CENTER FOR MEDIA FREEDOM & RESPONSIBILITY
T
he formation of the Center for Media Freedom
& Responsibility (CMFR) addresses one of the
critical concerns confronting the Philippines
after People Power toppled the Marcos
dictatorship in February 1986. That concern calls
attention to the power of the media and the role of
the free press in the development of Philippine
democracy.
All over the world, press freedom has been found
to be essential to the democratic system. Effective
participatory government is possible only when it can
count on a well-informed society where individuals
freely exchange ideas, where public debate and
discussion arise from knowledge and understanding
of national affairs.
That freedom involves not only media professionals,
but also the public served by the media—public officials,
the private sector, civil society groups, readers, viewers
and listeners—who receive information and are part
of the cycle of public communication. But freedom of
the press, like all liberties, has its limits, for the simple
reason that it is vulnerable to abuse.
Democratic recovery confronts serious obstacles
on the media front. The press and the media need to
exert special efforts to measure up a collective vehicle
of information, as an instrument for clarifying complex
issues and dilemmas of development that the public
should understand.
Against this background, CMFR was organized in
1989 as a private, non-stock, non-profit organization
involving the different sectors in the task of building
up the press and news media as a pillar of democratic
society. Its programs uphold press freedom, promote
responsible journalism and encourage journalistic
excellence.
Objectives
To promote and strengthen the press as a
pillar of democracy
To establish a framework of responsibility and
ethics in media practice
To promote journalistic excellence
To engage different sectors of society in the
growth of a quality press
in the Philippines
PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES
PJR Reports (Philippine Journalism Review)
The PJR Reports (formerly known as the Philippine
Journalism Review) is not just a publication, it is the
result of a continuing monitoring activity of how
the press covers and reports events and issues.The
PJR Reports fulfills the need for the continuing
education of journalists.The PJR Reports also serves
as a regular forum for the discussion of the issues
and problems of the news media in the Philippines.
It is sent to over 500 journalists nationwide. The
PJR Reports also serves as a reference for journalism
faculty in universities and colleges.
The publication was first released as a quarterly
and then as a bimonthly journal. Its present format,
the PJR Reports, is released monthly to make the
material more accessible to the public.
Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for
Excellence in Journalism (JVOAEJ)
CMFR holds the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for
Excellence in Journalism (JVOAEJ) yearly to
promote the practice of investigative journalism
and explanatory reporting. These involve basic
building blocks for any kind of reporting: research,
probe, inquiry and corroboration to
insure the validity of one’s findings.
CMFR serves as the technical and
administrative secretariat of the
Awards. In 1995, the program
initiated the first Jaime V. Ongpin
Journalism Seminar on Investigative
Journalism in order to broaden
public interest and support for the
development of investigative
journalism. The seminar, now known as the Jaime V.
Ongpin Journalism Seminar, invites journalism
students from different schools to interact with a
panel of finalists discussing their articles and views
on journalism.
Media Monitoring
With content analysis, CMFR evaluates media
coverage of major issues and events, such as
elections and corruption. Based on findings, CMFR
has recommended measures to improve media
performance.
In addition to special projects based on content
analysis, PJR Reports includes case studies of media
performance.
Journalism Asia
A yearly publication that reports on
the state of the press and the
issues affecting media in Asia.
Contributors are media
practitioners from the region
who gather for a conference
(the Journalism Asia Forum)
to discuss selected issues that will be taken up in
the magazine.
CMFR also publishes occasional reports and
other books on major topics of media interest and
performance such as media and gender issues and
media and governance.
Books
Citizens’ Media Monitor: A Report on
the Campaign and Elections Coverage
in the Philippines 2004
Peace Process and Media
Press Freedom in the Philippines: A Study
in Contradictions
The Media and Peace Reporting
Five Source Books on Women
Understanding Women and Politics
Understanding Population and
Development
Understanding Women, Work, and
Migration
Understanding Violence Against Women
Understanding Reproductive Health
Manuals
Media in Court: The Criminal Justice System
Guidebook for Reporters
Reporting Public Policy: A Manual for Journalists
Conference Reports
Access to Economic Information
Corruption in Media:
A Multi-Sectoral Perspective
Freedom of Economic Information
for Effective Governance
News Media and Civil Society
The Road Beyond EDSA:
The Post-Estrada Reform Agenda
Media and Local Government: Corruption
and Access to Information
 CMFR has developed training modules in the councils since 2001. To date, it has helped establish Board of Directors
following areas: regional press councils in Cebu, Baguio, and Palawan.
Dr. Jose Abueva
Campus Journalism Network Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J.
Media and Civil Society Atty. Fulgencio Factoran Jr.
Media and Corruption CMFR is a founding member of the Freedom Melinda Quintos de Jesus
Media and Disaster Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ) and currently Maribel Ongpin
Media and Economic Information serves as its secretariat. It is also a founding member Tina Monzon-Palma
Works with
Media and Judiciary of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) and Paulynn Paredes-Sicam PRINT
Media and Peace a member of the International Freedom of Vergel O. Santos BROADCAST and
Media and Public Policy Expression Exchange (IFEX).
Media and Women CMFR Contact ELECTRONIC MEDIA
Awards Government
Journalists on Alert 2/F Ateneo Professional Schools
CMFR is a recipient of the Catholic Mass Media 130 H.V. dela Costa St., Salcedo Village Academe
CMFR monitors attacks against and threats Award for Public Service in 1993 and the Joaquin Makati City 1227 Philippines civil society groups
to press freedom in the Philippines. It maintains Chino Roces Award in 1998. In 2005, CMFR won
a database of journalists killed in the line of duty second prize in the “ethics and values” category of Telephone numbers
READERS,VIEWERS
and trains a national network of journalists to the Templeton Freedom Awards of the United AND LISTENERS
report on assaults against the press. States-based Atlas Economic Research Foundation. (+63 2) 894-1314/894-1326
Correspondents provide updates on unsolved (+63 2) 840-0903/840-0889
cases of journalists killed and issue calls for action Melinda Quintos de Jesus
when necessary. CMFR serves as a clearing house Executive Director Fax Number To strengthen
for information to international groups.
Melinda Quintos de Jesus, a founding member (+63 2) 840-0889 PRESS FREEDOM
CMFR forwards alerts and reports on the of the Board of Directors of CMFR, has served as promote
state of press freedom in the Philippines to the CMFR’s executive director since 1989. De Jesus Website
Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), the wrote as a columnist for leading newspapers in the
RESPONSIBLE
International Free Expression Exchange (IFEX), Philippines. She was also part of the alternative press http://www.cmfr-phil.org JOURNALISM
the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and that tested the limits of control during the Marcos and encourage
Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF). regime. She was a journalist-in-residence at the Email address
University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and was a fellow JOURNALISTIC
Press Councils at the Shorenstein Center for Press, Politics and staff@cmfr-phil.org EXCELLENCE
Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of
CMFR has been working with local partners Government, Harvard University. She was named
in the press, academe, and non-governmental the 2000 Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Fellow for
organizations to plan, build, and launch local press Professional Development.
for
PHILIPPINE DEMOCRACY