CAMPUS JOURNALISM
7079
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
Definition
AND PROMOTION OF CAMPUS JOURNALISM
 The word “journal” comes from the Latin
word “diurna ” which means daily.
 The activity or profession of writing for
newspapers, magazines, or news websites
or preparing news to be broadcast.
(Webster Dictionary)
 Something that embraces all forms in which
the news and comments on the news reach
the public (Fraser F. Bond)
Origin of Campus Journalism
 July 11, 1777 - On a 4" x 6" sheet of paper,
Samuel Fickel Fox penned the first issue of
THE STUDENTS GAZETTE at the William
Penn Charter School in Philadelphia, USA.
 1890 - The history of campus journalism in
the Philippines started when the University
of Santo Tomas published EL
LILIPUTIENSE. (Valenzuela, History of
Journalism in the Philippines Islands, 1933)
and (Lent, The Philippine Mass
Communication 1964)
 1910 - The history of campus journalism in
the country started when the University of
the Philippines published The College Folio,
now The Philippine Collegian. (Manalo,
Matienzo, and Monteloyola, Ang
Pamahayagan, 1985)
 1912 - 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.
 1912 - Carlos Romulo y Pena edited The
Coconut, the official student publication of
Manila High School, now the Araullo High
School. it is now considered the first and
oldest high school newspaper in the
country.
 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.
 1925 - The Pampangan, Pampanga High
School; The Leytean, Leyte High School
 1926 - The Rizalian, Rizal High School
 1927 - The Coconut, Tayabas High School;
The Volcano, Batangas High School
 1928 - The Toit, La Union Trade School;
The Samarinian, Samar High School
 1929 - The Melting Pot, Tarlac High School;
The Granary, Nueva Ecija High School
 1930 - The Torres Torch, Torres High
School
 1931 - The Cagayan Student Chronicle,
Cagayan High School
REPUBLIC ACT No.
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 he 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
Functions of Campus Paper
AID TO STUDENTS
 Provides an opportunity for interesting
writing.
 Gives students the opportunity to learn how
to read the newspapers.
 Acts as stimulus to better work.
 Develops students ’ power of observation
and discrimination concerning relative
merits of news articles.
 Serves as outlet and motivation for
journalistic writing.
 Offers training in organizations, business
methods, commercial arts, salesmanship,
bookkeeping and business management.
 Develops qualities of cooperation, tact,
accuracy, tolerance, responsibility and
leadership.
AID TO SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY
 Informs the community of the work of the
school.
 Publishes school news.
 Creates and expresses school opinions.
 Makes known the achievements of the
school. Helps unify the school.
 Encourages and stimulates worthwhile
activities.
 Develops right standard of conduct.
 Provides an outlet for students ’ suggestions
for the betterment of the school.
 Develops better interschool relationship.
 Develops school spirit. Develops
cooperation between the parents and the
school.
 OTHER FUNCTIONS b. EARS. Ears are little boxes in either
or both sides of the nameplate. Ears usually
1. Information Function
contain advertisements or announcements
2. Opinion Function
3. Education Function c. BANNER (HEAD). The banner is
4. Watchdog Function the principal headline which is usually
5. Laboratory Function written in the boldest and biggest font. It is
6. Documentation Function the title of the most important news of the
7. Entertainment Function day. This most important news is called
8. Developmental Function banner news. The banner runs across the
front page.

PARTS OF THE CAMPUS PAPER d. RUNNING HEAD. The running head

is a type of head having two or more lines.
Whatever the type of paper it is, the parts and
sections are similar to one another. e. HEADLINE. Headline refers to any
Here are the major sections of a campus paper: title of any news.

1. front page f. DECK. A deck is a subordinate

headline or head which is immediately
2. news page placed below its mother head to give more
3. editorial page information about it.

4. features page g. LEAD. Lead refers to the beginning

of a news story. This means that a lead
5. community development page could be a word, a phrase, a sentence or
even a paragraph.
6. science and technology page
7. sports page h. NEWS STORY. The news story is
the whole story or a part of the whole story
about the news which is composed of the
PARTS OF FRONT PAGE lead and the text supporting and elaborating
the lead.

a. LOCAL NEWS - News that takes place within
the country
b. FOREIGN NEWS - News that takes place
outside the country.
c. DATELINE NEWS - An out-of-town news story.
It is introduced by a dateline which states the place
from which the story was reported, the date, and
the source of the material if not written by the local
staff.
d. WEATHER NEWS - Usually a boxed forecast of
the area, sometimes a temperature, wind
directions and velocities. Extremes on weather are
reported as more detailed news stories.
e. INDEX - A slug line indicating an important inside
page story and the page where it is found.
OTHER THINGS FOUND IN THE FRONT PAGE
a. 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.
i. 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.
j. COLUMN 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 cm wide. With the advent of
digital layouting, the printer may adjust the
column rule easily and quickly.
k. 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 run against the banner head.
Should the fold run over the banner
head, the layout is considered faulty.
l. 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, or R.B.
One common error in campus paper insofar
as writing the byline is concerned is the
 inclusion of the colon between the
preposition "by" and the name of the writer.
This style is now obsolete. Usually, the
colon is deleted, thus, by Ruben Balacbac,
not by: Ruben Balacbac.
m. BOX. Any news material enclosed
by line rules is a boxed story. In this case,
ears are special types of boxes because
they are specially named because of their
position.
n. CUT. The cut is a metal plate
bearing the newspaper's illustration.
o. CUTLINE. A cutline is the text
accompanying photos or other art works. It
is commonly known as caption. If the text
shows above the photo, it is called over line.
p. OVER LINE. It is a type of cutline
written or shown above the photo.
q. 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 also called
teaser.
r. HAMMER. A hammer is a type of
kicker but the difference is that a hammer is
bigger than the headline.
s. CREDIT LINE. A credit line is a 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. The difference of a byline from a
credit line is that a byline is usually a name,
signature or pseudonym of the reporter
within the newspaper staff, but a credit line
is used for those which are borrowed or
imported. Thus, foreign news and dateline
news often have credit lines
PARTS OF EDITORIAL
a. EDITORIAL PROPER: The article
that is considered to be soul of a newspaper
or magazine. It is an article that gives the
conglomeration of opinions of the members
of the editorial board on the hottest issue of
the day.
b. 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. What
differentiates a column from other forms of
journalism is that a column meets each of
the following criteria:
a) It is a regular feature in a
publication.
b) It is personality-driven.
c) It explicitly contains an
opinion or point of view.
c. OP-ED: An op-ed, abbreviation of
opposite the editorial page (though often
believed to be abbreviated from opinion-
editorial), is a newspaper article that
expresses the opinions of a named writer
who is usually unaffiliated with the
newspaper's editorial board. These are
different from editorials, which are
usually unsigned and written by
editorial board members. Op-eds are so
named because they are generally printed
on the page opposite the editorial.
d. 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 publication. In
many publications, letters to the editor may
be sent through either conventional mail or
electronic mail. The subject matter of letters
to the editor varies widely. However, the
most common topics include:
a) Supporting or
opposing an editorial stance,
or responding to another
writer’s letter to the editor
b) Commenting on a
current issue being debated
by a governing body —local,
regional or national
depending on the
publication's circulation.
Often, the writer will urge
elected officials to make their
decision based on his or her
viewpoint
c) Remarking on
materials (such as a
news story) that have
appeared in a previous
edition or release. Such
letters may be either critical
or praising
d) Correcting a
perceived error or
misrepresentation
e. 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.
f. 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 runs through
all the sections in the campus paper.
g. Masthead. This is also called flag. It
shows the publication's name, the volume
and number of release, the names of the
staff and their respective positions.
PARTS OF SPORTS PAGE
The sports section of a newspaper features
information on local sports events, like high school
sports teams. College level sports are also covered
in this section, both on a regional and national
level. Often, sports page in Philippine campus
papers accommodate stories about intramurals and
relevant national sports issues. Student writers
may consider writing sports analysis, sports
editorials, backgrounder, prophetic sports news and
the like.
As regards reporters on other news beats, sports
journalism involves investigating e story, rather
than simply relying on press releases and prepared
statements from the sports team, coaching staff, or
players. Sports journalists verify facts given to them
by e athletes, teams, leagues or organizations they
are covering.
SELECTION OF THE PUBLICATION STAFF
Notably, there are no hard and fast rules on how to
organize the staff and to pick the editors. Each
school should therefore work out a system best
suited to its particular set-up.
There are common mind-boggling questions for the
publication head or the moderator of the campus
paper like: How are the editors and the staff
members chosen? How long should they serve?
How big should the staff be? Should they be paid?
To whom are they responsible?
First, there should be a moderator or an adviser
who must possess the following qualifications
in the order of their importance, 1) with a degree in
journalism - bachelor, master or specialization, or
one with a degree in English — bachelor, master or
specialization. 2) with experience in newspaper
work or one with more than ordinary experience in
journalism or school paper work. Other schools
consider one who teaches social studies. This set-
up is the traditional setup of picking the adviser or
the moderator. The Campus Journalism Act, has a
different basis for choosing the adviser. Selecting
an adviser is also optional for the tertiary level.
For the traditional and beginning campus paper
system in the DepEd, the principal or the head of
the school, with the recommendation of the adviser
may designate the members of the staff or may
pick them through a competitive examination. The
candidates should possess writing ability,
leadership and previous experiences in school
publication in such order. Whatever the criteria are
in choosing the staff, the method should be
systematic, objective and fair.
Whether the editors and staff members are
chosen through recommendation or
competitive examination, the following pointers are
recommended:
1. The candidate should have
at least one-year residence.
2. The candidate should not be
in the probation list.
3. He/she must not have any
disciplinary case against him/her,
because there is a likely chance for
him to drop or to be suspended.
4. The chief, associate, and
managing editors should not hold
other major positions in school
organizations, especially in the
student council or student
government. The press is supposed
to be objective and non-partisan.
The most democratic way to select the staff is
through a competitive examination followed by an
interview. However, there are certain drawbacks. If
there are no qualified teachers who will evaluate
the entries in the competitive examination, the test
will not be worthwhile. If a big number of students
join the competition, the evaluation will take a long
time. Another question is: In what phases of
journalism would the test be? Newswriting, editorial
writing, lay outing, or actual press work? If the test
is in editorial writing only, is not that just one
phase of the work? Because of these
drawbacks, the adviser resorts to designation.
The drawback here is favoritism.
The advisers should not rely only on result of the
examination. They should also look for people who
did not take the examinations but have writing
skills. They should ask them to join the board, but
they should refrain from taking students into the
staff who have more activities in their hands than
they can handle. They should be aware of students
who only love to see their names in the masthead
or editorial box.
The choice of editors should be based on who
obtains the highest average in the examinations
and who possesses the most in personal qualities
or traits like leadership, managerial skills, sound
judgment and flexibility. Consequently, advisers
should file and publish in the bulletin board the
results of the examinations and the comments of
the judges.
How large should the staff be? A manageable staff
should not be more than ten, as follows: (1)chief
editor; (2) associate editor; (3) managing editor; (4)
feature editor; (5) literary editor; (6) sports editor;
and (7) reporters (one for each class-senior,
sophomore, freshman).
There are other members of the staff who may
simply be appointed: the typists, the layout artist,
the staff artist, the photojournalist and the
circulation manager.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
PUBLICATION STAFF
CHIEF EDITOR
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. However, any member may write the
editorial so long as he/she follows the guidelines in
writing. Further, he/she edits all articles preparatory
to submission of the same to the adviser for final
editing and approval for publication. He/She
likewise supervises the preparation of the layout,
dummy of the paper and its pagination in
cooperation with the managing editor and layout
artist. He/She also causes the accomplishment of
all assignments properly and on time. At times,
he/she acts as the liaison officer between the
editorial staff and the adviser, as he/ she also calls
meetings of the staff.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
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. Further, he/she
cooperates in the preparation of the layout of the
paper and paging of the same with the chief editor
and the managing editor.
MANAGING 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. He/She prepares the layout of the paper and
paging of the same in consultation with the chief
editor. Finally, he/she proofreads galley proofs
before these are finally approved by the chief
editor, then by the adviser for printing.
CIRCULATION MANAGER
As the nomenclature suggests, he/she is
assigned in ensuring the release and
distribution of the paper. He/She also guarantees
the smooth flow of the passing of articles from
reporters to section editors. He/She is assigned to
oversee the flow of processes in crafting the paper.
SECTION EDITORS
a. News Editor: Assigned as
the reporter to cover events relevant
to the school activities, he/she writes
news articles on assignment from
the chief editor or through his/her
own initiative in consultation with the
latter. However, his/her primordial
job is to edit all news articles
submitted by the writers preparatory
to submission of the same to the
chief editor then to the adviser.
b. Filipino Editor. This is an
optional staff function or position;
nonetheless, his/her prime job is to
write the editorial of the Filipino
section. He/She also edits all articles
preparatory to submission of the
same to the Filipino adviser, for
final editing and for publication.
Sometimes, he/she causes the
submission of all Filipino articles
properly and timely. He/She may
likewise act as a liaison officer
between the Filipino staff and the
chief editor.
c. 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. Sometimes,
he/she writes regular articles or
column.
d. Exchange Editor. For
beginning school paper system,
this is an optional function.
Sometimes, the functions of the
exchange editor are accomplished
by the circulation manager.
Nevertheless,
the exchange editor makes up a list of school
papers sent by other schools. He/She is designated
to mail copies of own paper to these schools as
he/she also files their papers on a bulletin board or
display them on a newspaper rack. He/She, too,
keeps files of school information, such as class lists
and lists of members, homeroom advisers, faculty
and staff.
e. 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. They prepare
pictorial articles of the organ in
consultation with the managing
editor and chief editor. Sometimes,
their job is to write the captions of
pictures utilized by the paper in
cooperation with the chief editor.
f. LAYOUT ARTISTS. They
take charge of designing and
formatting of all pages in the paper.
As such, they label or properly
identify all pictures made
available for publication. It is
 suggested that they write using
pencil at the back of every picture of
the event to which a particular
picture refers. They likewise help in
the preparation of the layout of
pictorial stories and make
illustrations for feature articles.

g. 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.
Moreover, they receive assignments
from the section editors or board of
editors and then accomplish the
same properly and timely.
GATHERING INFORMATION

a. Interview

b. Reference Sources

PROCESS IN MAKING A CAMPUS PAPER

1. Planning

2. Writing and submission of articles

3. Revision

4. Lay-outing

5. Publication

THE PUBLICATION’S POLICIES

A well-edited paper needs definite policies which
may pertain to what it may print or to what the staff
may conduct. Such policies may be posted on the
conspicuous places like the bulletin boards in the
staff room or they may be printed and distributed to
the staff.
Policies are brief statements of the paper's platform
or are sometimes printed under the masthead, as in
the following examples:

• To support all school projects

and to give only constructive
criticism of some projects

• To maintain a high standard

of sportsmanship by avoiding
personal enmity and jealousy both
within and outside the school

• To refrain from publishing

articles which convey wrong
impressions against the school, and

• To avoid unkind personal

jokes, criticisms and caricatures