TO back up President Arroyo’s attack on the media for concentrating on bad stories while ignoring the good ones, such as her achievements, Malacañang released a survey showing 41 percent of respondents complaining about media’s emphasis on negative reports.
Why should the people, with so many problems plaguing them, take the time to criticize the so-called negativism in media reports?
Because the survey was commissioned by the rabidly pro-administration AMA group. It had the right to prepare the questions. Hence that leading question about negative news stories.
Media, however, is not bothered. It’s not just because of the minority 41 percent. Media is headed by news editors, properly educated, trained, and experienced. They know what is news.
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Some comfort came media’s way when another survey showed that the majority disapproved of the President’s performance.
Malacañang was quick to reply. It quoted the President saying that she was not in the business of governance to be popular. She was not bothered, therefore, by popularity ratings. She would remain dedicated to her work.
Ignore the polls when one’s ratings are low? That should comfort those in the media who are bothered by the 41 percent criticizing their negativism.
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That AMA survey should be instructive: Look below the surface, find out who are fashioning the questions and how they are worded.
There may be occasions when a respondent is asked on a subject where he is totally ignorant and he feels obliged to say something, anything. For instance, the issue of media performance is not normally on a person’s mind.
A pertinent follow-up question in the AMA survey should be: Do you believe that the negative stories in media are lies and can cite one such story?
In the end, whether negative or positive, what counts is if the story is true.
