The Special Program in Journalism (SPJ) for Grade 5 learners, as structured by the Department of Education Region II, provides a foundational framework for understanding the nature of news. This curriculum is designed to help student journalists identify news, determine its core characteristics, and differentiate between various news elements. By establishing clear definitions and standards, the program equips learners with the skills to identify what constitutes a reportable event within their school and community.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Definitions of news in campus journalism
Campus journalism identifies news through several professional lenses, each emphasizing different aspects of the reporting process. Cecilia Cruz defines news as a timely and factual narration of past, present, and future events. This definition establishes that news is not limited to what has already occurred; it also encompasses ongoing situations and expected future developments. These narrations are delivered through three primary mediums:
- Oral mediums: Radio broadcasts
- Written mediums: Newspapers, magazines, and other reading materials
- Visual mediums: Television, movies, and online or internet platforms
Additional perspectives provided in the curriculum expand this definition. Soriano (2012) describes news as any oral or written report of an event that happened, is happening, or will happen in the North, East, West, and South (forming the acronym NEWS) that interests the reader. Malinao (2008) observes that news is about events, ideas, or reactions presented factually and simply to give the reader an idea of current happenings, particularly regarding community interests. Estrada and Singh (1987) focus on the significance to the people, while Puig and Flores (2005) define news as information that is significant to a specific set of readers.
Six essential characteristics of news
To maintain professional standards, news must adhere to six specific characteristics. These traits distinguish news from creative writing or personal opinion. The curriculum provides comparative examples to illustrate the correct application of these principles.
Accuracy
Accuracy refers to the total correctness of statements, names, figures, and other data. An accurate report must reflect exact numbers. For instance, if 1,595 pupils participated in an earthquake drill at Malappo Elementary School on March 22, it is incorrect to report that only 1,000 pupils participated or that the event happened in February. Misreporting the name of the school or the specific date violates the principle of accuracy.
Objectivity
Objective news remains free from impartiality and does not take sides. The writer must avoid using descriptive adjectives that reveal personal bias. For example, a report about a School Disaster Risk Reduction Management (SDRRM) team should state the facts of the meeting led by a coordinator. It becomes subjective and incorrect if the writer inserts personal opinions by describing the coordinator as “brilliant and intelligent.”
Factualness
News consists of actual persons and real events with nothing invented. Every detail must be verifiable. If an earthquake drill involved 1,595 pupils at Malappo Elementary School, a report stating that it involved 1,595 teachers at Mabuti Elementary School is factualy incorrect, even if the number of participants matches.
Balance
Balance involves giving proper emphasis to each fact in relation to other facts. It also requires giving attention to both sides of a controversial issue. In a school setting, this means ensuring that a report on an activity focuses on the primary purpose—such as awareness and preparedness—rather than comparing the school to others in the division without cause.
Conciseness
Concise news is short enough to contain only the most important facts. A report should provide the who, what, where, when, and why without unnecessary filler. For example, a concise paragraph details the participation of 1,595 pupils in an earthquake drill on a specific date. It becomes less concise if it repeats information about religious observance or previous preparedness efforts that are not central to the immediate event.
Timeliness
Timeliness refers to the freshness or immediacy of the event. News loses its value if it is reported too late. A story about a 2024 earthquake drill is timely when reported in 2024. Reporting the same event using a memorandum number and date from 2019 makes the story outdated and irrelevant to current readers.
Thirteen elements of news values
Journalists use specific elements, often called news values, to judge whether an event is newsworthy. The SPJ module identifies thirteen elements that determine the value of a story for a particular audience.
| Element | Definition and Examples |
|---|---|
| Prominence | Deals with people, places, or things familiar to the reader. Includes the school principal, the SELG president, or a student who won a national competition. |
| Proximity | The nearness of the event. News about Tuguegarao East Central School is more interesting to its students than news about Palawan Central School. |
| Immediacy | Refers to the timeliness. News about a current Pertussis outbreak is more appealing to current pupils than news about the initial COVID-19 outbreak. |
| Oddity | Unusual deviations from the normal course of events, such as a six-legged “Baby Kalabaw” or a 28-year-old elementary student. |
| Human Interest | Events appealing to emotions, such as an orphan supporting himself at an early age or a grandfather repairing shoes to support eight grandchildren. |
| Conflict | Any disagreement between man and his fellowman, man and nature, or man and himself. Includes wars or sports competitions. |
| Names | Involves newsworthy people like those who pass board examinations or win a contest. |
| Numbers and Statistics | Results of sweepstakes, raffle draws, vital statistics of celebrities, or cases of illness (e.g., COVID-19 positive cases). |
| Romance and Adventure | Stories about love and adventure among celebrities or prominent people that arouse reader interest. |
| Significance | How an event affects the readers, such as new rules imposed by the school administration or results of a science entrance exam. |
| Development | Progress-related items like the construction of new school buildings, bridges, or donated laboratory equipment from alumni. |
| Animals | Unusual animals or those doing extraordinary things, like a dog sent for an errand because its master is sick. |
| Calamity | Stories and photos describing casualties or impacts caused by earthquakes, typhoons, and other natural disasters. |
Organizational roles and sections in school publications
The curriculum also outlines the structure of a school publication, which serves as the primary platform for student journalists. Identifying the correct page for a story is part of the news identification process. Different sections serve distinct purposes:
- Sports Page: Contains stories on basketball games and other athletic competitions.
- Sci-Tech Page: Discusses topics such as the healing properties of plants like Gumamela.
- Features Page: Houses human interest stories, such as the life story of a school utility worker.
- News Page: Contains the banner story or the most important and latest event in the school.
- Nameplate: Displays the name, volume, and issue number of the school paper.
Supporting these sections are specific editorial staff members with defined responsibilities. The Copy Editor checks facts and errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. The Layout Artist assists in the page design of the school paper. The Sports Editor leads the team of writers covering sporting events. The Associate Editor assists the Editor-in-Chief in editing articles, and the Photojournalist takes pictures of events for the publication.
Application of news principles in school reporting
Practical application of these principles is seen in local reports. For instance, a report from Lucena City regarding the transition to limited face-to-face classes due to extreme heat demonstrates several elements. It uses proximity (Lucena City), significance (how it affects students and teachers), and timeliness (starting April 8, 2024). The advisory issued by the School Principal on Facebook ensures that the information is factual and accurate, citing Regional Memorandum No. 233 s. 2024.
Another example is the “Fire Square Roadshow” organized by the Bureau of Fire Protection-Region 2. This report emphasizes development and progress by showcasing the roles of modern firefighters. It also utilizes human interest by quoting SF02 Teresita Yague regarding her satisfaction with pupil participation. The inclusion of specific activities—such as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and the Smoke Control Room Maze—provides the factual detail required for an accurate news story.
In campus journalism, identifying the element of “Oddity” can be as specific as a report on a “six-legged caracalf” born in Barangay Dabba, Peñablanca. While this may not be significant for a national political paper, it holds high news value in a local or school context due to its unusual nature. Similarly, the element of “Names” is applied when a school recognizes an alumna like Teodoro Magalpoc for topping a licensure examination.
Understanding these characteristics and elements allows Grade 5 learners to evaluate information effectively. For example, if a student reads a story about a vehicular accident that only airs the driver’s side and ignores the victim’s side, they can identify that the characteristic of “Balance” is missing. If a story has too many details that obscure the main point, it fails the test of “Conciseness.” These standards ensure that school publications remain a reliable source of information for the student body.
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