3 Reasons Why Campus

Journalism is Important
 Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro

 5 Oct 2017


Aside from the fact that campus journalism gives student journalists the opportunity to practice
their craft and share their thoughts and insights about certain issues, there are other reasons why
it is important.
The Campus Journalism Act of 1999 is An Act Providing for the Development and Promotion of
Campus Journalism and for Other Purposes. It was created for several reasons:
- To uphold the freedom of the press at the campus level.
- 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.
The act is also meant to help students improve technical skills in journalism, understand and
practice the responsibilities of a journalist, learn how to be responsible, and promote social
awareness. It is also a good venue for advocating educational development, as well as for voicing
out students’ rights and promoting their welfare.
Despite the fact that this has long been put into law, there are still some educational institutions
that do not follow it. There are several schools – quite a number of them, actually – that do not
have school publications or school papers. While they may have their own reasons, these
institutions should remember that their priority is the welfare and education of the students.
Therefore, anything that can help advance students’ learning should be a major part of the school
curriculum.
For those who do not yet understand the value of campus journalism, here are three important
reasons why it should be implemented in your school or educational institution.
1. Campus journalism helps student become more aware of what’s happening around them. They
learn how to become responsive and proactive citizens at a young age.
Additionally, it helps and trains students to become responsible. Student journalists are taught
and trained to practice fairness, balance, and truthfulness.
2. Campus journalism provides students a voice. Student journalists can act as the messengers of
the student body. They can talk about issues, policies, and events that are essential to both the
student and the school administration.
School publications serve as a venue for students so their message can reach the proper school
authorities. Likewise, it is a way of bringing together and uniting the students, the faculty, and
the administration.
Also, campus journalism helps students to practice their freedom of expression.
3. Campus journalism helps students improve their skills in communication arts. The student
journalists are each given regular tasks – editing, writing, proofreading, and headline writing,
among others. As such, they are trained in various fields.
Aside from communication arts, these student journalists are also trained to manage the school
paper; something that they can put to good use after they graduate.
The young journalists also learn to delegate and to value teamwork. So campus journalism
actually trains them to become well-rounded individuals and members of society.
Schools that have not yet adopted or followed The Campus Journalism Act of 1991 should
rethink their plans and start working on organizing a campus journalism program. The benefits
are aplenty - for both the students and the institution. Sources:
http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1991/ ra_7079_1991.html
https://www.slideshare.net/JeffrenMiguel/ campus-journalism-act-of-1991