More than 500 students attended U.S. Embassy Manila’s “Broadcast Journalism Discussions with Jiggy Manicad,” a lecture and film screening promoting press freedom in honor of slain American journalist Daniel Pearl. The lecture was held at the University of the Philippines Los Baños New College of Arts and Sciences.
Daniel Pearl was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal who was abducted and killed by terrorists in Pakistan in 2002. Since then, Daniel Pearl has become a symbol of the journalist at risk, and is commemorated annually through events that encourage tolerance and press freedom.
The lecturer, Filipino broadcast reporter Jiggy Manicad, imparted his hands-on experiences from the field. He provided tips on how to write live news stories and talked about journalism ethics.
U.S. Embassy Manila’s press attaché, Kurt Hoyer, stressed the importance of credibility by checking one’s source and verifying statements and data before reporting the news. Citing a Reporters without Borders survey, he said that the Philippines is a press freedom hotspot and is one of the most dangerous environments for media practitioners.
The day closed with a free showing of “A Mighty Heart”, a film depicting the abduction and death of Daniel Pearl.
U.S. Embassy Manila partnered with award-winning Jiggy Manicad, who conducts free journalism lectures in high schools, colleges, and universities. His lectures seek to empower future journalists with the early knowledge of responsible reporting and free speech.
