Investigative Journalism Must Be A Journalism Of Humanity – And That Includes The Farmers!

Tony Moran shared on Facebook something on the “Journalist’s Creed,” and my comment was: “Very much out of touch of reality.” What about Maria Ressa, one of TIME’s 100 “Most Influential Women Of The Century[1]”? They like to call it investigative journalism – yes, it is a journalism of news & views on a selection of species! And no, it’s not natural selection.

A Manila columnist keeps repeating his assertion that Secretary of Agriculture William Dar/Manong Willie is wrong in his data & information on the effects of the Rice Tariffication Law, RTL – that is investigative journalism applied to agriculture. A shaming, not a sharing journalism; destructive, not constructive.

This time, I want to introduce:

Investigative Development Journalism, ID Journalism, which is safer and happier and spreads happiness.

It is investigative journalism – you investigate what is good for society, for the village at least, sharing what you find without shaming someone, which investigative reporters love to do.

It is development journalism – the results of your investigation are intended to support a government program or project or initiative for the progress of villages. It takes a village to develop a village.

It is societal journalism, but not simply high society.

It is investment journalism, as you invest your talent, time & treasure.

ID Journalism. This 2020 investigative journalism is defined by its focus: investigating development – not investigating people as if they were criminals. The journalist is never trained in criminology!

Old Quijano de Manila’s (Nick Joaquin’s) reportages at the Philippines Free Press and his own Asia-Philippines Leader, were all of this kind: investigative development journalism. Although he did not describe it such, he would have recognized it. He knew he was serving his country with his writing, and was glad – that is the point for any journalism that is worthy of society. That is the journalism that is worth more than TIME’s prestigious year-end cover.

Yes, I’m coming from “New Thinking for Agriculture” that Secretary of Agriculture William Dar/Manong Willie presented to his beloved country upon assumption of office on 05 August 2019. My ID Journalism would cover the 8 paradigms that cover such new thinking (see my essay “Is William Dar Sleeping On The Job, Or BusinessMirror Sleeping With The Mouse[2]?”)

It is TIME the RTL journalists learned to be good to their country!

In fact, The Journalist's Creed, which Tony Moran above shares on Facebook, shares my ID Journalism. Here is one of the I believes:

I believe that the journalism which succeeds best – and best deserves success – fears God and honors Man… seeks to give every man a chance and… is a journalism of humanity, of and for today’s world. (superimposed image of “Journalists For Human Rights[3]”)

Investigative journalism is not a journalism of humanity,
and thus the journalist fails the Journalist’s Creed itself.
Its loyalty is to the Journalist, not Society.

Not investigative journalism, but ID Journalism would fight for those sectors downtrodden by the economic opportunists – such role being part of The ID Journalist’s Creed!@517

---

[1] https://www.rappler.com/nation/253538-maria-ressa-time-list-most-influential-women-century?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2moJSxTFy0XysRRdnrXntTyuwMLBQU9XZnm8ZUH_6XGU1MD-G864qhdo4#Echobox=1583412480

[2] https://ammompilipinas.blogspot.com/2020/03/is-william-dar-sleeping-on-job-or.html

[3] https://jhr.ca/