Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila has warned news organizations against a constant focus on “bad news”, extolling the vicious cycle of fear and pessimism, reported CBCP News.
While exposing evil is a matter of journalistic duty, he encouraged the media to also engage in constructive forms of communication that foster hope.
“Let us not glamorize evil,” Tagle said during this year’s Catholic Mass Media Awards at the GSIS Theatre in Pasay City on Nov. 13.
“Sometimes unwittingly or unconsciously, our way of presenting evil present in society some times glamorizes the very evil that we want to denounce,” he said.
The cardinal also cautioned allowing consciousness to be dulled into hopelessness by a media industry that thinks that good news does not sell.
Echoing Pope Francis’ message for the 2017 World Communications Day, he instead called for a style of communication that inspires a positive approach on the part of the recipients.
“If the good news is too boring to report, then does the Gospel which is Good News have a place in communication?” Tagle said.
“Yes, we become truthful even reporting evil. But as believers in Jesus who has triumphed over sin and death, we should be more zealous and animate in proclaiming Good News,” he added.
First given in 1978, the CMMA was organized by the Archdiocese of Manila to stress the importance of mass media and to instill a sense of responsibility among communicators.
In 1980, no other than Pope John Paul II himself graced the ceremonies, handing out personally the awards to the winners.
