THE HEAD of the UST Journalism department has come to the defense of a fourth-year Journalism student who drew flak online over a supposedly biased article about a Filipino girl group.
In a Facebook post, UST Department of Journalism chair Asst. Prof. Felipe Salvosa II expressed support for Journalism senior Geiron Jefferson Ocampo, who was severely criticized for his piece published at pop culture website InqPOP.
“We, journalism students and faculty members, stand in support of Mr. Jeff Ocampo, who has been the subject of unfair and unwarranted social media backlash because of a story he had written as an intern,” Salvosa’s post on Thursday, Oct. 17, read.
Ocampo’s article titled “‘End of an Era?’ Some social media users think ‘BINI Fever’ is nearing its end” highlighted the claim of some social media users that the girl group’s relevance in the music industry is already fading.
Several critics accused InqPOP of promoting what they called a “biased agenda.”
Some BINI supporters also described Ocampo’s piece as “irresponsible journalism” even though the article cited sources and included screenshots of the social media users’ opinions. Other fans also shared Ocampo’s personal information, including his photos and social media platforms.
Salvosa said the online community should remain a “safe space,” especially for students engaged in legitimate journalistic work.
“We appeal to some social media users to stop malicious actions such as unauthorized use or disclosure of Mr. Ocampo’s personal information, including photos and social media activity. We also believe that his family and friends, who have nothing to do with his work, should be off-limits,” the Journalism department chair said. F
