Campus Journalism – The Flag
It is defined as “that enjoyable activity of the staff of the campus paper in collecting, organizing and presenting news, writing editorials, columns, features, and literary articles, taking pictures, cartooning, copy reading, proofreading, dummying & writing headlines”.
A campus journalist is a person who works in an institution that goes through the process of producing intellectual content in the school. If it’s not produced well, it could disparage either the school or its learning environment in the purpose of a school is to produce knowledge for others, for society. Campus journalism has a role because it assumes a role of critical awareness, critical consciousness.
Aside from the fact that this gives Filipino student journalists a glimpse into the real world, it also helps to create a safe environment where they can tell their stories without fear of judgment or backlash. But what makes Philippine campus journalists capable of rebutting threats and criticism? A study in Manila examines that question by examining the newsroom culture, democratic consciousness, ethical practice, and citizenship among student journalists.
For most of the teachers in Alapan 1 Elementary School, a student journalist is much more than someone who only puts out the news. It has the role of shaping students through critical awareness, critical consciousness, civic and ethical responsibility, and concern for the country.
Campus journalism helps them assess their bias towards what they write. A biased news article may not be reflective of the truth. It becomes an instrument of propaganda by both sides – government and non-government organizations (NGOs). Misleading news could have been corrected if there was a responsible campus journalist around to illuminate it when it happened (De La Torre 2006). At Alapan 1 Elementary School, campus journalism is the place where the school offers the opportunity for better learning beyond regular classroom interactions.
