BACOLOD CITY — What is a barker?

In the language of Bacolod media a barker is not a dog. A lap dog, yes. He or she is a paid hack, most often a broadcaster seldom a print personality, paid to malign his opponent, a politician or not.

Many may have misunderstood Congressman Monico Puentevella with his House Bill 3306 known as “Right to Reply.” If his bill is given the refinement like that of the Senate Bill, Monico will straighten media practice and drive out lap dogs, barkers, paid hacks, and whatnot in the media profession.

We must all support Monico on this. Neal Cruz of the Inquirer wrote this is not a problem in Manila. Cruz added, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel authored it in the Senate and Rep. Monico Puentevella authored it in the House because they have problems in their places.

Monico said that, even his family was maligned. And because he vented his ire on the scalawags, the barkers, the paid hack, the lap dogs, and what have you, let us join him in his campaign.

The day, following the interview I was asked, “Why, who has the barkers?” All of them. I added, let us not fight the sinners. Let us just fight the sin. When I dared Monico to name names and we would lambast them together, he refused. I respect him for that. I knew the reasons, those named would not lambast me but Monico.

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I told Murcia Mayor Sonny Coscolluela who hosts a program at Sunshine Channel “Negros First,” Monico should have told Manila people, “I was a president of the Negros Press Club and therefore, I have the most reasons to put in order the media in my place…put in jail those deserving…” And we will have less media people in the grave because they are in jail.

Does that not sound nice?

So, the word from here now, is “Bash the Barkers!” And following Monico’s line of thinking of disciplining the paper’s editor or station manager instead, our campaign must also be let the boss of the barkers be reasonable.

So, it will not be BB (Bash the barker) any more. It will be BBBB or Bash the Big Boss of the Barker. If he runs for election don’t support him. Candidates this way will no longer malign each other. They will tell the voters what they have done. Or what they plan to do.

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What is a barker? Naturally the one who barks for a fee. How do you know he does it for a fee? Well, we say, when a thing quacks like a duck, then it is a duck.

In London where the English language originated, “hackney or hack in short, is a horse let out for hire.” And “this is applied also to a person whose services are for hire, especially a literary drudge or a mediocre journalist.”

In 1774, Oliver Goldsmith (I like his poem “The Deserted Village” which is a classic,) wrote an epitaph for a notorious paid hack Eduard Purdon. Said his epitaph:

“Here lies poor Ned Purdon, from misery freed,/ Who long was a bookseller’s hack./ He led such a damnable life, / I don’t think his wish is to come back.”

Don’t be a paid hack. A poet might write one in your epitaph later, “Here lies poor P. Gado from misery liberated,/ Who long was a barker, a paid hack,/ He had such a damnable life,/ And pray he does not come back.”

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There are legitimate ways to earn an honest living in media. When you write a good news or feature stories, the papers will buy them.

Or if you go block timing, speak only of what is good and don’t allow people to pay you to malign their enemies or other people.

One reason why some 60 media people have been killed the last few years could be the barkers among them. When people cannot get a fair treatment, they kill. Monico is better, he only wants them jailed.

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I was invited by Ms. Agnes Lira Jundos, speaking for Congressman Puentevella, for a press conference at the residence of the solon yesterday. I said, I was honored but I would be out of town yesterday. I asked that I be provided with what was taken up.

Besides, I also have not attended the press conference of Bing. We have reporters to do that.

I have not invited neither Bing nor Monico to our TV Feedback. Maybe the two of them together hosted by me and Toti Ramos, their common uncle. I will ask if Toti can work on this.

One Response to “Bash the barker!”

• 1
  peter jimenea
  October 29th, 2008 17:33

  Press freedom belongs only to one who really understands the role of the Fourth Estate. I agree with the proposition of then congressman of Iloilo City, now Department of Justice Sec. Raul Gonzalez that the media must give equal space or tlme to object of their negative tirades to answer and defend themselves from accusations thrown against them in the name of fairness and in the interest of justice..

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