The move to cancel SMNI’s franchise is a brilliant display of bureaucratic irony, akin to declaring a cat an aspiring dog. The debate over its “news media” status is as comical as questioning whether a rubber chicken qualifies as a gourmet chef. 

SMNI, often perceived as a dutiful corps of cadets, seems more dedicated to its founder than delivering credible news to the Filipino audience. Pondering their loyalty is like wondering if a puppet is loyal to the puppeteer. The news readers, a choir of devoted acolytes, harmonize hymns of praise for their pastor-owner, leaving little room for objective journalism.

An “audit” of their anchors might reveal a surprising lack of journalistic backgrounds, reminiscent of hiring lifeguards who’ve never seen water. One astute netizen rightly labeled SMNI as “an association of trolls and bloggers,” a revelation as shocking as finding out clowns are entertainers. 

The revocation of its franchise is not a cancellation but a correction—a necessary adjustment for an oxymoron masquerading as news. 

Yet, in this circus of media outfits, where the least-trusted brand (read: Rappler) is a dubious honor, perhaps SMNI’s franchise cancellation is just a sideshow in the grand spectacle of misinformation.