The National Newspaper

Before delving on campus paper, it is wise to start the discussion on a supra

level. This is for you to understand primarily the concept of the system that campus
paper has.

Thus, a newspaper is a publication sold and distributed regularly in a fixed

interval. It may be monthly, bi-monthly, weekly, daily, etc. and this is because
newspapers fall under the category "periodicals." Usually, news in newspapers is meant
to be persuasive, and this is why some news includes opinions and comments that
stimulate reactions from the readers. Another latent function of newspapers is to
entertain by the use of photos, cartoons, quizzes and other interesting features.

While papers published every day are called dailies, we call those which are
published weekly weeklies. National papers are widely available and easily bought.

National papers fall under two categories: the popular paper and the heavy or
quality papers. Popular papers present their news in a lively fashion with easy-to-read
articles and many photographs Heavy or quality papers are printed with longer articles
stressing on important and serious events in the country. Some newspaper publishers
produce Sunday papers sometimes, with the same nameplate as the daily papers. These
are not Sunday editions of the dailies but instead, they are of different editors and
editorial staff. The reason behind this is the availability of more people to read during
Sundays. The price of the Sunday paper tends to be higher than the regular paper, but it
contains more news.

The Campus Paper

The Campus Paper is the version of the national newspaper within an academic
institution. In other words, it is a pioneer in the publishing industry as a free newspaper
of the students by the students and for the students to circulate within the academic
community. The Campus Paper may broaden its reach like the community and other
agencies in the society.

With the advent of the Campus Journalism Act of 1991, otherwise known as
Republic Act Numbered 7079, the establishment of campus publication in basic
education and in higher learning institutions has been legalized.

Since the campus paper is run by the students, they have the chance to simulate
the daily newspaper's characteristics at the same time act as journalists in their own
fields. It should be noted that the campus paper is contextualized within the institution;
hence, priority issues should emanate from the institution before touching local,
national and international concerns.

It is observed that the size and frequency of the paper vary, depending on the
policies of the editorial board, the fund or publication budget and the population of the
learning institution. There are higher learning institutions which collect a campus paper
fee that can finance a semestral release of a newsletter, a tabloid, a magazine, a
broadsheet and sometimes a literary folio. The school, too, may decide to release a
special edition of its publication or organ during intramurals and foundation days or on
any special occasions.

In many instances, though, school papers under the Department of Education

opt to release newsletters due to the consideration of the fund, the population and the
scope

What should Go into the Campus Paper?

Campus journalism serves as a means to strengthen the ethical values and to

encourage the creative and critical thinking of the Filipino youth. It also helps in
developing the personal discipline and moral character of the young Campus
Journalism is one of the most effective means of teaching students the basic and
advanced writing techniques and inculcating in them the values of work and fair
judgment. It is a good training ground for future journalists or for writers. Through the
school paper, student writers are able to develop their skills and enhance their craft,

Moreover, with campus paper, both the campus journalists and the target
audience are helped appreciate the role of the press in shaping public opinion.
Primarily. The campus paper promotes the best interest not only of the students but
also of the faculty and the administration. The paper is a conduit for the pleasant and
wholesome relationship between the teachers and their students. It is an avenue where
students ventilate their opinions, including their grievances. In fact, many school papers
in higher learning institutions maximize these functions.

Today, the campus paper has become an avenue to expose anything against
anyone. This brings problems with the editorial board's security of responsibility,
objectivity and fairness. Student writer may write about as is anything; they observe
responsibility, objectivity and fairness, thus hearing both sides of the issue. For instance,
student writers must not only publish an article about teachers who are enraged with
students, but must also look into the reasons why teachers are enraged, through
interview with the teachers. Remember, the prime cause of a campus paper is to create a
campus conducive for learning and to advance the quality of education.

A Brief History of Campus Journalism

This history of campus journalism is penned by Alixander Haban Escote (August

28, 2008) and is retrieved from http://socyberty.com/history/a-brief-history-of-campus-
journalism-in-the-philippines!.

According to Jesus Valenzuela in the History of Journalism in the Philippine

Islands (1933) and John Lent in the Philippine Mass Communication (1964), the history
of campus journalism in the Philippines started when the University of Santo Tomas
published El Liliputiense in 1890.

However, Oscar Manalo, Narciso Matienzo, and Virgilio Monteloyola in Ang

Pamahayagan (1985) argued that the history of campus journalism in the country
started when the University of the Philippines published The College Folio, now The
Philippine Collegian, in 1910. They also added that The Torch of the Philippine Normal
University, The Guidon of the Ateneo de Manila University, and The Varsitarian of the
University of Santo Tomas were also published two years later.

Whatever came first, Carlos Romulo y Peña edited The Coconut, the official
student publication of Manila High School, now the Araullo High School. It was
published in 1912 and it is now considered the first and oldest high school newspaper
in the country. In 1923, La Union High School in the Ilocos Region published The La
Union Tab, the first printed and regularly issued high school newspaper in the country.
Since then, high school newspapers came out one after the other.

Among these high school newspapers were The Pampangan, Pampanga High
School, 1925; The Leytean, Leyte High School, 1925; The Rizalian, Rizal High School,
1926; The Coconut, Tayabas High School, 1927; The Volcano, Batangas High School,
1927; The Toil, La Union Trade School, 1928; The Samarinian, Samar High School, 1928;
The Melting Pot, Tarlac High School, 1929: The Granary, Nueva Ecija High School, 1929;
The Torres Torch, Torres High School, 1930; and The Cagayan Student Chronicle,
Cagayan High School, 1931.

Functions of Campus Papers

A campus paper may be mimeographed or printed, published or released by an

organization or school whose name or logo appears in the masthead or in the editorial
box. The campus paper like any other media has functions. Harold Spears and C.H.
Lawshe Jr. (from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Functions-Of-a-Campus- Paper-
1317897.html), as cited also by Sison et al. (2012), provide the following campus paper's
main functions.

Aid to Students

a. Provides opportunity for interesting writing

b. Gives students the opportunity to learn how to read the newspapers

c. Acts as stimulus to better work

d. Develops students' power of observation and discrimination merits of news articles

e. Serves as outlet and motivation for journalistic writing

f. Offers concerning relative training in organizations, business methods, commercial

arts, salesmanship, bookkeeping and business management g. Develops qualities of
cooperation, tact, accuracy, tolerance, responsibility, and leadership

Aid to School and Community

a. Informs the community of the work of the school b. Publishes school news

c. Creates and expresses school opinions

d. Makes known the achievements of the school

e. Helps unify the school f. Encourages and stimulates worthwhile activities

8. Develops right standard of conduct

h. Provides an outlet for students' suggestions for the betterment of the school

i. Develops better interschool relationship

j. Develops school spirit

k. Develops cooperation between the parents and the school

Other Functions of Campus Paper

Still cited by Simon et al. (2012), here are other functions of the campus paper.

Information Function. This is the function of the news the campus paper to
inform. Since information dissemination is the main purpose of the campus paper, this
is the function most likely performed by any campus paper. It gives the readers
information concerning the things around the community and within the school,
Examples of the activities include the graduation schedule, the enrolment procedures,
number of enrollees for the semester and other routine and non-routine news in an
academic year.

Opinion Function. Through the editorials and editorial columns, editors have
the chance to post their opinion regarding current events inside the school and the
community. The main purpose for this is to persuade the reader toward a certain point
of view. The campus paper, therefore, can stir the emotions and convictions of the
reading public- the members of the academic community. Education Function. This is
one of the primordial functions of a campus paper. Since students and teachers alike are
expected to read the school paper, which showcases topics that may be intensively and
extensively discussed, the reading public may somehow be educated. Tabooed topics
such as sex education, family planning and the like are sample issues in which a
campus paper can be so effective.

Watchdog Function. The school paper serves as the harbinger of truth in the
campus. In other words, the writers are the eyes of the readers to see what is happening
in the school and to guard the right of the young ones.

Laboratory Function. The school paper, as discussed previously, is a miniature

version of the daily newspaper where all rights and privileges, including concepts and
skills in journalism are practiced. With this, the school paper becomes an avenue of
teaching budding journalists. It becomes a training ground for full-fledged journos
someday. In fact, the many campus papers in Manila have become the stepping stones
of the prominent Filipino journalists today. These papers include The Philippine
Collegian of the University of the Philippines, The PNU Torch of the Philippine Normal
University, The Varsitarian of the University of Santo Tomas and others. Neophyte
writers pattern their new experience from the existing and past papers.

Documentation Function. The paper also serves as a posterity tool of worthy

and must-be-remembered occasions in the campus. This is why, many school
publications practice submitting more than one copy to the campus library and to the
archive section so that the paper becomes an evidence of what transpired in such a
semester, a school year or a grading period.

Entertainment Function. As a mini version of the national newspapers, where

entertainment section exists, the school paper likewise showcases feature stories. Main
purpose of which is to stimulate the soul and to feed the brain at the same time. Sample
stories in the campus that entertain the readers include the experiences of a freshman,
the most embarrassing moment of a senior, the ghost in Room Sampaguita, the shoe
master along the corridor and others.

Developmental Function. In a developing country like the Philippines,

scholastic and commercial journalism has been given greater and nobler significance.
The sources of new journalists are also the school. Journalists in campus publications
are most likely to be the journalists of the future. The young journalist whose news
deals with club activities, school elections and campus activities will eventually become
a better one whose news deal with activities of the nation, national elections and
national concerns. The developmental function of the campus paper does not only have
implications on the young ones themselves but also on the school as a whole. School
administrators and staff may reflect their performance on the school paper and see what
improvements must be done.