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PDI Editorial Desk
Sirs,
WHAT KIND OF JOURNALISM IS THIS?
On Sunday July 1, PDI entertainment columnist Leah
Salterio made a serious allegation about an American
radio broadcaster named Art Bell. Ms. Salterio passed
on a mere rumor she got from former ABS-CBN news
anchor Jennifer Alejandro which alleged that Mr. Bell
said some very nasty things about Filipinos on his
radio show. Ms. Salterio and Ms. Alejandro also passed
on two email addresses to which offended persons can
respond to Mr. Bell's alleged insults.
Trouble is, I went to artbell.com and found a
prominent link: "FILIPINOS CLICK HERE". I clicked it
and found that Art Bell vehemently denies saying those
things. He and his staff/supporters have traced the
alleged insult around the internet and it seems that
this supposed insult is becoming a false urban legend
or an internet chain mail letter. Nobody knows the
insult's origins if it was indeed ever uttered.
Ms. Salterio and Ms. Alejandro should do their
homework before spreading such defamatory accusations.
I found the truth in 30 seconds on the internet. Why
didn't either one of them bother to check their
sources? Isn't that part of Journalism 101 class? I
feel they owe a public apology to Mr. Bell.
Wes Wright
Angeles City
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