The deadly attack on the newsroom of a newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland last June 28 shocked the nation not only because it resulted in the killing of four journalists and another employee but also because it was unprecedented in the history of U.S. Journalism.

It was unprecedented because it was the first time that a newsroom in the U.S. was assaulted by a gunman.

The attack also put the focus on age-old journalism problems, particularly the extreme dangers journalists face as they do their work of reporting the news every day.

The dastardly assault on the Capital Gazette by a man identified as Jarrod Warren Ramos came at a time when the New York Times, CNN, MNSBC and other media outlets are being accused of disseminating “fake news” and being tagged by President Trump as “enemy of the people.”

Although the storming of The Capital Gazette with gunfire was believed to be motivated by a personal grudge, prominent reporters and TV news hosts fear that Trump’s claims of “fake news” and “enemy of the people” could embolden persons with mental health issues to attack journalists.

And it is not far-fetched to say that the hateful rhetoric regarding media has made journalism a more dangerous profession.

In the Philippines, which is one of the most dangerous places to practice journalism, this kind of anti-press statement by politicians could trigger the killing of reporters.

Records of the National Press Club of the Philippines show that bodyguards or supporters who are blindly loyal to these politicians take such statements as their go-signal to attack media people whom they perceive as the enemies of their bosses. There’s no need for the politicians to order the attack.

Aside from physical harm, media people have other work-related problems. One such problem is that they are overworked and underpaid. It was reported that the victims in The Capital Gazette had this problem, too, but they did their job well because they loved their work.

In terms of pay, the situation in the Philippines is much worst. This is particularly true with provincial news correspondents of Manila-based newspapers. They are paid per published news story. Their monthly take is not even enough for food expenses for a family of five.

The irony is that despite their pittance pay, the newspaper publishers expect these reporters to be honest and incorruptible.

Still another problem in the Philippine media is that journalists are constantly harassed by people who are subjects of critical news reports and commentaries. These people often threaten to file libel cases or actually file libel cases. This tactic usually silences reporters who have no means to defend themselves in court.

With these professional hazards, press freedom in both the U.S. and the Philippines appears to be more mythical than real.

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