Definition

Journalism
- collection, preparation, and distribution

of news and related commentary and

feature materials
- newspapers, magazines, books, blogs,
webcasts, podcasts, social networking
and social media sites, and e-mail, radio,
motion pictures, and television
The word journalism was originally applied
to the reportage of current events in
printed form, specifically newspapers, but
with the advent of radio, television, and the
Internet in the 20th century the use of the
term broadened to include all printed and
electronic communication dealing with
current affairs.
Understanding the Basics of
Journalism
Journalism is a dynamic and influential field
that plays a crucial role in society.

Aspiring journalists are driven by a passion for

storytelling and a desire to inform, educate,
and engage their audience.
The Purpose of Journalism
-to provide citizens with the information they need to
make informed decisions
-hold those in power accountable
-foster a well-informed society
-bring attention to important issues
-shed light on untold stories
-give a voice to the voiceless
Journalists act as the bridge between events and the
public, ensuring that information is accurate,
Principles of Journalism
To maintain the integrity and credibility of their
work, journalists adhere to a set of principles.
These principles include accuracy, fairness,
impartiality, and accountability. Journalists are
committed to presenting facts and information
objectively, without bias or personal opinion. They
verify their sources, cross-check information, and
provide balanced coverage of different
perspectives. Additionally, journalists are
accountable for their work and are open to
corrections and feedback.
Forms of Journalism
Journalism takes various forms, each catering to
different audiences and platforms.

1. Print journalism

2. Broadcast journalism

3. Online journalism

4. Investigative journalism
Print journalism - includes newspapers and
magazines

Broadcast journalism - encompasses radio and

television, delivering news and stories through
audio and visual mediums

Online journalism - in the 21st century has gained

prominence, with news websites, blogs, and social
media platforms becoming popular sources of
information

Investigative journalism - focuses on in-depth

research and exposes wrongdoing or corruption.
Skills and Qualifications
To succeed in the field of journalism, certain skills and
qualifications are essential. Strong writing and communication
skills are paramount, as journalists need to convey information
clearly and effectively. They should have a keen eye for detail, be
able to conduct thorough research, and have excellent
interviewing skills. Journalists should also possess critical
thinking abilities, as they need to analyze complex issues and
present them in a simplified manner. While a degree in journalism
or mass communication is beneficial, practical experience gained
through internships or freelance work can also be valuable.
Journalism or news writing is a prose
style used for reporting in newspapers,
radio, and television. When writing
journalistically, one has to take into
account not only one’s audience, but also
the tone in which the piece is delivered,
as well as the ABCs of news writing:
Accuracy, Brevity, and Clarity.
Accuracy
If a story isn’t accurate, it firstly betrays public trust. Public
trust is of the utmost importance because the public relies on
unbiased news in order to make intelligent choices in the
voting booth.
Secondly, inaccurate information could be potentially libelous.
Libel is defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in
any other form besides spoken words or gestures. It is a
serious offense and could severely affect your career as a
journalist.
To make sure you stay accurate, always check and double
check any numbers, spellings of names, who said what,
and other basic facts of your story. In order to have a good
story and in order to be a good reporter, accuracy is key.
Brevity

Get straight to the point. If you can do without words, then

cut them out. Your lead should draw your reader in and
you should end with an interesting finish. Don’t just finish
when you run out of information.
A typical department news story is between 250-500
words, and includes a concise headline, a lead
paragraph, the body copy, and a conclusion or end
quote, as well as a high-quality image. Longer pieces
also should include subheadings.
Clarity

Clarity means that you should have all of your facts and
have them organized before you start writing. Your story
should leave no question unanswered and should avoid
jargon (in other words, make the topic accessible for
readers of all levels, not just experts).
The most important difference between journalism and
other forms of non-fiction writing is the idea of objectivity.
Journalists are expected to keep an objective mindset at
all times as they interview sources, research events, and
write and report their stories. Their stories should not aim
to persuade their readers but instead to inform. That is not
to say you will never find an opinion in a newspaper—
rather, journalists must be incredibly mindful of keeping
subjectivity to pieces like editorials, columns, and other
opinion-based content.
Similarly, journalists devote most of their efforts to working
with primary sources, whereas a research paper or another
non-fiction piece of writing might frequently consult an
encyclopedia, a scholarly article, or another secondary or
tertiary source. When a journalist is researching and writing
their story, they will often interview a number of individuals—
from politicians to the average citizen—to gain insight into
what people have experienced, and the quotes journalists
collect drive and shape their stories.
RA 7079
Campus Journalism Act and the
Press Conference
In 1991, the Philippine Government passed
the Campus Journalism Act, one of the
strongest laws which supports the
development and promotion of student
journalism, rights of the youth, and
preserving the integrity of student
publications.
 HISTORY OF
JOURNALISM
Acta Diurna - said to date from
before 59 BCE,
ancient Rome
-recorded important
daily
events such as public
speeches
-published daily and hung
in
Bao - or “report”
- Tang dynasty in China
- was issued to government
officials
- appeared in various forms
and
under various names
more or
less continually to
the end
of the Qing dynasty
The first regularly published
newspapers appeared in German cities
and in Antwerp about 1609.

Weekly Newes - first English

newspaper was published in
1622,
London

The Daily Courant - one of the first

daily newspapers appeared in
1702, London
18th century - reportorial freedom

growing demand
- spread of literacy
- introduction of steam- and then
electric-driven presses
Magazines - 17th century as learned
journals, began to feature
opinion-
forming articles on current
affairs

Tatler (1709–11)
Spectator (1711–12)

1830s - cheap mass-circulation

magazines aimed at a wider and less
well-educated public, as well as
illustrated and women’s magazines
News Agencies - organizations that
sold their international
journalistic reporting to
many
different individual
newspapers
and magazines

- brought about by the cost

of
large-scale news gathering
Radio and television brought about a
great increase in the speed and
timeliness of journalistic activity and,
at the same time, provided massive new
outlets and audiences for their
electronically distributed products. In
the late 20th century, satellites and
later the Internet were used for the
long-distance transmission of
journalistic information.
 “hard news” - distinguish items of
definite news value from others of
marginal significance

—articles on the background of the

news, personality sketches, and
columns of timely comment by writers
skilled in presenting opinion in
readable form
By the mid-1960s most newspapers,
particularly evening and Sunday
editions

Newsmagazines in much of their

reporting were blending news with
editorial comment.
The 20th century saw a renewal of the
strictures and limitations imposed
upon the press by governments.

Propaganda - in countries with

communist governments, the press was
owned by the state, and journalists
and editors were government
employees.
Alternative channels - such as online
distribution, electronic mailings,
and direct interaction with the
public via forums, blogs, user-
generated content, and social media
sites such as Facebook and Twitter
"Successos Felices" (Fortunate Events)
- 1637, the first Philippine
newsletter
- Tomas Pinpin, “Father of
Filipino Printing"
- written in Spanish
- contained a 14-page report
on current events
"Aviso Al Publico" (Notices to the
Public)

- 1799, Hojas Volantes or "flying

sheets"
- served the Spaniards and had a

role comparative to a "town

crier."
"Del Superior Govierno," - the first
actual newspaper, August 8, 1811 (to 1832,
with only 15 issues)
- Gov. Fernandez del Forgueras
- reported developments about
Spain and Europe
- the first newspaper that included in
its layout the name, date and
place of its publication
"La Esperanza" - December 1, 1846,
the first daily
newspaper
- edited by Felipe Lacorte
and
Evaristo Calderon
- lasted only for three years
- gave way to the birth of
other
dailies such as "La
Estrella"
in 1847 and "Diario de
 ISSUES IN
JOURNALISM
21st-century journalism faced an
information-saturated market in which
news had been, to some degree,
devalued by its overabundance.
Advances such as satellite and digital
technology and the Internet made
information more plentiful and
accessible and thereby stiffened
journalistic competition.
To meet increasing consumer demand
for up-to-the-minute and highly
detailed reporting, media outlets
developed alternative channels of
dissemination, such as online
distribution, electronic mailings,
and direct interaction with the
public via forums, blogs, user-
generated content, and social media
sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
In the second decade of the 21st
century, social media platforms in
particular facilitated the spread of
politically oriented “fake news,” a
kind of disinformation produced by
for-profit Web sites posing as
legitimate news organizations and
designed to attract (and mislead)
certain readers by exploiting
entrenched partisan biases.
During the campaign for the
U.S. presidential election of 2016 and
after his election as president in
that year, Donald J. Trump regularly
used the term “fake news” to disparage
news reports, including by established
and reputable media organizations,
that contained negative information
about him.
TYPES OF PRINT
MEDIA
SECTIONS OF A
NEWSPAPER
Front Page
- first page of a newspaper
- includes the title, all the publication
information, the index, and the main stories
that will capture the most attention
- the major story of the day will be placed in the
most prominent position on the front page and
will contain a large, bold-faced headline
Folio

- includes the publication information and is often

located under the name of the paper
- information includes the date, page number, and,
on the front page, the price of the paper
News Article

- is a report on an event that has taken place

- may include a byline, body text, photo, and
caption
- articles that appear closest to the front page or
within the first section are those that editors
consider to be the most important and relevant to
Feature Articles

- report about an issue, person, or event with added

depth and more background details
Byline

- appears at the beginning of an article and gives

the writer's name
Editorials

- is an article written by the editorial staff from a

specific perspective
- will offer the newspaper's view of an issue
- editorials should not be used as a main source of
a research paper, because they are not objective
reports
Editorial Cartoons

- offer an opinion and convey a message about an

important issue in an amusing, entertaining, or
poignant visual depiction
Letters to the Editor

- letters sent from readers to a newspaper, usually

in response to an article
- often include strong opinions about something the
newspaper has published
- letters to the editor should not be used as
objective sources for a research paper, but they
could prove valuable as quotes to demonstrate a
International News

- contains news about other countries

- may address relationships between two or more
countries, political news, information about wars,
droughts, disasters, or other events that impact
the world in some way
Advertisements

- purchased and designed for selling a product or

idea
- some advertisements are obvious, but some can
be mistaken for articles
- all advertisements should be labeled, although
that label might appear in small print
Business Section

- contains business profiles and news reports about

the state of commerce
- often are reports about new inventions,
innovation, and advances in technology
- stock reports also appear in the business section
- could include statistics and profiles of people who
Entertainment or Lifestyle

- names and traits will differ from paper to paper,

but lifestyle sections typically offer interviews of
popular people, interesting people, and people
who make a difference in their communities
- health, beauty, religion, hobbies, books, and
authors