Journalism research conference draws 300 students and faculty

Three hundred students and faculty from various universities throughout the country attended the 2nd Philippine Journalism Research Conference on March 5 organized by the Department of Journalism of the UP College of Mass Communication.

The attendance is significant not only because it is bigger than last year’s research conference, but also because it shows a growing interest in journalism research as an approach to improving the practice of journalism. Research, as American journalism guru Jay Rosen (2004), said “maps and draws borders around the practice (of journalism) and define what’s within or beyond.”

The highlight of the conference was the launching of the Chit Estella Journalism Research Award named after the late Professor Lourdes Simbulan, and a trustee of Vera Files, an online news organization that practices investigative and long form journalism. All the three awards went to senior journalism students from the UP College of Mass Communication .

The first prize was awarded to Iza Darlene Cay and Vince Alvic Alexis Nonato for their investigative research entitled, “Sino’ng inaakbayan?,” an investigation on how political entities give rise to conflict of interest within the policymaking decisions of Akbayan Citizens’ Action Party.”

The second prize went to Antonio Jose Galauran and Luis Adrian Hidalgo for their investigative research entitled,” Borrowed Home: An exploratory study on the effects of the proposed National Botanical Garden to the lives of the informal settler community in the UP Arboretum.”

The third prize was awarded to Jeanne Camille Hernandez and Mark Conrad Salvador for their research entitled, ”A Comparative Content Analysis of ABS-CBN’s CCTV Patrol and GMA-7’s Hulicam News Segments from June-December 2013.”

The audience unanimously voted Cay and Nonato for the People’s Choice Award.

Three journalism students from the University of Sto. Tomas, Ellora Joselle Cangco, Encar Marie Ilao and Bernadette Nicolas received the Special Award for their research entitled, ”The Effects of Source Diversity in Perceived Credibility and Media Use of the Audience: The Typhoon Stories of Two Broadcast News Programs.” The special citation was given by the Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD) and the Disaster Risk Reduction Network – Philippines.

The participating schools included Ateneo De Zamboanga University, Batangas State University, Bulacan State University, Central Luzon State University, Kalayaan College, Malayan Colleges Laguna, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Mapua Institute of Technology, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, St. Mary’s University Nueva Vizcaya, St. Paul University-Quezon City, St. Dominic College of Asia, University of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines Diliman.

The members of the panel were Prof. Danilo Arao, associate dean, UP-CMC; Dr. Georgina Encanto, former CMC dean and former faculty member of the Journalism department; Prof. Ben Domingo, chair, CHED Technical Panel on Journalism; Prof. Luz Rimban, trustee, Vera Files; and Juan Sarmiento, senior desk editor.

The conference was sponsored by the Philippine STAR, Faber-Castell, Vera Files, CCJD, DDRN-Philippines and the Office of the Chancellor of UP Diliman.