Backward Boundaries

It is all too common knowledge that journalists are put on the pedestal to be responsible for cascading election-related information to the public to keep people informed, especially about real-time and relevant events. For the swift delivery of information, these upholders of truth have the right to access such information from the election management bodies and political candidates, whether that be at the national or university level.

The Industrialist, as have all other campus publications in the archipelago, has undyingly committed to ethical and independent journalism. Echoes from non-campus journalists that dictate what and what not-campus publications should do amid elections only urge this body to be firmer in its roles, duties, and responsibilities.

Recently, an election-related issue arose long before the day of filing for candidacy for the 2024 University Student Council and Local Student Council elections of the university came. Minutes after the posting of the news, the Student Commission on Elections (SCOM) was quick to make an advisory, reminding every entity at the university that no other office is authorized to address any election-related activities. While it is true that SCOM has all the right to lead the electoral undertaking, they do not have the right to dictate the publication on what issue to publish. Otherwise, the publication will deviate from its true essence in its direct community.

Relatively, even the commissioner from the College of Business Studies reminded one of the editors of the publication to focus on covering the election alone. This is a big disgrace to the publication's principles, as it compromises press freedom. The SCOM, who cried that they were bypassed for the said matter, should understand that student publications are not passive entities—even in the slightest of ways, publications are not echo chambers.

With this said, the publication strongly refutes claims that its role in the upcoming University Student Council and Local Student Council Elections is to ‘cover election-related’ events only. Student publications such as The Industrialist do not commit to serving the studentry as mere news outlets that deliver information that is made readily available by sources. Instead, student publications swear into the practice of campus journalism of being vanguards of truth as well, equipped with the power to approach individuals of interest to retrieve information first-hand should it make the information more truthful and substantial.

If the SCOM sees the need to conduct any fact-checking, investigating, and addressing election-related matters, they are more than free to do so, all without policing, restraining, or painting that of the publication as an ‘interference’. After all, the publication has not ‘addressed’ any election-related issue but has only acted to amplify the voice of a dismayed aspiring candidate over election-related changes. Not one non-student publication could have given this personality the platform needed to raise such a concern, hence the publication’s commitment.

In the current election climate, it is worth reminding people that the investigative nature of the work of journalists is what has long earned them the watchdog role. Journalists cannot afford to passively wait for opportunities to come to them; instead, they actively pursue the truth. The fact that even one student organization misconstrued this practice in campus journalism as invasive of their role in the university only raises concerns over the awareness of the purpose of campus journalism.

The publication has long unwaveringly served not only in independence and impartiality but also in good faith since its establishment in 1940. The methodology of The Industrialist and other campus publications within and outside the university in verifying the accuracy of the information, their pace in doing so, and their overall credibility are not worth the cynicism. If anything, unanswered election-related questions surrounding a local council deserve this energy more.

All that having been said, The Industrialist officially reserves its right to not only ‘cover’ but also to scrutinize election-related events, all without the external approval—or disapproval—of other student organizations. Most importantly, it shall remain true to its advocacy of serving as the ears of the members of the Honorian community.