A Facebook user claimed that “mainstream media” did not equally cover Swedish Ambassador Annika Thunborg’s meeting with president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. compared with a similar meeting with outgoing Vice President Leni Robredo.
CLAIM: On June 14, netizen Georgina Here posted a photo on Facebook a compilation of social media posts from Inquirer.net, GMA News, ABS-CBN News, Manila Bulletin and The STAR on Robredo’s meeting with Thunborg.
The compilation also included screengrabs of posts from Manila Bulletin and GMA News, and a livestream link from ABS-CBN.The social media user then raised doubts on the “type of reporting” done by mainstream media, claiming Robredo got more coverage for meeting with the Swedish envoy.
RATING: This is false.
FACTS:
What the post says
In the compilation, social media posts of Robredo’s meeting with the Swedish envoy — details and photos of which were initially shared by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and reposted by media outlets — were juxtaposed with a single post from Marcos Jr.’s verified Facebook page that showed a picture of him shaking Thunborg’s hand.
Georgina also shared another compilation of social media posts from Manila Bulletin and GMA News’ coverage of Marcos Jr.’s meeting with several diplomats.
“If this is the type of reporting the mainstream media will do, then it stands to reason that they will be losing the trust of the Filipino people. Your credibility is diminishing! Right? GMA News ABS-CBN News INQUIRER.net MANILA BULLETIN Philstar.com,” she wrote.
Her post indicates that media outlets gave more air time to the meeting between Robredo and Thunborg, compared with Marcos Jr.’s courtesy call.
The media also had not been informed whether Thunborg set a separate courtesy call with Vice President-elect Sara Duterte, and members of the press have no control over a diplomat’s schedule.
What the post left out
A cursory Google search shows that the media did actually cover Marcos Jr.’s meeting with Ambassador Thunborg and what they talked about.
Inquirer.net came out with a story on June 10 about Thunborg’s meeting with the president-elect with whom she discussed the “war on drugs” and other topics during her courtesy call at the Marcos campaign headquarters in Mandaluyong.
GMA News, Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN and The STAR publication Pang-Masa had similar stories as well, focusing on Thunborg’s meeting with Marcos Jr.
Read the full story on Philstar.com.
