GMA NETWORK news director Jessica Soho advised aspiring Thomasian journalists to treat the celebrity status that comes with the craft as “incidental,” during Responsible Broadcast Journalism, a lecture organized by the Metrobank Foundation in cooperation with UST, last Sept. 27 at the Continuing Medical Education Auditorium.
“A journalistic career is far from being glamorous,” she said. “I even teach our young reporters in GMA News to earn their ‘stripes’ through hard work and to be journalists first and foremost.”
Soho reiterated that accuracy, objectivity, and responsibility are the basics of the craft.
“Journalism is all about telling the truth,” she said. “If you cannot get your facts straight, I don’t think you have a business being a journalist.”
“And you have to be responsible, don’t resort to being tabloid-ish or being sensational, just so someone will listen to what you will say,” the multi-awarded journalist added. She referred to the media as a “strong and credible institution.”
“Whether we like it or not—and much to the discomfort of our politicians—perhaps the media have become a court of last instance or resort. Kami ang nagiging takbuhan ng bayan kapag wala na silang maasahan sa gobyerno,” she said.
Soho was honored as Outstanding Journalist for 2001 by the Metrobank Foundation.” Lady Camille L. de Guia
