Without fear or favor

When we talk of newspaper publishing, we must realize that, in general, it is founded and exists for two main reasons. One is to provide fair, truthful and fearless — without favor — news and information vital for the general population to know. Meaning, in the ideal world, the main consideration in putting up a newspaper is to inform the citizenry be the news, reports or information positive or negative. It shouldn’t matter whatever it may be.

The other rationale is that publishing a newspaper is, undoubtedly, a business venture that needs a capital investment and with that, admit it or not, the publication has to make money. No one sensible enough would go into a business without consideration of a profit in return.

Well, publishing a newspaper is not free; it’s even costly. The publisher employs people, needs equipment, transport vehicles, supplies like paper, and many other things to get the paper to the newsstand, day in and day out, without fail.

Newspaper work is never ending, no holidays, and no newspaper can tell their writers to publish their stories somewhere else. That’s why we say that working for a newspaper is worse than working in a hospital. I say so because hospitals can refuse patients and tell them to go to another hospital. In a newspaper we can’t do that.

This is my first time doing a piece in recognition of the seemingly untiring efforts and dedication of our publisher, Mr. Willie Fernandez, and the editors and staff to ensure that DAILY TRIBUNE for the last 25 years has lived up to its tagline, “Without Fear, Without Favor.”

In my journo endeavors since the late 1970s on campus, I hadn’t seen firsthand how the DT compared to the others. There were the Manila Chronicle, Philippines Herald, Manila Times, Evening Post which were publications owned by business moguls of the period. No Inquirer or Star then. And by any measure, comparatively, then and now, DT stands firm on its commitment to deliver the news and information without fear or favor. Not wavering a bit.

As it is now, most of the major dailies that reach us are owned or controlled by huge business interests. I wouldn’t mention any of them, but the people, the readers, are not deaf and dumb.

One major broadsheet claims in its masthead that it represents “balanced news and fearless views,” but the real thing is the exact opposite. Clearly, the publication is out to protect its myriad business interests.

For the last 25 long arduous years, Daily Tribune published everything positive and negative about the country, the government, the officials, the uniformed personnel, business and whatever events and tragedies happened. This commitment to the truth led the Rotary Club of Manila, the oldest Rotary Club in Asia, to award DT as The Newspaper of the Year for the years 2017, 2021, 2023 and 2025, or four years almost in succession. This is unprecedented and no one beats DT because it lives up to its tagline.

As we celebrate our 25th year in this glorious field, the journey, the momentum continues in high gear because the Daily Tribune cannot fail us under any circumstances.

Comments: @billyandaltulay@yahoo.com