The Compass

Media Front: Philippines


Listen Later

It has been three years since Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte won a landslide victory off the back of a promise to wipe out drug abuse. Since then thousands of people have been killed in his so called "war on drugs" and the president stands accused of personally spearheading an attack against critical voices in the media.

Former international correspondent Andrea Catherwood takes us to the frontline of the battle for press freedom in the country. She goes behind the scenes at Rappler, one of the countries most popular online news sites, to meet CEO Maria Ressa, who faces a lengthy prison term if convicted under libel law, in a case she claims is politically motivated. Ed Lingao, a television news anchorman and one of the most well known faces in the Philippines, shares his experience of being accused of being part of a plot to bring down the president. And with the country's biggest television network ABS-CBN awaiting congressional approval and presidential sign-off of its franchise renewal, press freedom advocate Melinda de Jesus considers the impact of President Duterte’s public spat with the media giant.

Andrea is joined by Columbia Journalism School’s Emily Bell and Richard Heydarian, Filipino political analyst and author of The Rise of Duterte: A Populist Revolt of Elite Democracy. Together they examine the allegations against the administration and the media and find out how journalists in the Philippines are adapting to the challenges and fighting back.

Producer: Emily Williams

Executive producer: Will Yates

(Photo: Filipina journalist Maria Ressa, CEO of online news outfit Rappler, participates in a protest by press and media groups calling for press freedom in Manila, Philippines. Credit: Getty Images)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The CompassBy BBC World Service

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

98 ratings


More shows like The Compass

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,732 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

368 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,037 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,513 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,814 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

956 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,876 Listeners

In Our Time: Culture by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Culture

606 Listeners

In Our Time: Science by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Science

724 Listeners

The History Hour by BBC World Service

The History Hour

585 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,830 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,075 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,965 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

520 Listeners

Crossing Continents by BBC Radio 4

Crossing Continents

77 Listeners

The Forum by BBC World Service

The Forum

276 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

302 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

843 Listeners

The Briefing Room by BBC Radio 4

The Briefing Room

73 Listeners

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle by BBC World Service

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle

4,176 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,171 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

757 Listeners

The Climate Question by BBC World Service

The Climate Question

178 Listeners