On October 23, TV host Boy Abunda discussed the responsibility of interviewers to their audience.
At the media conference for ‘Hear for It,’ which LionhearTV covered, Abunda remarked that his responsibility as a host or an interviewer would depend on whether his guest was a public official.
“Iba ang texture ng entertainment and public servant, kasi it is a brazen lie that is said in front of you and into your face, [you’re] talking about public accountability, so the tenor is different.
“So you have to find a way–I am answering your question about responsibility to yourself, [to] your country, and [to] your audience. Kasi kapag public official ang kausap mo, may accountability involved.”
However, he acknowledged the polite culture of Filipino viewers, which may be hindering interviewers in holding their public official guests accountable.
“But ang kultura natin does not allow bastusan. Bastusan on air, like probably, you’ve seen materials like Hard Talk of Steven Sackur on BBC where you can actually say your line, you know I heard these are the stunts, or in your other pronouncements, nagsisinungaling ka. Tayo hindi ganon.
“Is it good or is it bad– I don’t know. Pero makikiramdam ka depending on who you are, what your brand identity is, makikipagsabunutan ka ba, makikipag away ka ba or you’ll keep quiet, will you squirm, will you fight back, do you provoke, nasa iyo ‘yun.”
However, he differentiated public accountability from personal information.
“If you’re an entertainer and you’re not honest about your height or [your] age, there is no public accountability there, and there’s no public money in reducing your age or increasing your [height] by two inches. So may pagkakaiba ‘yun. So, the ideal is when you’re talking to someone who is forthright.”
As for the event, Abunda joined ‘Paano Ba ‘To’ host Bianca Gonzalez in sharing tips and discussion with aspiring content creators at the ‘Hear for It,’ the Philippines’ first-ever podcast festival at Glorietta Mall in Makati City.
As for the ‘King of Talk’ himself, Abunda also launched his own podcast, ‘Who Are You When No One’s Watching,’ available on Spotify.
