Biased tendencies

As journalists, we do have our own personal biases, beliefs and principles. As human beings, it is inevitable that there are just things and persons we like and don’t like.

Here at The Ilocos Times, the only criterion we use for news stories is objectivity. We don’t include opinions of the news writer neither do we allow their “slants” for or against the personality involved in the news. We try to balance the issues by getting both sides’ comments and takes. There may come a time when a person concerned is not interviewed or asked about the issue he/she may be involved in; but this is mainly due to the fact that the person is unavailable or simply doesn’t want to comment. Either way, we do try our best to get their take on whatever issue they may be concerned with.

Opinion pieces, on the other hand, is a totally different animal.

Here, our opinion and editorial writers make their stand on issues they are tackling. On this side of journalism, the personal biases, prejudices and principles of the writer are front and center. And as long as they are not libelous, they end up on the paper and/or the website and our social media page.

The Ilocos Times editors may not necessarily agree with what our opinion writers write but as a free press and democracy dictate, they have the right to express their opinions—for better or for worse. If they—the editors—begin putting restrictions on what opinion writers can and can’t write about, then they can  no longer be called “editors”, but “censors”.

News stories that appear on the paper and on our internet outlets about our officials’ glorious successes and epic failures are always balanced—sometimes to a fault. Being balanced on these stories are both the right and expectations of the people concerned, and more so, our loyal readers.

Yet as it is, some people may be very confused about the difference between news and editorial pieces. Hopefully the explanation here will shed light on whatever preconceived notions they have about us.

For as it is, “being biased” is just a state of mind. Not liking a person because of what he has done—or to be more precise what he wouldn’t, couldn’t, can’t and won’t do—is everyone’s right. In the same manner that the unlikeable person can also lash out at those who dislike him. But if you are an elected or appointed government official, acting this way will only show what and who you really are.

Hopefully, this will settle claims and allegations about The Ilocos Times’ alleged “bias”; and that everyone will now understand the differences between news stories and opinion pieces.

We have actually explained it before; now we’re explaining it again for the sake of those who missed The Ilocos Times issue then; or the few who really doesn’t know anything about journalism.

Or for the rare kind of people who has cultivated a simmering, bubbling and treacherous bias against The Ilocos Times.