Definition and Functions of Journalism

Journalism is a form of writing that tells people about things that really happened, but that they might
not have known about already.
- is the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information. It is
also the product of these activities.

Journalism Functions
Political Function
All information concerning the government

Economic Function
All transactions concerning buying and selling of goods and/or services
contributes to the overall economy. Journalism has the function to keep the
public updated about everything that the consumers may purchase and/or sell.

Sentry Function
One responsibility of the media is to keep the public informed of current and
upcoming problems.Based on scientific predictions. Ex. Weather forecast.

Marketplace Function
Journalism provides a venue for fora and discussions on certain issues. It
becomes a marketplace of ideas where people may show their support or
disagreement on a specific issue. For example, if a group of people is against
the implementation of a certain bill, they turn to the media to show
disagreement.

Record-Keeping Function The media should keep accurate records of all pertinent happenings in
the history, which includes local, national, and global events.

Entertainment Function
Journalism also caters to the satisfaction of human interests by providing entertainment through
videos, images, or graphics.

Agenda-Setting Function
Journalism has the power to set what the public will think about and address as
a nation by how events are crafted. It is one of the most crucial functions of
journalism as it implicitly directs the public to focus on a specific issue.

The Campus Paper

- is the academic institution’s version of the national newspaper or in
other words, the school paper. It is the free newspaper of the students, by the students,and for the students to
circulate within the academic community.

Campus Journalism Act of 1991, also known as Republic Act Numbered 7079,
the establishment of school has been legalized.
Parts of a Campus Paper

Front Page - serves as the banner page of the campus paper. The most important news story for a specific
volume can be seen in the front page.

News Page - it is where all news written concerning the students in the campus can be read.

Editorial Page - it is the page where the Editor gives reliable opinion regarding a chosen issue.

Feature Page - News stories better-written through an artistic approach.

Community Development Page - articles about the campus’ participation to off-campus community-activities
can be read.

Science and Technology Page- features stories about students’ discoveries, inventions,
experiments, research projects,and all others concerning science or technological development.

Sports Page - contains students’ participation on any sports event inside the campus or representing the
institution in off-campus sports fest.

The Publication Staff

1. Chief Editor - She supervises the editorial staff and writes the editorial section of the newspaper.

2. Associate Editor- She edits the articles in cooperation with the editor in chief and assigns tasks to the
members.

3. Managing Editor - She proofreads, prepares, and check the newspaper for errors.

4. Circulation Manager - She works in the print division of a newspaper and is responsible for ensuring the
delivery of the paper products.

5. Section Editors
a. News Editor
b. Filipino Editor
c. Feature Editor
d. Exchange Editor
e. Layout Section Editors

-They writes news articles on assignment from the editor-in-chief or through his own initiative in consultation
with the latter. They write according to their function. For example, news editors will cover the current events
happening.

6. Layout Artists - Graphic designer.

7. Reporters - Reporters deliver updates and analysis on current happening with the goal to keep public
updated. They create stories and breaking news through different channels.

8. Photojournalists -They take pictures recording breaking news, sports events, investigative features, or
political news stories.

9. Cartoonist - Cartoonists draw advertising, political, social, and sports cartoons. Cartoonists also pairs with
the editorial-in-chief specifically for editorial cartooning.
Notes:

Byline - The technical term for the name of the writer whose article appears in the paper.
Fold - The imaginary horizontal line that divides the paper into two.
RA 7079 - Republic Act legalized the operation of campus papers in the country.
Banner - is the principal headline which is the title of the most important news of the day.

Headline - refers to any title of any news.

Principles of Journalism

1. Truthfulness
2. Loyalty to the citizens
3. Objectivity by verification
4. Independence of spirit and mind
5. Independent monitoring of power
6. Fairness
7. Making the significant interesting and relevant
8. The moral Compass
9.Comprehensiveness and Proportionality

1. Establishing a school paper in universities and colleges is not mandatory.

2. The responsibilities and duties of a school adviser in providing technical guidance is vague.
3. Mandatory collection from the students to fund the publication is prohibited. It is the school’s
prerogative whether it will allocate funds to financially support the publication.
4. There are no stipulated punishments for school officials abusing student journalists writing for campus
papers.
5. “A student shall not be expelled or suspended solely on the basis of the articles he or she has written, or on
the basis of the performance of his or her duties in
the student publication” thus providing security of a student’s attendance in school.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 7079 "Campus Journalism Act of 1991."

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF CAMPUS JOURNALISM AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Title. – This Act shall be known and referred to as the "Campus Journalism Act of 1991."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the State to uphold and protect the freedom of
the press even at the campus level and to promote the development and growth of campus journalism as a
means of strengthening ethical values, encouraging critical and creative thinking, and developing moral
character
and personal discipline of the Filipino youth. In furtherance of this policy, the State shall undertake various
programs and projects aimed at improving the journalistic skills of students concerned and promoting
responsible and free journalism.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. –

(a) School. – An institution for learning in the elementary, secondary or tertiary level comprised of the
studentry,
administration, faculty and non-faculty personnel;
(b) Student Publication. – The issue of any printed material that is independently published by, and which
meets
the needs and interests of, the studentry;
(c) Student Journalist. – Any bona fide student enrolled for the current semester or term, who was passed or
met
the qualification and standards of the editorial board. He must likewise maintain a satisfactory academic
standing.
(d) Editorial Board. – In the tertiary level, the editorial board shall be composed of student journalists who have
qualified in placement examinations. In the case of elementary and high school levels, the editorial board shall
be composed of a duly appointed faculty adviser, the editor who qualified and a representative of the Parents
Teachers' Association, who will determine the editorial policies to be implemented by the editor and staff
members of the student publication concerned.
At the tertiary level, the editorial board may include a publication adviser at the option of its members.
(e) Editorial Policies. – A set of guidelines by which a student publication is operated and managed, taking into
account pertinent laws as well as the school administration's policies. Said guidelines shall determine the
frequency of the publication, the manner of selecting articles and features and other similar matters.

Section 4. Student Publication. – A student publication is published by the student body through an editorial
board and publication staff composed of students selected but fair and competitive examinations.
Once the publication is established, its editorial board shall freely determine its editorial policies and manage
the publication's funds.
Section 5. Funding of Student Publication. – Funding for the student publication may include the savings of
the respective school's appropriations, student subscriptions, donations, and other sources of funds.
In no instance shall the Department of Education, Culture and Sports or the school administration concerned
withhold the release of funds sourced from the savings of the appropriations of the respective schools and
other sources intended for the student publication. Subscription fees collected by the school administration
shall be released automatically to the student publication concerned.

Section 6. Publication Adviser. – The publication adviser shall be selected by the school administration from
a list of recommendees submitted by the publication staff. The function of the adviser shall be limited to one of
technical guidance.

Section 7. Security of Tenure. – A member of the publication staff must maintain his or her status as student
in order to retain membership in the publication staff. A student shall not be expelled or suspended solely on
the basis of articles he or she has written, or on the basis of the performance of his or her duties in the student
publication.

Section 8. Press Conferences and Training Seminar. – The Department of Education, Culture and Sports
shall sponsor periodic competitions, press conferences and training seminars in which student-editors/writers
and teacher-adviser of student publications in the elementary, secondary and tertiary levels shall participate.
Such competitions, conferences and seminars shall be held at the institutional, divisional, and regional levels,
culminating with the holding of the annual national elementary, secondary or tertiary School Press
Conferences in places of historical and/or cultural interest in the country.

Section 9. Rules and Regulations. – The Department of Education, Culture and Sports, in coordination with
the officers of the national elementary, secondary or tertiary organizations or official advisers of student
publications, together with student journalists at the tertiary level and existing organizations of student
journalists,
shall promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

Section 10. Tax Exemption. – Pursuant to paragraph 4, Section 4, Article XIV of the Constitution, all grants,
endowments, donations, or contributions used actually, directly and exclusively for the promotion of campus
journalism as provided for in this Act shall be exempt from donor's or gift tax.

Section 11. Appropriations. – For the initial year of implementation, the sum of Five million pesos
(P5,000,000.00) is hereby authorized to be charged against the savings from the current appropriations of the
Department of Education, Culture and Sports. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary shall be included
in the General Appropriations Act.

Section 12. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the completion of its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved: July 5, 1991.

News--- is an oral or written report of a past, present, or future event. It should be factual, truthful,
accurate, unbiased, and interesting. But what is interesting to one is not always interesting to another.

ELEMENTS OF NEWS

Conflict – this may involve physical or mental conflict.

Immediacy or timeliness –The more recent the event, the more interesting it is to the reader.
Proximity or nearness –refer to geographical nearness as well as to nearness of kinship or interest.
Prominence – Some people are more prominent than others by reasons of wealth, social position etc.
Significance –significant to the life of an individual is interesting to him.
Names – Important names make important news.
Drama – this adds color to the story.
Oddity or unusualness –Strange or unnatural events, objects, persons, and places. An odd story is
interesting not because of its news value but because of the human-interest side of it.
Romance and adventure –
Sex – Since the dawn of history, sex has always interested man.
Progress - The trend today is towards development communication. Reports on
the significant changes in the established order and on scientific achievements are in order.
Animals – Stories of animals.
Number – Sweepstakes numbers, vital statistics, election results, scores in games etc.
Emotion – All the other elements of news mentioned above appeal to the emotion.

TYPES OF NEWS STORIES

Scope or origin

Local news – Report of events that take place within the immediate locality.
National news – News that takes place within the country.
Foreign news – News that takes place outside the country.
Dateline news – News preceded by the date and place of origin or place where it was written or
filed: Tokyo, Jan. 20(AP)

Chronology or Sequence

Advance or anticipated – News published before its occurrence.

Spot news – News that is gathered and reported on the spot.
Coverage news –Both spot news and coverage news are good examples of first-hand reporting.
Follow-up news – A sequel to a previous story.

Structure

Straight News – News that consists of facts given straight. Its main aim is to inform. It uses the summary lead and
is written using the inverted pyramid structure.
News-feature (Featured news distinguished from a feature article) – It is also based on facts, but it
entertains more than it informs.

TREATMENT

Fact story – It is written in the inverted pyramid design.

Action story – Ex. Sports games, competitions, accidents, and war reports are examples of action stories.
Speech report – A news story usually written from a public address, talks, and speeches.
Quote story – Speeches, statements, and letters, and to some extent, interviews when reported, are
regarded as quote stories.
Interview story – A news report written from an interview.
Hard news– events, such as killings, city council meetings and speeches by leading government
officials, are timely and are reported almost automatically by the media.
Soft news - not usually considered immediately important or timely to a wide audience.

CONTENT

Routine story – celebrations, enrollment, graduation, election stories reported year in and year out.
Police reports – accident, fire, calamity, crime stories, etc.
Science news
Developmental news
Sports stories

MINOR FORMS
News brief – A short item of news interest, written like a brief telegraphic message.
News bulletin –similar to the lead of a straight news story. Its aim is just to give the gist of the news.
News-featurette – This is a short news feature usually used as filler, e.g., “Quirks in the news.”
Flash – A bulletin that conveys the first word of an event.

Lead is the news story’s opening statement. It can be a word, a phrase, or a sentence that attracts and
sustains the reader’s interest. The main concern of writing the lead is to get hold of the readers until they’ve
read all the important information from the news story.

Major Classifications of Lead

Summary Lead - It answers the five W’s and one H (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How

The Grammatical-Beginning Lead - Give emphasis on the logical importance of the details but is equally
concerned with its grammatical structures.

Unorthodox Lead or Novelty Lead - This is best used to attract reader’s attention, to arouse
his/her curiosity and to sustain his/her interest. It is used in writing news feature or a feature article.

Kinds of Grammatical-Beginning Lead:

Prepositional Phrase Lead - a phrase is introduced by a preposition.
Infinitive Phrase Lead - it starts with the preposition “to” plus the main verb.
Participial Phrase Lead - Presence of the present or past participle of the verb, acting as a modifier.
Gerundial Phrase Lead - This lead is introduced by a gerund,a verbal ending in -ing which acts as a noun.
Clause Lead - This lead begins with a clause, which may become either an independent or subordinate, or
may transform as either a noun or an adj.

Kinds of Novelty Lead

1. Narrative Lead
2. Descriptive Lead
3. Quoted Statement Lead
4. Question Lead
5. Teaser
6. Punch Lead
7. Astonisher Lead
8. One word lead
9. Parody Lead
10. Background Lead
11. Freak Lead
12. Contrast Lead
13. Staccato Lead

5 basic parts of a newspaper Article:

a. Headline - a short, catchy statement about the article. It serves as the title of the article.
b. Byline - is the name of the writer or writers of the article.
c. Lead Paragraph - This is the introductory paragraph of the article.
d. Major Details - includes those important information which are not yet written in the lead paragraph.
e. Minor Details - all the remaining information about the issue.

Editorial
is a concise expression of facts and opinions or an analytical interpretation of
significant and timely topics or issues. It is a formal writing where the paper has
the chance to write what it thinks about a certain issue affecting the readers.

Characteristics of an Editorial
1. It follows a pattern. The editorial article should have an introduction, body, and conclusion.
2. It simplifies an issue. It simplifies an issue by eliminating extraneous parts of the news.
3. It provokes opinions from the opposing viewpoints
It always attempts to be objective by presenting other views.
4. It shows evidence delivered in a professional and formal manner.
5. It offers alternative solutions. Aside from criticizing the chosen issue, a good editorial presents
alternative solutions to address the mentioned concerns.
6. It proffers a solid and concise conclusion. A good editorial ends with a powerfully summarized
opinion. It gives the readers an unforgettable line that they can live by.

Functions of Editorial
1. Explain or Interpret
Editorials are often used to explain the way the newspaper covered a sensitive or controversial subject.
2. Criticize
Editorials constructively criticize actions, decisions, or situations. When an editorial criticizes, it provides
solutions to the problems identified.
3. Persuade
Editorials primarily aim at driving the readers to go with the paper’s stand. It has a goal of encouraging
others to take a specific positive action.
4. Praise
Editorials are used to commend people and organizations for their contributions to progress,
development, or peace.

Types of Editorial

1. Editorial of Criticism Points out the faults of the situation or in an issue mentioned in the news.
2. Editorial of Interpretation The paper may take a neutral stand on the specified issue and may give
responsibility of choosing a side to the readers themselves.
3. Editorial of Commendation or Tribute This editorial is used to praise a worthy deed done by a person.
4. Editorial of Argumentation or Persuasion It takes a stand in a controversial issue and tries to convince
the readers to adopt that stand.
5. Editorial of Entertainment Some editorials also discuss issues lightly but present serious points.
6. Editorial of Crusade It promotes a concept, an idea or an advocacy. This is also called campaign editorial.
7. Editorial Liners These are short, witty paragraphs, either serious or light.

Techniques in Persuasion
Appeals. Appealing to the audience’s emotions,
fears, need to protect their family, desire to fit in to
be accepted, desire to protect animals and the
environment, pride in our country and others.
Generalizations. Make sweeping statements about
a whole group, based on only one or two members
of that group.
Attacks. Attacks on opposing views which are
contrary to the editorial board’s contrition as foolish,
dangerous, uncaring or deceitful.
Repetition. By repeating letters, words, and
phrases the author can reinforce an argument and
ensure that the point of view being made stays in
the reader’s mind.

Evidence. Rhetorical Questions. These are questions that

thus the argument is more logical or reliable. do not require an answer. Asked for effect only.

Humor. The use of humor such as puns, irony, Hyperbole. The use of hyperbole emphasizes
sarcasm, satire and jokes can be persuasive points by exaggerating. It can be used to mock
dismissing opposing views,sway an audience by opposing opinions, as a shock-tactics technique or
having them enter into the joke. an appeal to fears.

Cause and Effect.

Alliteration and Assonance. The repetition of initial consonant sounds
ConnotationsFor example, “kill” and “slaughter” both mean the same thing, but the word “slaughter” has a
different connotation to “kill,” as it causes the readers to imagine that the act was particularly horrific.
Imagery and Figurative Language. The use of figurative language, metaphor, and simile
Analogy. This is a form of reasoning which compares one thing with another .

Feature writing
is creative writing. It escapes the hard-news format allowing the creative writers among us to
write feature articles in an inventive and compelling way. Unlike short and to-the-point news articles, feature
articles deal with a subject in greater depth and, usually, at greater length.

Characteristics of Feature Stories

 Variety of Subject Matter
A feature story can take any
topic under the sun.
Well-organized
Variety of tones Variety of form and style
To fulfill its purpose of Writer may use any form or
entertaining style depending on the
writer’s judgment to easily
capture the reader’s attention
Strikes keynotes in a May or may not be
first sentence timely

Types of Feature Stories Interpretative Feature.

Informative Feature. This feature is usually based
on interview and research.
News Feature.
Human Interest Feature. Deals with minor
incidents that deserve attention because of the
dramatic, humorous, tragic, sensational or unusual
angle of the story.
Personal Experience. Tells some unusual true-to
life experiences written in the first person account.
Personality Sketch. Written about people private
life etc.
Seasonal or Holiday feature.
Humorous Feature. Its primary objective is to
entertain, make people laugh and be relieved of the
stress of life while reading the article.
Travelogue. It is an account of one’s travel
experience and a vivid description of places visited.
Stages of Writing a Feature Story
social, economic, political, and other problems of
everyday life.
Science and Technology Feature. It is
concentrated on the latest advancement in science
and Tech.
Historical and Cultural Feature.
How-to and What-to-do Feature. Provides
knowledge about an activity or process. It is a step
by-step procedure doing something.
Business and Development Feature. Provides a
glimpse of insights on the business world and the
development of certain sectors or areas.
Lifestyle Feature. The quick change in fashion
trends and lifestyles makes an interesting reading.
Entertainment Feature. Show business events are
the common subjects in this type of feature.
Career Feature. Focuses on career guidance, tips,
and issues.
Hobby Feature. This type of feature focuses on
exceptional hobbies.
Insider Feature. Focuses on unusual occupations,
issues, or events which

Pre-writing Stage- Planning, researching, gathering data, and organize information.

Writing Stage- Know the level of consciousness and knowledge of your audience.
Post-writing Stage- Edit your article for clarity and grammatical errors. Refine your sentences and find better
choices for words. Cut out unnecessary phrases and ensure your story flows coherently. Polish your paper to
assure that the story is of good quality, thus complete, accurate, and correct.

Techniques in Writing Introduction

Question. It raises a question or a rhetorical .
Exclamation. Used to compel attention.
Striking Statement. Enticing piece of information in a short punchy format. It adds suspense.
Descriptive Technique. Draw the readers into the story by creating a strong image in his or her mind.
Summary Technique. This sums up the general topic of the .
Anecdotal Style. Uses a conversational tone to create an intimacy between the reader, the writer.
Quotation.
Contrast Technique.
Break formal style. This leaves the things that happened in between events to the imagination of
the readers.

Character technique. This is the most common in personality profiles or stories in which
you use an individual to represent a larger topic.
Figurative Style. It opens the feature article by employing figures of speech.
Quoting an Expert. This introductory style uses a statement of an authority in a specified field.
Staccato Style. In music parlance, staccato means short and not sounding connected. A feature writer
may start by using sudden and brief ideas or words or phrases.
Lyrics of a song.
Letter Style. Letter-style introduction

Radio
is one of the oldest media platforms that the human race has ever utilized.

All sounds consist of vibration. Person's voice that consists of vibrating in the air that is
caused by the person vibrating vocal cords.
Sound travels through the air in the form of waves called sound waves.
During a radio broadcast, a microphone picks up speech and other live sounds that make up the
programme. An electric current in the microphone creates vibration in it that match the sound waves.

Electric Waves to Radio Waves

Electric waves that represent the sounds of a programme travel over wires to the control boards.
The control board has many switches and dials.
A technician controls the sounds.
The electric waves move to the transmitter from the control board.
Transmitting Radio Waves
It is the transmitter that strengthens the incoming electric waves that represent the broadcast. The
transmitter also produces another kind of electric waves called carrier waves.
The transmitter sends the radio signal to the antenna.
The antenna, in turn, sends the signal out into the air as radio waves. Many stations locate their antenna or
towers and in high or open places, above and away from tall buildings and other structures that might interfere
with the radio waves. A lot of times, small stations locate their antenna on top of the station building or a
nearby building.
Reception of Radio Programmes
Multiband radios. These are able to pick AM, FM and other bands such as short wave, aircraft and marine
radio communication. Most radio receivers operate or electric power from a wall outlet on battery. The main
point of an electrically or battery powered radio are the antenna, the tuner, amplifier and the speaker.

The Antenna: This is a length of wire or a metal rod that picks up radio waves. When radio sticks the
antenna, they produce very weak electric waves in it. An antenna receives radio waves from many
stations simultaneously.
The Tuner: This is a part of the radio that makes it sensitive to particular frequencies or channels. A
dial attached to the Tuner shows the frequencies or channels of the station that may be tuned in.
Amplifiers: This component strengthens the programme signal selected by the tuner.
Speaker: This is the final link between the broadcast radio and the listener as it changes the electric
signal back into the original programme sounds

Stages in Program Creation

Program Idea  Program Concept  Program Proposal  Program Packaging  Program Production

Elements of Radio Programme

Voice - Conveys meaning and stimulate visual imagination. For the listeners to create mental image.
Voice Term - The terminology used for production describes the placement and quality of the voice.
On Mike - Heard at a normal distance from mic.
Off Mike - Heard the voice coming from a distance or from the back of a room.
Fading on of fades on - Voice seems to be approaching the center of the action.
Reverb - Is written to create suspense or highten mysterious mood when we want the voice to be heard with a
slight echo or reverberation.

Sounds Effects - Provide a sense of location in the radio programme. Also used for such things like setting
and place, conveying actions,solvinnarrative problems and revoking characteristics.

SFX- Abbreviation Sounds Effect.

Music - Soul of radio. It adds color and life to any spoken word programme. Used to give the desired effects. It
also suggest scenes and locations.

Script - A writing which gives the details of how the entire programme should be.

Segue - P Moving from one musical selection to another without any interruption.
Adlib - P A;;ows character to create their own words to keep the general tune mood and purpose of the script.

Editorial Cartoon -- - is an illustration expressing opinion and interpretation. It is

referred to as “wordless editorial” for it complements the Editorial of a paper.
Caricature is a drawing of people in which certain features are exaggerated.
Lampoon is a subtle attack presented humorously.
Symbolism - since editorial cartooning is a subtle attack, cartoonists used symbols to represent things.

E.g. Dove for peace

Crocodile for corruption
Typewriter for press
Blindfolded lady with a weighing scale for justice
Duterte for Government
Juan Dela Cruz for Filipino masses
B. Stereotyping - editorial cartoons have minimal words, thus stereotypes are considered for easy
understanding of images.
E.g.
Woman with apron - mother
Gentlemen wearing barong - government officials
Person with worn-out clothes - poor

C. Exaggeration – Overdoing physical characteristics of people or things in order to emphasize a

point.
D. Humor - Make your cartoons funny except for tragic situations or issues.
E. Analogy - Comparison between two unlike things that share some characteristics.
F. Labels - putting labels on objects to make it clear what exactly it stands for.
G. Technical Skills - Use of technical tools, shading, and shadowing.