Rappler

Rappler
source
Name	Rappler
Caption	Rappler logo
Type	Online news website
Founded	2012
Founders	Maria Ressa; Reynaldo Santos Jr.; Jake Soriano
Headquarters	Manila, Philippines
Key people	Maria Ressa; Reynaldo Santos Jr.; Maria A. Ressa (CEO)
Products	News website; multimedia journalism; investigative reporting

Rappler is a Philippine online news outlet founded in 2012, known for multimedia reporting, investigative journalism, and digital-native storytelling. It emerged during the administration of Benigno Aquino III and gained international attention for coverage of the Rodrigo Duterte presidency, digital media innovation, and legal battles over press freedom. Rappler's work has intersected with many institutions and figures across Philippine politics, international journalism, and human rights advocacy.

History

Rappler was launched in January 2012 by a team including Maria Ressa, Reynaldo Santos Jr., and Jake Soriano, drawing on experience at ABS-CBN, CNN, and The Washington Post. Early projects included partnerships with organizations such as International Center for Journalists and collaborations with platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Rappler expanded from social-media-centered reporting to longform projects and data journalism, intersecting with initiatives by National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and networks including Reporters Without Borders and Committee to Protect Journalists. During the 2016 and 2019 electoral cycles, Rappler covered campaigns involving figures such as Rodrigo Duterte, Leni Robredo, and Sara Duterte, and produced investigations that prompted responses from state actors including the Philippine Congress and the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

Ownership and Funding

Rappler's corporate structure features entities registered in the Philippines and has been scrutinized in relation to foreign-ownership restrictions under the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines. Founders, investors, and funding partners have included Filipino journalists and media executives with ties to institutions such as ABS-CBN Corporation and international philanthropic funders linked to organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy and private foundations. Rappler has received grants and revenue through partnerships with media organizations including Thomson Reuters Foundation, collaborations with global outlets like BBC and The New York Times, and support from nonprofit journalism funders such as Open Society Foundations and the Ford Foundation. The outlet's use of corporate vehicles and investor structures invoked review by regulatory bodies including the Securities and Exchange Commission (Philippines) and legal challenges that implicated statutes such as the Foreign Investments Act and constitutional provisions on mass media ownership.

Editorial Stance and Coverage

Rappler practices advocacy-rooted investigative reporting and issue-focused journalism, frequently covering figures and institutions including Rodrigo Duterte, Benigno Aquino III, Leni Robredo, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Sara Duterte, and agencies such as the Philippine National Police, Department of Justice (Philippines), and Commission on Human Rights (Philippines). Its coverage emphasizes human rights themes tied to events like the Philippines' War on Drugs, controversies involving the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and extrajudicial killing investigations examined by international bodies including the United Nations Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court. Rappler has produced multimedia projects connected to environmental reporting on sites such as Boracay and mining disputes involving provinces like Zambales, and reported on economic matters touching regulators like the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and institutions such as the Asian Development Bank.

Legal Challenges and Government Actions

Since 2017 Rappler has faced multiple legal and administrative actions involving entities such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (Philippines), the Department of Justice (Philippines), and local prosecutors. Cases included allegations related to foreign ownership brought under the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines and charges of tax and cyber law violations invoking statutes such as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Prominent prosecutions involved Maria Ressa and other Rappler personnel; these cases prompted statements from international organizations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the United States Department of State, and drew advocacy from media bodies like the International Press Institute. Court outcomes and regulatory rulings, including actions by the Supreme Court of the Philippines, shaped Rappler's corporate status and operational licenses, while international diplomatic responses included engagement by representatives from the European Union and the United Nations.

Notable Investigations and Impact

Rappler's investigative output has included probes into the Philippine Drug War, exposing operations linked to local officials and shedding light on alleged patterns of extrajudicial killings that attracted scrutiny from the International Criminal Court and the UN Human Rights Council. Other investigations targeted political networks tied to figures such as Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and corporate interests involving conglomerates like San Miguel Corporation and DMCI Holdings. Rappler's reporting on disinformation campaigns intersected with analyses by academics at institutions such as Stanford University, Oxford Internet Institute, and Harvard Kennedy School, and triggered platform actions by Facebook and collaborations with fact-checking networks including the International Fact-Checking Network. The outlet's work has won awards and recognition from bodies such as the Prince Claus Fund, Time Magazine profiles, and journalism prizes administered by organizations like the Sipa Prize and the Osborn Elliott Prize.

Category:News media in the Philippines