SEE 23 CAMPUS JOURNALISM Unit 1 3 [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

ALFREDO M. ESTEBAN JR. THIS MODULE IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES 1 ONLY. THIS IS NOT FOR SALE.

This module is designed for a one-semester course in Campus Journalism (SEE 23) for the students taking up Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSED) major in English at the College of Education of Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST). This is a 3 – unit course that explores basic knowledge and skills and values in the use of technology for teaching and learning. This course includes ICT Policies and safety issues, media, and technology in various content areas, learning theories and Principles in the use and design of learning lessons, teaching-learning experiences and assessment tasks that utilize appropriate traditional and innovative technologies with social, ethical, and legal responsibility. The author of this module does not claim sole ownership of the information, graphics, and illustrations contained in this book. Many of these were adapted from the work of different authors, dominantly from Open Educational Resources (OER). This module is designed for classroom use only and not for any other purposes.

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Journalism is the collection, preparation, and distribution of news and related commentary and feature materials through print and electronic media such as newspapers, magazines, books, blogs, webcasts, podcasts, social networking and social media sites, and e-mail as well as through radio, motion pictures, and television. It was initially employed to the coverage of current events in written media, primarily newspapers. Thus, news has become the cornerstone of journalism. But through the years, it has also offered growing amounts of informational articles such as articles on the background of the news, personality sketches, and opinionated pieces that the general community can consume in readable form. The emergence of radio, television, and internet helped journalism to encompass print, broadcast, and digital media to communicate current events to the community. Journalism is characterized by an increasing sense of commitment reflected in four significant factors: (1) increasing association of working journalists, (2) specialized journalism education, (3) rising literature on the history, issues, and methods of mainstream communication, and (4) growing journalists' perception of ethical responsibility.

At the end of the unit, I am able to: 1. define journalism and identify its scope; 2. discuss the history and legal basis of Philippine campus journalism: 3. recognize and explain the different elements of a campus paper; and 4. name the functions and duties of the publication staff.

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WHAT IS JOURNALISM? Journalism is everywhere; where there are media, there is journalism. It is the presentation of information in periodicals and newspapers through writing. Humans have an inherent curiosity to learn what's new or novel. The journalists feed this interest by publishing about current affairs and news in newspapers and journals. Journalism is stimulated by the events happening in the present and depicts the developing situation. Gathering and transmitting news is a day to day process that makes an impact on everyone. It is about the society that includes you, me, the country, and the world in general. Information must reach the readers as events occur. The journalists’ job is not limited to just covering and publishing the news and events. They are also responsible for making interpretations and giving opinions on the news and events. Here are some definitions of journalism from various personalities: • “Journalism is the occupation of reporting, writing, editing, photographing, or broadcasting news or of conducting any news organization as a business. The word “Journalism” is derived from the word “Journal” which means a daily register or a diary – a book containing each day’s business or transactions. This includes newspapers no matter whether they are published daily or weekly. It also means a magazine to whatever section of the audience it caters to (Study Lecture Notes, n.d.). • “The term journalism embraces all the forms in which and through which the news and the 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, action and ideas which these happenings stimulate become the basic material for the journalist.” (Bond F. Fraser) • “Journalism is the conveying of information from here to there with accuracy, insight and dispatch and in such a manner that the truth is served and the rightness of things is made slowly, even if not immediately, more evident.” (Eric Hodgins, Time Magazine) • Journalism is the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information. (American Press Institute) Newspapers Journalism. Newspapers contain articles that tell about the current issues and events that affect the society. Being the oldest and most conventional system of journalism, newspapers are published on a daily basis to keep its readers updated. Because of this, it provides great impact on the dissemination of significant information to the reading public. Newspaper writers not just produce articles that contain informative details but they also reveal even the wrongdoings and hidden motives even of the most influential people in the country. Magazine Journalism. Magazines are a special type of publication for readers who have specialized interests in particular topics. They use traditional journalism methods of interviewing, background researching, and journalistic writing to produce articles and stories that are lengthier with much more in-depth 4

exploration of issues, topics, and trends. Hence, readers find entertainment in reading magazines while at the same time form their opinions on certain matters elucidated in the articles. Like newspapers, magazines also feature stories, photographs, literary pieces, opinionated articles, and others. But unlike newspapers, magazines are issued on a weekly or monthly basis. Magazines are smaller than broadsheet newspapers but bigger than the size of a book. Radio and TV Journalism. In radio and television journalism, writers are trained on production techniques and tools, interviewing and communication skills, and research competencies. So instead of publishing the articles in newspapers, radio and tv broadcasting become the channel of delivering the latest happenings. The electronic broadcast of journalism transmits information to the listeners and viewers more quickly than print media. The accessibility of radio and television helps the news to get out to a myriad of people in a less formal language. Digital Journalism. Digital journalism or online journalism, according to Poor (2016) is a contemporary form of journalism where editorial content is distributed via the Internet as opposed to publishing via print or broadcast. Poor (2016) added that online journalism is a process that has been in use for the past years by newspapers industries, journalist report facts produced and distributed through the internet. Because of digital journalism, less and less people buy the printed newspapers today. Digital journalism gains widespread practice because of reduced circulation costs, fewer obstacles, and varied networking technologies. Unlike other media, online journalism offers interactivity and multimedia that make news stories more stimulating. Articles are disseminated through a combination of text, video, audio, and interactive tools via digital media platforms.

BRIEF HISTORY OF HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS PAPERS 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 Phillippine 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 Pena 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.

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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. Source:http://socyberty.com/history/a-brief-history-of-campus-journalism-in-the-philippines/.

LEGAL BASIS OF CAMPUS JOURNALISM In the Philippines, a law was enacted to provide a legal basis for campus journalism. Republic Act No. 7079, otherwise known as the Campus Journalism Act of 1991” was approved on July 5, 1991. Here are the significant provisions of this act. 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 nonfaculty 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.

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(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 teacheradviser 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.

FUNCTIONS OF THE CAMPUS PAPER A campus paper is an essential part of a school system. As such, it performs different functions that the schools and the students can benefit from. According to Sison (2012), the campus paper can aid students as well as the school and its community. To support the students, the school publication: offers a forum for interesting writing; encourages students to learn how to read newspapers; acts as a catalyst for better work; strengthens the ability of students to observe and differentiate on the relative merits of news articles; serves as an outlet and

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inspiration for journalistic writing; provides instruction in organizations, organizational strategies, industrial skills, advertising, bookkeeping, and management; and improves values of teamwork, strategy, consistency, patience, transparency, and leadership. The campus paper, as an aid to the school and the community: tells the public of the school's work; publishes school news; generates and communicates school viewpoints; makes the school's accomplishments recognized; helps consolidate the school; motivates and promotes meaningful actions; establishes the right codes of behavior; offers an avenue for the recommendations of the students for school improvement; grows stronger interschool relationships; strengthens school pride; and strengthens parental and school collaboration. Specifically, the campus paper performs the following functions: To Inform. Informing the readers is the primary function of any campus paper. School paper informs the school community particularly the students of the events, developments and issues concerning them. For example, the implementation of new policies on wearing uniform, programs and activities that the school undertakes, and students who give pride to the school. All these can be read from the school paper. To Educate. The school is a place where students learn and campus paper helps achieve that goal. The school paper also educates the students who absorb the information presented in the articles they read. For instance, the campus paper may include articles that are directly related to the lessons in English such as topics in grammar. The science and technology page of the school paper can discuss comprehensively the topics in biology, chemistry, or physics where the students can learn from. The information that students read in the sports page may provide them additional knowledge on how to play certain sports like badminton or volleyball. To Entertain. Entertainment comes in many forms and the campus paper is a good vehicle to deliver that. Readers may find enjoyment in the articles they read. At times, they take delight in looking at the images. The features page which includes the literary pieces may present poems, short stories or even serious topics that can students smile, frown, laugh or even cry. To Express an Opinion. The campus paper is a tool where the students can air their stand on specific issues. Editorial and column writers as well as those sending letter to the editors can talk about their personal views on local and national issues. Others express their opinions through caricatures. You want to effect change in your school policies, write an editorial about it. Your organization has achieved something the school can be proud of, write an article for it. You idolize a teacher for inspiring you to unleash your full potential, put it in editorial cartoon. Whatever forms opinions are conveyed, the school paper always have a place for them. To Safeguard. Aside the functions mentioned above, another significant task of the school paper is to promote the truth and justice not only in the campus but also in the community. With so many issues affecting the country, there are instances when the truth is twisted and justice is denied. Through the school paper, students can safeguard their rights to know what is true. Because students have the freedom to speak their minds, they can use this to uphold the integrity of facts.

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However, students must also know their limitations and responsibilities in using freedom of speech as their security blanket in voicing out their thoughts. To Train Future Journalists. Many great journalists in the country started their careers as campus paper writers. The school paper simulates the life of professional journalists so that student writers can acquire the necessary skills and competencies not just in writing but also in dealing with fellow writers. The school paper is a training ground where a newcomer in the world of journalism will be honed to become the future of print and digital media. Journalism is a competitive world as well and student writers can have a taste of that when they join the school paper. Campus writers are the ones who represent their schools in press conferences. The National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) is the biggest gathering of basic education school papers and student writers in the Philippines.

ELEMENTS OF A CAMPUS PAPER The major sections of a campus paper are the front page, news page, editorial page, features page, science and technology page, and sports page. However, there are other elements present in each page. These shall be tackled below. The Front Page a. Nameplate is the name of the campus paper that includes the volume number, issue number, period of publication, name and place of the school, and the tagline (if any). It also bears the official logo of the publication. Example: The Core Volume I, Issue No. 1 | August – December 2020 The Official Student Publication of NEUST Laboratory High School The Blaze Volume X, Issue No. 2 | January – June 2019 The Official Student Publication of NEUST b. Ears are little boxes on either or both sides of the nameplate. In the modern designs of campus papers, ears are sometimes omitted. c. Gutter is the blank space between adjacent columns. In the example above, the gutter is the space that separates the three columns. d. Fold is the imaginary horizontal line that horizontally divides the paper into two. The fold must not overlap the banner head for better layout purposes. e. Box refers to articles that are placed in a box or are enclosed by lines. f. Cut is a metal plate bearing the newspaper’s illustration.

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g. Credit line is a line that recognizes the source of a story or illustration adapted or borrowed from other campus papers or references. h. Banner Headline is the most important news; thus, it is given the greatest emphasis on the front page by making the font as big as possible. It usually runs across the front page. Example:

Grade 9 wins big in ASEAN celebration i. Headline is the title given to a news article. It can be a one-deck headline, two- or three-deck headline. Examples: One-Deck: LHS represents PH in world jamboree Two-Deck: National artist counts on teachers for betterment of Filipino language Three-Deck: NEUST LHS prepares Grade 10 students on future career j. Kicker is a minor, shorter headline placed on the top of the main headline. Its function is to arouse the readers curiosity on the story. Examples: MEN’S TABLE TENNIS

3 NEUST athletes advance to finals k. Hammer. A hammer is a type of kicker but the difference is that a hammer is bigger than the headline. Example:

NEUSTians trained on gender sensitivity l. Byline. A byline is the name of the student writer who made the article. It is commonly placed after the headline. In most campus papers, the complete name of the writer is usually written just like in the examples below. The format of writing the byline depends on the stylebook of the campus paper. Examples: 9 The Core scribes shine in division press confab by CHESSICA FIONA SADEY

m. 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. Example:

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4 in 7 LHS students disapprove SOGIE bill Out of the 70 Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) Laboratory High School students asked, 57.14 % or 40 rejected the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Equality (SOGIE) bill, a survey says. More than half or 23 of those who disagreed were from the senior high school (SHS) while the junior high school (JHS) contributed to 76.66 % or 23 of the votes for the agreement to SOGIE bill. Five students from each of the 14 sections, eight in JHS and six in SHS, were questioned. n. Lead is the first paragraph of a news article. It can be written in different ways. Example: Math wizards bag 7 golds in national math contest Proving its excellence in Mathematics, the Laboratory High School garnered 15 medals in the 1st Philippine Vedic Math Olympiad at the Malayan High School of Science, Pandacan, Manila on August 15. o. Cutline or caption is the text written below the photos or images. It describes the photos in one to two sentences. Example:

As a precautionary measure to reduce the risk of the pandemic COVID-19, the NEUST conducts a university-wide sanitation procedure for the disinfection of University facilities recently. (Photos by Joshua Dumlao and Johnny Benitez) Source: The Blaze Official FB Page

p. Overline is also a caption but is written above the image. Example:

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HAPPENING NOW. Dr. Rhodora Jugo, NEUST Vice President for Academic Affairs, gives her message during the Opening Program for the 1st Survey Visit for San Antonio and San Leonardo Off-Campuses of Accreditation of Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP), Inc. at the University Hostel Function Hall, Sumacab Campus. (Photo by Jervy Flores Cauzon) Source: The Blaze FB Page

q. Columns are the vertical divisions of a page or text. In general, campus papers for high school have five columns but they can be reduced to suit the layout of the publication. In the example below, there are three columns for the article. Example:

Year of the Convicts by LANCE ADRIAN JACOBA A huge disappointment has been marked in the victim’s faces as the criminals who caused them troubles are now free, earlier than their allotted year inside the jail because of the Good Conduct Time Allowance but President Duterte made the right decision after discarding this and asking the freed to return in no time. This law has many holes, first of all favoring big names such as Antonio Sanchez who is responsible

responsible for murder of Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez, he was supposed to serve 360 years but because of his prominence, he seemed to find his way out of hell. Secondly, there are reported incidents where GCTA are sold inside the jailhouse, in the Senate hearing last September 8 a wife of an inmate in New Bilibid Prisons unfold a statement on how she paid a total of P50,000 for the early release of her husband.

There are investigations claiming that up to P1.5 Million is being demanded by the police, where they tend to disregard other people’s effort because most of them can’t afford the money needed for them to be free. There are many ways to judge their due process, but they should only monitor and carefully monitor the factors that may affect their decision for the defendants.

The Editorial Page a. Main Editorial is an article that reflects the campus paper’s stand or opinion on an issue. It does not bear the name of the writer because it presents the majority vote of the editorial board. Thus, it expresses a collective opinion.

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b. Column is also an opinion piece like an editorial article. The difference is that the name of the writer appears in the byline and viewpoints are based on one writer only. c. Op-ed is also an opinion article but the writer is not a part of the editorial board. The writer’s name is also indicated in the byline. d. Letter to the Editor refers to an article in the form of a letter sent to the campus paper. It talks about the issues concerning the students, the teachers, the school or even the country. e. Editorial Cartoon is a caricature that expresses an opinion regarding a certain issue. Usually, the editorial cartoon is related to the main editorial. But there are instances that it can stand on its own. f. Folio bears the name of the campus paper, page title, page number and date of publication. It is written on the topmost part of the page and is seen in all the pages except for the front page and the last page. Example: THE CORE

Features

VOLUME I, ISSUE NO. 1 AUGUST – DECEMBER 2019

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF NEUST LABORATORY HIGH SCHOOL

g. Masthead contains the campus paper’s name and logo, volume and issue number, and the names of the editorial board and staff indicating their respective positions.

THE CORE THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF NEUST LABORATORY HIGH SCHOOL VOLUME I, ISSUE NO. 1 | ACADEMIC YEAR 2019 – 2020

EDITORIAL BOARD Hanz Jimuel Alvarez | Editor-in-Chief Casey Jaine Hipolito | Associate Editor Rinoa Mariel Sadey | Managing Editor Lyana Janelle Cariaga | Circulation Editor Bianca Espinoza | Production Manager Lara Angela Tiu | News Editor Daniella Ira Jacoba | Sports Editor Bianca Mendoza | Senior Photojournalist

Shemma Micah Mata | Feature Editor Amanda Mallari | Science Editor Chyler Manansala | Senior Cartoonist Jin Mi Alejandro | Layout Artist

Janice Manansala and Rossana Bechayda | Advisers Prof. Severino Fortunato | Principal

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The Features Page The content of the features page also varies depending on the theme of the campus paper. This may include news feature, personality profile, human interest, trend story, informative feature, news analysis, how-to feature, personal anecdotes, and investigative feature. All these shall be discussed further in the succeeding units. The Sports Page The sports section of a campus paper usually features the highlights and outstanding players in the school intramurals. It may, however, include articles on popular sports in the community as well as relevant regional and national sporting events issues. The treatment of writing these articles may be in the form of sports analysis, sports editorials, backgrounder, prophetic sports news, and the like.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PUBLICATION STAFF Editor in Chief. The editor in chief is the highest position in the editorial board. The editor in chief (EIC) is responsible for creating the editorial board and oversees all section editors and staff writers. With the associate and managing editor, the EIC plans, outlines, and creates the concept for each edition or release of the campus paper. The EIC reviews, approves, rejects, and provides suggestions for improvement about the articles and photos before they are published. The layouts and design of the campus paper also need approval by the editor in chief. The EIC is also in charge of crafting the budget proposal of the campus paper. The hiring process, presiding regular meetings, and attending social functions are also under the job description of the editor in chief. The EIC also handles problems concerning policies and procedures of the campus paper. Associate Editor. The associate editor is the right hand of the editor in chief. The main responsibility of the associate editor is to assist the EIC in developing and implementing the campus papers’ guidelines and systems that comply with the ethical standards of journalism. The AE ensures that section editors and staff writers submit high quality articles. The AE also evaluates the outputs of the section editors and staff writers and provides constructive feedback for the improvement of content, style, and grammar. He is, therefore, assigned to hire and train staff writers. Managing Editor. The managing editor is mainly responsible for bringing the campus paper to the printing press and ensures the quality and timeliness of the publication. Together with the EIC and the AE, the managing editor assists in the smooth flow of work of the student publication by facilitating the adjustment and distribution of workload among section editors and staff writers. The ME checks for the originality of the content, articles, and photos. The ME ensures that the objectives of the campus paper are met by generating reports about the progress, performance, and evaluation of the publication.

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Circulation Manager is tasked to distribute the campus paper once it is ready for release. Prior to publication, the job of the circulation manager is to make sure that section editors and staffers submit their articles on time. Section Editors. The section editors include editors for news, features, science and technology, and sports. Depending on their sections, the editors are assigned to write and edit articles. They make sure that staff writers submit content of high quality. They must check the correctness of all the facts, spellings of names and positions, meanings of organizations, and the like. The editors must also verify information to avoid any libelous statements. They make sure that all articles are based on facts and that they are properly attributed. It is also the role of the section editors to assign the headline to the articles. Layout Artists. The layout artists are primarily responsible for the design and layout of the campus paper. The layout artists manipulate the design properties including the font style and size, spacing, column width and placement of articles. They must be knowledgeable in using computer software like Adobe Photoshop and InDesign to ensure that publication is of high quality. In some instances, the layout artists perform other functions like creating captions, copyediting content and writing articles. Photojournalists. The main function of the photojournalists is to take pictures of different school activities and make sure that the photos are useful for the school publication. They are also tasks to gather information relevant to the photos for captioning purposes. The photojournalists discuss with the editorial board what types of images are needed for specific pages. The photojournalists must also possess the technical expertise of using computer software particularly Adobe Photoshop to enhance the quality of the photos. It is also the duty of the photojournalists to ensure that cameras and other equipment are functioning properly. Copyreaders. The copyreaders make sure that the final drafts of the articles are free of errors, easy to read, and follow the style guide of the publication. They perform the process of fixing and correcting grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. The copyreaders also ensure the accuracy and correctness of names, dates, places, statistics, and organizations. They are required to verify statements from sources and conduct online research whenever necessary. Therefore, it is important that they work closely with section editors and staff writers to enhance the conciseness, readability, and style of the articles. The copyreaders are also tasked to create the headlines and subheads for the articles submitted to them. Cartoonists. The cartoonists must possess the ability to combine art, opinion, humor, and storytelling to persuade and entertain their readers. Cartoonists produce caricatures, particularly for the editorial page, to express their opinions on political and other social issues relevant to the campus paper. They also work with section editors to develop images that articles require. With new technology, cartoonists

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today use computer technology to produce graphic arts, comics, drawings, and the like. The Staff Writers. The life of the contents depends on the skills of the staff writers. 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.

Bulusan, F. (2016). Campus Journalism within Your Reach. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing Malinao, A.L. (2008). Feature, Editorial, and Opinion Writing. Mandaluyong City: National Bookstore https://www.richmond.k12.nc.us/view/5889.pdf https://lawaspect.com/functions-of-a-campus-paper/ http://studylecturenotes.com/journalism-meaning-definition-and-scope-of-journalism/ https://study.com/ https://www.scholarshipsads.com/magazine-journalism-types-of-magazine/ https://www.facebook.com/theblazeneust/ https://www.ourmediatraining.com/training-programs/radio-and-tv-journalism/ https://www.quora.com/What-is-online-journalism

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The average person is bombarded with thousands of messages every day— from the television, the radio, billboards, the Internet, telephone calls, the intercom, mail—we often feel we are in information overload. However, many of the messages do not pertain to us, so we do not pay attention to them. This unit deals with factual messages that are important to readers because they are newsworthy—they contain information that will enabl e them to make better decisions in their lives or they contain information that is interesting to them. These are the messages that make up what we call “news.” In this unit, you will learn to sort through some of the factual messages and using “news elements” and knowledge of our readers, you will choose those messages which have importance or interest to the readers. This is known as exercising “news judgment.” You will examine how news stories are structured and why they are structured that way, as well as take a look at traditional news style. You will see how news writing differs from other forms of writing. You will examine the reasons certain facts are newsworthy while others are not, and we will discover the difference between “hard news” and “soft news.” You will see that news is made up of opinions as well as facts, and that those opinions, in the form of quotes, help to make a story come alive. And most importantly, you will have the opportunity to write a news story, your first of several stories throughout the course.

At the end of the unit, I am able to: 1. Define news; 2. Distinguish news in campus papers; 3. Enumerate, discuss, and explain the news values and the different types of news stories; 4. Recognize the sources and the steps on how to gather news; and 5. Evaluate and write news articles following the tips on news reporting.

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News articles are based on facts. News writers make sure that their articles present verifiable information. Let us check your background knowledge about the news by answering the activity below. On the space before the number, write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if not. ___________

1.

A coverage news and spot news are similar news stories that are good avenues for secondhand information.

___________

2.

Straight news exposes the facts according to their importance, while the speech story arranges the facts in chronological order.

___________

3.

News briefs, action stories, and news flashes are samples of short and special types of news.

___________

5.

Foreign news is a type of news item. It is about a happening outside one’s country, thus unimportant to read.

___________

6.

Although all news articles are grounded on facts, they have various categories.

___________

7.

Anything can become newsworthy if it is based on facts. Hence, what may be news to one is news to all.

___________

8.

Weighing newsworthiness depends solely on the importance of the topic, interest of the readers, and length of the news article.

___________

9.

Proximity is an element of good news. It refers to the geographical nearness and impact of the news to the readers.

___________

10. Ensuring that all names are correctly spelled in a newspaper reflects accuracy and conflict in the news.

Based on the news that you have read from a newspaper, heard over the radio, or watched on television, what do you think are the characteristics that make news upright? List down 10 characteristics in the spaces provided below. 1. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________ 4. ______________________________ 5. ______________________________

6. ______________________________ 7. ______________________________ 8. ______________________________ 9. ______________________________ 10. ______________________________

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WHAT IS NEWS? A news story is whatever happens – and sometimes things that have not happened yet. News is a report about an event that has meaning to a set of readers. It is based on facts – accurate, balanced, clear, and objective – and presented in an interesting manner. (Mendoza, 1995) News is any oral or written report of an event that happened, is happening, will happen in the North, East, West, and South (NEWS) that is of interest to the readers and which could be reported. (Soriano et al, 2012 as cited in Bulusan, 2016) News is information that has a meaning for a set of readers. (Pangilinan, 2012 as cited in Bulusan, 2016) News is basically about an event, idea, or reaction that is presented factually and simply in written form to give the reader an idea of what is currently happening around him/her, particularly on matters of interest to the community. (Malinao, 2008 as cited in Bulusan, 2016) News is a timely factual report of events, ideas, or situations interesting or significant to people. Others define it as literature in a hurry. (Estrada and Singh, 1987 as cited in Bulusan, 2016) News is what people want to hear or need to know. But it is difficult to define largely because stories can be presented in a variety of ways. News can inform, educate, or even entertain. Hard news deals with serious topics and events. So, it must be accurate, truthful, and fair. By contrast, soft news usually tries to entertain or advise. (Spencer-Thomas, n.d.) A news story should be about necessary information and unusual events, based on observable facts, an unbiased account, and free from the reporter’s opinion. (Evans, 1972 as cited in Spencer-Thomas, n.d.) News is what somebody somewhere wants to suppress; all the rest is advertising. (Northcliffe, 1922). Well, news is anything interesting, that relates to what's happening in the world, what's happening in areas of the culture that would be of interest to your audience. (Loder, 1945) News is information that wasn't known before or current events broadcast over the radio, television, online, or in print media. (www.yourdictionary.com) News relay facts without flourishes or interpretation. News stories lack the depth of a feature story or the questioning approach of an investigative story. Events and information are conveyed to society in a straightforward, accurate, and unbiased manner. (www.freelancewriting.com) NEWS IN CAMPUS PAPERS The student publication is similar to the newspaper published daily. The essential distinction, though, is that campus papers are released after a certain period. For example, one edition may cover the first five months of the school; then,

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the next issue will come after the next five months. Other schools print their school paper at the end of the school year one, that is, to cover the whole school year. In campus papers, most news articles are related to the school, the students, the teachers, and the community. News in school includes calendar activities such as Nutrition Month celebration, Buwan ng Wika, Intramurals, English or Math Week, and other activities that the school celebrates yearly. It should be noted, however, that national issues concerning the academic society may be included in the school organ. In this case, news writers must find a way to localize national concerns so that the readers can see the significance of such issues to their school. For example, the staff writer may write an in-depth analysis of the Anti-Terrorism Law and how will this affect freedom of speech among high school student writers. A news writer may also conduct a survey to find out the views of the students on the plan of the Philippine government on the coronavirus pandemic. Many national issues can be contextualized in the situation of the school to make them relevant. Other examples of news in campus papers are the implementation of new school policies, stories of success, a conflict between the students and the school, activities in the barangay that affect the school, lack of stable internet connection in the Computer Room, speech of the principal about a certain matter, and the like. Because these articles may appear repeatedly in several releases of the campus paper, an interesting approach to writing these news stories can spell a difference in catching the attention of the readers. NEWS VALUES Not everything that happens can be written as news. A news story is published only because it is interesting and significant to the readers. Student writers must take into consideration the news values of the stories they write. News values are general guidelines or criteria which determine how much prominence a media outlet gives a news story because they explain why a story interests its audience; and how editors and other journalists decide that one piece of information is news while another is not (Spencer-Thomas, n.d.) Media outlets include newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and the Internet. News values are also called news criteria or news factors. The attract your readers, always incorporate in your news articles the following: 1. PROXIMITY. It means nearness to a place that sparks interest and appeal to the readers. Proximity in geographical location can catch the attention of your readers when they read the news. In the context of news stories in campus papers, for example, students in Nueva Ecija will be more attracted to what is happening to their province than what is happening to Mindanao. In the same manner, students of Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) Laboratory High School may find a news article appealing if they are directly affected by it. For instance, the “English Only Policy” of the LHS Department will be more noteworthy to Lab High students than the “Waste Segregation Program” of the College of Criminology.

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2. TIMELINESS. Readers find the latest stories more appealing. The freshness of the news draws the attention of the readers to the article. When writing recurring news stories for the school paper, the student-writer should emphasize the most recent angle or newest development of the story. In some instances, timeliness or immediacy plays a secondary role to other news values, especially when the time element is of little importance. For example, The Core releases its issue at the end of the school year. News articles about graduation will be timelier and more appealing to the readers than those that happened at the start of the school year. When news stories are released in December, the readers may search for articles relating to Christmas more than they look for stories about All Saints’ Day. 3. SIGNIFICANCE. The significance of news also makes an impact on the readers. News stories that readers find relevant to their lives capture their attention. Before reading news stories, the readers may ask “What’s in it for me?” So, it is important that news writers can play up the angle in their stories to answer that specific question of the readers. When writing news articles, student writers must see to it that their stories have significance to their readers. For example, a news writer may come up with an article relating to the implementation of online learning in this time of the pandemic. Another story that is significant to the readers today is mental health issues since many are affected by quarantine. 4. CONFLICT. It is human nature that people are intrigued by conflict. Conflict creates drama; drama spawns interest. Articles in campus papers stir up the emotions of their readers by capitalizing on issues that create conflict. In conflict, readers get to judge the merits of the arguments based on the facts presented by the writers. Thus, it is important to note that creating stories around conflict involves careful and thorough research to present conflicting sides in a simple yet accurate manner. In a school set up, conflict is unavoidable. Activities are more newsworthy when they involve disagreement. For example, during a quiz bee competition, two students at odds with each other get to face in the final round. Readers will be interested to know what lies behind the conflict as well as the result of the contest. 5. PROMINENCE. Readers are also hooked to news stories that involve prominent and popular figures. Generally, these figures include politicians, celebrities, actors, musicians, athletes, and others. In the school, prominent people may refer to school officials like the University President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, officials from the Department of Education (DepEd), outstanding alumni, and others. Well-known personalities create a feeling of personal connections with readers. News writers may highlight prominent individuals in their stories even if the actions or statements of such personalities are trivial. For example, sometime in the past, Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara visited NEUST. It made a headline on the front page of the school publication. 6. ODDITY. Writers must also look out for stories that are out of the ordinary. The stranger a story is, the more newsworthy it becomes. Calendar events may bore the readers. But when something strange happens during an activity, the writer

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must be quick to note its occurrence. Staff writers must always remember to guard the unexpected, bizarre, or weird moments. When incorporated in articles, they deviate sharply from what is expected and add to the newsworthiness of the stories. Readers find entertainment in unusual articles. Looking into the campus situation, an example can be a 55-year-old security guard on your campus who was able to finish high school. Another example can be a Grade 7 student who can invent a cure for dengue. It is far from happening but may be possible. 7. IMPACT. Articles about events affecting a greater number of readers are more newsworthy. The more readers are affected, the better the story is. The impact of the articles quickly establishes the scope of public interest. A news article in the campus paper that affects only a certain group of students may not be as newsworthy as a story that touches and moves the whole population. Impact is fundamentally influenced by the audience. For instance, an article about NEUST’s online enrolment procedure for School Year 2020-2021 has created quite an impact on all students. Issues such as school policies, student welfare, or improvement of facilities generate big impact and public interest. 8. HUMAN INTEREST. People want to find out what is happening with other people, so human interest is a good angle in news stories to help put a face on articles that need to be personalized. Stories that stir emotions make good articles, that means the readers feel angry, sad, happy, overjoyed, or the like. Human interest stories may highlight stories that involve drama, romance, adventure, struggles, success, or the like experienced by common people. It is a given fact that humans are interested in people. For campus papers, human interest stories may include a story of a person with disability (PWD) who graduates on top of the class or a student who is a member of LGBTQ+ who manages to win a seat in the student council despite the gender issues. You may also write about a faculty member who has recently married his long-time girlfriend. It can also be about a student whose family reunited after eleven years of being apart. 9. CURRENCY. Student writers must also consider writing about what is currently trending. Currency means that the time for a topic is in demand at the moment. This includes events that are being talked about or are generally popular among readers. Trending is a practical gauge of the currency value of a story. In school publications, the editorial board may conduct a survey or interview to know what is trending among the students. In today’s situation, for example, the wearing of a face mask can be the subject of news articles. Another of equal importance is the use of the learning management system (LMS) for flexible learning. Social media like Twitter can be another source of currency value of a topic. Trending topics on Twitter often emerge after a major event. News writers can take advantage of those topics. 10. PROGRESS. The campus paper may also feature news articles about improvement and constructive change in the school. Administrators carry out development plans that bring about significant progress both in the policies and infrastructure of the school. In turn, they affect the school community particularly the students whose welfare is the prime priority of school officials. These can be the basis of articles that campus papers may consider publishing. For example, the facelift of the buildings at NEUST General Tinio Campus has brought more

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enrollees. Another is the provision of stable internet connectivity in all NEUST campuses to address the needs of teachers to deliver online classes.

TYPES OF NEWS STORIES A. ACCORDING TO CHRONOLOGY OR SEQUENCE 1. SPOT NEWS is a news story that gathers information as it is broadcast at the same time. Hence, it is unscheduled and demands immediate publication. 2. COVERAGE NEWS is written based on the given assignment to the reporter or news writer. The assignment is sometimes called a beat. It means that the writer knows how to write about that assignment. 3. ADVANCE NEWS is a news story that tells about a future occurrence where a writer creates new perspectives on a subject to craft the climax when the event happens. 4. FOLLOW-UP NEWS is a news story that investigates the upshot to an event or situation. B. ACCORDING TO RANGE AND REACH 1. LOCAL NEWS is a news story that happens in one’s community where the paper originates. 2. NATIONAL NEWS is a news story that impacts the people of a certain country. Most national news is published in the dailies. 3. FOREIGN NEWS is a news story that traces its origin from outside the borders of the country. 4. DATELINE NEWS is an out-of-town news story that is introduced by a dateline which states the place from which the story was reported. C. ACCORDING TO STRUCTURE 1. STRAIGHT NEWS is a news story that usually answers the 5Ws and 1H in the first paragraph and details are elaborated in the body using an inverted triangle structure. 2. NEWS FEATURE is a special type of news that presents human interest stories. The news feature is sometimes called special features and printed in the feature sections of the newspapers or the magazines. Moreover, both human interest and news feature stories emphasize the elements of timeliness or immediacy which distinguish news from other types of reading, although they differ in important respects from the straight news. 3. SINGLE-FEATURE OR ONE-INCIDENT STORY is an account of a speech, an interview, or an election that deals with an isolated event. In writing a news feature with this kind of structure, including the one-feature in the lead. Add in the body details which clarify and explain the lead. See that the story breaks

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logically at every paragraph and that the story may be cut if lengthened as space dictates. 4. FACT STORY is a plain exposition of a simple situation of a series of closely related events arranged according to their importance. 5. ACTION STORY is a narrative involving nor merely simple facts but dramatic actions – incidents, description of persons, perhaps testimonies of witnesses, as well as explanatory data. 6. SPEECH/REPORT/QUOTE/INTERVIEW STORY is a news story that reports the message of a certain individual using a summary-quote-summary arrangement. The quotations may be direct, indirect, or a combination of both. In writing this kind of story, the following suggestions may be helpful: (1) Write a summarizing lead in any appropriate form; (2) Write the body of the story in a summary-quotesummary arrangement; and (3) The lead may be a summarizing statement or the gist of the speech, statement, letter, or interview; or it may be the most important quotation in the story written as a direct quote.

TIPS IN WRITING A NEWS STORY 1. Use simple sentences as much as possible. A simple subject-verb-object form is understood more clearly by the readers than the complex sentence. 2. Follow the one-sentence, one-paragraph rule in news writing. Make sure your sentences are under 25 words and contain only one idea. 3. Write a strong lead to get the attention of the readers and make them want to read more. Keep it short, more or less 35 words are preferred. 4. Avoid using the “when lead” or “where lead” unless the time or place is unusual. Most leads start with “who” and “what.” Never use “there” or “this” in your lead or any other sentence in the news article. 5. In leads about past events, the day (date) of the event usually appears before or after the verb. Sometimes, the day (date) comes at the end of the first sentence or the paragraph if it is a one-sentence lead. 6. Omit needless words and avoid using fillers (basically, often, well, so, etc.). 7. Avoid contractions such as can’t, doesn’t, aren’t, could’ve, etc. Instead, replace them with cannot, does not, are not, could have, etc. 8. Limit the use of subjective pronouns. Do not use first or second person pronouns (I, me, you, we, us). Use the third person perspective, instead. 9. Avoid clichés such as last but not the least, stands to reason, leave no stone unturned, etc. 10. Simplify words. Refrain from using pompous and too colorful language. Opt for a simple language. 11. Avoid vague or ambiguous words and even sentences. 12. Do not use too many commas as well as too many ‘that’ whenever possible. 13. Never put more than three prepositional phrases into one sentence. 14. Never put more than three numbers in one sentence.

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15. For past events, report it happened “Friday,” not “last Friday.” Do not use the word “last.” For future events, report it will happen “Monday,” not “next Monday.” 16. Avoid using the progressive tense. Instead of writing “She is speaking…,” use “She speaks…” 17. A long title should follow the name. A title that follows the name should be lowercased and set off in commas. Shorter titles that precede names should be capitalized. 18. Always double check the spelling of names. 19. Write in the active voice. Active voice is more understandable and has more impact. Make short, concise sentences with action verbs. Be sparing with adjectives but lavish with verbs. 20. Make sure numbers match the items listed.

SOURCES OF NEWS One should bear in mind that facts are the main foundations of news articles. Hence, a writer or a journalist must have a high sense of smelling ability to newsworthy issues. This special ability is dubbed as “nose for news” in journalism parlance. To be able to do so, a journalist must know the avenues where he can gather data for his news articles. 1. Beat. The beat is the stable assignment of the reporter. For instance, in a school setting, the editor in chief or the adviser is identifying assignments for the writers. Jane, a news writer, is assigned to gather news from the student body. Jane’s beat is the student council only; thus, what she concentrates on is only issues about the student body. 2. Written and Printed Documents. A good journalist is resourceful in looking for newsworthy issues. One of his/her sets of sources includes public documents – either electronically or physically posted. For example, the minutes of the faculty meeting or memoranda are a good source of information. 3. Observation. This may be done through keen empirical observation. It exists as a writer bears witness using the physical senses to what is happening in the local communities. In the context of the school paper, a writer must be wary of the places and goings on in the campus. These may be activities that are not visible to the eyes of the many. 4. Calendar of Activities. School events charted in the school calendar are a good source of news articles, too. These are activities that are conducted yearly by the school. This includes Nutrition Month Celebration, Buwan ng Wika, division competitions, regional events, etc. 5. Interviewing Key Personalities. This is gathering of information on a person-toperson basis, straight from the experts or any resource person as a credible source. 6. Blogs. They represent another source of news, free from traditional economic, corporate, political, or advertising considerations. Blogs offer alternative points

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of view to traditional media as all sorts of topics are discussed. Blogs provide an additional outlet for reporters to explain why they reported a story in the way they did. 7. Citizen Journalism. In citizen journalism, ordinary citizens become amateur reporters. This trend is facilitated by digital and cell phone video cameras and high-speed Internet access. Traditional news media encourage citizen journalism, and many media outlets ask audience members to submit photos or video clips. Citizen journalism is popular with the mainstream news media in part because it is free content, but it also empowers the audience. 8. Local Communities. This is news referring to news coverage for small communities as a source of information. The information may come from the barangay captain or any town official for this matter. 9. National Dailies. News found in the national dailies is a good source of articles for campus papers. However, the treatment should be localized to make it more relatable to your readers. A national event may be written in the campus paper taking into consideration the effect it has on the students or the school community.

HOW TO GATHER NEWS A writer must not only have the nose for news but also considers the guidelines in gathering data. Ramirez (2009) has published some of these rules of thumb in data gathering for news writing. 1. See for yourself. Nothing is more vivid when one sees the event right before his own eyes. Becoming the first-hand witness, other than gathering through hearsay, keeps the spontaneity of ideas of the writer. 2. Find the person who knows. The writer should go directly to the person who is considered as the key participant of the issue. Such a person may give the writer a sense of confidence that what he/she will write is taken from the statements and ideas of the persons, rather than surmising the ideas, effects, and impacts of an issue. Further, this act champions objectivity, thus diminishing bias. 3. Compare all versions. A writer must not rely solely on one version. As discussed in the previous chapter, one should set myriads of perspectives, to limit the holes of biases. Moreover, feel free to question inconsistencies and ensure the veracity of each statement or information. 4. Be tactful and courteous. A writer is respectful of time. Hence, he should focus only on the data needed. He should avoid spending the time of the interviewee on futile topics. Courtesy is likewise seen in acts and words of the writer who gathers data. More often than not, saying thank you is a good gesture to pay the interviewee the bother fee incurred. 5. Make and keep friends. Dependable informants are the most valued assets, especially when a writer is assigned in a single beat throughout the academic

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year. When needed, give them a favorable mention in your stories. Never break their trust in the name of having a good scoop of the news. 6. Print it. This rule of thumb reminds a writer or a journalist that unpublished news is wasted. The fact that one has gathered data, the news is now considered a newsworthy item.

Bulusan, F. (2016). Campus Journalism within Your Reach. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing Mendoza, J. (1995) Journalism Workbook for High School Students. Manila: Saint Bernadette Publications, Inc. Introduction to Journalism © by Dianne Smith, published by TEACHINGpoint Walsh, J. (2017) These 7 news values can help you make smarter content choices. Retrieved from https://medium.com/atlantic-57/these-7-news-values-can-help-you-make-smarter-content-choices6b3cbc0bddf7 Spencer-Thomas, O. (n.d.) News values. Retrieved from https://www.owenspencerthomas.com/journalism/newsvalues/ Zajechowski, M. (n.d.) The Eight Values That Will Make Your Content ‘Newsworthy.’ Retrieved from https://www.digitalthirdcoast.com/blog/values-content-newsworthy Ingram D. (2008) The News Manual. Retrieved from https://thenewsmanual.net/Resources/what_is_news/

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__

Name: ________________________________________ Grade and Section: ____________________________

Score: ____________________ Date: _____________________

What are the news values the writers must consider when writing their articles? Write them in the table below and write a one-sentence explanation in your own words. NEWS VALUES

DESCRIPTION

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Name: ________________________________________ Grade and Section: ____________________________

Score: ____________________ Date: _____________________

Match the descriptions in Column A with the terms in Column B. Write only the letter.

____ 1. ____ 2.

____ 3.

____ 4. ____ 5. ____ 6. ____ 7. ____ 8.

____ 9. ____ 10. ____ 11. ____ 12.

COLUMN A It is a special type of news that presents human interest stories. It is a news story that gathers information as it is broadcast at the same time. Hence, it is unscheduled and demands immediate publication. It is a news story that usually answers the 5Ws and 1H in the first paragraph and details are elaborated in the body using an inverted triangle structure. It is a news story that traces its origin from outside the borders of the country. It is a plain exposition of a simple situation of a series of closely related events arranged according to their importance. It is an out-of-town news story that is introduced by a dateline which states the place from which the story was reported. It is a news story that happens in one’s community where the paper originates. It is a news story that tells about a future occurrence where a writer creates new perspectives on a subject to craft the climax when the event happens. It is an account of a speech, an interview, or an election that deals with an isolated event. It is a news story that investigates the upshot of an event or situation. It is a news story that reports the message of a certain individual using a summary-quotesummary arrangement. It is written based on the given assignment to the reporter or news writer. The assignment is sometimes called a beat.

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COLUMN B A. COVERAGE NEWS B. FACT STORY

C. DATELINE NEWS

D. NEWS FEATURE E. SPOT NEWS

F. SINGLEFEATURE STORY G. FOREIGN NEWS H. LOCAL NEWS

I. FOLLOW-UP NEWS J. ADVANCE NEWS K. NATIONAL NEWS L. ACTION STORY

Leads are like first impressions; you want to make sure they're good. The way student writers report the news may be changing, but having a strong story opening remains as important as ever. A lead sets the tone and mood for the rest of your story, so choose carefully. Depending on what you are writing about, certain leads may be more appropriate than others. The first paragraph of a news story, or the lead (sometimes spelled lede), is a concise summary statement of the most important or most interesting of the 5 Ws and H, usually giving the information about what happened or will happen. Other information may include who is involved and why or how it happened. The lead is the most important part of the story. The first three or four words of the lead should capture the reader’s attention. They should be concrete informational words. Readers are busy people, and if a lead does not grab their attention with the first few words, the story does not get a second chance in most cases. In this unit, you will learn about the different kinds of lead and at the same time practice your writing skills on how to write a good lead.

At the end of the unit, I am able to: 1. Define lead; 2. Enumerate, discuss, and explain the kinds of leads; 3. Follow the tips on how to write a good lead; and 4. Evaluate and write leads for news articles.

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In most news articles, the opening paragraph is composed of only one sentence. In the activity that follows, write a one-sentence paragraph that summarizes the whole story below. Be sure to include the most important detail in your sentence. 1. The English teachers at Saint Joseph High School require their students to read the controversial book, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," by Mark Twain. Critics, including some parents, said last week that the book should be banned from all schools in the city because it is racist. After considering their complaints and discussing them with his staff, the principal of the school, Dr. Robert Peralta, announced today that teachers will be allowed to require reading the book in senior high school English classes but not in any junior high school classes. Furthermore, the principal said that it will be the responsibility of the English teachers who assign the book to assist students in understanding the historical setting of the book, the characters being depicted, and the social context, including the prejudices which existed at the time depicted in the book. The book describes the adventures of runaway Huck Finn and a fugitive slave named Jim as they float on a raft down the Mississippi River. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 2. An article appeared today in the Journal of the Philippine Medical Association. The article concerns the dangers of hot dogs. "If you were trying to design something that would be perfect to block a child’s airway, it would be a bite-size piece of hot dog," says a researcher. He concluded that children under 4 should "never be given a whole hot dog to eat," and that hot dogs should never be cut crosswise. The hot dogs are so dangerous that every five days, it is estimated, someone, somewhere in the Philippines, chokes to death on them. Other risky foods for young kids up to 9 years of age include candy, nuts, grapes, apples, carrots, and popcorn. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

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THE LEAD The lead is the opening sentence of an article. It summarizes or introduces the story, in the case of a news feature. It arouses the readers’ interest and highlights the news interest or news value. It answers right away the important questions the readers want to know, in the case of straight news stories. American researchers suggest that for an average reader, one sentence or paragraph should contain 17 to 35 words for him/her to comprehend at once the message of the sentence. The lesser the words in a sentence, the higher is its comprehensibility. In news writing or any kind of journalism, the opening sentence of a story is everything. Called leads (or sometimes ledes), they must communicate relevant information, establish the tone, and attract readers to finish the article. If you are interested in becoming a proficient writer, knowing how to write a lead is a fundamental skill.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF LEAD A. Summary Lead. It answers the five Ws and one H (Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How). The news story is presented using an inverted triangle where the most important data are in the first and second paragraphs. This is used in straight news. It summarizes the most important five Ws and H. B. Grammatical Beginning Lead. The logical importance of the major details in a lead is presented using different grammatical structures to break the monotony of summary or conventional lead paragraphs. C. Unorthodox or Novelty Lead. This kind of lead is used to attract the reader’s attention, to arouse his/her curiosity, and to sustain his/her interest. It is used in writing a news feature or a feature article.

KINDS OF SUMMARY LEAD a. Who Lead. This type of lead is used if the most important angle of the news is the person involved, thus, more significant than the event. Example: President Duterte will be the keynote speaker of the Commencement Exercises in June.

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b. What Lead. This is applied if the most important angle of the news is the event. Example: The opening of classes for the school year 2020-2021 will be moved to September. c. Where Lead. If the location where the event takes place is more significant than the other aspects of the news, then this kind of lead is best applied. Example: Ilocos Region will host this year’s National Schools Press Conference. d. When Lead. This type of lead is seldom used since this is only applicable when the time element is more important than the other angles of the story. Nonetheless, it suggests urgency and immediacy. Example: February 25 is a national holiday in celebration of the People Power Revolution. e. Why Lead. If the cause of the event is the most effective angle of the story, this type of lead is best suited. Example: To increase the enrolment this school year, Sto. Nino ES held an early registration program yesterday. f. How Lead. If the process or the manner of how the event happened is more important among the other angles of the news, how the lead is used. Example: Through a massive information dissemination campaign, Oplan Balik Eskwela was conducted at Cabanatuan East Central School yesterday.

KINDS OF GRAMMATICAL BEGINNING LEAD a. Prepositional Phrase Lead. A phrase is introduced by a preposition like with, from, above, below, and for Example: With cleaning materials, carpentry tools and construction materials, local officials, civic groups, parents joined hands with the teachers and students of Capas High School for the Brigada Eskwela…. b. Infinitive Phrase Lead. The phrase is introduced by the preposition “to” plus the main verb.

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Example: To minimize the problems that crop up during the enrolment period, the Department of Education launched Oplan Balik Eskwela…. c. Participial Phrase Lead. This lead is signaled by the presence of the present or past participle of the verb, acting as a modifier. Example: Hoping to retain its overall championship title in last year’s Division Schools Press Conference, Sto. Nino Academy is presently conducting a campus journalism training workshop… d. Gerundial Phrase Lead. This lead is introduced by a gerund. It is a verbal ending in -ing, which acts as a noun. Many beginning writers interchange the present participial lead to a gerundial lead. Remember, the former acts as a modifier, while the latter acts as a noun. Example: Building enough classrooms for five million pupils and students is President Arroyo’s target next school year…. e. Clause Lead. This lead commences with a clause, which may become either an independent or subordinate or may transform as either a noun or an adjectival or adverbial clause. Example: Because students performed poorly in English, Science, and Mathematics in the latest National Achievement Test, the Department of Education will conduct a SelfAssessment Test for teachers to determine their readiness to teach….

KINDS OF UNORTHODOX OR NOVELTY LEAD a. Narrative Lead. It draws the reader into the story by allowing him/her to relate himself/herself with the character. Example: On the fifth of June 2015, Herodes Barabas, 34, experienced the longest one hour in his life as he sat on a swivel chair in front of his eight interviewers at Aklan State University. It was an entrance interview of the long queue of applicants mustering their patience in waiting for an Instructor I position. b. Descriptive Lead. Effective in writing personality sketches, travelogues, and the like, this lead illustrates a mental picture of the subject to the reader. A writer must

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be adept at creating mental images through the play of the language to satisfy the readers in using this technique. Example: If Palawan were a class record, it must have received a nearly perfect grade weighted average for the unending praises of tourists coming in to experience its breathtaking grandeur. Who would not drop his jaw when he sees the evidence of God’s dexterous hand that crafted the seascapes and landscapes of Palawan? c. Quoted Statement Lead. It is a statement uttered by a well-known personality or celebrity. Usually, in a school setting, when student journalists want to highlight the message of the guest speaker, they use this type of lead. Example: “Ignorance, not poverty, causes malnutrition.” Thus revealed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to the doctors and nurses attending the two-day Seminar-Workshop on Health and Nutrition at Manila Hotel today. d. Question Lead. It is a thought-provoking question to capture the interest of the readers and lead them to find the answer in the succeeding details of the article. Example: Who will be the next chief editor of The Wheel? The answer will be known in August 2020 when aspiring student journalists take the competitive examination at the College of Education Auditorium. e. Punch Lead. It is short, striking a one-sentence lead. Example: Food, not bullets. Hungry farmers in Kidapawan were asking for food, but the enforcers of the law fed them with bullets. f. Astonisher Lead. This lead aims to give the reader a strong sense of emotional value. Thus, it primarily uses an exclamatory sentence. Example: Unbeatable, indeed! After grabbing the Intramural crown from the Green Aggies team three years ago, the Blue Titans has sustained its supremacy as it sent all its foes kneeling before its royalty throne. g. Parody Lead. It consists of a parody of a well-known quotation, song, poem, book, or movie film title. Example: “There was never an us!”

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This familiar line from a movie of Sarah Geronimo was the exact statement of Ms. Sug Poe to Mr. Cheap Ezcuderow yesterday when asked if there was a time when both agreed to share stocks in the top-performing Paquino Airline Company. h. Background Lead. It describes an event in which the background overshadows the individuals who participate in it; often, it uses stories about carnivals, festivals, dances, and others. Example: With the glittering and shimmering banting along the skimpy roads, as if a throng of rainbows came to visit the town of Gattan, Cagayan to celebrate with its 30 th Agsalukag Festival on April 13, 2016. i. Contrast Lead. It is used to point out opposites and extremes. Example: Twenty years ago, he was the school’s janitor. Now, he came back to become the school’s principal. j. Staccato Lead. Primarily rooted from musical parlance, this term suggests a lead that consists of a series of words and phrases, punctuated by periods, commas or dashes. Example: Neglected. Denuded. Abused. This is the real picture of our forest today.

TIPS FOR WRITING LEADS SOURCE: https://online.pointpark.edu/public-relations-and-advertising/how-to-write-a-lead/

Below are some helpful hints to keep in mind when writing the leads: 1. The Five W’s and H. News writing strives to answer “The Five W’s and H:” that is, Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. Good leads answer as many of these questions as possible in a single sentence. When writing a lead, it helps to think about which of these facts is the most vital for readers to know. 2. Keep It Short. A good lead provides all the information the reader requires in just a few words. Ideally, a lead should be between 25 and 40 words. 3. Keep It Simple. Don’t clutter up the lead with unnecessary adjectives or adverbs. Also, make sure that your lead only discusses one idea to avoid confusion.

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4. Write in Active Voice. Avoid all forms of the verb “to be.” Common exceptions including writing about fatalities (“two people were killed Thursday”) and when discussing police activity (“two people were arrested”). Passive voice is often the result of incomplete reporting. 5. Structure Your Lead Properly. Put your most crucial information at the very beginning of the sentence. Important secondary information can go in subsequent sentences. Not following this practice is called “burying the lead.” If you need attribution in your lead, make sure it goes toward the end of the sentence because it is less important than the information itself. 6. Understand the Context. Keep in mind what your readers may already know about your story based on previous media coverage. Write in a way that speaks to these realities and adds relevant useful information. 7. Be Honest. Never mislead the reader. If you promise a certain type of information with your lead, you should be ready to deliver. Once you understand these cardinal rules, you can begin to experiment with style.

Bulusan, F. (2016). Campus Journalism within Your Reach. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing Mendoza, J. (1995) Journalism Workbook for High School Students. Manila: Saint Bernadette Publications, Inc. Introduction to Journalism © by Dianne Smith, published by TEACHINGpoint PointPark University (2017) Great Beginnings: How to Write a Lead. Retrieved from https://online.pointpark.edu/public-relations-and-advertising/how-to-write-a-lead/ CubReporters.Org (n.d.) How To Write Good Story Leads. Retrieved from http://www.cubreporters.org/leads.html https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199846412/student/chapter8/exercise/exercise3/

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__

Name: ________________________________________ Grade and Section: ____________________________

Score: _____________________ Date: ______________________

Write the kind of lead that is reflected in the following sentences. _________________________ 1. Dr. Alameda Pakleb stood yesterday as the commencement speaker during the 13 th graduation rites of Mavuyok Elementary School. _________________________ 2. “Abracadabra!” This is what principal Michelle Bamshekalla exclaimed Monday when she officially opened the newly constructed library hub of Alaminos National High School. _________________________ 3. Filled with prayers and hopes, the first batch of medicine graduates of Tarlac State University are scheduled to take the board exam tomorrow. _________________________ 4. Will the Agri Team sustain its royal throne this coming Intramurals Meet? Everyone anticipates the answer as the five departments in the college will clash on 12 sports events next week. _________________________ 5. To ensure the passing of the teacher education graduates, Marinduque State College will open a review session this summer for free. _________________________ 6. Ten years ago, he used to be a tenant. Now, he owns a 12-hectare rice field and seven-hectare piggery. _________________________ 7. Having won the title Ms. Sportsfest 2015, Beth Logan will represent the school in the town’s beauty pageant next week. _________________________ 8. The first customers of the newly constructed gymnasium are the internationally acclaimed performers, Filipino Penumbra, who visited the school yesterday. _________________________ 9. Swimming it is! Students of the Agri-Fisheries Department are now set to dive as the Board of Trustees approved yesterday their special Physical Education subject – swimming. _________________________ 10. After winning in oratorical competitions, Terence Marilla will be the focus to beat his contenders in the upcoming University Meet next month.

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Name: ________________________________________ Grade and Section: ____________________________

Score: _____________________ Date: ______________________

Complete the following matrix about the kinds of lead. Search for online campus papers and look for their news articles. Copy the lead into the table below and identify its kind. CAMPUS PAPER/WRITER

LEAD

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KIND

Name: ________________________________________ Grade and Section: ____________________________

Score: _____________________ Date: ______________________

Based on the lessons you have learned from this unit, write a one-sentence lead for the following details. Vary the kinds of leads that you will write. 1. Karen Montemayor, an aspiring author who hopes to be published in the near future, will speak to members of the English Club next week about breaking into the writing profession. She will speak on finding an agent, sending out submissions, how to handle rejection notices and tips she has received from published authors. Students are asked to come with questions. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 2. There will not be a cheer dance presentation this week so students choose to stay in their classes. The pep squad performance has been canceled because the head coach, Mike Marquez, and the band director, William Panahon, are out with the flu, as are a number of athletes. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Saturday, October 10, is the date set for this year’s Students’ Night, which will be at the La Parilla Ballroom Hall. The theme will be “Fantasia” and decorations will be Disney-related. The activity was originally scheduled to be held at the Lakewood Country Club but it burned down. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 4. “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch,” says artist Ruth Antonio. She will exhibit her sculptures and paintings in the front lobby next week as she begins a tour of schools in several cities sponsored by the National Art Honors Society. She hopes to sell some of her pieces on the tour but does not want to count on making a lot of money from the sales until she sees how well the exhibit is received. 40

_________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Ferdinand Santos, Paulo Reyes, Paula Bernardo, and Gina Lapida received scholarships at Tuesday night’s awards ceremony held by the Lions Club at the Mendoza Café. President Randy Zapatero said that all recipients were well-rounded students and a credit to the school and community. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Peñaranda District Athletic Director Joel Oliveros has retired from his coaching position. This happened on August 27. Oliveros is 65 years old. He was replaced by 32-year-old Johnny Pascual. Oliveros had been an athletic director for 12 years. During that time, district football, volleyball, and basketball teams won 27 regional and national championships. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Central High School administrators are concerned about the safety of students. A new policy that goes into effect immediately calls for random classroom searches, use of drug dogs to sniff out weapons, drugs and alcohol, and installation of metal detectors at each entrance to the school. Student identification badges must be worn at all times. Random use of “wand” metal detectors will be used during the day. Implementation of the new policy will cost the school over Php50,000. A group of parents is protesting the new policy, saying that it violates the privacy of students. Parents will speak against the policy at the next school board meeting on Tuesday at 10: 30 a.m. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

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8. Studies have shown that most high school students who drop out will do so during their first year of high school. San Isidro Integrated School officials want to address this problem by building separate centers for each grade level; implementing special programs for Grade 9 students geared toward making them more interested in school; and encouraging them to become active members of existing clubs and organizations. The school board has appointed a committee to study the feasibility of the proposal and will seek input from parents, students, and educators through several surveys in the coming months. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Students will be allowed to have cell phones on campus beginning with the new semester. They have been banned for several years because of the potential distraction. Administrators say that allowing students to have cell phones is a safety factor because many students who stay after school need a way to contact parents for rides. Cell phones must remain off during school hours and should remain out of sight. If students play with their phones during the day, administrators say they will be taken up. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 10. President Rodrigo Duterte visited with troops in Mindanao on National Heroes’ Day. The trip was a surprise to the troops. Even the press was not aware of it. It was kept secret to ensure the safety of the president and the troops. By the time the press knew about it, President Duterte was safely at his house in Davao City having dinner with his family. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

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