' outlet by Duterte and was banned from covering him in public places.

The Duterte administration has weaponized social media to target journalists and critics, using state propaganda and trolls.

A surge in the use of derogatory terms like 'biased' and 'prostitute' was observed on social media, targeting critical journalists.

Cyber attacks, such as hacking and DDoS attacks, were used against news organizations that published critical stories.

Journalists faced personal attacks, including misogynistic and sexual harassment, particularly targeting female reporters.

Influencers and propagandists led online attacks, discrediting journalists and the issues they report on.

Public trust in the media dropped for the first time in history, according to the 2017 Philippine Trust Index.

Despite concerns over media repression, the Duterte administration insists that press freedom is alive and well in the Philippines.

Journalists have reported numerous threats, including harassment, accusations of bias, and even death threats, for their work.

Despite the threats, journalists remain committed to reporting, with many stating that nothing will stop them from doing their job.

Transcripts

press freedom freedom Caillou number one

magnify yes only you repeated press

freedom you you're [ __ ] you look up

the Emperor Coppola mutiny no don't tell

the media you know you have to know my

sentiments [ __ ] you

the doterra government is setting a new

normal in its antagonistic relationship

with Philippine media in Rodrigo to

theaters first 22 months for Media

Group's record at least 85 cases of

attacks and threats against the press

our groups have recorded the killing of

nine journalists 15 16 libel cases 14

cases of online harassment 11 Empress

six-layer pants six cases of harassment

five cases of intimidation 5k four cases

of website about revoked registration or

denied franchise menu one verbal abuse

strafing and police surveillance of

journalists and media agencies first to

feel that their this anger the newspaper

with the largest circulation the

Philippine Daily Inquirer in this first

State of the Nation Address in 2016

the directive announces the Enquirer's

pietà like running a photo of a victim

of his war on drugs and you are

portrayed in a broadsheet number on what

their Mirek red lady

got a barrel Jesus Christ Union money

the drama hunted in March 2017

Duterte once again publicly rants

against the newspaper over reports he

insists are unfair you've never been the

thirty eventually focuses his tirades

and the owners of the Enquirer accusing

the Prieta family of owing the

government billion pesos in taxes young

enquiring I don't know but marijuana

comes up the bolita now my bill Elena

Lupin's a goober no and banana and lungs

with sweetheart Dana

they went for glory during the lab

analyst Amato it's an early in not long

after the pre Attis announced it is in

talks to sell their majority share in

the Enquirer to Ramon on a businessman

friend of the President Duterte

also turns his iron the country's

biggest TV network abs-cbn in April 2017

president pathetic warns that he will

block the renewal of abs-cbn s franchise

which is set to expire in 2020 the dirty

accuses the network of swindling

claiming abs-cbn did not show his

political ads during the 2016 campaign

season even though these were already

paid for real and not upon at Milazzo

feed Rodrigo Duterte President of the

Republic of the Philippines during his

second State of the Nation Address in

July 2017 the Delta echoes a popular yet

false claim by his online defenders

the traveler is fully owned by Americans

a violation of the 1987 Constitution you

know but in just paper they are supposed

to be 100% Filipino and yet when you

start to fear their identity it is Paulo

fully owned by America in January 2018

the Securities and Exchange Commission

announces it is revoking Rattlers

license to operate for allegedly

violating the Constitution and the anti

dummy law wrappers case is pending

before the court of appeals in one of

his frequent rants new Terry calls

rattler a fake news outlet and

eventually bans rapper from entering the

palace and covering him in public places

fake news I am NOT surprised that your

articles are also fake

there is of an MVC idea

[Music]

well I'm gonna be Ponyville master it

doesn't stop there

after the SEC decision several other

government agencies go after a blur

accusing the website of libel and tax

evasion in April 2018 the Philippine

government also bars journalists of the

foreign correspondents Association of

the Philippines from covering a press

conference in Singapore Rodrigo Duterte

is the first candidate to effectively

harness social media to win the

presidency as early as July 2016 the

same network that put him in power is

weaponized targeting journalists and

anyone deemed critical of the President

all the newsroom attacks happen in this

highly charged political climate were

state propaganda boosted by trolls and

click farms systematically target

dissent grapplers data shows a surge in

the use of the words by Iran or being

paid by lawan or being pro Liberal Party

and biased and social media at its peak

the term bias is used in 30,000 comments

in a single day within groups and pages

Rattler monitored almost 50,000 posts

and more than 1.8 million comments used

the term by Iran by August 2016 key

figures from the detector campaign

popularized another term used in attacks

prostitutes a wordplay of press and

prostitute this graph shows the spike in

the use of the word prostitute after the

territory defenders spread the mean

Facebook posts of journalists and

activists deemed critical of the turret

and his allies are also being mass

reported Facebook responds by taking

down these posts cyber attacks are also

use against news organizations the

website of kadal Productions is hacked

while Vera files is taken down by a

distributed denial of service or DDoS

attack shortly after posting a story

critical

Duterte for reporting that a president

likened himself to dictator Adolf Hitler

mug shots Reuters correspondents Manny

Moe Gatto and Karen lemma are spread on

social media

mojitos Facebook account is also hacked

and the face by still unidentified

groups the hackers changed his cover

photo to that of a pro to tear the

Facebook page logo and celebrity Pro to

tear the blogger maka asan in September

2017 trolls target veteran journalist

Karen Davila after she makes a comment

about the president's son Paulo de terre

claim the younger duterte is implicated

in a Bureau of Customs drug trafficking

controversy a senator claims his tattoo

is proof of his membership in a Chinese

Triad Paulus replied to develop smacks

of sexist innuendo he'll show her his

tattoo on the condition that it will

just be the two of them in a hotel room

in November 2017 inquiry journalist

Patricia Ann Rojas writes about a rally

denouncing the president's war on drugs

organized by Roman Catholic priests and

nuns under their the propaganda Stags

her story as fake news accusing her of

using a photo from another rally through

asleep readers this messaging is quickly

echoed by the Turkish keyboard army

online others copy-paste incendiary

posts and re-upload the photo Rajas

maintains the photo she took are real

she also asks the columnist to correct

the mistake and apologized publicly the

columnist only takes down his post that

tax and Rajas continued long after that

female journalists are frequent targets

of misogynistic attacks online for

comments and critical reports that don't

sit well with the president supporters

rappers PR nada and Maria Reza and Al

Jazeera's Jamela Allen doggin were often

memed

and insulted in social media the attacks

against Ranade Allen doggin and Reza are

personal and focused on their looks

Allen Dogon is tagged as Rhett Okada a

derogatory Filipino word for people who

under

when plastic surgery they show before

and after photos of Alan Logan the

before photo is not her Ranade receives

death and rape threats and featured and

sexualized means

you are publishing fake information to

miss commented Reza is malign for a

filipino-american background her looks

and her skin she receives as many as 90

hate messages per hour many of these

online attacks were led by influential

bloggers and propagandists who set the

tone messaging and the target veteran

journalist raissa Robles has been on the

receiving end of attacks and harassment

by protected social media personalities

and netizens since May 2016 Robles is a

vocal critic of the Turkish war on drugs

and his political party's plans to push

for charter change since May 2016 social

media personalities have been

challenging Robles s credibility as a

journalist she is accused of being a

propagandist for the opposition and her

story stag this fake news some posts and

comments graphically wish for her death

where reality comes up short

the propaganda machinery invents Prada

tear the pages also spread the mean that

insinuates collusion between Renata and

Robles because the latter is supposedly

her mother-in-law Renata's husband

carries the same surname as Robles these

online attacks as well as the doTERRA

administration spy raids against the

media proved effective in discrediting

journalists and the legitimate issues

they report on according to the EON

group's 2017 Philippine trust index

extreme trust in the Philippine

government almost triples since 2015 for

decades

trust in the media had been considerably

higher but thus trusts in the government

source public confidence in the media

drops for the first time in the indexes

history trusts in the government is at

par with the media the

study also shows that the majority of

online conversations about the media

involve government related issues with

government personalities often lambaste

in the media journalist organizations

international publications legislators

and human rights groups here and abroad

voiced concern over creeping media

repression in the Philippines the

Philippines also slides six spots in the

2018 World Press Freedom Index by media

watchdog reporters without borders

despite all these the doterra

administration insists democracy and

press freedom is alive and well in the

country I record will stand for itself

we have taken steps por para Paragon and

GU hai na ma mama Mahad well

onomatopoeia hulu mama Mahad

I'm Presidente in the elected Amanda

land library I don't Time magazine a

talk about this spot since when since

when did I send somebody to prison for

just talking against me but the data

tells a different story

Duterte has single-handedly eroded

public trust in the media his

administration weaponized the internet

from a marketplace of ideas to a toxic

environment of hate misogyny and

intolerance it also uses its political

power to intimidate and muzzle the press

through online attacks and try media

attacks legal harassment attempts at

corporate takeovers and threats of

franchise shutdowns

but despite the threats journalists are

standing their ground

have you ever been harassed because of

your work yes have you been threatened

online I Oh have you been called bias

yes have you been called stupid yes many

times by idiots

have you been called disrespectful yes

have you been accused of corruption yes

have you been called ugly as a response

to any story yes have you been called

fake news oh yeah we same fake news

anything that's critical is fake right

have you been accused of being an

imperialist spy yes have you been

accused of being a communist operative

yes have you been accused of working for

the CIA yes have you been sexually

harassed as a journalist yes has your

family been threatened harassed or

alluded to yes it has specifically my

daughter when she died there were a lot

of people who made fun of that have you

been threatened with the ring yes yes no

not me but my family have you been

threatened with violence yes have you

been threatened with death yes have you

been told how you're going to be killed

yes as the violence been described to

you yeah blew my head off

or burn your life what will stop you

from reporting nothing nothing nothing

yes do you have to kill me