Introduction to Journalism for Education Students by Ms. Kat Cortez

JOURNALISM

(from the Latin “diurna” which means “daily”. In ancient Rome, bulletins were compiled and posted in public places and these were called Acta Diurna which meant “Daily Events”)

As defined by Webster, it is the occupation of writing for publication in newspapers and other periodicals.

According to Merriam-Webster, it is the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media.   

Scope of Journalism (3 Areas)

1. Written includes periodicals such as newspapers, brochures, journals and magazines
2. Oral includes radio
3. Visual includes television, movies, documentaries and internet

HISTORY OF CAMPUS JOURNALISM

A. High School

• The Coconut: a mimeographed student paper published in the school year 1911-1912 by the first Manila High School now known as Araullo High School under the editorship of Carlos P. Romulo.
• The Torres Torch: Torres High School (1930) 
• Mapazette: Mapa High School and The Chronicler: Arellano High School (1940)

*** Although the first school paper in city schools of Manila was published in School Year 1911-1912, formal classroom instruction in high school journalism began only in 1952 when Mrs. Sarah England, an American teacher of Mapa High School experimented with the teaching of Journalism.

B. Universities 

• College Folio: published by the University of the Philippines in October 1910, it printed the works of the first promising writers in English. 
• The Torch: introduced by the Philippine Normal School in 1913 as its official publication. 
• The Literary Apprentice: literary organ organized by the UP Writers Club in 1927, it became the most prestigious college literary publication in the country. 
• The Varsitarian: UST’s publication which was also started in 1927.

THE CAMPUS PAPER

The campus paper is a publication, either mimeographed or printed, put out by staff members whose names appear in the masthead or editorial box.

Functions of the Campus Paper 

A. (according to Harold Spears and C.H. Lawshe Jr.)

1.   Aid to students

Campus papers develop students’ powers of observation and discrimination concerning relative merits of news articles. They also serve as outlet and motivation for journalistic writing. Most of all, campus papers provide training in organization, business methods and management.

2.   Aid to the school and community

Campus papers publish news and thus inform the community on the work of the school. They also help in the creation and expression of school opinion and provide an outlet for student suggestions for the betterment of the school.

B. (other functions)

1.       Information Function

2.       Opinion Function

3.       Education Function

4.       Watchdog Function

5.       Laboratory Function

6.       Documentation Function

7.       Entertainment Function

8.       Developmental Function 

STUDENTS PRESS ETHICS AND PRINCIPLES

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS

The right to publish news is not expressly granted by law, but is found in the general liberty of the people.

Section 1, Article III of the 1935 Constitution (repeated in the 1987 Constitution) states thus:

“No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.”

*** The provision prevents censorship or the imposition of previous restraint upon a publication. The reporter or publisher, however, may be held liable for printing or publishing any of the following:

ü  Those injurious to the reputation or privacy of persons;

ü  Those injurious to the public order and national security;

ü  Those injurious to public morals; and

ü  Those injurious to the integrity and efficiency of public bodies such as the Congress or the courts.

*** Restraints on publications may be classified on the basis of the branch of law affected:

ü  Criminal law: libel, obscenity, inciting to sedition (rebellion), unlawful publication of official papers

ü  Civil law: libel, breach of privacy, violation of copyright, unfair competition

ü  Administrative law: concerning postal law, mailing privileges, customs regulations, advertising rules

Campus Paper Ethics

A school paper, like all newspapers, should observe accuracy, fairness and good taste in reporting events.

• No story based on rumor, unattributed opinion or gossip should be published.
• Obscenity should be absolutely taboo for the school paper.
• Stories concerning the morale of individuals should be avoided.
• Words which show bias in the handling of news stories or other stories concerning race, color, religious beliefs, or class should be avoided.
• No innocent person/s should be needlessly involved in questionable or unpleasant incidents, or exposed to ridicule.
• A school paper should not, as a rule, print pictures which offend the sensibility of the general run of the readers.

Common ethical problems student media face:

• Conflict of interest: Examples include interviewing friends; only interviewing one grade or those with a specific point of view; "getting even" with those who might have wronged you; doing anything that might compromise objectivity in the reporting of the truth. 
• Plagiarism: Claiming others' work as one's own, essentially stealing from them. Students must credit other people's materials and ideas, including those published in newspapers, magazines and books. This includes "borrowing" or downloading visuals from the Internet to use without permission with stories. 
• Anonymous sources: Although many reporters use anonymous sources, there are rules about when to use them. A reporter has to determine the information's value and whether is it possible to get it any other way. She also has to determine whether she needs to protect the source from harm from being an identified source. A comment about the cafeteria's food should not be permitted to remain anonymous, for example, but a revelation about suffering child abuse may be. 
• ü Offending or distasteful content: Although it is impossible to run any story without offending, insulting or displeasing someone, student journalists must strive to keep the press open and accessible to a wide range of views without stooping to gratuitous offense. While some use of "dirty" language might be necessary, journalists have to decide if there is another way to present the information or if the presentation will be so offensive it will preclude readers from getting the information. 
• Invasion of privacy: While this is often a legal issue, it is also an ethical one. Student - and professional - reporters must consider the consequences of publishing the outstanding news value photo or naming someone in an article. 
• Bias: Human beings cannot be purely objective. The mere selection of one story over another raises the issue of value judgments. Those who create content must attempt to be as fair and impartial as is possible. Every issue has more than one side, and all sides should be represented as much as possible. Student journalists trying to be objective should not avoid exploration, experimentation and variety in the press. 
• Commitment to accuracy: Little undermines integrity and, therefore, effectiveness of the media more than carelessness (or deceit) leading to inaccuracy in the press. Not publishing information is almost always better than publishing inaccurate information. The rush to be first, prized today and available to anyone now with the Internet, is no justification for not checking out data, information and sources.