Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.
— Buddha
MAYPAJO, Caloocan City — Above anything else, yours truly expresses deepest sentiments to the family of GMA Network’s Jimmy Gil, who passed away on the morning of June 11, a day before Independence Day.
Jimmy, or Ka Igme, was a good friend. With the late Noel Perfecto of PTV, who also passed away some 10 years ago, the duo were often seen together in media coverages and thus earned the moniker “Batman and Robin.” I later joined them in several conferences and came to consider us three as “The Three Musketeers.”
Anyway, to highlight my friendship with Ka Igme, here’s a short tribute I composed a day after he bade us adieu:
Farewell, Ka Igme
J-ust his wit and wisdom
I-nfects the world around
M-ost of us in media-dom
M-ay recall this astounding
Y-et they bring broad smiles
G-ives us a real reason
I-n loving our profession
L-egend has passed, all the guiles.
THAT done, let’s move on to our topic for today about truth, algorithms, and viral trends . . .
With the rapid acceptance of social media as a means of communication and connecting to the world, it appears that many of us are focusing more and more on gaining support and viewership in order to register high algorithm engagement or make ourselves and our activities go viral in cyberdom.
This, however, may be true, but we must not forget that truth remains the foundation of several aspects of life. Here, though, I am focusing on truth in political campaigns, now so significant as we head towards the 2028 elections.
This was cited at the recent Campaign Playbook Live hosted by Vantage Influence, where media practitioners stressed that while social media may dominate the political landscape, the core mission of journalism remains unchanged—verifying facts, providing context, and delivering the truth.
It was noted that traditional media often moves slower than social media because of the rigorous process of verifying information before publication. However, the rise of digital platforms has forced most news organizations to adapt without sacrificing standards.
So things have changed in terms of speed. Almost all reports have become “breaking news,” as information gathered still requires fact-checking and a bit of synthesis before being packaged neatly and delivered more quickly.
A warning, though: as journalists, we must continue performing this role if the public is to avoid falling victim to disinformation.
Lastly, no one can say that journalists are no longer needed. We are here, basically, to uphold the trust of the people in what’s going on.
*
FOR your comments, suggestions, complaints, or requests, just send a message through my email at cipcab2006@yahoo.com or text me at cellphone numbers 09171656792 or 09171592256 during office hours from Monday to Friday. Thank you and mabuhay!
ia/xf
