A macabre political thriller recently unfolded in the Philippine province of Palawan, an island known mostly for its rich biodiversity and pristine beaches. On 9 May, Joel T Reyes, the alleged mastermind of the 2011 murder of well-known radio broadcaster Gerry Ortega, ran again for governor.
Dealing with fake news is a balancing act. On the one hand, fake news can be a serious problem as seen currently amid the COVID-19 pandemic where harmful misinformation about the virus has been spreading like wildfire. On the other hand, there’s the question of limiting the freedom of the press and hampering its ability to play watchdog.Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have gained notoriety for their lack of press freedom over the years.
Except for a few bright spots, press freedom in ASEAN continues to be a foreign concept.Self-censorship, restrictions on media access and outdated and oppressive laws are among the reasons Southeast Asia continues to lag behind their global counterparts in the World Press Freedom Index – with half the countries in the region falling one spot in the 180-country index.This year’s edition of the annual index compiled by France’s Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and published on Thursday shows tha
Fake news is a serious matter. Fake news in India, for example, has even led to the deaths of many through numerous lynching incidents. However, in dealing with fake news, there is a thin yet important line that – if crossed – encroaches into the territory of press freedom, hampering its ability to play watchdog.Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have gained notoriety for their lack of press freedom over the years.
Being a journalist has never been easy. Many of them work long hours, travel to faraway places and go through plenty of mud just to get a story. Being a journalist in Southeast Asia however, requires an even stronger character. While the rest of the world might lament that the social media fuelled media landscape helps conceive fake news, many journalists in the region are being locked up for merely reporting the truth.
Dealing with fake news is a balancing act. On the one hand, fake news can be a serious problem as seen in India where fake news has led to numerous lynching incidents. On the other hand, there’s the question of limiting the freedom of the press and hampering its ability to play watchdog.Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have gained notoriety for their lack of press freedom over the years.
