Through the initiative of Office of Public Affairs, the 鱿鱼视频app featured seasoned documentarists Jay Taruc and Cesar Apolinario in the second leg of the Digital Media Leadership Series last October 20, 2017 (Friday) at the Dr. Robert C. Sy Grand Ballroom, Buenaventura G. Paredes, OP Building.
鈥楴o story is worth dying for鈥�
According to Taruc and Apolinario, there were stories that risked their lives. Moreover, Taruc said it is important for every aspiring journalists/reporters to examine themselves first and must have a reason to what they will do. 鈥淸You] always have to ask yourself: 鈥榃hy am I doing this at the first place? Why am I in this field? Why am I telling the story? Mahalaga ba ito?’鈥�
Apolinario added that reporters must be always cautious and, at the same time, backed with courage. 鈥淣o story is worth dying for,鈥� he said.
Keeping emotions in every reportage
While in the process of gathering data for the story, According to Taruc, the reporter must constantly manage their emotions. 鈥淚f [emotions] get in the way, hindi mo maikukwento nang maayos ng mnararapat ang istorya,鈥� he said.
Apolinario said the emotions can be articulated to the way a story must be told. 鈥淸Dapat] subdued [ang emosyon] para maka-relate ang mga taong nakikinig sa iyo.鈥�
I-Witness documentaries 鈥淚nan鈥� hosted by Taruc, which depicts a day in the life of a child with congenital genu recurvatum o 鈥渂ackward-bending knee鈥� and 鈥淏ody Collector鈥�, hosted by Apolinario which depicts a funeral parlor owner recovering bodies of alleged drug addicts killed in Operation Tokhang in Manila, were also shown.
Educating FB Users Instead of Fighting Fire with Fire
Online content producer Mr. Jules Garcia gave a brief overview of the digital team of GMA Public Affairs. In the time where social media can also be a platform of online trolls, Garcia said one must still be a responsible journalist by addressing the comments without being hostile at the same time. Garcia presented a screenshot from GMA鈥檚 Facebook comment section wherein they replied with hyperlinks or sources without risking a negative tone.
鈥淎t the end of the day we are still journalists,鈥� Garcia said. 鈥淥ur job is to educate them.鈥�
