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

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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 non-
faculty personnel;
(b) Student Publication. – The issue of any printed material that is
independently published by, and which meets the needs and interests of, the
studentry;
(c) Student Journalist. – Any bona fide student enrolled for the current
semester or term, who was passed or met the qualification and standards of
the editorial board.He must likewise maintain a satisfactory academic
standing.
(d) Editorial Board. – In the tertiary level, the editorial board shall be
composed of student journalists who have qualified in placement
examinations.In the case of elementary and high school levels, the editorial
board shall be composed of a duly appointed faculty adviser, the editor who
qualified and a representative of the Parents-Teachers' Association, who will
determine the editorial policies to be implemented by the editor and staff
members of the student publication concerned.
At the tertiary level, the editorial board may include a publication adviser at
the option of its members.

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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 teacher-
adviser of student publications in the elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels shall
participate. Such competitions, conferences and seminars shall be held at the
institutional, divisional, and regional levels, culminating with the holding of the
annual national elementary, secondary, or tertiary School Press Conferences in
places of historical and/or cultural interest in the country.

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 responsible for murder of Eileen There are investigations
been marked in the victim’s faces Sarmenta and Allan Gomez, he claiming that up to P1.5 Million is
as the criminals who caused them was supposed to serve 360 years being demanded by the police,
troubles are now free, earlier than but because of his prominence, where they tend to disregard
their allotted year inside the jail he seemed to find his way out of other people’s effort because
because of the Good Conduct hell. most of them can’t afford the
Time Allowance but President Secondly, there are reported money needed for them to be
Duterte made the right decision incidents where GCTA are sold free.
after discarding this and asking inside the jailhouse, in the Senate There are many ways to judge
the freed to return in no time. hearing last September 8 a wife of their due process, but they should
This law has many holes, first an inmate in New Bilibid Prisons only monitor and carefully
of all favoring big names such as unfold a statement on how she monitor the factors that may
Antonio Sanchez who is paid a total of P50,000 for the affect their decision for the
responsible early release of her husband. 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 Shemma Micah Mata | Feature Editor

Lara Angela Tiu | News Editor Amanda Mallari | Science Editor
Daniella Ira Jacoba | Sports Editor Chyler Manansala | Senior Cartoonist
Bianca Mendoza | Senior Photojournalist 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.

17
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. ______________________________ 6. ______________________________
2. ______________________________ 7. ______________________________
3. ______________________________ 8. ______________________________
4. ______________________________ 9. ______________________________
5. ______________________________ 10. ______________________________

18
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,

19
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.

20
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

21
 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

22
 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

23
 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-quote-
summary 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.

24
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-to-
person 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

25
 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

26
 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-choices-
6b3cbc0bddf7
Spencer-Thomas, O. (n.d.) News values. Retrieved from https://www.owenspencer-
thomas.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/

27
 __

Name: ________________________________________ Score: ____________________

Grade and Section: ____________________________ 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

28
Name: ________________________________________ Score: ____________________
Grade and Section: ____________________________ Date: _____________________

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

COLUMN A COLUMN B
____ 1. It is a special type of news that presents human A. COVERAGE
interest stories. NEWS
____ 2. It is a news story that gathers information as it B. FACT STORY
is broadcast at the same time. Hence, it is
unscheduled and demands immediate
publication.
____ 3. It is a news story that usually answers the 5Ws C. DATELINE NEWS
and 1H in the first paragraph and details are
elaborated in the body using an inverted triangle
structure.
____ 4. It is a news story that traces its origin from D. NEWS FEATURE
outside the borders of the country.
____ 5. It is a plain exposition of a simple situation of a E. SPOT NEWS
series of closely related events arranged
according to their importance.
____ 6. It is an out-of-town news story that is F. SINGLE-
introduced by a dateline which states the place FEATURE STORY
from which the story was reported.
____ 7. It is a news story that happens in one’s G. FOREIGN NEWS
community where the paper originates.
____ 8. It is a news story that tells about a future H. LOCAL NEWS
occurrence where a writer creates new
perspectives on a subject to craft the climax
when the event happens.
____ 9. It is an account of a speech, an interview, or an I. FOLLOW-UP
election that deals with an isolated event. NEWS
____ It is a news story that investigates the upshot of J. ADVANCE NEWS
10. an event or situation.
____ It is a news story that reports the message of a K. NATIONAL
11. certain individual using a summary-quote- NEWS
summary arrangement.
____ It is written based on the given assignment to L. ACTION STORY
12. the reporter or news writer. The assignment is
sometimes called a beat.

29
 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.

30
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 Self-
Assessment 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: ________________________________________ Score: _____________________

Grade and Section: ____________________________ 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: ________________________________________ Score: _____________________
Grade and Section: ____________________________ 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
LEAD KIND
PAPER/WRITER

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Name: ________________________________________ Score: _____________________
Grade and Section: ____________________________ 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

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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.
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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.

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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.
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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.
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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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