212 Chasing the Wind: Assessing Philippine Democracy, Second Edition Owners' role Most of the owners of the media have nevertheless been remarkably aloof to the imperative of assuring the safety and security of the staffs of their broadcast networks and newspapers. And yet it would seem that the safety of those who assure them the prots that keep them in business, and on whose skills depend the continued existence of radio and TV networks as well as newspapers and online news sites, should be the owners' concern as it has been that of individual practitioners as well as journalists' and media advocacy groups. Media advocacy and journalists' groups like the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) have suggested that such a recognition of owner responsibility can and should take specic forms, among them providing with appropriate equipment and insurance those journalists in dangerous areas and those who consent to cover hazardous beats, making legal assistance available to journalists in trouble, to put a stop to the continuing killing of journalists and media workers in the Philippines. These have been the staple of the training provided by journalist and media advocacy groups for years. To these must be added the media owners' assuming some responsibility as well. The factors mentioned above—the weakness of the justice system as well as the media's own lapses, plus the fact that only four killers have so far been prosecuted for any of the killings of journalists since 1986 has presumably encouraged not only further killings but also government intervention. Especially in developing countries, the weaknesses of the justice system, which include collusion between police and other ofcials and criminal elements, have created a culture of impunity that makes journalists easy targets. A liberal legal system, such as the one that exists in the Philippines, apparently offers journalists protection only from open harassment by government and other groups. Media ownership is one of the most problematic aspects of the media situation in the Philippines, given the extent to which owner interests often intrude upon reportage and commentary in the newspapers and in broadcasting and due to the commercial character of the media. Despairing over the sometimes heavy-handed efforts of media owners to intervene even in the daily operations of their newspapers, some journalists have argued for allowing foreign media ownership. The communication theoretician Dennis McQuail points out that the media can “serve to repress as well as to liberate, to unite as well as fragment society, both to promote and to hold back change.” (2000:63) McQuail identies the role of the media as covering a wide range of critical issues in society. The media can “attract and direct public attention”, “persuade in matters of opinion and belief”, “inuence behavior”, “structure denitions of reality”, “confer status and legitimacy” and “inform quickly and extensively”.