The role of media in development work

(A message delivered by Most Rev. Isabelo Abarquez, Bishop of Calbayog, during the CARHRIHL and Peace Building Training for Samar media practitioners on June 9, 2007 in Calbayog City)

First of all, I would like to express my great joy at being invited to this affair of yours, which I consider to be very important in our diocese and society. As media practitioners, you are engaged in a very delicate job that has great influence on the lives of people, taken individually or socially. Thank you for this invitation.

You have asked me to talk about “The role of media in development work,” and I would like to start this by commenting on the gospel we have for today. It’s about the poor widow who put into the treasury the last cent that she had. Our Lord praised her mightily, telling his disciples, “I want you to observe that this poor widow contributed more than all the others who donated to the treasury. They gave from their surplus wealth, but she gave from her want, all that she had to live on.” (Mk 12,44)

What a wonderful lesson for all of us to learn! In our dealings with God and with everybody else, we have to give our all, down to the last cent. Applied to our work, this lesson can mean that we have to be very generous in giving ourselves to it, doing it as best as we can, which means perfecting it as much as we can, both materially speaking and spiritually speaking. That’s because we always have to remember that our work, no matter how lowly, always has both material and spiritual dimensions. In fact, it has both human and supernatural dimensions. This is because our work cannot help but reflect who we are. We are not just creatures, nor even God’s masterpiece in the world of creation. We are persons who know things and choose and love. More than that we are children of God meant to share the life of God himself.

We have to learn to fulfill all the requirements the different dimensions and aspects of our work demand.

Thus, my brothers and sisters in Christ who are media practitioners, you have to have a clear idea of what development is, that is, integral human development. Especially in your field of work, the mass media, you play a very crucial role in both the Church and world today. This is because your work has direct relation to people’s minds. You can easily reach many, many people. You can readily and massively communicate news, views, opinions and teachings of every sort. Your work is truly a great service to mankind, since you can widely contribute to our entertainment and instruction.

Thus, going back to what development is, we have to understand that integral human development is not just a physical, financial, or social thing, measured in terms of inches or money or prestige and popularity or political power. It is what brings us to the fullness of our dignity as persons and as children of God. Therefore, it necessarily involves our duties toward God and others, and elements like charity, justice, prayer, sacrifices, respect for freedom, common good, solidarity, etc. Working for development is working for God and for others. It is not a self-centered activity at all.

At this time when the world is experiencing a very rapid pace of development, we have to see to it that we have our goals and standards clear, otherwise, we can easily get lost, swallowed up by the rampaging waves of technological progress, multiplication of data and information, the confusion of many ideological and cultural influences, etc. We have to know where we are going and what means we have to get there.

Of course, we can have several, different and even conflicting intermediate and secondary goals, with their respective validity and legitimacy. We can also use several valid and legitimate means. But we have to be clear about our ultimate goal, our indispensable means and our constant standards, which we all have to use and pursue even if we find ourselves in different sides of a particular issue.

For this purpose, you and I have to develop an increasingly fine sense of the POWER OF THE WORD, which we use, you in your media work and me in my preaching. The word can mean many things to many people. It can just be a sound, a concept or idea. It can be used to evoke a number of things at present, or to bring us to the past or to the future. It can project a grand idea. It can effectively reveal us, our inner world. It can reveal many and all things. It has infinite possibilities.

The WORD is very powerful. And it demands a great sense of responsibility from each one of us. In whatever way we use it, we have to see to it that word – any word and all words we use – should be an integral part of the living word of God, where there is concern for truth, charity, justice, freedom, common good, solidarity, and everything that goes with our dignity as children of God here and now. We have to understand that in the final analysis, every word we use comes from God and should go back to God, and that’s why whenever we use, even in our earthly affairs, we have to see to it that it is praise to God, and because of God, a source of goodness to all people.

For this purpose, I now wish to remit to you some indications articulated by our Mother the Church on how we should use the word in media.

We have to be well-acquainted with the norms of morality and to conscientiously put them into practice in our work. We therefore have to look to the nature of what is communicated, whether it is proper or not to communicate that information, as well as consider the entire situation or circumstances, namely, the persons, place, time and other conditions under which communication takes place, to see if they can affect or totally change the propriety of communicating said information. In other words, we have to have a keen sense of what can be communicated and what should not, or what can be communicated under certain circumstances. This is the virtue of discretion. This is because as St. Paul said, not all knowledge is helpful, but “it is charity that edifies.” (1 Cor 8,1)

In this regard, we have to examine whether all gossips and rumors, especially involving celebrities and other public figures, ought to be announced to the general public. The right to information is not unconditional. It has to conform to the Gospel commandment of love. We have to judge whether or not it is appropriate to reveal the truth to the public.

Also, we have to consider very closely the precise manner in which something is communicated. Especially in areas validly allowing different and even opposing opinions, that is, in the world of public opinion, the manner should be characterized by cordiality, respect for all parties, earnest attempt to dialogue to resolve a problem. We have to avoid indiscriminate partisanship, reckless sensationalism, bad manners. The language should always remain calm, objective and reasonable. We have to avoid giving knee-jerk reactions, flippant commentaries. Things ought to be studied thoroughly, making the necessary checking and consultations to insure that the presentation is proper and decent. In this regard, it may be good to realize the importance of being sporty, open-minded and cheerful. These traits help us in carrying out work well.

While the narration, description or portrayal of moral evil can serve some valid purpose in the media, it should be subject to moral restraint, lest it can harm rather than benefit people. Let’s be more constructive, positive and encouraging, rather than destructive, negative and discouraging.

There are more indications. But I think we have covered the basic ones. I just hope that you develop a certain code of conduct in doing your job so that your work can truly contribute to the common good. Let’s take care of your spiritual life, let’s always acknowledge the need for continuing formation and conversion, because these are indispensable for us to do our job well.