Happy 25th, CMFR!

CMFR’s Melinda de Jesus with PCIJ’s Malou Mangahas, CCJD’s Red Batario, and NUJP’s Weng Paraan (photo:Cong Corrales)

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS ago, two media organizations came into being in the midst of the turmoil and tempest of the growing Philippine press. In many ways they were sister organizations that had many shared advocacies, many of these dealing with the way the free-wheeling Philippine media was handling the issues and headlines of the day.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) is proud to be a partner and twin sister of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), the watchdog of watchdogs that has taken on the hugely unpopular and daunting task of calling the Philippine press to account for its enormous power and influence in Philippine society.

This short video is a tribute to the CMFR for its role in trying to professionalize Philippine media, and its efforts to push Filipino journalists to further improve their craft. The video was produced and edited by PCIJ Multimedia Producer Julius D. Mariveles.

And here is a short clip of CMFR Executive Director Melinda Quintos de Jesus blowing out the candles of a cake celebrating the CMFR’s 25th year.