Unit 1: Overview of Campus Journalism
Introduction to 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. 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.
This module covers two important topics in Campus Journalism:
introduction to journalism and definition.
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Understand the meaning of journalism;
2. Use journalism in the context of campus journalism; and
3. Instill the love of journalism to the learners.
EXPANDING YOUR KNOWLEDGE
WHAT IS JOURNALISM?
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.
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)
Journalism in the context of campus journalism:
Campus journalism is a training ground for students who wish to
pursue journalism as a career. The campus or school paper is vital
not just because it exposes budding journalists to what goes on in
the newsroom but also because, through it, students are honed to
have good interpersonal skills (Hayes, 1994).
Enjoyable co-curricular activity of the school paper staff in
collecting, organizing and presenting news; in writing editorials,
columns, and literary articles, and features; in copy reading,
proofreading, dummying, and writing headlines—all for the purpose
of putting out a school organ.- School Paper Advisers of the City
Schools of Manila
Campus journalism usually refers to journalism that takes place at a
college or university. Institutions of higher learning often have their
own newspapers. Sometimes they even have their own radio and TV
stations. Since the invention of the internet, campus journalism can
even be accessed online.
Campus journalism is a crucial aspect of education, focusing on the
collection, preparation, and distribution of news and related
commentary through various media platforms such as newspapers,
magazines, blogs, webcasts, podcasts, social media sites, email, radio,
motion pictures, and television. It has evolved over time, offering more
informational articles, personality sketches, and opinionated pieces for
the general community to consume. The emergence of radio,
television, and the internet has expanded the scope of journalism,
encompassing print, broadcast, and digital media to communicate
current events to the community. Campus journalism serves as a
training ground for students aspiring to pursue journalism as a career,
exposing them to the newsroom and honing their interpersonal skills.
References
Burns, D. (n.d.). Introduction to journalism.
Scribd. https://www.scribd.com/doc/23737772/Introduction-to-Journalism
De Asis, C. (2018). CAMPUS-
JOURNALISM. Uiphinma. https://www.academia.edu/36779636/CAMPUS_JO
URNALISM
Guest. (n.d.). SEE-23-CAMPUS-JOURNALISM-Unit-1-3 -
PDFCOFFEE.COM. pdfcoffee.com. https://pdfcoffee.com/download/see-23-
campus-journalism-unit-1-3-pdf-free.html
