Why the Philippine Press Is Too Careful in Handling Brian Gorrell Case
Without a doubt, the story of Brian Gorrell, the Australian whose blog is taking the Internet by storm (at least in the Philippines), is becoming a test case on libel and defamation in the age of new media. Although Gorrell insists that what he writes in his blog is only the truth, many agree that its content is libelous and defamatory.
Not surprisingly, the mainstream press, including PinoyPress, handled Gorrell’s story gingerly, to put it mildly. A major consideration is the fact that Gorrell has not filed any case in court. If he did — and he promised to PinoyPress that he would — it would have made his case public and, as such, would have given the mainstream press the reason (or justification?) not just to write about it but also to identify those involved. That most of them did not points to the delicate nature of Gorrell’s case.
Then again, should the filing of an actual case transform Gorrell’s story from mere gossip into a legitimate news story?
Here again the press is accused of being selective in its application of journalistic ethics and the legal principles surrounding libel and defamation. Is the mainstream press, the allegation goes, too careful (or too afraid?) in Gorrell’s case because those whom he accused of various sins and malfeasance are powerful and famous people – people who have the means to haul journalists off to court? On the other hand, what can the public make of the fact that the press has no qualms identifying and exposing people, often poor and powerless, accused – as opposed to guilty — of theft or rape?
Can the members of so-called high-society that have been boldfaced in Gorrell’s blog invoke privacy, even if, by definition, a socialite necessarily lives a very public life? You see them in the society pages, flaunting their wealth, influence and, often, decadence and insinuating themselves into the public consciousness – doesn’t that make them public figures and, as such, fair game to the press and the new media? Gorrell himself has asked this question several times.
To help our readers understand the other issues related to Gorrell’s blog, PinoyPress sent out three questions to seven journalists and media experts. Only two of them responded.
JV Rufino is the editor-in-chief of Inquirer.net, the online news site owned by the same folks that own the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The website and the paper were the first to run stories on Gorrell. (They have so far written the most number of stories on the Australian. On Monday, the story finally landed on the paper’s front page.)
Danilo Arao is a journalism professor at the University of the Philippines. He is considered one of the pioneering online journalists in the country and has written for various publications. He writes a weekly column for Pinoy Weekly and helps put out the Philippine Journalism Review.
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April 8th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
[...] also used my emailed reply to CC Hidalgo in the article titled “Why the Philippine Press Is Too Careful in Handling Brian Gorrell Case (April 7).” If you want to know my views on the Brian Gorrell case (particularly how [...]
April 19th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Brian is a social climber himself and tried to live the easy, good life while in Manila and Boracay. He was trying really hard to make friends with the Gucci Gang, and hoped to be one of them.
They, of course, rejected him in the end which is why he is so bitter.
I do believe DJ did take his money, though. But why Brian was so stupid as to just blindly send his life savings is his own stupidity.
But really, saving for your whole life and all you have is $70,000? That’s really pathetic. Brian is almost 40 years old.
That’s the problem with these gold diggers from outside. They offer nothing but HIV, but expect to live like a king because they are white and in the Philippines.
I have no sympathy for white opportunist trash like Brian. Good riddance!
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:21 am
Excuse me, but what are the “very serious allegations” brought by Mr. Gorell against the Gucci Gang? I can maybe see a fraud charge against Montano, but what has the Gucci Gang done wrong? Drugs? That would require a police investigations with charges of posession, intent to sell, etc. Otherwise, I dont see anything in Gorell’s blog about criminal activity.
I don’t even understand how this is a legitimate news story. At best, it deserves mention in the gossip/entertainment section. The unverified one-sided rantings of a spurned lover constitutes hard news? Please take a long hard look at your journalistic standards.
March 17th, 2009 at 9:37 am
its so interesting site hope u can help me…. i need some of your opinion is it possible for me to file libel case in a us citizen girl supposively ex-wife of my boyfriend now…. she talks lots of worst thing to be throwed in a girl being a filipina i just read all her mails to my bf acct. she thinks that having a filipina gf is worst she called me prostitute,idiot,non educated living in a poor country with lots of terrorist using the body to survive and much worst is she called me a whore without me knowing her and knowing me thats really below the belt do u know how am i going to fight for my dignity being a filipina? hope u can give me advice im hoping for you responce thank you so much… more power
March 20th, 2009 at 8:00 am
[...] quickly updated news.” He said that he has read my comments on the Pinoy Press article “Why the Philippine Press Is Too Careful in Handling Brian Gorrell Case” and my paper titled “The Practice of Online Journalism in the [...]