Week 2

MAJOR 19 – Campus Journalism

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 Ave Maria College
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT
HEI Unique Institutional Identifier: 09077
MAJOR 19 – CAMPUS JOURNALISM

To my students:

You are now on the 2nd week of this course. Before you start working on the lessons for this week
make sure that you have submitted to your course facilitator the requirements of Week 1.
Read the learning materials below then answer the Weekly Exam 2 and do Activity 2.

At the end of the weekly lessons, you should be able to:

a. Answer correctly at least 85% of the Weekly Exam 2; and
b. Write a personal or profile news story about a particular person based on an interview
conducted.

LESSON 2 – Newsgathering

The secret of good journalism is in newsgathering. You may be a very good writer but if your
facts are all wrong, then you are not a journalist – youare fiction writer.

The amount of data you will need to write your story depends on the type of news article you are
planning to write. If you are writing a straight news story, then you must begin newsgathering by getting
the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, and why) and H (how) from the witnesses of the event. The more in-
depth the story, the more time should be spent on gathering data. In fact, as a rule of thumb, reporters
collect more data than they need for a story. This way, they can be certain that they can explain and
expound well on the idea, issue, or event.

The secret to finding a story is having what journalists call a “nose for news”,which is the
ability to recognize the news value of an idea, event, or issue. A person is said to have a nose for news
when he/she can recognize something that he/she sees or hears as something that would interest a lot of
other people or is something that people need to know about. For example, if the mayor is seen talking
to the principal of the school, this can mean many things: the mayor will sponsor a school event; he is
planning to give funds for a new building; his daughter will be enrolling in the school; or he is simply
visiting all the schools in his municipality.

A person is said to have a nose for news when he/she has the ability to recognize clues which
may be very casual but may lead to the discovery of important news. For example, if a teacher is seen
packing up his things from his office and loading these boxes of his personal stuff in a car, it could mean
that he has been fired from his job and will not be returning.

Also, a person is said to have a nose for news when he/she has the ability to recognize the
connection or impact of some other news on his/her own coverage area. For example, after a typhoon
that hits a certain province or municipality a related story could be the number of people in your school
who come from those places and who were badly affected by it.

A. News Sources
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 News Source is traditionally defined as a person, publication, or document that contributes to the
information needed in reporting an idea, issue, or event. But these sources do not drop out of the sky into
the reporter's lap. Journalists have to diligently seek them out.
To ensure that all events are covered by a newspaper, journalists are usually assigned to news
beats, which represent areas of coverage wherein reporters are expected to gather news of the day's
events. The term is actually borrowed from U.S. police terminology. In the early nineteenth century,
police patrols were given "beats," or areas which the police officers had to patrol to ensure the safety of
that part of the community.
Beats are part of the newspaper's structure to ensure that all important events are covered. Major
beats are identified as: police, city hall, the Congress, justice, and Malacañang (Office of the President).
Other minor beats include: education, agriculture, environment, and health. On the other hand, general-
assignment reporters are those who do not have a specific beat but cover breaking news stories assigned
to them on a daily basis by the paper's editors.

A beat reporter is expected to know the persons who wield power and influence in a specific
area. For example, a police beat reporter should know the heads of the Philippine National Police and
the various police precinct chiefs. A justice beat reporter should know the officials of the Department of
Justice and the justices of the Supreme Court; while the city hall beat means familiarity with the mayor
and other local government officials.

Knowing the names of your potential sources and their responsibilities can save you from going
on a wild goose chase when going after a story. For example, in doing a story on crime statistics in
Manila, the reporter can go directly to the Western Police District headquarters, which is responsible for
the city of Manila, rather than going to the Eastern Police District headquarters, which is responsible for
the Pasig City area.

Apart from high-ranking officials, news sources can include the people who work under them.
These people, while they may not be direct sources of news, can give the reporter tips or valuable
information that can lead to a news story.

a. Tips for effective beat coverage

1. Get to know the organizational structure of the government offices under your beat. For
example, if you are assigned to the police beat, you should know the organizational chart of
the Philippine National Police, the heads of the various divisions, such as the Criminal
Investigation and Detection Group and the Police Community Relations.
2. Make a courtesy call to the heads of each division or department in your beat. This is one
way of familiarizing yourself with your sources and getting them to know you.
3. Keep a little black book of your sources' direct landlines and cell phone numbers.
4. Get to know the stakeholders in the private sector or affiliated non-government
organizations. These can be sources for public reactions on new policies and the like. They
can also be sources for hot issues in the beat.
5. Get to know your colleagues in the beat. In certain situations, it is better to cover an event as
a group than to go and cover an event by yourself.

For a high school paper, beats could actually correspond to sections of the paper. For example, if the
paper has a science section, then there could be a science beat, reporting on the school's science fair.
Other beats could include school administration, student affairs, and sports.

B. Newsgathering Methods
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There are three basic methods of newsgathering: observing, interviewing, and researching.

1. Observation
The best and primary method of newsgathering is by observation. Journalists are expected to be
eyewitnesses of the event, tasked with recording that parcel of history.

A journalist would have to be in Mendiola to report about a rally being staged there. Apart from
observing the placards and banners of the rallyists and listening to their chants, the journalist can do on-
the-spot interviews with the rally's leaders and participants to gain a better understanding of their cause.
The reporter can also observe and gather information regarding the response of government or whatever
entity the rally is being directed against.

In covering a sports event for a high school paper, the reporter should actually attend the intramurals
in order to be able to highlight the interesting and/or unusual aspects of the tournament instead of merely
reporting about who won the games.

2. Interview
When doing a story on an issue rather than an event, the best newsgathering method is the
interview. Interviews provide a quick source of expertise regarding an issue as well as provide insight
into an event. Interviews also add prominence and/or color to a news story or feature.
However, the usefulness of an interview depends on the ability of the journalist to ask questions and
note the respondent's answers. Failure on either point means the failure of the interview in generating a
good story. A formal or one-on-one interview is always the best option because it allows both the
reporter and the source to delve into Specific topic with more calm and greater reflection. It is also more
respectful than the ambush interview method, which often means barging into a source's work or home
environment without prior warning.
a. Tips for effective interviewing

Before the interview

1. Even before setting up an interview, the journalist should do some background research on the
issue or topic of the story to determine: (a) what has already been published, and (b) who are the
most knowledgeable sources on the topic.
2. Once the sources have been determined, set appointments. Ideally, an appointment should be set
at a time when the source is not rushing for a deadline or some other urgent business. It is
customary to give the source an idea of what the interview will be about to allow him to also
prepare for it. However, the journalist should try to avoid giving the source a set of questions in
advance.
3. A set of questions should be drafted before going to the interview. Ideally, these are open-ended
questions to allow the source to expound on the topic. Closed questions, which are answerable
by yes or no, should be avoided. For example, you are interviewing the school principal on a
story on a new policy for school uniforms she had recently announced:

Closed question: Do you think there is a need for a new policy for school uniforms?
Open-ended: Why is there a need for a new policy for school uniforms?

On the day of the interview

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 1. Dress appropriately. If you are interviewing a school official, then it is best to be dressed in
your school uniform, if you have one. If not, dress a little better than you would normally do for
school. For example, instead of wearing a faded T-shirt, try to dress smart by opting for a shirt
with a collar. Wear pants, not shorts or miniskirt. Make sure you have a working ballpoint pen,
small notebook, and a digital voice recorder.
2. Be on time. It is the first impression you will make on the source. When you meet the source
for the first time, make sure to introduce yourself properly and state the purpose of your
interview before proceeding with the interview. Always ask the source's permission before
recording the conversation.
3. Before ending the interview, ask for a moment to review your notes. Check your list of
questions to make sure you have not forgotten to ask anything, Also, check your notes for points
of clarification.
4. Listen carefully to what the source says and look out for nonverbal cues. This will help you
determine if you need to make a follow-up question that is not in your original list. Do not be
overly dependent on your recorder. If for some reason technology fails you, you should have
enough notes to be able to write your story.
5. Even if the source is dull, try to look interested in what he/she is saying. A source may
become unwilling to answer your questions if you look bored or in a hurry (e.g., you keep
checking your watch or looking at your cell phone).
6. Do not antagonize the source. Always ask questions courteously and never argue with the
source even if you disagree with his/her opinion. Remember that you are there to get his/her
side of the issue and not debate with him/her. However, you may try to get his/her reaction to
counterarguments. Going back to the school uniform example, the reporter can ask, "What can
you say about the negative reaction of some parents as regards the new policy?"
7. Instead of a question, you can also see how the source will react to a statement. For
example, say, "Some people say that changing the uniform will be an additional burden to
parents with younger children, since they will no longer be able to pass the elder child's uniform
to his younger siblings."
8. If the source cites a document, such as a statistical study or a policy paper, request for a
copy of the document.
9. End the interview by asking for the person's direct landline/cell phone and permission to
call in case you have additional questions. Make sure to thank the source for the time he/she
has allotted to see you.

After the interview

1. Try to transcribe the interview on the same day so that it is still fresh in your memory.
2. Ideally, the story is also written on the same day or at least a few days later so that the interview
would also be fresh in the source's memory and he/she would be more willing to entertain your
call should you have further questions.

Most stories are better written if they do not depend on a single interview. A balanced story tries to
get both sides of the story, for instance, those who support proposal and those who are against it.
However, the reporter should keep in mind that he/she is after the truth. So, if he/she realizes that one
side is citing false to support their argument, then this should also be "uncovered" in the story.
Journalists usually resort to ambush interviews when a source is elusive. Journalists often do a
stakeout of the source in his/her office or home to get a quote or two, since no appointment could be
made and the interview is essential to the story. Ambush interviews are also common in particular beats
in order to meet daily deadlines. Oftentimes, cabinet secretaries are rarely able to predict their
availability for a sit-down, one-on-one interview.

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 However, a journalist should be able to zero in on important questions since sources will rarely take
the time to go into a lengthy discussion on the issues being asked during an ambush.
Similarly, phone and e-mail interviews should ideally be limited to follow-up questions. A
journalist can never be certain of the veracity of information from this type of interview because of the
absence of nonverbal cues. In an e-mail interview, we are not even sure if it is the person
himself-/herself who answered the e-mail or his/her staff.
Nonetheless, phone and e-mail interviews are useful if the journalist is merely looking for
background information, taking an informal survey regarding an issue, seeking additional opinions for a
story.

3. Research

a. Documents as Source
Documents, with or without an interview to accompany it, can be news sources. Many documents
are available to the public and are easily accessible. For example, Supreme Court decisions are released
by the high court's Public Information Office and this will give a reporter his/her story for the day.
Business stories can also be written from the quarterly release of the National Income Accounts from the
National Statistics Office.
Basic documents in the police beat could range from a copy of the blotter entry to the investigator's
report on the crime.
In school, a policy statement or copy of a memorandum to faculty or students can be the source of
news. The annual report of the school administration, especially for private schools, is also a possible
source for news.
While the document can stand on its own, it is always better to get an extra source to comment on
it. In this way, we do not run the danger of misinterpreting the document and also, we can put greater
context to the data obtained.
An eyewitness or an expert viewpoint can always help us understand you better. Moreover, it is also
not possible to record every detail of something as important as the Gospel, we have St. John admitting,
"But there the world many other things which Jesus did which, if they were written also itself, I think,
would not be able to contain the books that should en"(John the world 21:25) written." (John 21:25)

b. Anonymous Sources
Many news articles rely on the so-called anonymous source, or a source who is not named but
tagged as a source who requested anonymity" or "an unnamed source, or a government source."
As much as possible, the journalist should strive to look for sources who can be named and quoted.
The problem with anonymous sources is that they lack credibility. What assurance does the reader have
that the source is a true person and not the figment of the writer's imagination?
Anonymous sources should only be used when the revelation of the source's identity could mean a
threat to his/her well-being, ranging from the loss of a job to the loss of his/her life. Speaking off the
record implies that the source is willing to share the information to give the journalist a lead as to what is
happening. If the source asks the journalist to keep everything he/she says off the record, it means that
the journalist cannot use this information in his/her story but must seek other more official sources.
The journalist should also realize the gravity of agreeing to protect the identity of his/her source.
Once promised, the journalist should be ready to go to the extreme situation of spending time in jail for
refusing to reveal the source's identity when summoned to reveal it by a court order.

c. Internet Sourcing
In this day and age, the first place anyone goes for information is the Internet. It has become a
global source of information from the weather to medical diagnosis to every student's homework.

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 Unfortunately, not everything on the Internet is factual. Keep in mind that the low cost of
publication on the World Wide Web has brought about a large number of websites that appear to be
informative but are really just falsehood or, worse, malicious pranks. So as not to get duped, efforts
should be made to ensure that the information you have accessed from the Internet is legitimate data.
Assess the credibility of the Internet source, here are some things anyone researching on the
Internet should look out for:
1. Authorship – For ideas and issues, check if the author is an academic, expert in the field, or just
a random blogger. For events, check it the author organizer, an eyewitness, or a random
storyteller online.
2. Publisher – Whopublished the material? Was it a news site, and the "About Us" page will also
help you assess the credibility of the academic journal, a nongovernmental organization, a
personal blog?

The domain of the site can also help identify its publisher. For example, the library of the University
of the Philippines (UP) is <http:/ ilib.upd.edu.ph/>, the domain ".edu" immediately tells you that the site
is indeed an educational institution, the address "ilib.upd" tells you that this is the Internet Library of UP
Diliman.
In any case, a basic knowledge of domains is always useful. What do domains mean?
 . edu = educational institution  .gov = government institution or agency
 .com,.biz, and .net = commercial site  .org = nonprofit organization
Philippine government offices always have the "gov.ph" domain.
Another way of checking a website is by visiting the website called Who Is Hosting This, at
<http://www.whoishostingthis.com/s, If the website claims to be in the Philippines but is hosted by an
unknown company in California, then you need to double-check the authenticity of the site.

1. Date – Is the website current? Is the date of publication indicated? If this is not identifiable, the
information may be false or, at best, outdated.
2. Writing style – Is the writing style journalistic or academic? Is it written in good Filipino or
English? Bad grammar is almost always an indicator of a non-credible website.
3. Tone – Whatis the tone of the website's language? For example, the site US Press News looks
very much like an authentic news site, but the sarcastic or witty tone of the articles should give
the viewer a clear signal that it is not to be believed.
4. Viewpoint – Isthere any sort of bias evident in the website? Is the online article published in a
well-known publication or organization or is it on online magazine (i.e., an online magazine)
from an unknown source? If the article is published in an online version of a well-known
publication, then one can judge the article's credibility based on the reputation of that
organization or publication. Web sites are created for a reason. Most Web sites are upfront
about their raison d’être and the Web researcher should keep this in when using information
from these sites.

KEEP IN MIND

This topic emphasizes the different methods in gathering and ranging from the use of valid sources to
taping interviews to gathering news story that you can make sure that your gathering will actually
work.

Reference: Khan, R. E. (2017). Campus Journalism. Anvil Publishing Inc. Mandaluyong City

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LESSON 3– News Story Structure

The journalistic style of writing begins from the climax or the most important aspect of the story
and ends with the least important detail.
The news story structure is designed in such a way that it answers both the fast delivery of news
demanded by its readers and its fast construction by its producers. That structure is more popularly
known as the "inverted pyramid" format. This format facilitates the work of the editors because the first
paragraph of the story (the lead):(1)guides them in writing the headline; and (2) allows them to easily
shorten the story if there is not enough space in the newspaper. Even in today's digital age, the format is
kept because it also allows readers, who have no time to read the whole story, to get an idea of the news
by simply reading the first two to three paragraphs.
Writing in the inverted pyramid can be a challenging format to anyone who has been drilled in
the English writing form since his/her elementary days. News writing can be confusing for a high school
student since he/her will need a shift in writing will need a shift in paradigm when taking journalism as
an elective.

A. The Lead
All news stories, whether straight news or feature, start with a lead. There are two types of lead:
traditional and alternative. The lead is the first paragraph of the news story and at the same time serves
as its climax. News stories are not suspenseful because the lead immediately tells the reader if someone
has died, has been arrested, or sentenced. If the news story is about a speech, then the lead tells the
reader the gist of the speech.
Traditionally, the lead is expected to answer six (6) basic questions: who, what, where, when, why (5
Ws) and how (H).
These days, the writer is expected to put the best Wor H forward and leave the less important ones
for the succeeding paragraphs. How do we know which is the best Wor Hquestions? Simple! The news
values clue us in. For example, if a story is newsworthy because it involves a prominent person, then
you should opt for a "who" lead. But if the story is significant to a lot of people, then you should use a
"what" lead.

B. Traditional Leads
 Who lead: British Prince William yesterday said he will visit the Philippines in November.
 What lead: The oil price hike will trigger higher food prices, economists from the University of
the Philippines said in a symposium on Tuesday.
 When lead: For the first time in 20 years, a Muslim from Mindanao was nominated as Speaker
of the House of Representatives.
 Where lead:Luneta Park was filled with G-string clad men on Saturday in an effort to raise
awareness of cultural minorities.
 Why lead: Faulty wiring caused the fire that razed a hardware store to the ground yesterday.
 How lead: Using his bare hands to kill the snake, the soldier saved a six-year-old boy from being
bitten.
Apart from giving information, the lead also serves to attract the reader to the story. It would be a
pity if after spending a whole day digging for information, there is no one to read it because the lead is
boring or too long.
An effective lead is a single sentence that contains only one idea. Also, the lead should emphasize
what is most newsworthy; it should highlight the news value. What is the strong point of the story? Is it
prominence or is it oddity? It the protagonist of the story is not a prominent person, the rule of thumb is
simply to identify the person using common elements rather than his name. For example:

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  Weak lead: Juanita de la Cruz, 18, a student of the Far Eastern University, died in a car
accident along North Expressway yesterday.
 Strong lead: An 18-year-old female student of Far Eastern University died in a car accident
along North Expressway yesterday.

The lead also reports the story’s most recent developments. A news story begins narration from the
ending. We do not write that a person held up a restaurant when that person had already been
apprehended, or report that a person was injured when he had already died. To illustrate:
 Weak lead: A McDonald's outlet in Cubao was neld up at around midnight on Tuesday by a lone
gunman.
 Strong lead: A man was arrested by police at dawn Wednesday for allegedly robbing a
McDonald's outlet in Cubao.
 Strong lead: Police arrested a man at dawn yesterday for allegedly robbing a McDonald's outlet
in Cubao.

Lastly, the lead should be action-oriented, telling the readers what the story is and not merely what
the story is about (i.e., its topic). For instance:
 Weak lead: Results of a survey showing Filipinos' perception on government corruption was
released by the Social Weather Station yesterday.
 Strong lead: The Bureau of Customs was deemed the most corrupt by Filipinos, a survey by the
Social Weather Station revealed yesterday.

Watch the video on “Writing the Lead” for additional information by clicking the link

 Writing_the_Lead__Video_Lesson(360p).mp4

C. Alternative Leads

Apart from the traditional Ws and H leads, today's journalists rely on more colorful leads to attract
readers. They are called "alternative" because they sometimes break convention or even rules of
grammar. They are also called "delayed" leads because they only give a "clue" to what the story is about
instead of informing the reader.
The summary of the story is left to the so-called "nut graph," which is found in the second or third
paragraph of the story. The nut graph is similar to the traditional lead, although it is longer and contains
almost all the Ws and H. The term takes its origin from a nut shell (nilagangmani), which you have to
crack open to reveal its contents. Although they may be used for any type of news story, alternative
leads are more often used in news stories that have oddity as its primary news value or in news features.
Some of the more common types of alternative leads are:
 Punch lead - A punch lead is a brief, witty, and sometimes paradoxical statement. Like a good
joke, it is a punch line that catches readers off guard.

Sample lead: Watching television can be deadly.

Nut graph:Joselito D. Cruz, 35, was beaten to death when he changed the television channel
against the wishes of the other patrons at the Lopaluza Bar along Taft Avenue last night.
 Picture or descriptive lead -This type of lead is a vivid word picture of an event. It is usually
used for sidebar stories to big events such as the story on Congressional fashion during the
president's State of the Nation address.

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 Sample lead: Dressed in shiny metallic blouses, the silver jubilarians waved, smiled, and posed
for the cameras during their homecoming festivities at the St. Cecilia's Auditorium on
February8.

 Direct address lead - Violating news writing convention of writing in the third person, this lead
is written using the second person "you," with the aim of targeting specific readers.

Sample lead: If your parents are alumni of this school, then your family may be eligible for the
annual loyalty award.
Nut graph: The Aurora Elementary School Loyalty Award will be given to a family that has
been with the school for at least two generations, Principal Mike Matino announced during the
flag ceremony yesterday.

 Contrast lead - This lead uses the comparison of two conventional extremes, such as black and
white, young and old, rich and poor, healthy and sickly. This is usually used for personality
profiles, but it can be used for crime stories as well.

Sample lead: Forty years ago, he was a fish vendor in Tondo. Today, he is the ninth richest
person in the country.

 Question lead - This lead uses a pertinent question, which at the same time serves as the key
idea of the story. This lead is only effective if the question is phrased in such a way that people
would be interested in its answer.

Sample lead: Is a tuition fee increase really necessary?

Nut graph: A tuition fee increase can be avoided next year, if the school manages to raise P500,
000 from the newspaper drive, Principal Francis B. Ochoa said yesterday.

 Quotation lead - For news stories, this lead uses a succinct remark or a bold statement from a
speech or an interview. For features, this lead may also be culled from historical figures, well-
known literature or even the Bible.

Sample lead for news: "We will win the championships," coachVirgilio Santos confidently
declared yesterday.
Sample lead for features: "What is the truth?" Unlike Pontius Pilate who never waited for an
answer, students of Sister Mary Belle stayed for her Tuesday Catholic Doctrine classes.

 Literary allusion lead - Usually used for features, this lead makes use of famous lines from
popular literature or well-known proverbs. Here is an example of a lead, tweaked from Jane
Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Sample lead: It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good
fortune, must be in want of an investment banker. (Originally, "an investment banker" is "a wife"
from the first line of Jane Austen's Pride and the Prejudice.
Writing the lead is the hardest part of news writing because it is not only an exercise of skill but also
of judgment. Choosing the right lead means choosing the right angle of the story and choosing the best
way of stating it. Thus, most journalists would agree that once the lead has been written, 50 percent of a
story is done.

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 Any event can be written into a news story, from the most mundane to the most unusual. Taking the
nursery rhyme "Jack and Jil1" and making it into a real event, how would the lead be written? For the
sake of the story, let's say that Jack and Jill were siblings, age 9 and 6, and had fallen from one of the
Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Bohol.
The poem:Jack and Jill went up the hill,
to fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown
and Jill came tumbling after.

Traditional: A nine-year-old boy died and his six-year-old sister seriously injured in an accident at
the Chocolate Hills of Bohol yesterday.

Alternative:a. There were no poetry in his death. (Punch lead)

b. Jack and Jill went up the hill to shoot a perfect picture. (Literary allusion lead)

D. The Body

As we noted earlier, the news story takes the shape of an inverted pyramid. The first paragraph
serves to give the story its focus and the rest of the story follows its lead. The first two to three
paragraphs of a news story should only serve to expound on the lead. To illustrate, let us go back to our
earlier example.
Lead:
An 18-year-old female student died in a car accident along North Expressway yesterday.

Second paragraph (identification of the WHO):

The victim was Joan de la Cruz, a pre-law student of the Far Eastern University and daughter of
Court of Appeals Justice Jose de la Cruz.

Third paragraph (expounding the WHAT, WHERE, and WHEN):

She was found dead inside a 1980 Toyota Corola with plate number AUY 340, by a highway
patrolman at around 3 p.m. The car was in a ditch not far from the toll plaza of North
Expressway. Her body was brought to the Valenzuela Memorial Hospital.

Fourth paragraph (expounding on the WHY and HOW):

Annual police reports showed that the brakes of her car malfunctioned, causing ne car to slide
and fall into the ditch. "The brake fluid container was dried up and the brake lining was very
thin," said Police Officer Manuel Reyes of the Valenzuela Police precinct.

Fifth paragraph (adding drama to the story):

Police called the family of the victim and her father came to identify the body. "She was
supposed to follow in my footsteps and be my legal aid," said the teary-eyed Justice de la Cruz.

Sixth paragraph (related, but least important information):

The accident caused a four-hour traffic jam along North Expressway. But traffic was following
smoothly by 8 p.m. after the damaged car had been towed.

The paragraph immediately following the lead should build on the story's focus. In the example
above, the focus was on the eighteen-year-old victim. Thus, the second paragraph was devoted to
identifying who she was.

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 Paragraphs should only contain one major idea. Thus, the Why and the How were separated from the
other Ws to give the story greater clarity. The paragraph that adds drama was also separated from
straightforward facts of the previous paragraphs.
Every paragraph of a news story's should give readers additional information and specific details.
Unlike essays, news stories do not contain topic sentences. For instance:

Essay: The eyewitness managed to get a description of the gunman's car

News: The eyewitness said she saw the gunman escape in a white Honda Civic driven by a woman.

We always say that the paragraphs and sentences should be brief as possible. But we should not end
up with the extreme-that is, sentences and paragraphs becoming too choppy or repetitive.

For instance:

× He stood on a street corner. The wind was blowing. He peered into the darkness. He was a
stranger. He realized that he had no place to go.

√ Standing on a windy street corner and peering into the darkness, the stranger realized that he
had no place to go.

As much as possible, journalistic writing is always in the active voice. Active voice means the
sentence is structured in such a way that shows that "someone did something." This is opposed to the
passive voice, which articulates that "something was done by someone. For example:

× The games were enjoyed by the participants of the two-day conference..

√ The participants enjoyed the games during the two-day conference

In choosing which voice to use, however, is guided by whether you want to emphasize the doer or
the receiver of the action? The passive voice is the better option when the subject is not known or when
the receiver of the action is more important than the actor.

Examples:
The cigarette vendor was attacked and badly beaten while jogging through Rizal Park yesterday.
The new Congress building will be completed in July.

D. The Campus Beat

For a secondary school paper, the most common news stories will be about school policies, student
competitions, changes in personnel, or crime and accident stories within the neighborhood of the school.
A school policy story should contain: the gist of the school policy, the reasons for its issuance, a
statement of the administration, and reactions of those affected.
A student competition story should highlight the winners; unusual, exciting, or unique facts
regarding the competition or the players; and a background on the completion.
Stories about changes in school personnel should be more of a personality feature competition
regarding the newcomer. If significant, a sidebar could also be written about the one weaving. However,
if the newcomer was appointed because of the demise of the former official, then a longer feature may
be written regarding the deceased as a memorial for the school or to events involving a school
constituent.
For a campus paper, crime and accident stories should be limited to the vicinity of him/her.

Campus Journalism22
KEEP IN MIND

 In writing a news story, you can choose a chronological order where you present the key events
in your story as they occurred. One of the three traditional news form is the inverted pyramid.
This is the most popular structure for news stories. The most important material is placed at the
beginning of the story, and less important material follows. Succeeding paragraphs explains and
support the lead.

Reference:
Khan, R. E. (2017). Campus Journalism. Anvil Publishing Inc. Mandaluyong City
Ceciliano, J.C. (2010). Campus Journalism and School Paper Advising. Rex Book Store. Manila,
Philippines

Campus Journalism23
 Ave Maria College
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
HEI Unique Institutional Identifier: 09077
MAJOR 19 – CAMPUS JOURNALISM

Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: _____________

Course &Year Level: ________________________________________ Score: ____________

Weekly Exam 2 – Take the‘Lead’

A. Instruction: Clip one article each from the front page, metro page, and world news of a newspaper.
Analyze each story for the Ws and H and the type of lead it used.

The article on the right was taken from online World Economic Forum newspaper; moreover the
following are the W and H leads from the identified traditional lead.
1. Who Lead- Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 431.4 million globally, according to
Johns Hopkins University. 
2. What Lead- Japan has announced that international travelers showing proof of a Johnson &
Johnson COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed to enter the country and qualify for a shorter time
in quarantine from next month. 
3. When Lead- The Johnson & Johnson shot, which has not been approved in Japan, will join a

Campus Journalism24
 list of three other vaccines that have been approved by regulators as sufficient for non-
residents to enter, after a nearly two-year ban on such travelers.
4. Where Lead- It comes as Johnson & Johnson announced that it is close to a vaccine licensing
deal with South African group Aspen Pharmacare.
5. Why Lead- The number of confirmed deaths has now passed 5.92 million. More than 10.67
billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.
6. How Lead- The European health regulator has recommended approving booster doses of the
Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in adolescents aged 12 and over.

The article on the left was taken from an online metro newspaper website; moreover the following
are the W and H leads from the identified traditional lead.
1. Who Lead- Vladimir Putin has been accused of war crimes after allegedly using devastating
vacuum bombs and cluster munitions during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
2. What Lead- Also known as thermobaric weapons, vacuum bombs suck in oxygen from the
surrounding air to create a more powerful high-temperature explosion capable of vaporising
human bodies.
3. Where Lead- Hong Kong Reports claim TOS-1 rocket launchers capable of firing thermobaric
weapons have been spotted among Russian troops. One Western official said their presence is a
cause for ‘considerable concern’, the Independent reports.
4. Why Lead- Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, told reporters
after meeting with White House lawmakers on Monday that they have been deployed during
the ongoing incursion.
5. How Lead- She said: ‘They used the vacuum bomb today. The devastation that Russia is
trying to inflict on Ukraine is large.’

B. Instruction: Analyze the Ws and H in the following facts and stories. Then write a Traditional and
an Alternative lead for each of the following stories:
1. Pamela V. Cruz, 17, of 3222 Maginhawa Street, UP Village, Quezon City, a senior high school
student at Miriam College, won a Southeast Asian Merit scholarship worth 100,000. She will use
this to enroll in a pre-law course at the University of the Philippines. Five awards were given out,
but she is the only one to win from Philippines. Other winners from Singapore, Malaysia, and
Hong Kong. Dr. Girlie Rodina, Miriam High School principal, said that Pamela has been a
consistent honor student since first year. In grade six, she suffered an attack of polio and has been
confined to a wheelchair ever since.

Traditional Lead:
 Who Lead- Pamela V. Cruz, 17, of 3222 Maginhawa Street, UP Village, Quezon City, a
senior high school student at Miriam College, won a Southeast Asian Merit scholarship worth
100,000.
 What Lead- Five awards were given out, but she is the only one to win from Philippines.
 Where Lead- Other winners from Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.
 When Lead- Dr. Girlie Rodina, Miriam High School principal, said that Pamela has been a
consistent honor student since first year.
 Why Lead- In grade six, she suffered an attack of polio and has been confined to a
wheelchair ever since.
 How Lead- She will use this to enroll in a pre-law course at the University of the
Philippines.

Campus Journalism25
Alternative:
 Punch Lead- Dr. Girlie Rodina, Miriam High School principal, said that Pamela has been a
consistent honor student since first year but in grade six was that she suffered an attack of polio
and has been confined to a wheelchair ever since.

2. A lone gunman got away with 5,700 when he held up a McDonald’s Restaurant along Rizal
Avenue last Wednesday night around 11:45 p.m. According to the Police report, six persons--
four customers and two crew members—were in the restaurant at the time and the gunman asked
them to give him their wallets. He also took all the cash in the cash register. Police Officer 1
Roderick Santos said they are still looking for the gunman. Police have no clear description of
him because he was wearing a red scarf over his face.

Traditional Lead:
 Who Lead- A lone gunman got away with 5,700 when he held up a McDonald’s Restaurant
along Rizal Avenue last Wednesday night around 11:45 p.m.
 What Lead- According to the Police report, six persons-- four customers and two crew
members—were in the restaurant at the time and the gunman asked them to give him their
wallets.
 Where Lead- Police Officer 1 Roderick Santos said they are still looking for the gunman.
 When Lead- McDonald’s Restaurant along Rizal Avenue last Wednesday night around 11:45
p.m.
 Why Lead- He also took all the cash in the cash register.
 How Lead- Police have no clear description of him because he was wearing a red scarf over
his face.

Alternative:
 Punch Lead- A lone gunman got away with 5,700 when he held up a McDonald’s Restaurant
along Rizal Avenue last Wednesday night around 11:45 p.m. According to the Police report, six
persons-- four customers and two crew members—were in the restaurant at the time and the
gunman asked them to give him their wallets. He also took all the cash in the cash register.
Police Officer 1 Roderick Santos said they are still looking for the gunman. Police have no clear
description of him because he was wearing a red scarf over his face.

3. Typhoon Waning, which hit Tuesday last week, caused flood damages to the municipality.
Because of the damages throughout the municipality, school has been suspended by the mayor for
one week. The first-floor classrooms of Santa Ana Public School were also damaged by the flood
but are expected to be fixed by the time school reopens. Instead of extending the school year, the
local school board declared today that schools will have to hold classes on Saturdays of this
month to make up for one week with no classes.

Traditional Lead:
 Who Lead- School has been suspended by the mayor for one week.
 What Lead- Typhoon Waning, which hit Tuesday last week, caused flood damages to the
municipality.
 Where Lead- The first-floor classrooms of Santa Ana Public School were also damaged by the
flood but are expected to be fixed by the time school reopens.
 When Lead- Instead of extending the school year, the local school board declared today that
schools will have to hold classes on Saturdays of this month to make up for one week with no
classes.
 Why Lead- Because of the damages throughout the municipality, school has been suspended
by the mayor for one week.
 How Lead- Instead of extending the school year, the local school board declared today that
Campus Journalism26
 schools will have to hold classes on Saturdays of this month to make up for one week with no
classes.

Alternative:
 Punch Lead- Typhoon Waning, which hit Tuesday last week, caused flood damages to the
municipality. Because of the damages throughout the municipality, school has been suspended
by the mayor for one week. The first-floor classrooms of Santa Ana Public School were also
damaged by the flood but are expected to be fixed by the time school reopens. Instead of
extending the school year, the local school board declared today that schools will have to hold
classes on Saturdays of this month to make up for one week with no classes.

4. “Mr. Alfredo Duque teaches graphic arts. He said that the month of October is a busy one.
Christmas motifs were made for the departments and clubs. Students did the job. In all, 50 motifs
were complicated.”

Traditional Lead:
 Who Lead- Mr. Alfredo Duque teaches graphic arts
 What Lead- The month of October is a busy one
 Where Lead- Christmas motifs were made for the departments and clubs.
 When Lead- He said that the month of October
 Why Lead- He said that the month of October is a busy one.
 How Lead- Christmas motifs were made for the departments and clubs.

Alternative:
 Picture Descriptive Lead- “Mr. Alfredo Duque teaches graphic arts. He said that the month of
October is a busy one. Christmas motifs were made for the departments and clubs. Students did
the job. In all, 50 motifs were complicated.”

5. “A party will be held at the Normal Hall. President Nilo R. Rosas will be the speaker. The PNU
Faculty Association is sponsoring the party. It will be held in honor of Dr. CiriacoTismo who will
be retiring in April.

Traditional Lead:
 Who Lead- President Nilo R. Rosas will be the speaker.
 What Lead-A party will be held at the Normal Hall in honor of Dr. Ciriaco Tismo.
 Where Lead- A party will be held at the Normal Hall.
 When Lead- It will be held in honor of Dr. Ciriaco Tismo who will be retiring in April.
 Why Lead- The PNU Faculty Association is sponsoring the party.
 How Lead-The party will be sponsored by the PNU Faculty Association

Alternative:
 Picture Descriptive Lead- “A party will be held at the Normal Hall. President Nilo R. Rosas will
be the speaker. The PNU Faculty Association is sponsoring the party. It will be held in honor of
Dr. CiriacoTismo who will be retiring in April.”

C. Instruction: Write the different kinds of Alternative leads based on “Covid-19 Pandemic”. Be
Guided by the principles in writing a lead raised in the lesson. Use the table below.
Campus Journalism27
Alternative Leads: Sample Leads
a. Punch Lead Corona virus was a punch in the mouth; as of September 06, 2020; the virus has
claimed to spread 216 countries, areas or territories with the death of 876, 616
humans from 26,763,217 confirmed cases (WHO, 2020), and the number is
increasing rapidly. The geographic distribution of COVID-19 cases, and the
epidemic curve indicating the number of confirmed cases and deaths in different
parts of the world.
b. Picture COVID-19 has manifested itself in a variety of ways, from asymptomatic/mild
Descriptive Lead symptoms to severe disease and death. Fever, cough, and shortness of breath
have been common complaints. Other symptoms have been reported, including
malaise and respiratory distress.
c. Direct Address COVID-19 itself can lead to you a neurological and mental complication,
Lead such as delirium, agitation, and stroke. People with pre-existing mental,
neurological or substance use disorders are also more vulnerable to SARS-
CoV-2 infection ̶ they may stand a higher risk of severe outcomes and even
death.
d. Contrast Lead Difference between COVID 19 and Omicron Variant: Coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most
people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory
illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will
become seriously ill and require medical attention. On the other hand, the
Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been called a variant of concern by WHO
based on the evidence that it has several mutations that may have an impact on
how it behaves. There is consistent evidence that Omicron is spreading
significantly faster than the Delta variant in countries with documented
community transmission, with a doubling time of 2-3 days. The overall risk
related to this new variant remains very high.
e. Question Lead Is dexamethasone a treatment for all COVID-19 patients? Dexamethasone
should be reserved for patients who need it most. It should not be stockpiled. It
provided no improvement for patients with mild symptoms. Dexamethasone is a
corticosteroid used for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive
effects. For some COVID-19 patients on ventilators, a daily 6 mg dose of
dexamethasone for 10 days improved their health.
f. Quotation Lead As Emmanuel Macron, President of France said, "The emergence of new
variants, which degrade the efficacy of some vaccines, only confirms the initial
intuition behind the ACT-A initiative: This pandemic is being fought on a global
scale, to the extent that our own health security depends on the rapid access of
poor countries to protective devices, tests, and vaccines. These are all bulwarks
against the virus. International solidarity and health security go hand in hand,
which is why I have proposed the establishment of a mechanism for sharing doses
with our African partners."
g. Literary allusion Look, we have been on the front lines of all sorts of diseases. New strains of
Lead TB. Hep C. Even bedbugs are blamed on us. This virus doesn’t scare me. The
people out there — the citizens — that’s what scares me, man, all that toilet
paper hoarding and shit.”

Campus Journalism28
 Ave Maria College
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
HEI Unique Institutional Identifier: 09077
MAJOR 19 – CAMPUS JOURNALISM
Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: _____________
Course &Year Level: ________________________________________ Score: ____________

Activity2 – News Story Based on an Interview

Instruction: Find someone whom you look up to because of his or her achievements in life. Set a
schedule for an interview and interview him or her as to how he achieved his or her goals and
everything that relates to her or his success. After which write a 3-paragraph personal or profile news
story about this person based on the information you have gathered, create a catchy title for your news
story as well. Apply what you have learned in lead writing and writing a news story raised in the lessons
this week. You may include photograph of that person you have interviewed in your news story. (you
may use extra sheet of short bond paper for your output.)

The Person Who Became Successful Because He Never Quit on Challenges

1. Who Lead- Herman Daarol Abrinica said, ‘if you want to achieve your dreams, you have to
be workaholic because you can’t attain the success that you’re trying to achieve if you won’t
do something. Do not ever make your socioeconomic status as a hindrance for achieving your
goal, because I am a son of a farmer but I achieved my dream due to the perseverance,
dedication that I possessed, and because of the help of God as well.’
2. What Lead- Herman Daarol Abrinica is currently having the Teacher III position as an
Elementary teacher in Santa Cruz Elementary School and he’s still continuously striving for
his position to rise by studying Masteral Education.
3. Where Lead- Herman Daarol Abrenica graduated at Jose Rizal Memorial State University
(JRMSU) – Tampilisan, Liloy, Z.N. campus obtaining Bachelor of Elementary Education
(BEED) degree.
4. When Lead- After his completion of a 4 years course, he waited for about one year to pass
the board exam and luckily he passed it for the second took. After a few months, he
abruptly got an item in the school which was very near in his house through the help of his
uncle who was a District Supervisor at that time.

Campus Journalism29
5. Why Lead- Due to his outstanding performance in Physical, Social, and Mental ability. He
had able to surpassed the requirement for applying to a better Elementary teacher.
6. How Lead- I obtained the success that I have right now because of my perseverance in my
studies and as well as finding ways to earned money in order to pay my other miscellaneous fees
because I was shy to asked money more often to my parents because of our situation. He’s very
thankful to his parents and as well as to God to because according to him, ‘It is impossible for me
to achieve the success that I have right without the help of my parents and God.”

Campus Journalism30
Campus Journalism31