RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES,

AND ACCOUNTABILITIES OF
COMMUNICATORS AND
JOURNALISTS
journalists
also have
rights.

These rights
are
accompanied
by
responsibilitie
s.

2
Know Your Journalist

1. Form a group of three to four members.

2. Imagine and describe an ideal journalist. You
may refer to the previous lessons.
3. At the end of your discussion, name four
adjectives that illustrate your ideal journalist.
Each adjective should be accompanied by an
explanation.
4. Share your output with the class, and answer
the questions below.
3
1. HOW DID YOUR GROUP COME UP WITH
THE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE A
JOURNALIST?

4
2. WHAT ARE THE SIGNIFICANT POINTS
THAT YOU AND YOUR PEERS HAVE
CONSIDERED IN IDENTIFYING THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN IDEAL
JOURNALIST?

5
3. IF YOU WERE TO BECOME A
JOURNALIST, HOW WOULD YOU LIVE UP
TO THE IDEALS YOU HAVE MENTIONED?

6
Why is there a need to be familiar with
one’s rights?

7
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND
ACCOUNTABILITIES

The responsibilities of
communication
professionals are
accompanied by rights
and accountabilities.

8
RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND
ACCOUNTABILITIES

rights – set of principles of

freedom or entitlement
bestowed upon the people
either by the legal system or
the society in general

9
RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND
ACCOUNTABILITIES

Four areas cover the rights,

responsibilities, and
accountabilities of
communicators.

10
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ACCOUNTABILITIES OF
COMMUNICATORS

Access to Information

● freedom of people to
access, publish, and
consume information
held by public bodies
● only applicable to
public information

11
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ACCOUNTABILITIES OF
COMMUNICATORS

Reporting Matters of
Public Interest
● report public issues
without manipulation
● media as the bridge
between people and
their government

12
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ACCOUNTABILITIES OF
COMMUNICATORS

Fair Comment

● stating opinion that is

based on facts
● an honest opinion of
the communicator in
relation to the
presented facts

13
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ACCOUNTABILITIES OF
COMMUNICATORS

Protecting Sources of
Information
● valuing source of
information
● defend and protect the
source of information

14
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Journalists

● educate the public on social issues

● responsible and accountable for the information they
deliver to the public
● also have the right to be protected from any violation
from the public

15
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ACCOUNTABILITIES OF
JOURNALISTS

Right to Information

Journalists are responsible for

informing the public of
matters that affect them.

16
RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ACCOUNTABILITIES OF
JOURNALISTS

Obligations of Journalists

● uphold the people’s right to

information
● From the Declaration of the
Rights and Duties of Journalists

10 essential obligations a
journalist must do:

17
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Obligations of Journalists

1. respect truth whatever

regardless of the
consequences to himself or
herself
2. defend freedom of
information, comment, and
criticism
3. report only facts of which he
18
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Obligations of Journalists

4. not to use unfair methods

to obtain information
5. restrict himself or herself to
the respect of privacy
6. rectify inaccurate
information that he or she
has published
7. observe professional 19
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Obligations of Journalists
8. consider plagiarism,
calumny, slander, libel and
unfounded accusations, and
the acceptance of a bribe in
any form as grave
professional offenses

20
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Obligations of Journalists
9. never to confuse the
profession of a journalists
with that of an advertiser,
salesperson, or a
propagandist
10.resist every pressure and
accept editorial orders
from responsible editorial
staff 21
 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ACCOUNTABILITIES OF
JOURNALISTS

Rights of Journalists

right to be protected from any

form of violence

right to claim free access to public

information

right to “refuse subordination to

anything contrary to the general
policy of the information”
22
How important is the right to information to
communicators, journalists, and the public?

23
IDENTIFY IF THE STATEMENT IS TRUE OR FALSE.

1. JOURNALISTS ARE REQUIRED TO

VERIFY EVERY INFORMATION THAT
THEY OBTAIN WHEN DOCUMENTING
ANY ISSUE.

24
IDENTIFY IF THE STATEMENT IS TRUE OR FALSE.

2. AN INDIVIDUAL MAY REQUEST

JOURNALISTS TO NOT STATE HIS OR
HER NAME WHEN NEWS ABOUT HIM
OR HER IS PUBLISHED EITHER ON
TELEVISION, RADIO, NEWSPAPERS,
MAGAZINES, OR SOCIAL MEDIA.

25
IDENTIFY IF THE STATEMENT IS TRUE OR FALSE.

3. COMMUNICATORS HAVE THE RIGHT

TO ACCESS INFORMATION EVEN IF IT
IS PRIVATE AND NOT PART OF PUBLIC
INTEREST.

26
IDENTIFY IF THE STATEMENT IS TRUE OR FALSE.

4. FAIR COMMENT INCLUDES PERSONAL

OPINIONS OF NEWS ANCHORS BASED
ON THEIR VALUES.

27
IDENTIFY IF THE STATEMENT IS TRUE OR FALSE.

5. JOURNALISTS MUST ENSURE THAT

THE INFORMATION THEY ARE
GATHERING IS VALUABLE AND
RELIABLE.

28
● Communicators and journalists are tasked to
use media platforms to deliver truthful and
accurate information to the public.

● Communicators and journalists are expected

to responsibly exercise their profession by
providing reliable and original content to the
public.

29
● Communicators’ rights, responsibilities, and
accountabilities are indicated in four areas,
namely access to information, reporting
matters of public interest, fair comment,
and protecting sources of information.

● Journalists are expected to familiarize

themselves with the rights, responsibilities,
and accountabilities of the profession, namely
the right to information, obligations of
journalists, and rights of journalists.
30
For several decades, people who work in
media and journalism have been
concerned with a problem. It revolves
around journalists' safety in covering
important issues in the country. The
Maguindanao massacre, in which 32
Filipino media workers were murdered, was
the epitome of this concern.
Upon exploring the different rights,
responsibilities, and accountabilities of
communicators and journalists, what
measures can you suggest to protect them
from harm?