Sionzon, Ilyka Jean D.
BA COMM II
Comm 106
Reflection on “The Post” movie
The press, being the backbone of our democracy helps us be equipped with information that
we can use to become informed citizens. The media is doing everything they could to convey veracity
and service to the people. Media practitioners are responsible for being steadfast with their works,
not just in the quest for truth, but also in abiding by the law. They must resort only to just and truthful
means in obtaining information. Most of all, the information they provide must be of complete
transparency and full disclosure.
After watching the film entitled “The Post”, I realized that being in the press is really a risky job.
We cannot get a clear picture of what will be ahead of them given that when they publish such
information, regardless of how confidential it is, there will be criticisms coming from others who are
not in favor of that information. While I continued watching, I got carried away by the rush of emotions
that the characters are showing and I even felt that I’m part of the film. It was telling the viewers that
the press, in one way or another will be suppressed in such ways. I was amazed by the courage of
Katharine Graham as she has chosen to publish the Pentagon Papers although it will be very unsafe
for her and the entire company. Being able to publish a classified study involving some sort of secrets
that the government had kept from the public might give an excruciating feeling to the publishers
most especially that they could put their lives at risk. Even if that classified information possessed a
strong objection from the government, they still decided to publish and uphold the freedom of the
press. This film seemed to be so informative for me since I was able to grasp the main lesson that no
matter what the odds are, the press must continue doing what they are supposed to do. Given the
fact that they vowed concerning the path that they took, they really are responsible for giving
information to the public with complete transparency. We cannot deny the fact that one major barrier
that the press stumble upon is the government that is controlling too much over mass media which
often leads to information with a lack of reliability and truthfulness. The press is utilizing much effort,
but the government is the one leading the barrier to information access as well as in showing hostility
towards our journalists. And of course, this frequently occurs whenever they publish information that
can harm the reputation of public officials.
The media of today is also suffering from this kind of situation. Freedom of the press has been
crucial these days. As it is considered as one of the safeguards of our democracy, the fight towards
freedom of the press has been a consistent battle now and then. Discrimination against the media
has been prevalent in the Philippines. They are being silenced and faced many difficulties that hinder
them from doing their responsibilities. This is why at some point, the ethics of journalism is
sometimes problematic to uphold because of the hostility and criticisms being thrown at the press. I
must say that being in the field of media isn’t a safe job. The press is suffering from threats and
journalists struggled quite a lot. It is upsetting to think that the press is having a hard time fighting for
what they think is right. They are being attacked even when they are at their most vulnerable spots.
The right to freedom of expression is not absolute because even both international laws and some
constitutions said that it has restrictions. The freedom of expression which is a basic right of all
people has not been so effective at present due to government censorship. The freedom of the press
is also rigid underlining the lack of reliable and accurate information that people need the most. Our
constitution is very clear about the right of the press, of expression, and the people, and yet these
rights are being pressed and abused in one way or another.
But despite the criticisms that media are facing, they should continue to be transparent at all
costs for them to earn more the trust of the people. They need to continue to uphold and enhance
more the bases of accountability and transparency and must link these two important factors to
consistency. They should make it a pattern and in that manner, people will appreciate them more.
Whenever they commit some errors, they must correct them, overcome them, and use those
blunders as lessons. It’s hard to earn the trust of the people and build a good reputation, but the
press should never lose hope and shall continue doing its job.
