The political dynasty reports of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) won an Award for Excellence at the 2025 Society of Publishers in Asia (Sopa) annual Awards for Editorial Excellence. “This is an excellent series on how family dynasties dominate politics in the Philippines. It goes beyond the best-known examples to show how the...
Category: Media
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When ‘dinosaurs’ peopled the Inquirer, they made it No. 1
A tempest in a teacup has been stirred by someone who attributed to “dinosaurs” the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s purported bumbling journey to digital. He appeared to be singing a dirge for it in a chest-thumping report that was run on June 30, timed for the next-day management transition of the No. 1 newspaper from its corporate...
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Filipino concern over online disinformation hits record high–Digital News Report 2025
Concern over online mis- and disinformation in the Philippines climbed to a record 67% in early 2025 amid a politically charged midterm election season that saw Vice President Sara Duterte impeached on corruption charges and former president Rodrigo Duterte arrested by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity tied to his brutal “war on...
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AI fakery rises, but cheapfakes still rule the race
AI-manipulated videos and audio have emerged as a growing disinformation tactic ahead of Monday’s midterm elections—more frequent, more targeted and more deceptive. Despite their rise, simpler manipulations, or shallowfakes, remain the more widespread threat, continuing to dominate the misinformation landscape flagged by fact-checkers. Out of 35 unique altered claims identified by partners of the fact-checking coalition Tsek.ph during the Feb....
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Phantom banks, shaky claims undercut viral report on Marcos gold
Documents circulating online that purport to expose a $100-billion money laundering scheme involving the Marcos family’s alleged 350 metric tons of gold are riddled with red flags including references to fictitious banks, dubious account numbers, and formatting anomalies inconsistent with how illicit wealth is typically hidden. Screenshots of the documents accompanied a report that first...
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Chinese online platforms swirl with Duterte arrest disinfo
Ten days after his arrest, false reports surfaced on Chinese digital media platforms claiming that former president Rodrigo Duterte had collapsed into a coma while in detention at The Hague, where he faces trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity linked to his bloody antidrug war. Fabricated accounts described his condition...
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Duterte arrest sparks disinformation surge, spinning tales in his favor
The stunning arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte by Interpol on March 11 has unleashed a torrent of disinformation across social media. Fabricated claims and misleading narratives widely cast him as a victim of injustice in an apparent effort to garner public support. Fact checks on spurious posts about Duterte’s arrest in Manila and his...
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Atom Araullo’s victory over Red-taggers also a win for others
Television journalist Atom Araullo and his lawyers said his landmark legal victory against Red-tagging can be used by other journalists and activists similarly victimized to thwart this dangerous labelling that opens them to various forms of harassment and intimidation. Araullo, 41, a multiawarded documentarist, won a P2-million civil lawsuit for damages against ex-anticommunist task force...
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The journalism of our future
Deep in the south of Egypt a young woman once told me, “Being a journalist at a local newspaper has given me the opportunity to discover and assert who I am. What my community is and what it needs. Not be told who we are and are supposed to be.” As we near World News...
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Journalism is society’s safety net
A record number of newsrooms have signed up for World News Day 2024, recognizing the positive influence of journalism the world over. More than 600 newsrooms and media associations across all continents join to bring awareness to the purpose of journalism, a trade that is under constant attack. It’s a day to pause; and reflect...