Basic Journalistic Writing

“Mulat sa Pagsulat: A Writer’s Calling”

Manila Cathedral School
March 31, 2023

Mhilwin A. Esto
Master Teacher I
Pres. Corazon C. Aquino HS
DepEd - Manila
What is Journalism?
Journalism is the
discipline of
gathering, writing
and reporting news.
 Why students join
Campus Journalism/
Student Publication?
 Journalistic Writing
“Journalists cannot march in the
parade. They can only stand on
the curb and write about what
goes past and why.”

-Roger Mudd,
award-winning TV journalist
Different forms of Journalism
News
Breaking news: Telling about an
event as it happens.
Feature stories: A detailed look
at something interesting
that's not breaking news.
Enterprise or Investigative
stories: Stories that uncover
information that few people
knew.
Different forms of Journalism
Opinion
Editorials: Unsigned articles that
express a publication's opinion.
Columns: Signed articles that express
the writer's reporting and his
conclusions.
Reviews: Such as concert, restaurant
or movie reviews.
 Different forms of Journalism
Online, journalism can come in the
forms listed above, as well as:
Blogs: Online diaries kept by
individuals or small groups.
Discussion boards: Online
question and answer pages
where anyone can
participate.
Wikis: Articles that any reader
can add to or change.
 Five Ws
Consider the answers to the “Five Ws” about that
source:
Who are they?
What were they doing?
Where were they doing it?
When they do it?
Why did they do it?
Data Gathering for Reporting
Three main ways to gather
information for a news story or
opinion piece:
Interviews: Talking with people who
know something about the story
you are reporting.
Observation: Watching and listening
where news is taking place.
Documents: Reading stories,
reports, public records and other
printed material.
 Reporting
purpose • To retell events

• Headline
• Byline
structure • Column
• Subheadings
• Different type faces

• Clipped style

writer’s •
•
Mixture of direct indirect speech
Summary of events in first paragraph
• Names, ages places inside commas
knowledge • broad view of story moving towards
details

• Details to bring events alive

• Use specific names of people and places
contents •
•
Recount significant events
End by commenting upon events
• Do not refer to yourself
 Writing
Keys to writing good journalism:
• Get the facts. All the facts you
can.
• Tell your readers where you got
every bit of information you put
in your story.
• Be honest about what you do not
know.
• Don't try to write fancy. Keep it
clear.
 What Is Literary Journalism?

Literary journalism is a
form of journalism that
combines reporting
with storytelling of a
nonfiction event.
 Why Literary Journalism?
Effective literary journalism enables
readers to gain an enlightened perspective
that reveals the extraordinary in everyday
life and offers a richer understanding of
the facts surrounding an individual,
institution, or event.
 Storytelling

Readers will find much more

figurative language, description of
emotion and a deeper
understanding of those that are in
the story. At times, the writer may
feel that he can use fictional
descriptions based on fact to fill in
the gaps of information.
 Form and Length

Literary journalism can

take many forms and
lengths. At times, pieces
of literary journalism
end up in a magazine or
as a long essay online or
in other medium.
 Ethical Guidelines
Everything should be verifiable
Use of information not imagination
Creative presentation of facts, not
“creation” of facts, scenes, or events
Traditional vs. Literary Journalism
Traditional journalism’s unit of
construction is the FACT
Literary journalism’s unit of construction is
the SCENE (witnessed or
recreated/anecdotal)
Literary Writing Journalistic Writing
To entertain and inform leisurely Must inform quickly

May or may not be entirely factual Entirely factual

To appeal primarily to emotions primarily to give information

Based on facts gathered by reporters Limited to only writer's imagination

To interest a comparatively small group or Interest a large group with varying education
selected people backgrounds

Refers to author's technique of expression Refers mostly to preparation of copy, use of cap
, punctuation, spelling, may refer to author;
individual technique or expression

Subjective usually objective and simple direct

Any length Usually short, concise and correct

Any type Avoid using important or unusual word twice in

same paragraph or closely together in same
paragraph
Thank you for listening!
FB: Mhilwin Esto
Email: mhilwin.esto@deped.gov.ph
Phone: 09926801033

Mhilwin A. Esto
Master Teacher I
Pres. Corazon C. Aquino HS
DepEd - Manila