'A Thousand Cuts," documentary on Maria Ressa, wins Peabody Award

Two Jersey girls making waves: journalist Maria Ressa, left, and filmmaker Ramona Diaz.

As journalist Maria Ressa fights off attempts of the Philippine government to muzzle her online news site Rappler and to jail the Nobel Peace Prize winner, a documentary of her fight for freedom of the press won the prestigious Peabody award.

A Thousand Cuts — Frontline’s 2021 documentary on the escalating war between the government and the press in the Philippines — was honored with a George Foster Peabody Award in the documentary category.

Directed by Filipino American filmmaker Ramona S. Diaz, the award-winning feature-length documentary follows renowned journalist Maria Ressa, CEO of the independent news site Rappler and a top target of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on press freedom. In December 2021, Ressa went on to be named a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Like Ressa, Diaz immigrated with her family as a young girl and grew up in New Jersey.

As one of the most prominent Filipino American filmmakers in the US, Diaz is the director of numerous feature documentaries including: 

• Spirits Rising (1996), about Corazon Aquino and the People Power Revolution, which won a Student Academy Award and the Ida Lupino DGA Award; 
• Imelda (2004), the definitive portrait of the infamous former First Lady of the Philippines, which won the Sundance Cinematography Prize for director of photography; 
• Ferne Pearlstein (full disclosure: my wife); and 
• Motherland (2017), a cinéma vérité portrait of a hospital in one of the poorest parts of Manila, home to the busiest maternity ward on earth, which won a Special Jury Award at Sundance.

In the Peabody Award jurors’ citation, A Thousand Cuts was recognized for its “astonishing access and chilling precision” and was honored as “a journalistic profile in courage for our time and a cautionary tale for global press freedom straining against the rise of populist autocracies around the world.”

A Thousand Cuts premiered on PBS in January 2021 following a decorated theatrical release in the summer of 2020 by PBS Distribution. Most recently, the film was awarded a 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award in the International TV category.

“We are thrilled to see Ramona Diaz’s A Thousand Cuts be recognized by the George Foster Peabody Awards,” said Frontline Executive Producer Raney Aronson-Rath. 

“At a time when the critical practice and public service of journalism is increasingly under attack in countries across the globe, we are proud to share Maria’s courageous story with our PBS audiences. We share this honor with our production partners at CineDiaz, Motto Pictures and Concordia Studios, and we will continue to champion Maria and other journalists in pursuit of the truth.”

In the last days of the Presidency of President Rodrigo Duterte before he handed over the  government to incoming , the Philippine government ordered Rappler to stop its online operation. Two weeks later, the Court of Appeals upheld libel charges against Ressa which carries with it a six-year prison. sentence.

Meanwhile, Ressa remains free on bail and Rappler is continuing to operate as appeals are being made to the newly installed government of President Bongbong Marcos to drop the charges against the news site and the journalist.

“I’m very honored to receive a Peabody Award for A Thousand Cuts,” said Diaz. “It’s been a privilege to be able to tell Maria Ressa’s story. She has been sounding the clarion call for social media disinformation and its effects on democracy since 2016. This important recognition from Peabody goes a long way in helping us amplify this universally resonant story.”

Since 1940, the prestigious George Foster Peabody Awards have honored excellence in broadcasting. The awards now recognize excellence in digital storytelling as well.

Including the award for A Thousand Cuts, Frontline — which is produced at GBH in Boston and airs nationwide on PBS — has garnered 27 Peabody Awards to date. 

Stream A Thousand Cuts below.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

World Press Freedom Day -- Maria Ressa recognized by UNESCO

TWITTER / MARIA RESSA

Filipino American journalist Maria Ressa accepted her award virtually.

Investigative journalist and media executive Maria Ressa of the Philippines has been named as the 2021 laureate of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, following the recommendation of an international jury of media professionals. 

“Maria Ressa’s unerring fight for freedom of expression is an example for many journalists around the world. Her case is emblematic of global trends that represent a real threat to press freedom, and therefore to democracy,” said Italian investigative journalist Marilu Mastrogiovanni, chair of the Prize’s international jury.

The Award Ceremony took place on May 2 in Windhoek, Namibia, on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day Global Conference.

In her acceptance speech, delivered online, Ressa warned about the virus of untruths infecting democracies around the world.

"The virus of lies is highly contagious. They infect real people, who become impervious to facts. It changes the way they look at the world. They become angrier, more isolated. They distrust everything," she said.

"In this environment, the dictator wins, crumbling our democracies from within."

The rich and powerful, she said, have to choose and act. "Silence is complicity," she said.

"Whether you’re at the UN or heading a nation or a corporation, or you’re a politician, human rights worker, a journalist, or a citizen, fight – and win – your individual battle for integrity," she concluded.

Over a career spanning more than 30 years, the Filipino American journalist, has worked as CNN’s lead investigative reporter for Asia and the head of ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs.

Her campaign to protect press freedom in the Philippines has garnered worldwide attention. She was named one of Time magazine's Person's of the Year for 2018 and has been nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

Ressa has also been involved in many international initiatives to promote press freedom. In recent years, she has been the target of online attacks and judicial processes relating to her investigative reporting and status as manager of online outlet Rappler.

She has been arrested for alleged crimes related to the exercise of her profession, and has been subject to a sustained campaign of gendered online abuse, threats, and harassment, which at one point, resulted in her receiving an average of over 90 hateful messages an hour on Facebook.

Born in the Philippines, Ressa immigrated to the U.S. in 1973 at the age of 10 with her mother. Her  family settled in New Jersey. She graduated cum laude from Princeton with a degree in English.

The $25,000 Prize recognizes outstanding contributions to the defence or promotion of press freedom especially in the face of danger. It is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the Colombian journalist who was assassinated in front of the offices of his newspaper El Espectador in Bogotá, Colombia, on Dec. 17, 1986. It is funded by the Guillermo Cano Isaza Foundation (Colombia), the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation (Finland) and the Namibia Media Trust.

The 2021 World Press Freedom Day Global Conference Began April 29 and continues to May 3.

This year’s theme “Information as a Public Good” serves as a call to affirm the importance of cherishing information as a public good, and exploring what can be done in the production, distribution and reception of content to strengthen journalism, and to advance transparency and empowerment while leaving no one behind. The theme is of urgent relevance to all countries across the world. It recognizes the changing communications system that is impacting on our health, our human rights, democracies and sustainable development.

The conference also tackled ways to promote and support independent media struggling to survive a crisis worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when national and local media everywhere face financial instability and other pressures threatening their survival and their journalists’ jobs.

Int'l Women's Day: Social media attacks against journalist Maria Ressa appear coordinated

Maria Ressa (center) was arrested in Manila as soon as she got off the airplane.

As people in the United States know too well from the last four years of the Trump presidency, damaging the credibility of the news media with accusations of "fake news" is a prime strategy for sowing disinformation and chaos.

Press freedom in the Philippines, once the most free-wheeling and aggressive in Asia, has been under attack since the days of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Under the regime of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, at the center of the media storm is Maria Ressa, a Filipino American journalist who  returned to the Philippines to use her pen to rail against the human rights abuses of the Duterte presidency.

Ressa lives at the core of a very 21st century war against press freedom, especially against outspoken women journalists. It is a furor of disinformation and attacks - one in which credible journalists are subjected to online violence with impunity; where facts wither and democracies teeter.

"She is not only attacked for being a journalist. She is attacked for being a woman. For the color and texture of her skin. For her American citizenship. And for her sexuality," says the report.

New research released on March 8, which marks International Women’s Day, provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of the online violence against Ressa, reports the Centre for Freedom of the Media , a global research agency for media freedom and maintaining journalistic standards.

The research which was published by the International Centre for Journalists (ICFJ) and conducted by CFOM members Julie Posetti, Diana Maynard and Kalina Bontcheva, consists of a big data analysis “of the torrent of social media attacks on internationally celebrated digital media pioneer Maria Ressa over a five-year period (2016-2021).”

The research “detail[s] the intensity and ferocity of this abuse, and demonstrate[s] how it is designed not only to vilify a journalism icon, but to discredit journalism itself, and shatter public trust in facts”. It is also shown how “[t]hese attacks (…) created an enabling environment for Ressa’s persecution and prosecution in the Philippines” where Ressa “faces a barrage of baseless lawsuits that seek to criminalize her work and expose her to a century in prison” according to Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, the co-lead of Ressa’s international legal team.

The research further shows how “the furor of disinformation and attacks” targeting the former CNN war correspondent and UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize jury chair Maria Ressa is emblematic of “a very 21st century storm (…) – one in which credible journalists are subjected to online violence with impunity; where facts wither and democracies teeter”.

Key research findings show that: “almost 60% of the attacks on Ressa … extracted from Facebook and Twitter for analysis were designed to undermine her professional credibility and public trust in her journalism”.

Attacks intending to harm Ressa’s credibility or reputation “frequently deployed disinformation tactics and abuse conflating Ressa and her journalism with “fake news” (e.g., “Queen of Fake News”; “LIAR”; “#Presstitute”)”.

Moreover, “[o]ver 40% of the attacks in the combined datasets targeted Ressa at the personal level” and “14% of all abuse and 34% in the category of ‘personal’ attacks against Ressa could be classified as misogynistic, sexist and explicit abuse”.

The research also finds “evidence that some of the attacks on Ressa are coordinated or orchestrated – a hallmark of State-led disinformation campaigns.”

These are the 11 key findings of the case study examining online violence against Ressa:

1. Almost 60% of the attacks on Ressa we extracted from Facebook and Twitter for analysis were designed to undermine her professional credibility and public trust in her journa
2. Credibility or reputation-based attacks frequently deployed disinformation tactics and abuse conflating Ressa and her journalism with “fake news” (e.g., “Queen of Fake News”; “LIAR”; “#Presstitute”).
3. Over 40% of the attacks in the combined datasets targeted Ressa at the personal level - often viscerally.
4. 14% of all abuse and 34% in the category of ‘personal’ attacks against Ressa could be classified as misogynistic, sexist and explicit abuse.
5. The use of abusive memes and manipulated images, which ‘fly under the radar’ of detection, is commonplace.
6. There is evidence that some of the attacks on Ressa are coordinated or orchestrated - a hallmark of State-led disinformation campaigns.
7. Much of the abuse and threats are fueled by President Duterte’s public statements demonizing Ressa and Rappler as criminals, and pro-Duterte bloggers/social media influencers.
8. Lightning rods for attacks include: Rappler’s investigative journalism; Ressa’s reporting and commentary on State-linked disinformation; Ressa’s high-profile media appearances; her industry accolades; and her court appearances.
9. Facebook is the main vector for the online violence Ressa faces. It is also the most used social media site in the Philippines - a country which spends more time online than any other.
10. Both Facebook and Twitter have promised to address the attacks on Ressa, but Facebook has failed dismally to effectively stem the tide of hate against her. Ressa says she feels “significantly safer” on Twitter.
11. For every one comment supportive of Ressa on her Facebook page, there were about 14 comments attacking her.

There is direct evidence that the online violence targeting Ressa has offline consequences. It has created the enabling environment for her persecution, prosecution and conviction. It also subjects her to very real physical danger.

The study identifies key recommendations for action based on the case study of online violence against Ressa. These point to the need for:

• Political actors to be held accountable for inciting violence against women journalists;
• States to review and adapt legal and regulatory frameworks designed to uphold freedom of expression and equality, to ensure they can be applied effectively online as well as offline;
• News organizations to provide integrated digital and physical security, alongside psychological and peer support for women journalists targeted online; for social media companies to create specialist teams to respond swiftly to attacks on women journalists;
• Law enforcement and the judiciary to ensure gender-sensitive and digitally-literate responses to online violence against women journalists.

READ the full report here.

Crusading Filipino American journalist nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

Maria Ressa, advocate for press freedom.

A Filipino American crusader for press freedom was nominated for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.

Maria Ressa, the Chief Executive Officer of Rappler, a Philippine-based website, was nominated for the Nobel by a Norwegian politician and opposition Labour party leader Jonas Gahr Støre.

Støre said she nominated Ressa along with the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders for the prize because the work they do to protect freedom of the press.

“In today's world, Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists are the two foremost organizations for promoting media freedom and protecting journalists. A Nobel Peace Prize for these organizations will be a recognition of the work they do, and it will recognize the thousands of journalists who report on conflicts,” Støre said in a statement.

In Ressa's case, Støre added, “She is thus both a symbol and a representative of thousands of journalists around the world. The nomination fulfills key aspects of what is emphasized as peace-promoting in Alfred Nobel's will. A free and independent press can inform about and help to limit and stop a development that leads to armed conflict and war.”

Ressa and the online news site Rappler that she co-founded in 2012, have been under attack by the regime of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for articles critical of some of his policies, especially the bloody war on drugs that gave carte blanche for vigilante groups and law enforcement to employ extra-judicial killings.

Upon hearing of the nomination, Ressa tweeted: "10 criminal charges, 10 arrest warrants in less than 2 years. Yup. #JournalismIsNotACrime #HoldTheLine oh, this year, I hit 35 years in journalism #TrackRecord." 

Ressa was brought to the U.S. at the age of ten by her mother and step-father, whose last name she adopted. She graduated from Princeton University summa cum laude with a major in English.

Time magazine named her one of the magazine's "Persons of the Year" in 2018 for her efforts against the use of misinformation and lies to twist minds against the trute and trying to get social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter to monitor its websites against trollers and fake news.

TGIF Feature: Stirring song from 'Les Miserable' irks Philippines' Duterte

A scene from the music video 'Di Niyo Ba Naririnig.'

Celebrities from the Philippines' film, theater and music world took part in a rousing rendition  of “Di Niyo Ba Naririnig”, a Tagalog translation of Les Miserable musical number "Do You Hear The People Sing?"

The song was played during “Tinig ng Bayan: #SONAgkaisa online concert” which streamed July 27, the same time that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The stirring video apparently hit a raw nerve with Duterte, who responded in Tagalog a few days later, "There’s a song about a revolution that was put out by the government’s critics. ... let’s not prolong the process. If you want (to oust me), do it now."

The song, translated by Vincent de Jesus with additional lyrics by Rody Vera and Joel Saracho was first performed in 2017 during an event to mark the 45th anniversary of  Martial Law under the Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

This newest iteration of the song interspersed with the singers photos of the the more unsavory elements of Duterte's regime including the extrajudicial killings of drug offenders, the war against a free press and the closure of the country's biggest media corporation, ABS-CBN. Many of the participants in the video worked on shows that was aired on the network before the government closed the network last month.

Les Miserables is based on the 1862 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, which is set in France and follows the life of Jean Valjean, a man who is imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread.
The novel – considered one of the greatest of the 19th century – concludes against the background of the Paris Uprising of 1832.

The song "Do You Hear The People Sing?" is among the most recognizable from the hit musical. Its performed twice – during the story, as students prepare to launch a rebellion, and again to close the show. It has since been adapted as a protest song many times over, in different languages. 

Most recently, Hong Kong demonstrators sang the militant song during a takeover of a mall  during a protest.

Angel Locsin, Iza Calzado and Enchong Dee joined a rendition of “Di Niyo Ba Naririnig” in time for the SONA. Image: Facebook/@AngelLocsin, Instagram/@missizacalzado, @mr_enchongdee

Filipino actors Angel Locsin, Enchong Dee, Jodi Sta Maria, Iza Calzado, and Noel Cabangon are among those who took part in the music video. 

Other featured artists include Agot Isidro, Mylene Dizon, Celeste Legaspi, Monique Wilson, Ebe Dancel, Kean Cipriano, Mae Paner, and Jim Paredes.

Following is the translation into Tagalog with the additional lyrics specific to the situation in the Philippines: 

DI NIYO BA NARIRINIG? Tinig ng bayan na galit Himig ito ng Pilipinong Di muli palulupig Dudurugin ang dilim Ang araw ay mag-aalab At mga pusong nagtimpi Ay magliliyab Ikaw ba'y makikibaka At hindi maduduwag Na gisingin ang mga panatikong bingi’t bulag Kasinungalingan labanan hanggang mabuwag Di niyo ba naririnig? Tinig ng bayan na galit Himig ito ng Pilipinong Di muli palulupig Dudurugin ang dilim Ang araw ay mag-aalab At mga pusong nagtimpi Ay magliliyab Ikaw ba ay dadaing na lang Kimi’t magmumukmok Habang nagpapakasasa Ang mga trapong bulok Gisingin ang puso Galitin hanggang pumutok Di niyo ba naririnig? Tinig ng bayan na galit Himig ito ng Pilipinong Di muli palulupig Dudurugin ang dilim Ang araw ay mag-aalab At mga pusong nagtimpi Ay magliliyab! Magliliyab!

* DI NIYO BA NARIRINIG? (Do You Hear the People Sing from Les Miserables by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel and Herbert Kretzmer) Filipino Translation by Vincent A. de Jesus Additional lyrics by Rody Vera and Joel Saracho Musical Arrangement by Vincent A. de Jesus Music Producer: Paulo Zarate of Studio Z Video Producer: Chuck Gutierrez of Voyage Studios Executive Producer: Noel Ferrer Creative Producer: Baby Ruth Villarama Cinematographer: Dexter dela Peña Photos by Raffy Lerma, Neil Daza & Chiara Zambrano

Worldwide reaction to Maria Ressa's conviction; trollers busy

Don't get suckered in by the thousands of social media posts celebrating the conviction of Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, who was found guilty of cyber libel charges Monday.

Supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte employ an army of trollers to flood the social media sites with attacks on Ressa and Rappler in order to give the impression of wide popular support for the current strongman living at Malacanang Palace.

Its a strategy that has worked before flor the Duterte regime. Flood the online traffic with falsehoods and misinformation. Some say it this media manipulation got Duterte elected and drummed up support for his controversial vigilante war on the illegal ddrug industriy.

A University of Oxford study published last in 2017 entitled “Troops, Trolls and Troublemakers: A Global Inventory of Organized Social Media Manipulation,” included the Philippines among the countries where troll armies have been used by the government to flood the virtual world with misinformation.

The report suggests Duterte has a “keyboard army” that makes it appear that their is wide  support for his government policies. 

According to Rappler, these hired trollers would create false accounts using photos of Philippine celebrities to spread misinformation during Duterte's 2016 campaign against his opponents, a tactic that seems to be revived during and after Ressa's trial.

Maria Ressa gave virtual interviews after her conviction.

Meanwhile, international organizations reacted to the verdict.

US State Department

The United States is concerned by the trial court’s verdict against journalists Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos and calls for resolution of the case in a way that reinforces the U.S. and Philippines’ long shared commitment to freedom of expression, including for members of the press.

Amnesty International

“This verdict is a sham and should be quashed. Ressa, Santos and the Rappler team are being singled out for their critical reporting of the Duterte administration, including ongoing human rights violations in the Philippines. The accusations against them are political, the prosecution was politically-motivated, and the sentence is nothing but political.

“With this latest assault on independent media, the human rights record of the Philippines continues its free fall. It is time for the UN to urgently open an international investigation into the country’s human rights crisis, in line with the recent conclusions of the UN Human Rights office itself.

“Ressa and her team have become global icons for press freedom after President Duterte himself has repeatedly singled them out for attack, intimidation and harassment. They face a long battle ahead, with several more politically motivated charges awaiting trial.

The Guardian

Under another president, the US would strongly press Manila over Ms Ressa’s case. But Donald Trump loves authoritarians and has normalised and enabled the abuses of press freedom that are now increasing worldwide. As his administration stands by, making only the most feeble statement, others must take a stand. While the UK has rightly expressed concern about the case, it should now work with others to defend media freedom.

It is not merely that Ms Ressa and her colleagues need and deserve support: her case has such frightening implications beyond her own country. When Mr Duterte is given a free pass for his behaviour, other leaders take note. Without freedom of the media, it is impossible to protect other freedoms: citizens cannot know what is being done in their name. Journalists are targeted because they sound the alarm. They must not be silenced.

Asian American Journalists Association-Asia 
The Asian American Journalists Association’s Asia Chapter (AAJA-Asia) condemns the conviction of Maria Ressa, Rappler’s CEO and Executive Editor, and Reynaldo Santos, former Rappler researcher-writer, over ‘cyber libel’ charges by the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Monday, 15 June 2020 ...

The court sentenced Ressa and Santos to a minimum 6 months and one day to a maximum of 6 years in jail over charges filed by Wilfredo Keng, a Filipino businessman, about an article published by Rappler in 2012 — four months before the new cyber libel l

Following the shut down last month of the popular news broadcaster ABS-CBN, this decision is regarded by concerned international observers, including AAJA-Asia, as the latest in a series of moves by President Duterte’s administration to intimidate and silence news media in the Philippines.

Rappler, one of the country’s most influential news websites, has been unflagging in its reporting of the extrajudicial killings and abuses that have accompanied Mr. Duterte’s brutal war on drugs. Ms. Ressa has faced in recent months no less than 11 government investigations and court cases attempting to force Rappler to stop its reporting.

AAJA-Asia unequivocally stands in full support of Ms. Ressa, Mr. Santos and all Filipino media and journalists in this new attack against press freedom that critically undermines the right for every citizen in the Philippines to access free, independent news. We join with organizations around the world to call for an end to the prosecution of journalists who are simply doing the brave job of reporting inconvenient truths in the Philippines.

San Francisco Chronicle

Ressa, 56, has never been timid about going after the wealthy and powerful. She has been fearless in exposing Duterte’s false statements and his brutal war on drugs, which has resulted in thousands of extrajudicial killings. The state of independent news coverage in the Southeast Asian nation has deteriorated to the point that it now ranks 136 out of the 180 nations in the World Press Freedom Index.

International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), President Joyce Barnathan

The ICFJ called June 15 "a devastating day for journalism."

“This is a miscarriage of justice ... Maria is facing a bevy of charges designed to silence her and Rappler. If journalists are muzzled, democracy itself is at stake. ICFJ condemns Maria's conviction and calls for all other charges against her to be dropped.”

"For the Philippines in particular, this is a devastating blow to a country once known for a vibrant, free press. Ressa has often said that her case is the 'canary in the coal mine' for independent journalism everywhere. Journalists worldwide need to do what they do best: report facts, seek the truth, and hold the powerful to account."

International Press Institute, IPI Executive Board chair Markus Spillmann

"On behalf of the IPI Executive Board, I deplore the convictions of my fellow IPI Board member Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos. This is a sad day for journalism and press freedom not only in the Philippines but around the world. Let us be clear: Maria Ressa has been convicted for her fearless journalism and speaking truth to power. This ruling serves as a warning to all independent journalists in the country."

“The global IPI community stands behind Maria Ressa and we will support her fight for justice and for the right to do her work freely.”

Sunday Read: Support gathers steam for news, entertainment source for Filipino Americans

Demonstrators in the Philippines rallied for press freedom last Friday, Feb. 21.

Filipino Americans are expressing support for the media giant ABS-CBN that has become one of the major sources of information about the Philippines and Filipino America.

ABS-CBN, which operates the The Filipino Channel in the US and has US editions of the Inquirer newspaper, is being threatened by the regime of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a press statement, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) praised the network’s programming, which “reflects the touchstones of Filipino culture and heritage.” ABS-CBN, through its global television network, The Filipino Channel (TFC), connect over-four million Filipinos in the United States to their country of origin.

“ABS-CBN and TFC are a significant media resource whose importance to the Filipino American community cannot be overstated,” says Brendan Flores, NaFFAA National Chairman. “As a Filipino news and media entity dedicated to artistic and journalistic excellence, they thoughtfully bridge the gap between the Philippines and its diverse diaspora across the United States and the world.

“Since the founding of NaFFAA, ABS-CBN has been a consistent and strong collaborative partner in NaFFAA’s efforts to empower Filipino Americans. They have helped further NaFFAA’s mission through support of programs such as the Biennial National Empowerment Conference, through TFCUniversity (TFCU), and Kollective Hustle.”

From Honolulu to Toronto, the media giant operates bureaus in major urban centers in the US and Canada under The Filipino Channel or Balitang America. Much of the news broadcasts are in English although most of the station's entertainment programming originating from the Philippines is in Tagalog. The US edition of the Inquirer prints in English

The Philippines' media are granted franchises with time limits that allow them to operate. ABS-CBN's franchise agreement is due to end at the end of March.

Duterte's administration is using the renewal of the 25-year licensing agreement as an opportunity to rein in criticism of the current president.

“We want to put an end to what we discovered to be highly abusive practices by ABS-CBN,” the solicitor general, Jose Calida, said in a statement. “A franchise is a special privilege granted by the state, and should be restricted only to entities which faithfully adhere to our constitution and laws.”

When the media giant refused to air Duterte's campaign commercials in 2016, the strongman said, “I will make sure that you will remember this episode of our times forever.” Calida denied that politics were behind the decision to file the petition.

SCREEN CAPTURE / TFC

The Filipino Channel covers Filipino American events such as the Parol Festival in San Francisco.

Calida alleges that the media company had issued Philippine Depositary Receipts to foreigners, raising questions about foreign ownership of the broadcast and print giant, which against the Philippine Constitution. The media corporation is owned by the prominent Lopez family of the Philippines.

“We did not violate the law. This case appears to be an attempt to deprive Filipinos of the services of ABS-CBN,” the company said in a statement.

Calida and Duterte used the same argument against Rappler, an online news site that has been critical of the Philippine president.

“These actions are part of a broader crackdown on media outlets and civil society groups that dare criticize him (Duterte),” lobby group Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

“This proves without a doubt that this government is hell bent on using all its powers to shut down the broadcasting network,” said the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines “We must not allow the vindictiveness of one man, no matter how powerful, to run roughshod over the constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of the press and of expression, and the people’s right to know.”

Thousands of supporters were joined by ABS-CBN personalities and employees in rallies in Manila and Bacolod City Friday evening urging the government to grant the franchise license.
ABS-CBN has produced a number of investigative reports highlighting extrajudicial executions and other human rights abuses committed as part of the government’s so-called “war on drugs” according to Amnesty International.

“It is unacceptable for the authorities to blatantly attempt to restrict freedom of expression and then expect people in the Philippines to simply remain silent," said Amnesty International’s Regional Director Nicholas Bequelin.

"If anything, the government’s continued efforts to undermine the press’s ability to report freely will only invite more criticism," he continued. "The government would do better by listening and addressing what is driving such criticism rather than resorting to legal theatrics to suppress human rights.”

Asian American journalists convene in Atlanta, Aug. 1-3

From left: George Takei, Rep. John Lewis, and Maria Ressa.

After three days of panels, workshops and networking, the Asian American Journalists 2019 national convention will culminate in its 30th annual Gala Scholarship & Awards Banquet featuring a civil rights leader and politician, an actor known for his civil and equal rights advocacy and a journalist fighting for press freedom.
The AAJA Gala on Saturday, Aug. 3 at the Loews Atlanta Hotel will feature two armchair interviews with Congressman John Lewis and actor George Takei followed by the closing speaker, Maria Ressa, a Filipino American who founded Rappler, an online newsite in the Philippines under attack by the regime of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

The first conversation with Rep. Lewis, moderated by CBSN Anchor Elaine Quijano, will discuss, among other topics: the 50-year anniversary of the death of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.; the current civil-rights struggles of present day; Congressman Lewis’ experiences in the movement; the role that the media played in the tide of the civil rights movement; and the role of journalists in ensuring fair and accurate portrayals of all communities of color in media coverage.

The second conversation with Takei, moderated by ABC News “Nightline” Co-Anchor Juju Chang, will discuss, among other topics: his family’s experiences in a Japanese American internment camp during WWII and how they shaped his life, his career, and his storytelling; the importance of diverse perspectives in news and history; and his insights for current generations of journalists and storytellers when confronted with difficult and divisive themes.

Veteran journalist and Rappler CEO and Executive Editor Maria Ressa will be the convention's closing speaker, offering perspectives on the challenges to journalism in a time of disinformation. Ressa has been a leading voice in the defense of press freedom in the Philippines and around the world and was among Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People and a recipient of awards from the Committee to Protect Journalists and the Columbia Journalism School.

CONVENTION INFO:

Online registration is now closed. Onsite registrations begin on Wednesday, July 31.

For any convention-related questions, please email support@aaja.org.
Note: All registrations excluding the Day Passes include a ticket to the 2019 Gala Scholarships & Award Banquet on August 3. You may purchase a gala ticket below if you do not wish to attend the full convention.

To buy a standalone ticket to the gala banquet, click here. 

___________________________________________________________________