The president of the Philippines has called on the media to shun sensationalism and make more effort to balance negative news with positive stories
Addressing delegates at an event celebrating 25 years of the Philippine news program TV Patrol, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III said: “Today, more than ever, we need people to make a commitment to a higher standard in journalism. I am not saying that media should be there to praise the government all the time. But the news shouldn’t be about competing with other outlets on who can sell the most negative headlines.”
He added: “How long can an audience withstand negativism day in and day out?… The media, the government, and the people must work together to create an environment of positive, progressive discourse between them. We must veer away from negativity and sensationalism,” he said. “Since when did it become bad to report good news?”
