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Philippines To Shut Down Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa's Critical Media Outlet 'Rappler'
Writer: Mrinalini Kaushik
She is a student of journalism, keen on learning new ways to unlearn, deconstructing news and life. Interested in exploring new media as medium is the message. Avid follower of sports and politics
Others/World, 1 July 2022 9:23 AM GMT
Editor : Shiva Chaudhary |
A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
Creatives : Shiva Chaudhary
A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
Gained popularity for its coverage of President Duterte's gruesome crackdown on the illegal drug menace, the Rappler news website has been asked to shut down by the Filipino government's orders.
Nobel Laureate and Filipino journalist Maria Ressa said in her speech in Honolulu, Hawaii, that the Philippine government had ordered the shutdown of the news organisation she co-founded, Rappler, on Tuesday, June 28.
The news website gained popularity after its report on former Filipino President Duterte's vicious handling of the illegal drug problem.
Shutting Down The Outlet For Free Speech?
The Philipines' Securities and Exchange Commission confirmed its decision to revoke the incorporation certificates of Rappler. The Commission rescinded Rappler's license as it breached the rule which bans foreign ownership and control of national media organisations, as cited by NBC News.
Ressa remarked during her speech at the East-West Centre's International Media Conference, "Part of the reason I didn't sleep much last night is that we essentially got a shutdown order." She further said, "We're not shutting down; well, I'm not supposed to say that."
The company stated, "We intend to not only contest this through all legal processes available to us but also to fight for freedom to do journalism and for your right to be heard through an independent platform like Rappler," cited The Quint.
Challenging The Authorities!
In a statement tweeted on June 28, Rappler argued that the company is entitled to appeal the decision of the Commission as the proceedings were very 'irregular'.
RAPPLER STATEMENT
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) June 29, 2022
In an order dated June 28, our Securities and Exchange Commission affirmed its earlier decision to revoke the certificates of incorporation of Rappler Inc and Rappler Holdings Corporation. #HoldTheLine #CourageON
https://t.co/39bL0KJ2Dw pic.twitter.com/8Q0N6551lh
Ressa co-founded the news outlet in 2012. Ressa and Russian Dmitry Muratov became the first working journalists to receive a Nobel prize in the past 80 years.
Rappler had been among those media outlets that were primarily critical of Duterte's government policies. In 2016, Duterte had harangued journalists for doing critical stories on his policies and was unhappy with the way Rappler had covered his anti-drug campaign. Allegedly, it had led to the death of poor suspects in large numbers and faced international disapproval.
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