'Don’t Trust Me, I’m a Journalist': Atom Araullo takes the mic at 'Speak Easy'
It was a drizzly Saturday evening in San Juan City, but the rain couldn't dampen the energy brewing inside Sa’min Bar last July 11.
A crowd of eager attendees, all sharing a curiosity about the state of truth in the Philippines today, filed in and grabbed a drink for the second run of "Speak Easy"—a collaboration brought to life by PhilSTAR L!fe and PumaPodcast that invites guest speakers to bring important conversations into a casual bar setting.
Taking the floor was journalist, author, and documentary filmmaker Atom Araullo with his lecture titled “Don’t Trust Me, I’m a Journalist.”
Atom instantly set a warm tone for the night, joking about trading a typical Saturday night out for a lecture. After breaking the ice with a "Tito joke," he smoothly transitioned into the serious topic on everyone's mind: trust.
Citing the latest numbers from the Reuters Institute, Atom shared how trust in news among Filipinos has plummeted to 28 percent, while 70 percent now get their information straight from social media.
To break down why everyone is so skeptical nowadays, Atom talked about three kinds of distrust. There is manufactured distrust, spread on purpose by people who profit off chaos and confusion. Then there is earned distrust, born from real mistakes made by mainstream media over the years. But the real goal, Atom explained, is productive distrust—the healthy habit of asking smart questions like "How do you know that?" or "What's the proof?" instead of just swallowing information.
His challenge to the crowd? Be more discerning of the stories they consume.
Content creators were a major topic throughout the evening, with Atom pointing out that "some of the best public interest work nowadays doesn't come from journalists at all."
"I think that's a good thing because mainstream media never had the monopoly of truth," he shared, noting that creators are often closer to the communities they cover. However, he emphasized that anyone informing the public online carries the duty to use honest, reliable methods.
"A journalist nowadays should be defined by the method that they use. It's not where you work, but how you work," Atom explained. "Information is power. If you're informing the public, you inherit some of journalism's responsibilities, whether you want the title or not. It shouldn't just be a profession—it should be a public habit."
Atom also talked about how much storytelling has shifted over time. He admitted that media used to be obsessed with "polished" visuals, but today’s audience cares far more about real connection.
When the floor opened for the Q&A, the room buzzed with a mix of serious, thought-provoking questions and fun, curious ones. People asked about everything from simple habits for spotting fake news online to how Atom stays motivated—and when asked who inspires him most, he gave all the credit to his parents.
As the talk wrapped up, people hung around to grab photos with Atom and chat with the organizers. Among them was a devoted fan who brought along a printed picture from one of Atom's past book signings, happily getting it signed before the night ended.
The night stretched late as some guests settled in with their groups, while solo attendees ended up bonding with new friends over another round of drinks.
Speak Easy showed once again that tackling tricky topics doesn't have to feel like a lecture—sometimes, the best conversations just happen over drinks.