|Philippines Table of Contents
The Constitution guarantees freedom of the press and also provides free access to records, documents, and papers pertaining to official acts. Government officials, however, tended to be leery of reporters, who sometimes ran stories gathered from a single source or based on hearsay. Libel suits were frequent in the 1980s.
Traditionally, major newspapers published in Manila have been owned by elite families. Prior to 1972 Philippine newspapers were freewheeling, often publishing unsubstantiated stories, but willing to expose wrongdoing in high places. When Marcos declared martial law in 1972, he confiscated the assets of newspapers owned by families not part of his coalition. From 1972 to 1986, although newspapers were not officially government-owned or government-supported, they were controlled by Marcos's relatives, friends, and cronies. After the August 1983 Aquino assassination, newspapers gradually became more politically independent. When Marcos fled in 1986, the Commission on Good Government confiscated the assets of crony-owned newspapers and the exuberant Philippine press revived quickly; in many cases newspapers were operated by the families that had controlled them prior to martial law. In 1991 there were approximately thirty daily newspapers in the Philippines. Twelve mainly Englishlanguage broadsheets provided serious news. Fourteen tabloids, mostly Tagalog and Cebuano, offered sensationalism. Four newspapers were printed in Chinese. Only one newspaper, the Manila Bulletin, had consistently shown a profit. Another, the Inquirer, began to show a profit in 1990. Most other newspapers were losing concerns used by the businesspeople who owned them to influence government policy and officials.
Television stations in Manila were very profitable to the wealthy investors who owned them. They also emerged as a significant political factor, and coup attempts often featured assaults on television stations. There were very few television stations outside Manila. Radio reached people in remote areas, even villages without electricity. Radio stations in the provinces tended to be owned by wealthy local families involved in politics.
More about the Government of the Philippines.
Source: U.S. Library of Congress
Katiba ya Ufilipino inahakikisha uhuru wa vyombo vya habari na pia hutoa upatikanaji wa bure wa rekodi, nyaraka, na karatasi zinazohusiana na vitendo vya rasmi. Hata hivyo, maofisa wa serikali walikuwa na mwelekeo wa kuwa na wasiwasi kuhusu waandishi wa habari, ambao nyakati nyingine walichapisha hadithi zilizokusanywa kutoka kwa chanzo kimoja au kulingana na uvumi. Madai ya uchongezi yalikuwa ya kawaida katika miaka ya 1980. Kwa kawaida, magazeti makubwa yaliyochapishwa huko Manila yamekuwa mali ya familia za tabaka la juu. Kabla ya mwaka wa 1972, magazeti ya Filipino yalikuwa na uhuru wa kuchapisha habari zisizo na msingi, lakini yalikubali kufichua makosa yaliyofanywa na watu mashuhuri. Marcos alitangaza sheria ya kijeshi mwaka 1972 na kuondoa mali za magazeti ya familia ambazo hazikuwa katika muungano wake. Tangu mwaka wa 1972 hadi 1986, ingawa magazeti hayakuwa rasmi ya serikali au kuungwa mkono na serikali, yaliongozwa na jamaa za Marcos, marafiki, na marafiki. Baada ya mauaji ya Aquino mnamo Agosti 1983, magazeti yalianza kuwa huru zaidi kisiasa. Wakati Marcos alikimbia mwaka 1986, Tume ya Serikali Nzuri ilichukua mali za magazeti yaliyomilikiwa na marafiki na vyombo vya habari vya Ufilipino vilivyofufuka haraka; katika visa vingi magazeti yaliendeshwa na familia ambazo zilikuwa zimewadhibiti kabla ya sheria ya kijeshi. Mwaka 1991 kulikuwa na magazeti ya kila siku 30 hivi nchini Ufilipino. Magazeti kumi na mawili ya lugha ya Kiingereza yalitolewa habari nzito. Magazeti kumi na manne ya tabloid, hasa ya Kitagalogi na Kiebua, yalitoa habari zenye kusisimua. Magazeti manne yalichapishwa katika Kichina. Gazeti moja tu, Manila Bulletin, lilikuwa limekuwa likipata faida kwa ukawaida. Inquirer, gazeti la kwanza la Uingereza, lilianza kutoa faida mnamo 1990. Vipande vingine vya gazeti vilianza kuondolewa kwa sababu ya kuathiriwa na wafanyabiashara ambao walikuwa na uwezo wa kuathiri sera za serikali na maafisa. Vituo vya televisheni huko Manila vilikuwa na faida kubwa kwa wawekezaji matajiri waliovimiliki. Pia zilionekana kuwa jambo muhimu la kisiasa, na majaribio ya mapinduzi mara nyingi yalitia ndani mashambulizi dhidi ya vituo vya televisheni. Kulikuwa na vituo vichache sana vya televisheni nje ya Manila. Redio iliwafikia watu katika maeneo ya mbali, hata vijiji visivyo na umeme. Vituo vya redio katika mikoa vilikuwa vya familia tajiri za mahali hapo zilizohusika katika siasa. Zaidi kuhusu Serikali ya Ufilipino. Chanzo: Maktaba ya Congress ya Marekani