Reporting on LGBTs in Community Newspapers in the Northern Philippines

Leia Fidelis Gisela  Castro-Margate,

Reporting on LGBTs in Community Newspapers in the Northern Philippines

Abstract:

In the Philippines, members of the LGBT community face struggles, discrimination, and underrepresentation, among other issues, in educational institutions, religious institutions, the government, and even the media. In the realm of print news publication, their battles include garnering publication space, media portrayal, and representation. These determine whether there is fair, accurate, and ethical reportage of the LGBT community. This paper looks into how local newspapers in Baguio City in the northern Philippines reported on the LGBT community. Employing a qualitative news frame analysis of Baguio Midland Courier, Northern Dispatch, and the Northern Philippine Times, it has been found that there was underreporting of topics related to the LGBT community. An improvement in LGBT news coverage would give news readers more opportunity to learn about sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression and the LGBT+ community as a whole. A style guide such as the Outrage Media and Rainbow Rights Project Media Reference Guide should be a necessary reference in every newsroom so mistakes such as the improper inclusion of sexual orientation and improper use of terminology can be avoided.