Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 –
FOUNDATIONAL
CONCEPTS OF
JOURNALISM
MC ALLIED 1 – CAMPUS JOURNALISM
SCOPE AND NATURE
OF JOURNALISM
What is Journalism?
Journalism is concerned,
primarily, with the collection and
dissemination of news through
printed media as well as
electronic media.
Journalism involves various
areas of work like reporting,
writing, editing,
photographing, broadcasting
or cable casting news items.
It covers the printed media
that comes in the form of
broadsheets, tabloids,
newsletter and magazines.
Journalism comes from the Latin
word, diurnal, which means daily.
The word journal means, a daily
register of one’s activities.
Journalism may appear in a
newspapers, magazines,
televisions, radios and internet.
NEWSPAPERS are the oldest and most
traditional format for the inclusion of
journalism. They are a regularly scheduled
publications containing news of current
events, informative articles, diverse features
and advertisement. During the 19th century,
American journalists relied on sensational
stories that were used to excite or anger the
public, rather than to inform them. This
form of journalism became known as
“yellow” journalism.
MAGAZINES are publications
containing a variety of articles that
are generally published on a regular
schedule, whether it be weekly,
monthly or quarterly. First
published in 1731 in London, The
Gentleman’s Magazine - considered
the first general-interest magazine.
Its editor, Edward Cave
(pseudonym “Sylvanus Urban”)
was the first to use the term
“magazine”.
TELEVISION NEWS JOURNALISM,
including RADIO, is known as news
broadcasting and is produced locally
in a newsroom or by a broacast
network. It sometimes also includes
additional material as sports coverage,
weather forecasts, traffic reports and
commentary.
INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS have
excelled and the most recent addition to
the list. There are now an uncountable
digitized number of reputable and not-so-
reputable sources of information in the
internet. Because of this, opinions are
much easier to come by, and users can
seek out the same story from multiple
sources to get more of a balanced view
more than they ever could in the past.
JOURNALISM
VS.
LITERATURE
Journalism and literature are both forms
of writing, consumed by the public and
have relative style.
LITERATURE is based on the

wandering imagination of a writer.
It is categorized into prose and
poetry.
JOURNALISM, on the other hand,
has main genres that includes news,
editorial and features.
Journalistic genres follow the

strict method of dividing ideas
through paragraphs, while
literature has a variety of forms
and styles.
 Jonas, a writer wishes to come
up with a story about ghosts.
He now starts imagining the
appearance of the ghosts and
creates a plot which includes
the conflict, the climax and the
resolution of the conflict.
Jonas is writing a literary piece.

 Marla, on the other hand, also writes
about ghosts. However, before she starts
writing about them, she interviews
persons who have allegedly seen them.
The appearance of ghosts, including the
person’s belief about them, is written into
an intertaining way.
Marla is writing an article.

In this case, Jonas writes a
literature, a short story in
particular. While, Marla does a
feature story, a journalistic
article. Jonas writes based on his
imagination. While, Marla writes
based on facts.
TENETS OF
JOURNALISM
Tenets - refers to a core principle, belief or doctrine

held by a person, group or organization. It’s like a
fundamental rule or guiding ideas that shapes their
decisions and actions.
1. Responsibility. Journalists should
always be aware of their obligations
to their redears to write the truth
whatever it costs. Journalists’ main
responsibility is to be the transmitter
of veracity in any issue, and that they
are liable not to the company but to
the public.
2. Freedom of the Press. As a
basic right, freedom of the press
should be safeguarded by the
people of media. In this case, any
topic under the sweltering heat of
the sun may be written, as long
as there is no infraction to the
existing laws of the land.
3. Independence. Putting forward
the life of one or two persons by
slashing the welfare of the general
public is a clear violationof this
tenet. It, therefore, means that the
services of a journalist should be
committed to the interest of the
general public and not driven by the
interest of money called
“envelopmental journalism”.
4. Objectivity, Truthfulness and
Accuracy. Checking the veracity of
data and information before they are
published is an example of being
accurate and truthful. Media men
should not therefore conceal the truth
by fabricating facts and by publishing
misquoted statements and erroneous
statistics.
A journalist should know the difference
between news and opinion. Readers and
journalists believed that newspapers
should be objective.
Teel and Taylor (1983), as cited by

Pangilinan (2012), suggested guidelines
to attain a balanced story whenever
journalists face controversial issues.
a. Stick to the facts.
b. Never insert your personal
opinion.
c. Be discreet in the use of adjectives.
d. Avoid cheap shots.
e. Somebody with something to say
deserves a forum.
f. Assess your alliances. Remember
that you are an observer, not a
participant.
g. Listen to your editor.
5. Fairness. The whole point in
advocating objectivity is to be fair
in presenting information in any
journalistic field. Reporters should
exercise telling the truth and putting
the information in the right
perspective.
KILLERS OF
BALANCED
REPORTING
1. Yellow Journalism. It is a
type of journalism that presents
little or no legitimate well-
researched news and instead
uses eye-catching headlines to
sell more newspapers. Most
showbiz stories are grounded
on this type of journalism
which appeals to the curiosity
of the readers and the viewers.
2. New Journalism. The new journalists
expanded the definition of journalism
and of legitimate journalistic reporting
and writing techniques. They also
associated journalism with fiction when
they described their work with phrases
such as “nonfiction novel” and
“narrative techniques of fiction”.
3. Advocacy Journalism. This is a genre
of journalism that, unlike propaganda, is
fact-based but supports a specific point of
view on an issue. Advocacy journalists
are expected to focus on stories dealing
with corporate business practices,
government policies, political corruptions
and social issues. Advocacy journalists
serve the public interest in a way similar
to muckrakers or whistle blowers.
4. Stylistic Journalism. It
emphasizes imaginative,
stylized writing of stories
and considers newspapers
as “the literature of
immediate fact”.
5. Editorializing. This is giving the
reporter’s opinion rather than the
fact. It may also mean the
expanding of news about an
insignificant happening to give
publicity to a subject.
FUNCTIONS
AND DUTIES OF
THE PRESS
1. The quality of the
newspaper must be
reflected in the editorial
policy. It is more than just
a business because it also
reflects and influences the
life of the whole academic
community.
2. Newspapers must have integrity
and reader’s confidence.
3. Newspapers may educate,

stimulate, assist or entertain. It is
therefore a moral responsibility to
balance public interest and the
gains.
4. The fundamental quality of the
newspaper rests on the quality of
the context and the kind of
editorial product. It is responsible
for the rise of the readers’
educational level and resurgence of
an articulate, active young
generation.
5. Freedom of the press
encompasses responsibility of the
newspapers. Freedom of the press
and responsibility are inseparable.
Responsibility of the press means
truth in the news - truth tempered
with mercy, decency and humility.
6. The press must practice the

principles of journalism without
bias and self-interest.
LIMITATIONS
OF THE PRESS
The limitations of the press may be traced
upon the timeframe within which an
article should be submitted for
publication. Therefore, when a journalist
is in a hurry to beat the deadline, he may
not have enough time to reach all the
sources of information. Subsequently,
reporters will be unable to present the
story in as many perspectives as a
journalist should showcase.
This implies that readers or the
information-consuming public
should judge very critically the
articles, the reports, including the
photos. Readers should know
how to ask questions that are left
unanswered, in the same manner
when journalists dig for facts and
additional information.
Another limitation of the
press is its proneness to be
manipulated by the powerful,
the elite and politicians.
ACTIVITY!
1. Using a venn diagram, compare and contrast
journalism from literature. (9pts.)
2. List three (3) possible strengths and

weaknesses of articles according to the tenets
of journalism. (6pts.)
3. In 50 words, write the importance of

journalism in your life as a person in the
society. (10pts.)

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CHAPTER 1 –

LITERATURE is based on the

Journalistic genres follow the

Jonas is writing a literary piece.

Marla is writing an article.

Tenets - refers to a core principle, belief or doctrine

Teel and Taylor (1983), as cited by

3. Newspapers may educate,

6. The press must practice the

2. List three (3) possible strengths and

3. In 50 words, write the importance of

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