Most dangerous barrier

She said that the ‘greater and more dangerous barriers are those that come not from without but those that come from within.’

“Self-censorship, to my mind, is the more difficult obstacle to overcome. Barriers that are self imposed are always more difficult to dissect and break down because usually they are born out of a natural instinct which is sometimes called self preservation and this is complicated by one’s ignorance,” said Edita.

She asked the journalists, “Let us ask ourselves. Why does one story, one issue, one concern attract more attention than another? What is it that catalyzes you? What is it that paralyzes you?”

She asked, “Would there be a place for the disappeared if Jonas were not abducted?”

She cited a few reasons given by her friends and ‘non-friends’ in the media – the danger of losing one’s job; the frustration that after trying and trying, stories don’t see print anyway; deterrent from getting the juicier coverage; incurring the ire of one’s boss; stories that will not bring the needed ‘bonus.’ “These are only a few but even these can take a heavy toll on one’s chosen path as journalist,” she said.

Edita said, however, that there is a kind of self-censorship that comes from the right reasons. It must be, she said, a result of conscience. “Will the story do injustice or cause more harm or will endanger someone’s life?”

Breaking barriers

She said, “It would be from the recognition of what keeps us from reporting the truth that we can start building our strengths.”

She added, “Internal barrier can be exposed only after self-knowledge. Acceptance of weaknesses, recognizing that we are being deterred from accomplishing our mission is the first step. Upon recognizing that weakness, we can start our renewal.”

She called on journalists to look inward. “There is a greater need to purify our motivations.” She said that motivation should be for the higher good.

Quoting Joe Burgos, Edita said, “We cannot back out on this commitment. We have our duty to continue pursuing the profession we have chosen.”

She said further, “There is a need for courage to come out…Even if external barriers have silenced you, it is no reason why your beliefs should be compromised.” (Bulatlat.com)

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