News Embargo is a term most of us are not familiar with. Well, in a simpler meaning, it is the act or a favor of the media organization of withholding a breaking news from the public in a certain period of time.
As a Journalism student, it is important to know the concept behind this idea and its pros and cons. Since whether I like it or not, I will be facing the bigger world and the dirty reality soon.
Embargo in the field of news is prevalent in kidnapping cases, because as they say there are a lot of factors to consider in a kidnapping incident. For those people who are involve in the act of news embargo, claim that the right of the people to information and the responsibility of the journalist to the public should be taken into the back seat as life of a human being is the more important.
When an individual or a group of individual was held in captive by some abductors, it is a big news isn't it? The tendency of the media and the press is to deliver this breaking news to the public to inform them about the incident and present them the important details. Sometimes, this is the only way that the authorities are capable of knowing what happened. In some cases, the family of the captive is requesting for the privacy of the crime because the safety of the person is at risk.
Is this favor -the withholding of news from the public- is applicable to all? regardless of their status in the society?
What happen to broadcast journalist Ces Drilon and her other companions, is a situation that needs to have deeper explanation and understanding whether this act is against the journalism code of ethics, or is the reason of the person's safety.
The news that Drilon and company was kidnapped came out two days after the incident happened. According to some news, ABS-CBN requested all TV networks and radio stations to hold the news after 48 hours because of the safety issue.
I have some points to rais. Is a taxi driver, a farmer or an activist, can also have this favor? Hey! they are also human being that needs to be protected and their saftey is at risk. Do these media organizations do care of what may happen to them? or they can be ruthless and still deliver the news despite of the danger?
For me news embargo is acceptable in the field of journalism if media organization will treat every indivual equally, and give them and their families the right to decide and the right to live.
The responsibility of a journalist to inform the public is indeed important, but the respect to the person who was kidnapped and their family is more important.
