SEEN 30173 essentially played a “watchdog” function and has often
CAMPUS JOURNALISM taken an adversarial stance against government. The
LESSON 1 - LINKING JOURNALISM AND THE
CAMPUS PAPER
Unit 1 – Foundational Concepts of Journalism
Read articles on History of Newspaper in the World, in
the Philippines.
1. History of Newspaper
The term newspaper became common in the 17th
century. However, in Germany, publications that we
would today consider to be newspaper publications,
were appearing as early as the 16th century. They
were discernibly newspapers for the following reasons:
they were printed, dated, appeared at regular and
frequent publication intervals, and included a variety of
news items (unlike single item news mentioned
above). The emergence of the new media branch was
based on the spread of the printing press from which
the publishing press derives its name. Historian
Johannes Weber says, "At the same time, then, as the
printing press in the physical, technological sense was
invented, 'the press' in the extended sense of the word
also entered the historical stage." The German-
language Relation aller Fürnemmen und
gedenckwürdigen Historien, printed from 1605
onwards by Johann Carolus in Strasbourg, was the
first newspaper.
2. The Print Media: A Tradition of Freedom by Ramos
R. Tuazon
History of Newspaper in the Philippines
The Philippine press was born and nurtured amidst a
climate of political reform. The early Philippine
newspapers played critical role in the nation’s quest for
freedom and independence. Thus, the pantheon of our
national heroes include such journalists as Jose Rizal,
Graciano Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce, Antonio Luna,
to name a few. Their writings inspired the Philippine
revolution against Spain, the first challenge by an
Asian people against western colonials. This
nationalistic fervor is to be ingrained in the spirit of
succeeding Filipino journalists throughout our nation’s
history. Perhaps equally dramatic as the Propaganda
Movement during the Spanish regime was the struggle
of the so-called alternative press during the Marcos
regime, whose collective vision saw fulfillment in the
EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986. The
politicization or conscientization of the Filipinos were
fired up by journalists, many of whom were women,
who like their noble predecessors, risked their lives for
freedom and democracy. The Philippine press is
known as the freest and liveliest in Asia. Because of
the libertarian and free enterprise principles
institutionalized by the American colonizers, it
freedom enjoyed by Philippine press (media),
however, has become a double-edged sword. The
press (media) began to be criticized for being
rambunctious and sensational. Being commercial in
nature, the press is dependent on advertising as its
lifeblood.
3. What is Journalism?
Journalism is the activity of gathering, assessing,
creating, and presenting news and information. It is
also the product of these activities.
Journalism can be distinguished from other activities
and products by certain identifiable characteristics and
practices. These elements not only separate
journalism from other forms of communication, they
are what make it indispensable to democratic
societies. History reveals that the more democratic a
society, the more news and information it tends to
have.
Journalism - Something that embraces all forms in
which and through which the news and comments on
the news reach the public. All that happens in the
world, if such happenings hold interest for the public,
and all the thought, actions, and ideas which these
happenings stimulate become the materials for the
journalist. -F. Fraser Bond
Unit 2 - The Campus Paper and the Publication
Staff
Campus journalism is defined as “that enjoyable
activity of the staff of the campus paper in collecting,
organizing and presenting news, writing editorials,
columns, features, and literary articles, taking pictures,
cartooning, copy reading, proofreading, dummying &
writing headlines.”
✓ To define Campus Journalism
✓ To state what R.A 7079 is
✓ To explain why there is an amendment made in the
law
✓ To reflect on your practices in school in connection
with the Campus Journalism Act
✓ To internalize the essence and impact of the said
law to you as a future teacher is “that enjoyable activity
of the staff of the campus paper in collecting,
organizing and presenting news, writing editorials,
columns, features, and literary articles, taking pictures,
cartooning, copy reading, proofreading, dummying &
writing headlines”.
✓ Legal- They should know their rights and the rights
of each individual, and they should be sure they are
compliant with legal issues. This will ensure there is no
intrusion on matters of confidentiality and privacy.
✓Social- It is the duty of a journalist to make sure the
information is presented in a fair, balanced and truthful
manner
✓ Professional- A journalist has a professional
responsibility to present an accurate portrayal of
events as they occur. This usually is accomplished
through excellent and thorough research. A
professional journalist will present only the facts,
leaving out her own opinions.
✓ Ethical- Journalists are bound to a code of ethics.
An ethical journalist will provide the audience with
meaningful information, but she also will know when
information is too sensitive to be reported.
✓ R.A. 7079 One of the most powerful law that
promotes the rights of the youth, yet also one of the
most disregarded law
✓ Train students on journalism
✓ Provide students an avenue to practice truth ,
fairness , and balance
✓ Safeguard democracy at the campus level
✓ Approved on July 5,1991
✓ It is “ An act providing for the Development and
Promotion of Campus Journalism”
✓ It aims to promote the development and growth of
Campus Journalism as a means of: (section 2 )
1. strengthening ethical values
2. encouraging critical and creative thinking
3. develop moral character and personal discipline of
the Filipino youth
✓ The state shall undertake various programs and
projects aimed at improving the journalistic skills of
students concerned and promoting responsible and
free journalism
1. Division Schools Press Conference
2. Regional Schools Press Conference
3. National Schools Press Conference
(Section 4 , Student Publication )
✓ “ a student publication is published by the student
body through an editorial board and publication staff
composed of students selected by fair and competitive
examinations.”
PUBLICATION STAFF
1. The chief editor supervises the editorial staff of the
paper. Usually, he/ she writes the editorials of the
organ after consultation with the members of the
editorial staff.
2. The associate editor edits the articles in cooperation
with the chief editor. Also, he/she may be delegated to
write editorials of the organ. He prepares assignments
of section editors in consultation with the chief editor.
3. Acting as the hand of the board, the managing
editor brings articles to the press for typesetting. As
such, he/she also checks articles for typographical
errors.
4. As the nomenclature suggests, he/she is assigned
in ensuring the release and distribution of the paper.
He/ She also guarantee the smooth flow of the passing
of articles from reporters to section editors.
5. News Editor: Assigned as the reporter to cover
events relevant to the school activities, he/she own
initiative in consultation with the latter.
6. Filipino Editor. This is an optional staff function or
position; nonetheless, his/her prime job is to write the
editorial of the Filipino section.
7. Feature Editor. The feature editor gives out
assignments to feature writers, He/ She then receives
and edits feature articles preparatory to the submission
of the same to the chief editor.
8. Exchange Editor. For beginning school paper
system, this is an optional function.Sometimes, the
functions of exchange editor are accomplished by the
circulation manager. Nevertheless, the exchange
editor makes up a list of school papers sent by other
school.
9. Layout Section Editors. They are assigned to cause
the assignment of the school’s official photographer to
take pictures on school’s activities for the month or for
a specified time.
10. Layout Artists. They take change of designing and
formatting of all pages in the paper. As such, they label
or properly identify all pictured made available for
publication.
11. The Reporters. The life of the contents depends on
the skills of the reporters. They secure the cold and
raw facts of an assigned event and write articles out of
the same.
LESSON 2 - JOURNALISTIC WRITING SKILLS
Unit 1 – The News: A Backgrounder
Characteristics of an Effective and Credible Paper
✓ Timeliness
✓ Responsiveness
✓ Fairness
✓ Balanced Treatment of Issues
✓ Sustainability
✓ Credibility and Integrity
✓ Creativity
✓ Observance of Ethical Standards
✓ Responsibility
✓ Freedom and independence
✓ Accuracy and truthfulness
✓ Sincerity
✓ Impartiality and fair play
✓ Decency
Unit 2 – Stairway to News Writing: Techniques and
Principles
9 Elements of News (There are nine elements of news
which enhance the news value.)
 Immediacy
Immediacy or timeliness is an important requisite of
news. A reporter usually places emphasis on the latest
angles of, an event. The words ‘today’ and ‘tomorrow’
are related in most of the news stories. Occasionally a
story may concern events that happened in the past. In
this case, the reporter discusses some present aspect
of a past event.
 Proximity
Proximity or nearness refers to geographic nearness.
Normally a reader is more interested in an event
geographically nearer than the one which has taken
place in some remote part of the world.
 Consequences
A reporter should emphasize the angle of a story that
will interest most readers, listeners or viewers in terms
of consequences.
 Prominence
Prominence means persons, places, things and
situations known to the public for their weather, social
position, achievement or previous publicity. The
reporter should always add as many prominent names
and places in news stories, as possible. The more
renowned a particular name, place event or situation,
the more interest the news will create among its
readers.
 Drama
It also promotes the value of a news story. A reporter
always tries to find picturesque background and
dramatic action for his news.
 Oddity
Oddity or queerness always helps to make facts
interesting. The greater the degree of oddity in a story,
the greater is its value as news.
 Conflict
It is one of the most important of news elements. It is
inherent in nearly all news of sports, war, crime,
violence and internal disputes and in all stories
involving difference of opinion. Generally, the news of
conflict also involves other news values as drama and
oddity and therefore, has an emotional impact, a factor
that appeals to many people. Many types of stories
have conflict as their underlying element the struggle
against odd. Here are some of these types
1. Man’s struggle with nature
2. Struggle between individual and organized society
3. Struggle between political and economic groups i.e.
wars, campaigns, strikes
 Sex
It is an integral part of human life. Sex is a vital news
element in stories of romance, marriage, divorce and
other illicit relationships among members of opposite
sexes as readers want their emotions stirred.
 Progress
It involves any significant change for the betterment of
humanity. It may also refer to an achievement in the
laboratory, industry or a legislative body etc.
A number of factors modify the importance of news
elements in actual practice; the policy of a news
medium may increase or decrease the importance of a
story. The class of readers, listeners and viewers that
dominate the audience of a paper, radio or television
determines largely what is going to be presented. The
amount of space available to a paper or the amount of
time available on radio or television determines
whether a story is to be told briefly or in detail. Time
often alters the value of a story and finally the previous
presentation of a story, on any medium, changes its
value.
Unit 3 – Getting Started: Crafting the Good Lead
Tips for Writing a Lead
1. The Five W’s and H: Before writing a lead, decide
which aspect of the story – who, what, when, where,
why, how – is most important. You should emphasize
those aspects in your lead. Wait to explain less
important aspects until the second or third sentence.
2. Conflict: Good stories have conflict. So do many
good leads.
3. Specificity: Though you are essentially summarizing
information in most leads, try to be specific as
possible. If your lead is too broad, it won’t be
informative or interesting.
4. Brevity: Readers want to know why the story
matters to them and they won’t wait long for the
answer. Leads are often one sentence, sometimes
two. Generally, they are 25 to 30 words and should
rarely be more than 40. This is somewhat arbitrary, but
it’s important – especially for young journalists – to
learn how to deliver information concisely.
5. Active sentences: Strong verbs will make your lead
lively and interesting. Passive constructions, on the
other hand, can sound dull and leave out important
information, such as the person or thing that caused
the action. Incomplete reporting is often a source of
passive leads.
6. Audience and context: Take into account what your
reader already knows. Remember that in today’s
media culture, most readers become aware of
breaking news as it happens. If you’re writing for a
print publication the next day, your lead should do
more than merely regurgitate yesterday’s news.
7. Honesty: A lead is an implicit promise to your
readers. You must be able to deliver what you promise
in your lead.
What to Avoid
1. Flowery language: Many beginning writers make the
mistake of overusing adverbs and adjectives in their
leads. Concentrate instead on using strong verbs and
nouns.
2. Unnecessary words or phrases: Watch out for
unintentional redundancy. For example, 2p.m.
Wednesday afternoon, or very unique. You can’t afford
to waste space in a news story, especially in the lead.
Avoid clutter and cut right to the heart of the story.
3. Formulaic leads: Because a lot of news writing is
done on deadline, the temptation to write tired leads is
strong. Resist it. Readers want information, but they
also want to be entertained. Your lead must sound
genuine, not merely mechanical.
4. It: Most editors frown on leads that begin with the
word it because it is not precise and disorients the
reader.
Types of Leads
1. Summary lead: This is perhaps the most traditional
lead in news writing. It is often used for breaking news.
A story about a city council vote might use this “just the
facts” approach. Straight news leads tend to provide
answers to the most important three or four of the Five
W’s and H. Historically this type of lead has been used
to convey who, what, when and where. But in today’s
fast-paced media atmosphere, a straightforward
recitation of who, what, when and where can sound
stale by the time a newspaper hits the stands.
Some newspapers are adjusting to this reality by
posting breaking news online as it happens and filling
the print edition with more evaluative and analytical
stories focused on why and how. Leads should reflect
this.
2. Anecdotal lead: Sometimes, beginning a story with a
quick anecdote can draw in readers. The anecdote
must be interesting and must closely illustrate the
article’s broader point. If you use this approach,
specificity and concrete detail are essential and the
broader significance of the anecdote should be
explained within the first few sentences following the
lead.
3. Other types of leads: A large number of other
approaches exist, and writers should not feel boxed in
by formulas. That said, beginning writers can abuse
certain kinds of leads.
These include leads that begin with a question or
direct quotation and those that make a direct appeal
using the word you. While such leads might be
appropriate in some circumstances, use them sparsely
and cautiously.
Examples of Leads:
Summary lead:
County administrator faces ouster By Tony Cook for
The Cincinnati Post, Jan. 14, 2005 Two Hamilton
County Commissioners plan to force the county’s top
administrator out of office today.
Commentary: This lead addresses the traditional who,
what and when. If this information had been reported
on TV or radio the day before, this lead might not be a
good one for the print edition of the newspaper;
however, if the reporter had an exclusive or posted this
information online as soon as it became available, then
this lead would make sense. Note that it is brief (15
words) and uses an active sentence construction.
Summary lead:
Lobbyists flout disclosure rules in talks with
commissioners
By Tony Cook and Michael Mishak for the Las Vegas
Sun, July 13, 2008
On more than 170 occasions this year, lobbyists failed
to file disclosure forms when they visited Clark County
commissioners, leaving the public in the dark about
what issues they were pushing and on whose behalf.
Commentary: This lead is more representative of the
less timely, more analytical approach that some
newspapers are taking in their print editions. It covers
who, what and when, but also why it matters to
readers. Again, it uses active verbs, it is specific (170
occasions) and it is brief (35 words).
Anecdotal lead:
Tri-staters tell stories of the devastating tsunami By
Tony Cook for The Cincinnati Post, Jan. 8,2005
From Dan Ralescu’s sun-warmed beach chair in
Thailand, the Indian Ocean began to look,oddly, not so
much like waves but bread dough.
Commentary: This article is a local angle on the
devastating tsunami that struck Southeast Asia in
2005. As a result of the massive death toll and
worldwide impact, most readers would have been
inundated with basic information about the tsunami.
Given that context, this lead uses an unexpected
image to capture the reader’s attention and prepare
them for a new take on thetsunami. Again, it is brief
(23 words).
Question lead:
Same lobbyist for courts, shorter term, more money By
Tony Cook for the Las Vegas Sun, June29, 2008
What’s increasing faster than the price of gasoline?
Apparently, the cost of court lobbyists. District and
Justice Court Judges want to hire lobbyist Rick Loop
for $150,000 to represent the court system in Carson
City through the 2009 legislative session. During the
past session, Loop’s price tag was $80,000.
Commentary: Question leads can be useful in
grabbing attention, but they are rarely as effective as
other types of leads in terms of clearly and concisely
providing the main point of a story. In this case, the
second paragraph must carry a lot of the weight that
would normally be handled inthe lead.
Unit 4 – In Focus: Writing the Whole Story
 Headline
Writing headlines can be tricky. Too long and the
reader will lose interest – too short and you’re not
giving enough information away to tease the reader
into the article. Fragment grammar is strongly
suggested as writing a whole sentence can lessen the
impact of the headline. It needs to be punchy, include
the most important facts and convey what the story is
about. A word of warning, be sure that a headline isn’t
defamatory.
 Intro paragraph
The opening of the news story is the most important
bit. It should have impact to catch the reader’s
attention and make them want to read on. It should be
sharp and snappy but conform to regular sentence
structure and grammar rules. It should be no longer
than 25 words and must include: who, what where,
when, why and how.
 Put the most newsworthy information at the
top
The newest and most significant information goes at
the top of a news article, with the background or
smaller details of the story nearer the bottom. You
don’t need to explain all the new information at the top,
this isn’t always possible due to how long it would take,
just so long as you mention it – you can explain it in full
further down the article.
This is also helpful when it comes to cutting down the
length of an article if it is too long because you know
the paragraphs down the bottom of the article are the
ones you can probably cut. After your introduction, no
sentence should be more than 35 words if possible.
Also, in a news story each sentence should be a new
paragraph.
 Quoting
The first quote in your story should ideally come in
your fourth but no later than fifth paragraph. This is the
perfect place to put a quote because it helps to
balance the facts of the opening paragraphs with an
emotive quote.
You should open a quote with the name of the person
who made the statement, followed by their relevant
title. For example:
John Smith, a university lecturer, said: “We are excited
by this new investment.” Always use the word ‘said’
before your quote rather than a synonym such as
‘exclaimed’ or ‘announced’. These are very good for
creative writing but not appropriate for a news story.
Also, always use a colon prior to opening the quote, as
seen above.
Remember, at the end of the quote, full stops always
come inside the quote marks. Ideally any article over
150 words will have quotes from at least two sources.
Unit 5 – Creativity Matters: Writing Feature Articles
Types of Feature Articles by Tony Rogers (July 15,
2019)
Just as there are different kinds of hard-news stories in
journalism, there are several types of feature stories.
Often described as "soft news," a feature story doesn't
deliver the news directly, as a hard-news story does. A
feature story, while containing elements of news, aims
to humanize, add color, educate, entertain, and
illuminate, says Media-Studies.ca. These stories often
build on news that was reported in a previous news
cycle.
Examples of feature stories include news features,
profiles, spot features, trend stories, and live-ins.
Feature stories can be found in the main news section
of a newspaper, especially if they profile a person or
group currently in the news. But they are also likely to
be found in sections farther back in the paper—in
lifestyles, entertainment, sports, or business sections.
They also can be found in other news formats, such as
radio, television, and the Internet.
 News Feature
The news feature is just what the name implies: a
feature article that focuses on a topic in the news.
News features are often published in the main news,
or "A" section, or the local news, or "B" section, of a
paper. These stories focus on hard-news topics but
aren't deadline stories. They bring a softer writing style
to hard news. These articles often are people stories,
focusing on individuals behind the news, and they
often seek to humanize a set of statistics.
A news feature could claim, for example, that a
community is experiencing a methamphetamine
epidemic. It would begin by citing facts such as arrest
statistics from local, state, or federal authorities or
treatment numbers from area hospitals and drug
counselors. Then it might include quotes and
information from people involved in different aspects of
the story, such as police, emergency room doctors,
drug counselors, and meth addicts.
This kind of feature story focuses not on a single
crime, drug-induced death, or meth-related arrest;
instead, it briefly tells the story of one or more of the
above-mentioned characters, such as recovering meth
addicts. The news feature seeks to put a human face
on a crime statistic to bring the story to life for readers
and inform them of potential problems with the issue.
 Profile
A profile is an article about an individual, such as a
politician, celebrity, athlete, or CEO. Profiles seek to
give readers behind-the-scenes looks at what a person
is like, warts and all, behind the public persona. Profile
articles provide background about the individual:
education, life experiences, and challenges faced in
getting where he or she is now, as well as basic
information such as age, marital status, and family
details, including the number of siblings and children.
A profile can appear in any section of the paper, from
the "A" section to the business section. For example,
in 2016, The Orange County Register ran a feature
story on Carl Karcher, the late founder of Carl's Jr. The
story, written by reporter Nancy Luna, described how
Karcher started the fast-food restaurant, which
specializes in hamburgers, on July 17, 1941, by selling
10-cent hot dogs, tamales, and chili dogs out of a cart
on a street corner in Los Angeles, California. "He
financed a $326 food cart by mortgaging his Plymouth
Super Deluxe for $311," Luna wrote. "He paid the rest
in cash."
The remainder of the article told how Karcher rose
from being a "poor Ohio farm boy with an eighth-grade
education" to the owner of one of the most successful
fast-food chains in the country. Karcher had passed
away in 2008, so Luna interviewed a restaurant official
to obtain background information.
 Spot Feature
Spot features are feature stories produced on deadline
that focus on a breaking news event. They are often
used as sidebars to the mainbar, the deadline news
story about an event. Suppose a tornado hits a
community. The mainbar would focus on the five W's
and H of the story—the who, what, when, where, why,
and how—including the number of casualties, the
extent of damage, and rescue efforts. Complementing
the mainbar, the paper might publish one or more spot
features focusing on various aspects of the event. One
story might describe the scene at an emergency
shelter where displaced residents were housed.
Another might reflect on past tornadoes that have
devastated the community. Yet another might examine
weather conditions that led to the storm.
The paper could publish dozens of spot features
depending on the severity of the event. While the main
news story would be written in a hard-news style, the
spot features would convey a softer feature style,
focusing on the human toll of the tragedy.
 Trend
The trend story would likely appear in the lifestyle,
fashion, cooking, high-tech, or entertainment section.
These stories explore trends such as a new look in
women's fall fashions, a website or tech gadget that
everyone's going nuts over, an indie band attracting a
cult following, or a show on an obscure cable channel
that's suddenly hot.
Trend stories take the pulse of the culture at the
moment, looking at what's new, fresh, and exciting in
art, fashion, film, music, high technology, cooking, and
other areas. Trend stories are usually light, quick,
easy-to-read pieces that capture the spirit of whatever
trend is being discussed.
 Live-In
The live-in is an in-depth, often magazine-length article
that paints a picture of a particular place and the
people who work or live there. Live-in stories might
appear in the lifestyle section of the paper or in a
magazine that the paper publishes occasionally, such
as once a week or once a month.
Live-ins have been written about homeless shelters,
emergency rooms, battlefield encampments, cancer
hospices, public schools, and police precincts. Live-in
pieces are often a day-in-the-life or week-in-the-life
stories that give readers a look at a place they
probably wouldn't normally encounter.
Reporters doing live-ins must spend a lot of time in the
places they're writing about, hence the name live-in.
That's how they get a sense of the place's rhythm and
atmosphere. Reporters have spent days, weeks, even
months doing live-ins (some have been turned into
books). The live-in in some ways is the ultimate feature
story: an example of the reporter—and, then, the
reader—becoming immersed in the topic.
Though they might have different names, depending
on the medium, these types of stories are just as likely
to appear on a TV screen, radio station, or Internet
website, serving readers, listeners, and viewers in
much the same way as they do newspaper readers: by
adding depth, humanity, color, and entertainment to
the news of the day.
Unit 6 – Scuffle of Opinions: Writing Editorials
CHARACTERISTICS OF EDITORIAL WRITING
An editorial is an article that presents the newspaper's
opinion on an issue. It reflects the majority vote of the
editorial board, the governing body of the newspaper
made up of editors and business managers. It is
usually unsigned. Much in the same manner of a
lawyer, editorial writers build on an argument and try to
persuade readers to think the same way they do.
Editorials are meant to influence public opinion,
promote critical thinking, and sometimes cause people
to take action on an issue. In essence, an editorial is
an opinionated news story.
Editorials have:
1. Introduction, body and conclusion like other news
stories
2. An objective explanation of the issue, especially
complex issues
3. A timely news angle
4. Opinions from the opposing viewpoint that refute
directly the same issues the writer addresses
5. The opinions of the writer delivered in a professional
manner. Good editorials engage issues, not
personalities and refrain from name-calling or other
petty tactics of persuasion.
6. Alternative solutions to the problem or issue being
criticized. Anyone can gripe about a problem, but a
good editorial should take a pro-active approach to
making the situation better by using constructive
criticism and giving solutions.
7. A solid and concise conclusion that powerfully
summarizes the writer's opinion. Give it some punch.
Four Types of Editorials Will:
1. Explain or interpret: Editors often use these
editorials to explain the way the newspaper covered a
sensitive or controversial subject. School newspapers
may explain new school rules or a particular student-
body effort like a food drive.
2. Criticize: These editorials constructively criticize
actions, decisions or situations while providing
solutions to the problem identified. Immediate purpose
is to get readers to see the problem, not the solution.
3. Persuade: Editorials of persuasion aim to
immediately see the solution, not the problem. From
the first paragraph, readers will be encouraged to take
a specific, positive action. Political endorsements are
good examples of editorials of persuasion.
4. Praise: These editorials commend people and
organizations for something done well. They are not as
common as the other three.
Writing an Editorial
1. Pick a significant topic that has a current news angle
and would interest readers.
2. Collect information and facts; include objective
reporting; do research
3. State your opinion briefly in the fashion of a thesis
statement
4. Explain the issue objectively as a reporter would
and tell why this situation is important
5. Give opposing viewpoint first with its quotations and
facts
6. Refute (reject) the other side and develop your case
using facts, details, figures, quotations. Pick apart the
other side's logic.
7. Concede a point of the opposition — they must have
some good points you can acknowledge that would
make you look rational.
8. Repeat key phrases to reinforce an idea into the
reader's minds.
9. Give a realistic solution(s) to the problem that goes
beyond common knowledge.
10. Encourage critical thinking and pro-active reaction.
11. Wrap it up in a concluding punch that restates your
opening remark (thesis statement).
12. Keep it to 500 words; make every work count;
never use "I"
A Sample Structure
I. Lead with an Objective Explanation of the
Issue/Controversy.
Include the five W's and the H. (Members of Congress,
in effort to reduce the budget, are looking to cut
funding from public television. Hearings were held …)
• Pull in facts and quotations from the sources which
are relevant.
• Additional research may be necessary.
II. Present Your Opposition First.
As the writer you disagree with these viewpoints.
Identify the people (specifically who oppose you.
(Republicans feel that these cuts are necessary; other
cable stations can pick them; only the rich watch public
television.)
• Use facts and quotations to state objectively their
opinions.
• Give a strong position of the opposition. You gain
nothing in refuting a weak position.
III. Directly Refute The Opposition's Beliefs.
You can begin your article with transition. (Republicans
believe public television is a "sandbox for the rich."
However, statistics show most people who watch
public television make less than $40,000 per year.)
• Pull in other facts and quotations from people who
support your position.
• Concede a valid point of the opposition which will
make you appear rational, one who has considered all
the options (fiscal times are tough, and we can cut
some of the funding for the arts; however, …).
IV. Give Other, Original Reasons/Analogies
In defense of your position, give reasons from strong
to strongest order. (Taking money away from public
television is robbing children of their education …)
• Use a literary or cultural allusion that lends to your
credibility and perceived intelligence. (We should
render unto Caesar that which belongs to him …)
V. Conclude With Some Punch.
Give solutions to the problem or challenge the reader
to be informed. (Congress should look to where real
wastes exist — perhaps in defense and entitlements
— to find ways to save money. Digging into public
television's pocket hurts us all.)
• A quotation can be effective, especially if from a
respected source
• A rhetorical question can be an effective concluder as
well (If the government doesn't defend the interests of
children, who will?)
Unit 7 – Personal Viewpoint: The Publication Staff
The Publication Staff
The chief editor supervises the editorial staff of the
paper. Usually, he/ she writes the editorials of the
organ after consultation with the members of the
editorial staff. The associate editor edits the articles in
cooperation with the chief editor. Also, he/she may be
delegated to write editorials of the organ. He prepares
assignments of section editors in consultation with the
chief editor.
Acting as the hand of the board, the managing editor
brings articles to the press for typesetting. As such,
he/she also checks articles for typographical errors.
As the nomenclature suggests, he/she is assigned in
ensuring the release and distribution of the paper. He/
She also guarantee the smooth flow of the passing of
articles from reporters to section editors.
News Editor: Assigned as the reporter to cover events
relevant to the school activities, he/she own initiative in
consultation with the latter.
Filipino Editor. This is an optional staff function or
position; nonetheless, his/her prime job is to write the
editorial of the Filipino section.
Feature Editor. The feature editor gives out
assignments to feature writers, He/ She then receives
and edits feature articles preparatory to the submission
of the same to the chief editor.
Exchange Editor. For beginning school paper system,
this is an optional function. Sometimes, the functions
of exchange editor are accomplished by the circulation
manager. Nevertheless, the exchange editor makes up
a list of school papers sent by other school.
Layout Section Editors. They are assigned to cause
the assignment of the school’s official photographer to
take pictures on school’s activities for the month or for
a specified time.
Layout Artists. They take change of designing and
formatting of all pages in the paper. As such, they label
or properly identify all pictured made available for
publication.
The Reporters. The life of the contents depends on the
skills of the reporters. They secure the cold and raw
facts of an assigned event and write articles out of the
same.
What’s the difference between a column, editorial and
news story? By CNHI , Jan 28 2020
Most, if not all, news outlets publish more than just
news. You’ll hear both the hourly news reports and the
“talking heads” on the radio, the one pretty much
sticking with the facts and the other freely giving
opinions. TV is filled with both regular news segments
and personality centered talk shows. And of course,
newspapers have editorials and columnists in addition
to news reports.
But in newspapers, we try very hard to keep the two
separate. That way our readers of all political stripes
can remain confident that what we publish as news
does, in fact, clearly and accurately depict a given
situation.
This is how we do so: Opinions, especially politically
relevant ones, get their own special page labeled
“Opinion” and that’s where they stay. News doesn’t get
put there, though some of the opinion pieces might
reference facts you could find in news reports. But
because they’re on the opinion page, the authors of
those pieces are free to give their opinion about those
facts. You, too, are free to disagree with the authors
and write in your opinions as a letter to the editor,
which would also appear on the opinion page.
There are two kinds of opinions you’ll find on opinion
pages: columns and editorials. Editorials, like this one,
represent the official view of the newspaper that’s
publishing them. It’s as if the
Progress sent you a statement on letterhead saying
“this is what we think.” In our case, the
Progress puts a “standing” headline that marks an
editorial like this as “our viewpoint” so there’s no
confusion.
Columns, on the other hand, do not necessarily
represent the opinions of the editorial board or even
other members of the Progress’ staff. They are instead
the opinions of the columnists who write them, like
syndicated columnists Dave McNeely and Steven
Roberts or Jacksonville’s own local columnists Matt
Montgomery and Mike McEwen. Given that the
columnists regularly take opposite positions, it would
be hard never to disagree with them! But we believe
it’s important to represent a variety of viewpoints so
that you, the reader, can decide which analysis you
find most compelling and discover the strong points of
an argument you disagree with. We mark columns with
a photo of the columnist, or a byline if a photo isn’t
available, and you’ll find a summary of the columnist’s
expertise in small, bold print at the end of a column.
Editorial and Columns:
Editorial Proper: The article that is considered to be
soul of a newspaper or magazine of the editorial board
on the hottest issue of the day.
Column: A column is a recurring piece or article in the
paper. It is primarily written by a columnist who is well
acquainted with the subject.
LESSON 3 - WRITING A CAMPUS PAPER
FUNCTIONS and PARTS OF CAMPUS PAPER
Functions of 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 free
newspaper of the students and for 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.
According to Jesus Valenzuela in the History of
Journalism in the Philippine Islands (1933) and John
Lent in the Philippines Mass Communication (1964),
the history of campus journalism in the Philippines
started when the University of Santo Tomas published
El Liliputinse on 1890.
Oscar Manalo, Narciso Matienzo, and Vigilio
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 University Collegian, in 1910.
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.
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.
General Functions of Campus Paper
-Information Function. This is the function of the news
in the campus paper, this is the function most likely
performed by any campus paper.
-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 pubic – 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.
-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.
-Documentation Function. The paper also serves as a
posterity tool of worthy and must-be remembered
occasions in the campus.
Other Functions:
A. Aid to the students
1. provide an opportunity for interesting writing;
2. give students the opportunity to learn how to read
newspapers;
3. act as a stimulus to better work.
4. develop students’ power of observation and
discrimination
B. Aid to the School & Community
1. educate the community as to the work of the school
2. publish school and community news;
3. create & express school opinions;
4. make known the achievements of the school to the
community.
C. Others:
✓ Information disseminator
✓ Marketplace of ideas
✓ Tool for education
✓ Entertainment
✓ Influential venue for a cause or crusade
✓ Voice of its publishers
Sections of a Campus Paper
A. News Section
B. Editorial Section
C. Features/Literary Sections
D. Columns: Sports, Fashion, etc.
E. Review
Parts of a Campus Paper
Nameplate. The nameplate is the engraved or printed
name, logo or symbol of the newspaper. More often
than not, the nameplate also bears the scope of the
publication, that is, the date when the articles were
taken. It also includes the volume and number of the
particular release.
Ears. Ears are little boxes either or both sides of
nameplate. Ears usually contain advertisements or
announcement.
Banner (Head). The banner is the principal headline
which is usually written in the boldest and biggest font.
It is the title of the most important news for the day.
This most important news is called banner news.
Running Head. The running head is a type of head
having two or more lines.
Headline. Headline refers to any title of any news.
Deck. A deck is a subordinate headline or head which
is immediately placed below its mother head to give
more information about it.
Lead. Lead refers to the beginning of news story. This
means that a lead could be a word, a phrase, a
sentence or even a paragraph.
News Story. The news story is the whole story or a
part of the whole story about the news which is
composed of the lead and the text supporting and
elaborating the lead.
Columns. They are horizontal divisions of the parts or
texts of a newspaper. The number of columns varies
from one kind of a paper to another, that is, a
newsletter has smaller number of columns as
compared to a broadsheet.
Columns Rules. Column rules are vertical lines that
indicate the divisions of the columns. In modern
journalism, these lines are substituted with a space (a
blank column rule). Space column rules or more
formally known as sunken rules and are usually one
em wide. With the advent of digital lay- outing, the
printer may adjust the column rule easily and quickly.
Fold. It is the imaginary horizontal line that divides the
paper into two. The purpose of the fold is primarily
rooted from the lay- outing rule that the fold should not
overlay or rub against the banner head. Should the
fold run over the banner head, the layout is considered
faulty.
Byline. A byline is the signature, name or pseudonym
of the reporter who prepared the news. It can be seen
in various forms: by Ruben Balacbac, (Ruben
Balacbac), R. Balacbac, R.B.
Box. Any news material enclosed by line rules is a
boxed story.
Cut. The cut is a metal plate bearing the newspaper’s
illustration
Cutline. A cutline is the text accompanying photos or
other art works. It is commonly known as caption. If the
text shoes above the photo, it is called over line.
Over line. It is a type of cutline written or shown above
the photo.
Kicker. A kicker is a tagline above but smaller than the
headline. It gives stimulating but small details about
the headline, and this is why it is called teaser.
Hammer. A hammer is a type of kicker but the
difference is that a hammer is bigger than headline.
Credit Line. A credit line is line given to pay respect to
the source of the story or illustration printed. This is
done usually for stories or illustrations imported or
borrowed from other printed materials or people.
Op-ed: An op-ed, abbreviated from opinion-editorial
page (though often believed to be abbreviated to be
abbreviated from opinion- editorial), is a newspaper
article that expresses the opinions of named writer
who is usually unaffiliated with the newspaper’s
editorial board.
Letter to Editor: Letter to the editor sometimes
abbreviated LTTE or LTE is a letter sent to a
publication about issues of concern to its readers.
Usually, the letter or the letters are intended for
publications.
Editorial Cartoon. An editorial cartoon, also, known as
a political cartoon, is caricature containing a political or
social message that usually relates to current events
or personalities.
Folio. Usually written on top of the page, this is
composed of the page number, date of publication and
name of the newspaper. Notably, this part through all
the sections in the campus paper.
Masthead. This is also called. It shows the
publication’s name, the volume and number of staff
and their respective positions.
Unit 2 – Creation of a Campus Paper
Guidelines in Writing a Campus Paper
Nameplate. The nameplate is the engraved or printed
name, logo or symbol of the newspaper. More often
than not, the nameplate also bears the scope of the
publication, that is, the date when the articles were
taken. It also includes the volume and number of the
particular release.
Ears. Ears are little boxes either or both sides of
nameplate. Ears usually contain advertisements or
announcement.
Banner (Head). The banner is the principal headline
which is usually written in the boldest and biggest font.
It is the title of the most important news for the day.
This most important news is called banner news.
Running Head. The running head is a type of head
having two or more lines.
Headline. Headline refers to any title of any news.
Deck. A deck is a subordinate headline or head which
is immediately placed below its mother head to give
more information about it.
Lead. Lead refers to the beginning of news story. This
means that a lead could be a word, a phrase, a
sentence or even a paragraph.
News Story. The news story is the whole story or a
part of the whole story about the news which is
composed of the lead and the text supporting and
elaborating the lead.
Columns. They are horizontal divisions of the parts or
texts of a newspaper. The number of columns varies
from one kind of a paper to another, that is, a
newsletter has smaller number of columns as
compared to a broadsheet.
Columns Rules. Column rules are vertical lines that
indicate the divisions of the columns. In modern
journalism, these lines are substituted with a space (a
blank column rule). Space column rules or more
formally known as sunken rules and are usually one
em wide. With the advent of digital lay- outing, the
printer may adjust the column rule easily and quickly.
Fold. It is the imaginary horizontal line that divides the
paper into two. The purpose of the fold is primarily
rooted from the lay- outing rule that the fold should not
overlay or rub against the banner head. Should the
fold run over the banner head, the layout is considered
faulty.
Byline. A byline is the signature, name or pseudonym
of the reporter who prepared the news. It can be seen
in various forms: by Ruben Balacbac, (Ruben
Balacbac), R. Balacbac, R.B.
Box. Any news material enclosed by line rules is a
boxed story.
Cut. The cut is a metal plate bearing the newspaper’s
illustration
Cutline. A cutline is the text accompanying photos or
other art works. It is commonly known as
caption. If the text shoes above the photo, it is called
over line.
Over line. It is a type of cutline written or shown above
the photo.
Kicker. A kicker is a tagline above but smaller than the
headline. It gives stimulating but small details about
the headline, and this is why it is called teaser.
Hammer. A hammer is a type of kicker but the
difference is that a hammer is bigger than headline.
Credit Line. A credit line is line given to pay respect to
the source of the story or illustration printed. This is
done usually for stories or illustrations imported or
borrowed from other printed materials or people.
Editorial Proper: The article that is considered to be
soul of a newspaper or magazine of the editorial board
on the hottest issue of the day.
Column: A column is a recurring piece or article in the
paper. It is primarily written by a columnist who is well
acquainted with the subject.
Op-ed: An op-ed, abbreviated from opinion-editorial
page (though often believed to be abbreviated to be
abbreviated from opinion- editorial), is a newspaper
article that expresses the opinions of named writer
who is usually unaffiliated with the newspaper’s
editorial board.
Letter to Editor: Letter to the editor sometimes
abbreviated LTTE or LTE is a letter sent to a
publication about issues of concern to its readers.
Usually, the letter or the letters are intended for
publications.
Editorial Cartoon. An editorial cartoon, also, known as
a political cartoon, is caricature containing a political or
social message that usually relates to current events
or personalities.
Folio. Usually written on top of the page, this is
composed of the page number, date of publication and
name of the newspaper. Notably, this part through all
the sections in the campus paper.
Masthead. This is also called. It shows the
publication’s name, the volume and number of staff
and their respective positions.
The sports section of a newspaper features
information on local sports events, like high school
sports teams.
The chief editor supervises the editorial staff of the
paper. Usually, he/ she writes the editorials of the
organ after consultation with the members of the
editorial staff.
The associate editor edits the articles in cooperation
with the chief editor. Also, he/she may be delegated to
write editorials of the organ. He prepares assignments
of section editors in consultation with the chief editor.
Acting as the hand of the board, the managing editor
brings articles to the press for typesetting.
As such, he/she also checks articles for typographical
errors.
As the nomenclature suggests, he/she is assigned in
ensuring the release and distribution of the paper. He/
She also guarantee the smooth flow of the passing of
articles from reporters to section editors.
News Editor: Assigned as the reporter to cover events
relevant to the school activities, he/she own initiative in
consultation with the latter.
Filipino Editor. This is an optional staff function or
position; nonetheless, his/her prime job is to write the
editorial of the Filipino section.
Feature Editor. The feature editor gives out
assignments to feature writers, He/ She then receives
and edits feature articles preparatory to the submission
of the same to the chief editor.
Exchange Editor. For beginning school paper system,
this is an optional function. Sometimes, the functions
of exchange editor are accomplished by the circulation
manager. Nevertheless, the exchange editor makes up
a list of school papers sent by other school.
Layout Section Editors. They are assigned to cause
the assignment of the school’s official photographer to
take pictures on school’s activities for the month or for
a specified time.
Layout Artists. They take change of designing and
formatting of all pages in the paper. As such, they label
or properly identify all pictured made available for
publication.
The Reporters. The life of the contents depends on the
skills of the reporters. They secure the cold and raw
facts of an assigned event and write articles out of the
same.
A. Editorial Policy
✓ Anchored in the School’s vision, mission, and goals
✓ Independence
✓ Priority thrust
B. PUBLICATION MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS
✓ Planning
Human Resources, Funds, Time, Topics, Equipment
✓ Organizing
Assignment of Functions
Assignment of Working relationships
Assignment of duties
✓ Leading/Activating
Mobilizing the staff, Communicating, Motivating, Inspiring
✓ Controlling
Imposing deadlines, Editing, Evaluating
C. Editorial Policy
✓ Anchored in the School’s vision, mission, and goals
✓ Independence
✓ Priority thrust
D. Press Production Process
Editorial
✓ Planning the issue
✓ Giving of assignments
✓ Data gathering
✓ Compiling Notes
✓ Writing
✓ Preparation of Visuals