RESPECT the truth and your audience. This was the appeal of Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle to media practitioners in his message during the historic 40th Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) ceremony held at the Star Theater in Pasay City on Wednesday night.
Tagle lamented how disrespect for the truth has led some media users to strategically utilize their respective mediums to manipulate the perspective of their audience of facts.
“Indeed it is disheartening that modern means of communication have been reduced to strategies to manipulate people…We need to recover this basic respect for people and the truth. We need to educate and work for the truth,” Tagle said.
Citing Pope Francis’s 2018 World Communication Sunday message, the prelate said communicators play a big role in facilitating their audience’s good relationship with God.
“He [Pope Francis] points out that when we are faithful to God’s plan, communication becomes an effective expression of our responsible search for truth and our pursuit for goodness,” Tagle said.
The short message was read by Fr. Rufino C. Secson Jr., CMMA trustee and executive director, as Tagle was unable to attend the event because of an illness.
D. Edgard A. Cabangon, CMMA acting chairman, echoed Tagle’s call for media practitioners to counter misinformation in line with CMMA’s theme for this year: “The truth shall set you free.”
“We believe there is no better time for media practitioners to uphold truthfulness and putting to good use the power they have in reaching a wide audience through their works that today will be graced with the challenge of defending the truth against deception and lies,” Cabangon said.
Out of the 677 entries received by CMMA for its eight categories this year, 289 became finalists.
The categories for CMMA are print, television, radio, advertising, music, cinema, online media and student.
Tagle hailed the growth in the number of entries for the 2018 CMMA compared to previous years, saying this shows more media practitioners are interested in getting the Church’s recognition.
“Through the years it [CMMA] has worked to promote Christian values, as well as positive Filipino traits and traditions through the use of mass media,” Tagle said.
“It is, therefore, encouraging and gratifying that year after year there has been a steady increase in the number of entries from mass media practitioners who dedicate their work for the cause of values formation,” he added. CMMA, established by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin in 1978, is one of the longest local award-giving body for the media. It was organized by the Archdiocese of Manila.
Among the notable awardees during the 40th edition of CMMA were the three Hall of Fame recipients: Wilson Y. Lee Flores for his column in the Philippine Star; Failon Ngayon sa DZMM; and Word and Life Publication.
Recipients of the Hall of Fame should have won at least five times in their respective categories in the CMMA.
Other special awards recipients in the event were the Department of Journalism and Communication of the University of San Jose Recoletos Cebu City (St. John Paul II Award) and the Shepherd’s Voice Radio and TV Foundation Inc. (Serviam Awardee).
The Serviam Award is given to groups and individuals who transmit Christian values in media-based programs; and the St. John Paul II Award, to groups and individuals who use media creatively to uphold values.