3 Reasons Why Campus Journalism is Important

Aside from the fact that campus journalism gives student journalists the opportunity to practice their craft and share their thoughts and insights about certain issues, there are other reasons why it is important.

The Campus Journalism Act of 1999 is An Act Providing for the Development and Promotion of Campus Journalism and for Other Purposes. It was created for several reasons:

- To uphold the freedom of the press at the campus level.

- To promote the development and growth of campus journalism as a means of strengthening ethical values, encouraging critical and creative thinking, and developing moral character and personal discipline of the Filipino youth.

The act is also meant to help students improve technical skills in journalism, understand and practice the responsibilities of a journalist, learn how to be responsible, and promote social awareness. It is also a good venue for advocating educational development, as well as for voicing out students’ rights and promoting their welfare.

Despite the fact that this has long been put into law, there are still some educational institutions that do not follow it. There are several schools – quite a number of them, actually – that do not have school publications or school papers. While they may have their own reasons, these institutions should remember that their priority is the welfare and education of the students. Therefore, anything that can help advance students’ learning should be a major part of the school curriculum.

For those who do not yet understand the value of campus journalism, here are three important reasons why it should be implemented in your school or educational institution.

1. Campus journalism helps student become more aware of what’s happening around them. They learn how to become responsive and proactive citizens at a young age.

Additionally, it helps and trains students to become responsible. Student journalists are taught and trained to practice fairness, balance, and truthfulness.

2. Campus journalism provides students a voice. Student journalists can act as the messengers of the student body. They can talk about issues, policies, and events that are essential to both the student and the school administration.

School publications serve as a venue for students so their message can reach the proper school authorities. Likewise, it is a way of bringing together and uniting the students, the faculty, and the administration.

Also, campus journalism helps students to practice their freedom of expression.

3. Campus journalism helps students improve their skills in communication arts. The student journalists are each given regular tasks – editing, writing, proofreading, and headline writing, among others. As such, they are trained in various fields.

Aside from communication arts, these student journalists are also trained to manage the school paper; something that they can put to good use after they graduate.

The young journalists also learn to delegate and to value teamwork. So campus journalism actually trains them to become well-rounded individuals and members of society.

Schools that have not yet adopted or followed The Campus Journalism Act of 1991 should rethink their plans and start working on organizing a campus journalism program. The benefits are aplenty - for both the students and the institution. Sources: http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1991/ ra_7079_1991.html

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