Media: Science and Virtue

Ethics. Ethics. Ethics. Perhaps this is best word that would describe my last semester here in Centro Escolar University.
Time flies so fast, it was almost four years had passed when I decided to study here in Centro Escolar University, looking me now; I have transformed so much, from being a probinsyano boy from Zambales to Man of Knowledge and Values.
I have no any regrets to say for choosing this university as venue for me to pursue my college life. Aside from the knowledge that this university imparted to my mind, it also inculcated virtue in my heart.
Knowing all the technical aspect of production, rudiments in writing and basic principles in performance, are some of the things that I enjoyed learning from my professors, but having been exposed to the reality of media, being challenge of decision making and critical thinking are the hardest things and important things I experienced during taking this program.
At first, before I enter the second semester for this school year and my last semester of my college life, I thought I already learned all the things I needed in order for me to become a what they called professional. But suddenly, this perception comes to become an illusion, when I am exposed to the reality of the profession.
I know decision making is not my strongest point, but come to reality of the profession, we have, we need and we should. I have realized that the profession that I wanted to enter, is a profession that is full of decision making, it requires a braver and bolder personality, a critically and technically aspect of reality.
Brenna Coleman (2009) once said, “Ethics becomes an increasingly important issue in modern society, where people are exposed to television news, radio broadcasting, newspaper articles, and now digital media as well.”
I agree with this, people should be more responsible nowadays in the information that they are exposed with, but I think people behind these stories should be the one who should be more responsible.
We the future media practitioners are the one, who will be starting public opinion and shaping the perception of the public, will be the one who will help in building this nation brighter, so the responsibility that is given to us becomes bigger.
I am happy because, before we become a media practitioner in future, this university prepared us already technically and morally, I am been exposed to the different public standards that governs the media industry, such as plagiarism, contempt of court, libel and alike.
I become more aware in my actions and words that are coming from my mouth, because a single mistake in a day will ruin your enter life.
I was able also to share things to my colleagues; I will never forget those approaches that really help me in making things not complicated and making decisions easier and comprehensive.
I also become more aware of the things surrounding me, such as those person who are stereotyped by the people, issues that are partially covered and things that are been discriminated.
I was enlightened to the reality of life ahead of me, the profession that I wanted to be part of. People, who are responsible, are those people who learned from personal experience and the mistakes of others. We should learned how to realize things and become sensitive in others feelings.
One of the things I really learned about this course subject maybe is, knowledge and values should intertwine to one another, they should complement to one another and become as one. Knowledge without values are useless; values without knowledge are baseless.
Mr. Eugenio Lopez III once said “values are what drive the business”, strong values foundation of a journalist will really help him to become the person he wanted to become, he will never experience failure and he will never commit mistake, because this is what drive you to become you wanted to be.
Gratitude is due to the person who really exerted effort in making this course subject become interesting and easy. Thank you for those who really share their thoughts and wisdom in making me prepared in the reality ahead of us. Thank you Ma’am!