Privacy and the Media

Last week, I was aboard a cab on my way home and the cab’s radio was on. It was tuned to a local news station. The radio commentator was interviewing the wife of the ship captain of the ill-fated Princess of the Stars that capsized in Philippine seas at the height of typhoon Frank.

The DNA result just came in. One of dead bodies matched their DNA. It was her husband, the head of their family, and the captain of the ship. The wife was asking the people to give them privacy in the moment of their mourning. The relentless media has intruded their privacy. The daughter was speaking on the radio and asking the people for a little understanding. Yes, it may be her father who was blamed for the tragedy but she (including hundreds or maybe thousands of people) believes that her father is no mass murderer. It was just tragedy. Although no tragedy is plain and simple but I doubt the ship captain intentionally drove the ship into the brink of death. The daughter appealed to the people to understand them. They too have lost a loved one.

I understand the bereaved families, especially those who lost members of their family during the tragedy. I understand if they are going to blame the captain, the weather, the shipping company or even God. Sometimes we needed to point fingers during the saddest moments of our lives to alleviate the pain we are suffering. Pains will nonetheless be lessened if outsiders constantly intrude them, outsiders such as the media.

For the media, I think they need to examine their conscience before barging into a situation as private as mourning a loved one. They don’t have the right to do that. Nobody has the right to do that. One way or another, I guess most people needed to be respected. Media or non-media, we all wanted to have some quiet when we do something private and I guess the media people also wants that at some point of their lives.

One thing worth noting though, respect begets respect.