The Department of Education’s Special Program in Journalism (SPJ) Module for Grade 5 provides a structured framework for the organization of a school publication. According to the reference material from Campus Journalism for the New Generation by Gelly Alkuino, the primary objective of defining specific staff functions is to maximize efficiency while avoiding the overlapping of duties. This organizational model ensures that every article undergoes a disciplined review process from initial fact-gathering to final printing.
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The leadership core and editorial management
The editorial board is led by a hierarchy of editors who manage the direction, quality, and production of the paper. This leadership team coordinates with the school paper adviser to maintain the publication’s standards.
Editor-in-Chief
The Editor-in-Chief (EIC) holds the highest position within the editorial staff. The responsibilities of the EIC include supervising the entire staff and writing editorials after consulting with other board members. A primary function is editing all articles before they are submitted to the school paper adviser for final approval. The EIC also manages page designing in cooperation with the managing editor and layout artist, acts as a liaison between the staff and the adviser, and calls staff meetings in consultation with the adviser. They are responsible for ensuring all assignments are completed properly and on time.
Associate Editor and Managing Editor
The Associate Editor serves as the primary support to the EIC. Their duties involve assisting in article editing and writing editorials when requested. They prepare assignments for section editors and cooperate in page design with the EIC, managing editor, and layout artist.
The Managing Editor focuses on the production and technical aspects of the publication. They are responsible for bringing articles and the paper’s dummy to the printing press for typesetting. Their functions include checking articles for typographical errors, assisting in page design, and proofreading galley proofs before the adviser gives final approval for printing.
Section editors and specialized beats
To manage diverse content, the publication is divided into sections, each managed by an editor who oversees specific reporters and writing assignments.
- News Editor: This staffer assigns reporters to cover events and writes news articles based on assignments from the EIC or their own initiative. They edit all news articles before submission to the EIC.
- Features Editor: Responsible for creative storytelling, this editor gives assignments to feature writers, writes regular feature articles, and edits all feature submissions.
- Sports Editor: This role involves assigning reporters to sports events, writing articles not assigned to others, and editing all sports content.
- Science and Technology Editor: They assign reporters to cover science and technology events, write features and opinions on these topics, and edit all related articles.
Technical and artistic production roles
A school publication requires specialized technical staff to manage the visual and linguistic accuracy of the final product. These roles bridge the gap between written content and the printed page.
| Position | Primary Functions | Key Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Copy Editor | Linguistic and factual accuracy | Checks facts, grammar, spelling, and organization; writes headlines; removes irrelevant material. |
| Layout Artist | Visual design | Helps with page design; prepares editorial cartoons; draws illustrations for features. |
| Photojournalist | Visual documentation | Photographs events; prepares pictorial articles; writes captions; labels and crops photos. |
| Circulation Manager | Distribution | Maintains mailing lists; distributes papers to constituents; files school information like class lists. |
Detailed duties of the Copy Editor
The Copy Editor plays a specific role in the technical preparation of articles. They must improve content by writing effective leads and deleting editorialized materials. Furthermore, they give specific instructions to the typesetter regarding font types, font sizes, and the number of columns and ems to be used. Their work ensures that every article follows the rules of punctuation, usage, and typography.
Detailed duties of the Photojournalist
The Photojournalist must consult with both the managing editor and the EIC when preparing pictorial articles. A specific technical requirement for this role is the labeling of photos. Any labeling, cropping, or enhancement instructions must be written in pencil on the back of the physical picture to ensure proper identification for publication.
Editorial contributors and field staff
The foundation of the paper’s content rests on the Columnists and Reporters who provide the raw material for the editors.
- Columnists: They coordinate with the EIC regarding issues that need to be addressed and write opinions affecting the readers.
- Reporters: These individuals gather the “cold and raw facts” of assigned events and draft articles based on those facts. They must receive assignments from section editors and accomplish them on time.
Aligning student interests with staff roles
The module emphasizes matching student talents to specific positions to ensure the success of the publication. The following mappings are established through various assessment scenarios:
- Students with high English proficiency and an interest in correcting grammar or solving puzzles are best suited for Copy Editor positions.
- Those who enjoy watching games and can remember details without taking notes are ideal for Sports Editor roles.
- Artistic students with an eye for color combinations and a talent for drawing are assigned to be Layout Artists.
- Students who enjoy nature, robotics, or computers are directed toward the Science and Technology Editor position.
- Individuals with leadership skills and an ability to check for errors are considered for the Editor-in-Chief role.
- Students who enjoy capturing events with a camera and are familiar with editing gadgets are suited for Photojournalism.
Standards for quality journalism
The publication staff must observe specific criteria to maintain the quality of the newspaper. These criteria serve as the guiding principles for all editorial staff members:
- Accuracy: Writers must exert effort to print only the truth in all news statements.
- Impartiality: Staff members must treat disputed or controversial subjects with neutrality.
- Responsibility: Writers must protect all rights and privileges guaranteed by law.
- Decency: The board must guard against carelessness, biases, distortion of truth, and immature thinking that does not consider the public interest.
This structured division of labor ensures that no single individual is responsible for the entire publication process. By delineating functions, the editorial board creates a system of checks and balances where reporters gather facts, section editors refine them, and the EIC and Copy Editor provide final layers of scrutiny before production. This workflow mirrors professional newsroom operations and prepares students for the complexities of journalistic reporting and management.
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