Browse by section, topic or location
Manila, Philippines
NEWS & FEATURES    |    OPINION & ANALYSIS    |    SPECIAL REPORTS    |    LIFESTYLE    |    BLOGS    |    ARCHIVES    |    SEARCH PINOYPRESS    |    SUBSCRIBE
Current Events   |   Economy   |   Politics   |   Business & Finance   |   Human Rights   |   Technology   |   Entertainment   |   Food & Dining   |   Arts & Culture   |   Travel & Leisure

RELATED STORIES

Brian Gorrell: Shaking Up High Society

7 Things Brian Gorrell Can Do From Now On

Brian Gorrell Now Goes After the Philippine Star

NAVIGATE: Home » All Entries, Other Stories » Why the Philippine Press Is Too Careful in Handling Brian Gorrell Case

Why the Philippine Press Is Too Careful in Handling Brian Gorrell Case

PUBLISHED ON April 7, 2008 AT 2:32 PM

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.

Pages: 1 2 3

RSS feedSubscribe via email Discuss


3 Responses to “Why the Philippine Press Is Too Careful in Handling Brian Gorrell Case”

  1. Quoted by Manila Times and PinoyPress | Rising Sun Says:

    [...] 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 [...]

  2. The Truth About Brian Says:

    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!

  3. Francisco Says:

    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.

Leave a Comment (Moderated)

You must be logged in to post a comment.

THE NEWS IN PICTURES

End The War. Members of the youth group Anakbayan denounce the war being waged by the government in Mindanao against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. (Photo: arkibongbayan.org)

Where Are They? Relatives, friends and colleagues of victims of enforced disappearances commemorate the International Day of the Disappeared with lighted lanterns and photographs at the Plaza Miranda and in Mendiola on Aug. 30. (Photo: arkibongbayan.org)

Free at Last. The so-called Tagaytay 5 -- Aris Sarmiento, Axel Pinpin, Riel Custodio, Michael Masayes and Rico Ybañez -- shown here inside their prison cell during their incarceration, were freed yesterday. “The dismissal of trumped-up charges and release of Tagaytay 5 is a victory for human rights,” said Ruth Cervantes, Karapatan's public information officer. (Photo: freetagaytay5.net)

Displaced. Residents of North Cotabato have been the ones badly affected by the military offensives launched against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. "As the government continues to indiscriminately drop bombs on Moro and Christian villages in Aleosan and Pikit, more and more civilians are displaced," said Kawagib, a Moro human-rights group.(Photo: Suara Bangsamoro/arkibongbayan.org)

In One Roof. Villagers who fled their homes after the clashes last week between government troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the south brought every human life with them, including their farm animals. They now live under one roof at an evacuation center in Pikit, North Cotabato. (Photo: Bong Sarmiento / Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project)

Emergency. A scene from "Ambulancia," a short film that tells of a painful twist in an ambulance driver's belief that a dying patient can be saved by running over stray animals on the streets. The award-winning film will be screened at the so-called "Woodstock of short films" in Germany. Richard Legaspi directed the film and it stars Alan Paule and Nor Domingo. (Contributed photo)

Sendoff. The Philippine Army dispatched today, Aug. 10, the 68th Infantry Battalion to Maguindanao. This battalion, together with the 46th Infantry Battalion from Samar, will augment the troops in Central Mindanao for the security operations that will be conducted to ensure peaceful elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao tomorrow. (Photo: Philippine Army)

Killings Denounced. Mindanao journalists gathered in General Santos City on Friday to denounce the recent attacks on their colleagues. On Monday, Dennis Cuesta, a Radio Mindanao Network commentator in General Santos, was shot and is fighting for his life. On Thursday, another RMN broadcaster, Martin Roxas of Capiz City, was shot dead. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

If This Wall Could Talk. With the pleasant scenery as a backdrop (and a constant reminder, perhaps, of a life they could have had), this poor family try to survive by actually living by the sidewalk outside the Chinese school in Davao City. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

Undaunted. Activists from Anakbayan scuffle with the police as the Chevrolet Suburban carrying President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo passes by the junction before the newly built Bankerohan bridge in Davao City last week. The president was in the city for the declaration of the merger of Lakas-CMD and Kampi parties. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

Freedom Denied. Lex Adonis, a former broadcaster of Bombo Radyo in Davao City, inside the Davao Penal Colony, where he was jailed after House Speaker Prospero Nograles sued him for libel over a story involving the Davao congressman's alleged sexual relations with a woman other than his wife. Despite a court order, Adonis remains in jail. (File photo by davaotoday.com)

Tribute to Ka Bel. Activists, artists, friends and supporters troop to the Philippine Independent Church on Taft Avenue Monday night to honor AnakPawis Rep. Crispin Beltran, who died last week. Beltran will be buried in Bulacan today, after a ceremony honoring him at the House of Representatives, where he served for several terms as party-list congressman. (Photo by Ayi Muallam/pinoypress.net)

Rare Sight. Moro women students of a madrasah play volleyball during a break in barangay Ugalingan, Carmen, North Cotabato, last week. While Filipina Moros are considered relatively open in their lifestyle compared to Muslim women in other countries, scenes like this are not very common in Moro areas in Mindanao. (Photo by Keith Bacongco/AKP Images)

Ka Bel's Fight. An activist mourns the death of AnakPawis Rep. Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran, who died Tuesday. Ka Bel's remains lie in state at the IFI Cathedral in Manila. His colleagues, family and friends have lined up a series of tributes. Click here for the schedules, as well as statements and poems honoring Ka Bel. (Photo by courtesy of arkibongbayan)
TOP STORIES
More Civilian Suffering Feared in Mindanao
Presence of US Troops in Mindanao Faces Probe
Looking Forward in Mindanao
Arroyo Dissolves Gov’t Peace Panel
Major US Gov’t Report Concludes Tobacco’s Media Promotion Leads to Smoking
Manila’s Censorship Law Rears Its Ugly Head
The New Settlers: Mindanao Muslims Head North
Waiting Game for North Cotabato Refugees
Lanao del Norte Atrocities Exposed MILF’s Weakness
The MOA, the Cha-Cha, and the US Ambassador
OTHER STORIES
Green Group Denounces ANZ for OceanaGold Denial
Growth of Software Development Outsourcing to Drive Related Industries
Record 6,533 to Take Philippine Bar Exams
NGOs Urge Transparency in IRR Crafting of Cheaper Medicines Law
US Anti-Tobacco Group Hails Philip Morris’s Withdrawal from Eraserheads Concert

News & Journalism - Top Blogs Philippines

SPECIAL COVERAGE

TAGS




Back to Main Page | About PinoyPress | Contact Us | Advertise | Archives | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Credits
Copyright © 2008 PinoyPress | Manila, Philippines