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Ateneo de Naga University

Department of Media Studies

The Importance of Having a Journalism Degree Amid the

Emerging Number of Non-Journalism Graduates Working

in the Media

Gonzales, Loen May F.

Taduran, Christian S.

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CHAPTER 1

Introduction

RATIONALE

Journalism in the spurred long before the Martial Law days even started in 1972. Indeed, even during the very familiar Spanish

Colonization era, nascent signs of the Filipinos‘ need to express their grievances and to disseminate information in what appeared to be a country beginning to slide down into passivity on account of the protracted Spanish occupation were prevalent across the Philippines. Of course, there was the historic ―La Solaridad‖ which published hard- hitting, firebrand stories that challenged the rubberstamp Spanish government then in the country. After that, there came the ―Kalayaan‖ that broke the very first commentary ever published in the history of the

Philippines. This first commentary would later be the prototype of several other commentaries in the Philippine newspaper dominant even to this day. All of these were short-lived, however. Although it is indeed impossible to trace back the very first form of information dissemination

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in the Philippines, it is however safe to argue that Philippine journalism at least had its landmark growth during the prohibitive age of foreign occupation, including the imperialist American regime. When the nationalist Filipinos won over the Spaniards, the Americans took over; the backlash on the budding Philippine journalism then was, without doubt, enormous. Quite apart from Spain‘s outright extra-legal practice of prohibiting anti-Spanish journalistic and literary works, the Americans did it legally by enacting laws that discouraged, if not entirely stopped the editorialist nature of the Philippine newspaper. Freedom of the press would eventually be at the Filipinos‘ disposal, several years later, right in the aftermath of the legendary ouster of Dictator Ferdinand Emmanuel

Edralin Marcos in February of 1986.

Today, Philippine journalism has obviously reached its peak. This research will, however, focus on local newspapers only. With the multitude of newspapers sprouting in every corner of the country, literally and figuratively, the demand for journalists has likewise flourished. This might be the reason why the executive board in every newspaper company has since hired the help of non-journalism graduates in the field. Veteran journalist and Former CNN Jakarta

Bureau Chief Maria Ressa was taking a pre-medical track in Princeton

University when she started her journalistic career in Asia.

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Despite the number of schools here in the Philippines that offer four- year journalism degrees, scores of journalists today in the media graduated with degrees not actually related to the field they are working on—a number of them being educated in journalism by the actual experience as apprentice staffers in certain newspapers. As a result, this questions the importance of attending formal journalism classes in universities for more or less four years. Furthermore, this places the very foundation of those currently enrolled in journalism courses on a very shaky foothold.

This is the reality in the modern media that the researchers have observed today. In connection to such reality, this research will focus on the importance of the journalism degree to the actual field. The researchers, with the help of the local media experts, hope to bolster and reinforce the need for aspiring journalists to pursue a journalism degree if they ever plan to land a job on certain newspapers.

This research, citing ―actional realism‖ as its guiding ontological paradigm, also dawns on the choice of graduates—whether by need or by want—to pursue a career in journalism regardless of their college degree.

Apart from the fact that they need to get a job related to the course they

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took in college, they also have the choice to work according to their environment. This could be the lack of job opportunities for them or that reporting is truly their passion from the very start. On a constructivist setting, on the one hand, this research will not be dwelling on empirical data but more on the interpretation and analyses by some veteran journalists. Therefore, the research will be more or less theoretical and descriptive in nature.

In the end, this will basically juxtapose journalism and non- journalism graduates and explain how mere journalistic skill can outweigh a degree in journalism. At best, it will explain why many of veteran journalists today who either took up other college courses unrelated to journalism before or did not finish college entirely still can compete with journalists who had degrees in journalism. But at the very most, this will push journalism students not to rely on a simple degree in journalism but gather even better knowledge and experiences that cannot be learned within the four walls of the classroom.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

With the emerging number of non-journalism graduates working as professional journalists in the field of media, the researchers came up

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with this study which aims to know the significance of journalism as a course. Specifically, the study attempts to answer the following questions:

1. How can someone be considered as a journalist?

2. What are the exact qualifications the executive boards are

looking for from aspiring journalists for them to be hired?

3. What are the skills necessary for non-journalism graduates for

them to become a journalist?

4. What is the edge of journalism graduates over non-journalism

graduates as they go over their journalistic endeavors?

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to know the importance of a bachelor‘s degree in journalism in the midst of non-journalism graduates working as professional journalists in the field of media. Specifically, this study attempts to know the following:

1. The standards of being a journalist.

2. The exact qualifications the executive boards are looking for

from aspiring journalists for them to be hired.

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3. The skills necessary for non-journalism graduates to become a

journalist.

4. The edge of journalism graduates over non-journalism

graduates as they go over their journalistic endeavors.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will benefit the field of media, specifically journalism.

Furthermore, this can be of help to:

Journalism aspirants – High school students, journalism undergrads, journalism degree holders, non-degree holders and non-journalism graduates who dream to be journalists. This study will aid them to make wise decisions as they pursue their journalistic endeavors. This study will further answer their queries on the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing a degree in journalism and whether journalism is still a worthwhile course.

Journalism practitioners – People who are in the media, specifically in print, such as the editors, columnists and researchers. This study will be beneficial to them as this research may be a subject of interest to the editors or the executive board, to be a reference as they hire journalists.

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Columnists and other non-executives may refer to this research in assessing the edge of journalism graduates over non-journalism graduates and vice versa.

Academes – Colleges, universities and other educational institutions that offer courses in journalism. This study will be beneficial to academes as it may lead an improvement on the standards of journalism as a course.

This research may provoke the academe to take a look at the future of their students and realize the unfairness of career opportunities landing on the same position as other journalism aspirants who hadn‘t gone formal education in journalism.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

This research study is concerned with the importance of taking a college degree in journalism to the actual field. This study will be conducted in Ateneo de Naga University for the 1st semester of academic year 2012-2013.

Out of all the types of mass media: print; outdoor and; electronic, the researchers chose not to include all three types but to only focus on print media. Furthermore, although the researchers wish to analyze and

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interpret the nationwide pattern created by the reportorial abilities of journalism and non-journalism graduates today, they will only limit the research on newspapers making the rounds within .

However, on the interpretation and analysis by veteran journalists, the researchers‘ interviewees will not be restricted within the local scene.

The researchers may therefore ask for opinion from journalists in national newspapers such as the Philippine Daily Inquirer,

BusinessWorld, Philippine Star, among others.

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CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature and Studies

RELATED LITERATURE

The importance of journalism and the media at this age and period of democracy is undeniable. In a democratic equation, there are three types of identities: the politicians, the public, and the publication. The three elite ‖Ps‖ of the democratic process which, through their correlation with each other, make modern democracy unique compared to other political philosophies (djussila, 2009).

Having such impact in the face of democracy, a career in media, specifically journalism, is sought after by many aspirants. These aspirants go over decision-making: to jump over a career in journalism with pure luck, backboned with courage and innate skills, or risk money and time and go for a degree in journalism.

Journalism is a job, not a profession, because a profession requires certain criterion for admitting people into the profession, and on the same note, expelling undesired people out; and a job only requires being hired by an employer. Earning colleagues‘ respect or not would not kick

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you out from being a journalist (Bernstein, 2009). Journalism has always been a craft—in rare moments an art—but never a profession. It depends too much on the perception, skill, empathy and honesty of the practitioner rather than on the acquisition of technical knowledge and skills (Smith, 1970). It does not require formal education. Thus, journalism is considered by some as a vocational course and not a worthwhile degree.

In the Philippines, where the basic education curriculum, which was followed since time immemorial and had just been amended this present year, is not enough to give you a decent job, therefore a college degree is given stress on. A diploma is considered as a ticket to the future

(Gonzales, 2009). The value of a college degree is as important as ones gate pass to success. But how can a journalism aspirant, with no enough money to waste on an unsure path be in the best track towards the job he or she dreams of?

Cons of a Journalism Degree

As much as aspirants would want to be in the limelight, quite a number of disparaging comments against going for a diploma in journalism because of practicality make them think twice.

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As late as the 1950s, more than half of all reporters lacked a college degree (Smith, 1970). Many in the news business will tell you that the basic skills of reporting, writing, and interviewing are best learned not in a classroom but by covering real stories for the college newspaper. That's how many journalists learned their craft, and in fact, some of the biggest stars in the business never took a journalism course in their life (Rogers).

Topping the Daily Beast‘s 20 Most Useless Degrees is Journalism

(2011). While landing a job as a journalist is definitely tougher than it‘s ever been, it is possible. A degree does not entitle you to a job, but hard- work might (Prentice, 2011).

Past employers knew that journalists with one of the trade qualifications would have the basic competencies of the trade, while those without qualifications would lose nothing but a little dignity by trying to become journalists. And if they were good, they would make it.

The same still holds true—but the qualified and the hopeful have now been joined by the journalism graduates, plenty of whom will have passed through courses defined as suitable for the job by no one but their directors. And a significant number of them have been conned by their institutions (Hann, 2001).

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Sarah Lacy (2009), in her article ―Who the Hell is Enrolling in

Journalism School Right Now?‖ at TechCrunch.com hastily undermined journalism schools. Lacy is an award-winning author, 15-year reporter, senior editor at TechCruch.com and the founder of the news site

PandoDaily who hadn‘t gone to a journalism school and became a journalist through getting a job at a weekly business journal. She talks about her personal journey and compares it with her friend who had gone into a Journalism school but is no longer in the field, unlike her.

Foot-binding, as she described Journalism schools, she breaks conventional journalism by having her own style.

International Journalist Network (Ijnet.org) posted a question, ―Is the journalism degree becoming obsolete?‖ Nine out of fourteen commenters agreed that journalism is not an important degree. Comments have it that a journalism degree was never a requirement and they rather take other majors to specialize in a certain field, and then jump into journalism.

Pros of a Journalism Degree

Amidst the pessimism brought by which certain people call practicality, people, especially those who had gone from Journalism schools would encourage a degree.

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According to Rachel Dheal, some of the biggest perks of journalism school are the connections it offers. While learning invaluable skills about what journalism is and how to craft and report stories, you‘ll meet professors who likely have strong ties in the media world. The other big plus of journalism school is that, while it‘s not required for entry level jobs, many employers nonetheless like seeing it on a resume. Another advantage of journalism school is that it gives you on-the-job experience that‘s hard to get anywhere else.

Prentice is incorrect in saying that all journalism school grads would say their degree was a waste. A journalism degree is in no way useless.

Kate Stemsteff, an environmental reporter, said that her degree allowed her to get where she is. Julieanne Pepitone, staff reporter, stated that her internships and experiences for class assignments let her train to be in the real world. All of the other reporters agreed that nothing quite takes the place of actually working in a newsroom. But they also all said the skills you learn studying journalism gives you an edge (Zack, 2011).

It is not just about the advantage of learning and having the edge over non-journalism graduates through alumni connections and internships with big newspapers. The society has never had more urgent need of reporters with advanced academic, professional and technical skills.

Serious journalism is the lifeblood of democracy. It keeps powerful

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institutions under pressure to be honest and informs popular choice on crucial issues (Luckhurst, 2009).

RELATED STUDIES

The question on the importance of a college degree in journalism lingers. In a book by a long-time journalist Peter Lawrence entitled, ―The

Complete Journalist,‖ a guide for beginning journalists, he reiterated what editors and executives want from aspiring journalists. He mentioned that, according to statistics, a majority of all graduates want a job in the media. Indeed, with a competition this big, ―it pays to ensure that you stand out from the crowd.‖

Lawrence enumerated what editors look out for: ―a commitment to career in journalism‖; ―self-confidence that stops way short of arrogance‖ and; ―an eagerness to learn and a keenness to help and get involved.‖ It is further stated that one of the things that augur well for commitment to a journalistic career is the degree in journalism or media studies. But he backpedalled, saying that a journalism degree does not impress an editor as much as skill and dedication do. He added that editors tend to think twice about the worth of a journalism degree because journalism

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students are likely to have been bombarded with more theories than practice.

Lawrence furthered: ―But unless the degree includes a certificate to say you have got your shorthand speed to (ideally) 100 words per minute, a thorough grounding in media law and court reporting, a basic understanding of local and central government and proof that you know how to construct a news story, a degree in journalism or media studies is unlikely to lead to a job.‖

Yet, a great deal of training happens within universities and universities in United States (Irby, Bird, English, & Cuillier, 2007). That was what has been stated in the book, ―Reporting That Matters: Public

Affairs Coverage.‖ Also stated in the book is that journalism is the profession that does not require training unlike medicine and law. To be a journalist in United States simply requires an ―assertion‖ to be one; neither permit nor license is necessary (Koppel, 2000). Today, editors often favor the generalists—journalists who can take pictures and write stories (Irby et al., 2007).

Meanwhile, a March 2008 undergraduate study by Ateneo de Naga

University journalism graduates Rossan Charmaine Agura, Diellyn Lirag, and Ramir Vincent Mannog entitled, ―The Journalist‘s Code of Ethics

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And The Banner Stories of Bicol Mail and Bikol Reporter In The Year

2006 And 2007,‖ is one way or another also related to the research at hand, specifically with regards to the methodology used by the said researchers to analyze their study. They accordingly applied Philip

Mayring‘s method of focusing on qualitative content analysis; formally called thus far as the Inductive Category Development Procedure.

Agura, Lirag, and Ramir tried to find out if Bicol Mail and Bikol

Reporter, newspapers of Camarines Sur, had broken certain code of ethics from 2006 to 2007. After juxtaposing the banner stories from both local newspapers with the Journalist‘s Code of Ethics formulated by the

Philippine Press Institute and the National Press Club, it turned out that

Bicol Mail and Bikol Reporter accumulated 145 and 246 ethics violations, respectively.

Likewise, the study, ―‗Blogs of War‘: Weblogs as News‖ presented by

Melissa Wall in 2005 shares the same essence of methodology, although not directly stated as the methodology devised by Mayring. Wall explained that she used the ―theoretical sampling‖ to interpret and analyze her study qualitatively. This type of sampling, according to her, is the process of gathering cases that epitomized a certain phenomenon to assess topic of the research (Altheide, 1996). She furthered that there is no exact number of cases to take up; in this kind of sampling, Wall

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stopped interpreting cases the moment she deemed the gathered cases have already been enough. This sampling uses ethnographic fieldwork so that a phenomenon is understood rather than observed objectively

(Altheide, 1996).

Using this method, Waller interpreted the rise of warblogs during the

US-Iraq war in spring of 2003. She concluded that blogs in general, following the accession of the digital world, are a new genre of journalism with their own elements which are in contrast with those of the traditional news stories.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The media is the industry of mass communication. It, as the industry, can be anything from print, broadcast, or online. These media forms are also the institutions that vet out aspiring journalists and send them harrowing into the field of journalism to cover events and issues. College students taking up four-year courses on journalism and other courses related to media in respectable schools go directly to these institutions, hoping to land a job on any of these media institutions. In light of this research‘s topic, it would be crucial to separate the two types of aspiring journalists: these applicants would eventually be the journalism students

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as well as the non-journalism students, including those who have not even finished their degrees, competing for the job; hence, the simplistic conceptual framework which would later be presented.

As noted above in Chapter 1, this research would largely be theoretical and descriptive in nature as it seeks to understand and analyze the present situation happening in certain media institutions— that is, the rising number of non-journalism graduates working as media practitioners. In a nutshell, it sees to it that the qualitative element of the problem be understood more than it tries to measure the quantity of the issue at hand. It is for this very reason that the researchers chose to analyze the issue through the lenses of the media practitioners themselves.

Among the seven traditions in the field of communication devised by

University of Colorado communication professor Robert Craig, the

Phenomenological Tradition strikes right at the heart of this research.

According to him, knowledge and information can be best drawn from the people who have and are currently immersing themselves in the field.

Furthermore, it is the analysis of ideas from the vantage point of the people experiencing such problems and thus banks more on the experiences of each person (Griffin, 2008). In the book ―A First Look at

Communication Theory‖ by Em Griffin, he said that ―for the

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phenomenologist, an individual‘s story is more important, and more authoritative, than any research hypothesis or communication axiom.‖

In this case, analysis on the importance of a journalism course in actual journalism depends on the media practitioners, within the ranks of the executive boards or news executives as they are popularly called, in local newspapers here in Camarines Sur. Likewise, south Luzon

Correspondents working in national newspapers deemed worthy to elaborate on the topic will be interviewed. More importantly, this theory also suggests that the likelihood of being accepted into the world of journalism lies mercifully on the aptitude of the journalists in the making. The journalistic skill in this context is at one time or another associated to the years of first-hand experience of journalists in the field such as writing for certain community publications in their younger years.

The theory of Cultural Approach to Organizations by Clifford Geertz and Michael Pacanowsky is also considerably related to the research.

This theory aims to understand various organizations by the reading a wide array of cultural factors that define them. Media institutions, being organizations in their own right, have a set of culture stencilled to their systems as well. What is more, this theory also analyzes a certain organization through every aspect of the organization.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

HYPOTHESIS ASSUMPTION

1. This study assumes that there is a significant difference between

journalism aspirants who hold a college degree in journalism and

those who do not have as they go about their journalistic endeavors.

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2. Journalism graduates have an edge over non-journalism graduates

in terms of education, ethics, and technicalities.

3. This study presupposes that there is importance in pursuing a

college degree in journalism amidst the emerging number of non-

journalism graduates working in the media.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

College Degree – a four to five year course taken up in an institution offering such higher education which leads to a professional career in a specific field of endeavor

Journalism – as a course, it is the field of study in which aspirants are trained to be professional journalists; as a profession, it is the actual practice of reportage of current events and issues that shape the truths in a society

Non-journalism Graduates – Graduates of courses which are not related to journalism, high school graduates or non-graduates

Media – the industry of information dissemination which publishes stories that shape public opinion

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Journalism Aspirants - High school students, journalism undergrads, journalism degree holders, non-degree holders and non-journalism graduates who want to work in the field of journalism

Journalist – a person who gathers first-hand information and writes about them for a publication such as newspapers and magazines at a regular interval

Executive Board – Group of individuals within the newspaper company composed of editor-in-chief, associate editor and the managing editor that has the authority to employ applicants as their staff

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CHAPTER 3

Methodology

RESEARCH DESIGN

This research is qualitative. A qualitative approach to a research means an assessment of the phenomenon by way of direct and personal interaction with an individual or individuals. As a result, a qualitative approach covers only a smaller number of respondents if compared to a quantitative approach, but it would amass greater, narrower, and even more in-depth information just the same as to why a certain phenomenon happens to a particular group of individuals (Hancock,

1998). Collection of necessary information in a qualitative research is therefore protracted or time-consuming since interviews, focus groups, and observation are difficult to use as means to gather insights.

The design of this research is the Grounded Theory by Glacer and

Strauss (1967) wherein researchers use a phenomenon to create new theories or knowledge about it. Researchers take a phenomenon which is relatively known but with little or no study delineating its depth, then they build up theories and new knowledge upon the collection of information after trying to understand that certain phenomenon. In a

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nutshell, the theory would be based or ―grounded‖ on the data or information gathered; hence, the name.

According to Hancock, one example of the theory is the very familiar grief process. He said: ―This is not a new phenomenon, people have going through these stages for as long as society has existed, but the research formally acknowledged and described the experience. Now we use our knowledge of the grief process, new knowledge derived from grounded theory, to understand the experience of bereavement and to help the bereaved to come to terms with their loss. We recognise when a person is having difficulty coming to terms with loss because we use the knowledge to recognise signs of ‗abnormal‘ grief and can offer help.‖

New theories start to unfurl as data collection through interviews or observation build up. As the researchers delve deeper into the phenomenon, they begin to gather ―raw information‖ to be used in mixing up the theories necessary for the understanding of the said phenomenon.

The researchers also begin to connect the dots, test the hypotheses, and interpret the relationship between variables, which then lead to the creation of new theories.

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RESEARCH METHOD

Following the descriptive and theoretical nature of this research, gathering of necessary and key information will be done solely with the help of first-hand interviews with media executives of chosen local newspapers. The researchers believe that in order to understand, evaluate, and assess the problematic scenario, they will have to look into the experiences of the said media highflyers themselves, as mentioned earlier in the theoretical framework.

Interviewing is one of the three types of information gathering under a qualitative research design. There are three types of interviews: highly structured, semi structured, and unstructured (Hancock, 2002). A highly structured interview is characterized by posting very objective questions, almost akin to a questionnaire, in such a way that the responses can be very restricted; these same questions will be given to each interviewee as well. A semi structured interview, on the one hand, is asking a set of open-ended questions rather than objective ones, is open to unexpected responses, and the interviewers are free to follow a new line of topic whenever necessary. Quite similarly, unstructured interviews involves very little or no structure at all. The interviewers will only prepare a broad question or two; the following ones will be highly dependent on how the interviewee will answer the said questions.

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This research will take up a semi structured kind of interview. After all, a qualitative research should either be semi structured or unstructured because an interview that is too tight and restricted will prove detrimental to further exploration of the phenomena being investigated (Hancock, 2002). Moreover, a semi structured interview will be most effective if the researchers or interviewers have already identified the major points they need to raise.

Guided by the Phenomenological Tradition, there is nothing more enlightening than the impression and experiences of media practitioners.

A semi structured interview will give the researchers enough leeway to ask further questions outside the boundaries of a largely objective questionnaire that will shed light on the aforementioned journalistic setting. Apart from that, interviews also cover answers in areas that no questionnaire can ever reach, develop interviewer-interviewee relationship and that the researchers can be flexible with the interviewees as far as questions are concerned, further inciting even more in-depth response to the questions. By taking into consideration each personal account of these media executives, the researchers can fully provide a full-blown assessment of the current problem and thus a multi-sectored solution to such problem.

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Indeed, these interviews will be more on measuring the problem qualitatively rather than quantitatively. Furthermore, these interviews, albeit they will follow a specific scientific process, will largely be conversing rather informally and not with a final set of objective questions; follow-up questions not included within the final set of questions will be asked if deemed necessary by the researchers.

AREA/RESPONDENT PROFILE

This research will be gathering data from journalists working in the field, who is the perfect claimant to talk in the field of this study.

Specifically, this research‘s respondents will be people in the executive board to answer the queries posted in this study.

As mentioned in Chapter 1, this research will focus on newspapers here in Naga City. Geographically, Naga City has a total land area of

8,448 hectares and is located within the province of Camarines Sur. To the north are and Magarao which border the city. It is likewise bordered by Mt. Isarog and Pili on the East, Camaligan on the west and

Milaor down south.

There are three types of media thriving in Naga City: Television,

Radio, and Print. For Television stations: Bicol Broadcasting System,

DZGB-TV PBN Broadcasting Network (TV5), GMA Network, Inc., National

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Broadcasting Network, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, Associated

Broadcasting Company (TV5), (ABS-CBN), DWNQ-TV

(Sonshine Media Network International, GMA News TV, Radio Mindanao

Network, and Global News Network.

For FM Radio Stations: DZTR 89.5 Ateneo de Naga University Radio:

The Beat 895 (Manila Broadcasting Company), DWMY 90.3 Star FM,

DWNX 91.1 DWNX ( Inc.), DWAC 93.5 MOR

For Life! (ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation), DWQJ 95.1 Home Radio

(Aliw Broadcasting Corporation), DZRB 95.9 WAV FM (Southern

Broadcasting Network), DWOK 97.5 OK FM (PBN Broadcasting Network),

DWRV 98.3 The Mother's Touch (Radio Cartias Network), DWYN 99.1

Love Radio (Manila Broadcasting Company), DWEB 99.9 WEB (Filipinas

Broadcasting Network), DWQW 101.5 Campus Radio (GMA Network

Inc.), DWOS 103.1 Magic FM (Century Broadcasting Network), DWQN

104.7 Power Radio (Caceres Broadcasting Corporation), and DWBQ

106.3 Energy FM (Ultrasonic Broadcasting System, Inc.).

For AM Radio Stations: DWRB 567 Radyo ng Bayan (Philippine

Broadcasting Service), DWLV 603 Bicol Broadcasting System, DWRN

657 Radyo Pilipino (Radio Pilipino Corporation), DZLW 711 Peñafrancia

Broadcasting Corporation, DZGE 855 Radyo Numero Uno(Filipinas

Broadcasting Network), DWAR 891 Radyo Oragon (Caceres Broadcasting

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Corporation), DZRH 981 Manila Broadcasting Company (Naga), and

DZNG 1044 .

For Internet Radio stations: Zone FM Naga (KZ Multimedia Services,

Inc.), Cool 96.7 (Cool Radio Network Philippines), and Power Tambayan

92.3 FM Naga City (Independent Radio).

For newspaper: Bicol Mail, Kaiba News and Features, Bikol Reporter,

Vox Bikol, and Bicol Herald.

Although there are five newspapers operating in Naga City, this research will however only take two newspapers into study. These include, Bicol Mail and Bikol Reporter.

Both Bikol Reporter and Bicol Mail have regular circulation. Bicol

Mail is a weekly publication that distributes 2500 copies of an issue to four provinces and six cities in the . It also has its website

(www.bicolmail.com) which helps in the promotion of the newspaper as well as publishing articles online.

Also, journalism practitioners, including those who are graduates and non-graduates of journalism will be asked for further sharing so as to give this research an actual view of the comparison between the

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journalism graduates and non-journalism graduates who were once aspirants and now in the practice of the craft.

METHOD FOR DATA GATHERING

The semi-structured interview method will be the means to gather the needed information to answer the questions posted by this research. The researchers have decided upon this method for data gathering since the needed information to comply with the query raised requires a direct interaction with the respondents of this research.

The researchers hope to achieve a smooth and at the same time, a fair flow of the interview. With this, recording the interview via voice recorder and minimizing on the spot note-taking will be applied as a part of the method. By this approach, the interviewer will be able to concentrate on listening and responding to the interviewee, thus, obtaining a smooth flow in the exchange of questions and answers between the two. Note- taking increases the risk of bias between both the parties because the interviewer will most likely make notes upon answers with immediate sense, at the same time, interviewees may feel inhibited upon this, they may wonder what part of what they said drawn particular interest

(Hancock, 1998).

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METHOD FOR DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

After all the interviews are done and recorded, the researchers opt to transcribe the data into written form than just merely listening to the recorded interview. In transcribing the data, the researchers will take into consideration keen details such as the tone and the level of certainty of the interviewees as they go on from a question to another until the interview progresses and ends.

To analyze transcribed data, the researchers will be mainly using content analysis. This tool analyzes the manifestation, significance and relationships of words in the interviewees‘ answers. With the aid of such, the researchers will be able to explore not just the superficial answers, but also in-depth structures within the answers of the respondents. With the use of summative content analysis, data will be studied with regards to the frequency an information is mentioned and the comparisons among the contents in each interview.

Quasi-statistics looks at how many times a data has been mentioned.

In this research, the researchers will determine the standard skills and qualifications needed to become a journalist through the enumerations that may be mentioned by the interviewees.

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Hermeneutical analysis will also be used to answer the first and last questions posted in the statement of the problem: the considerations to be a journalist and the edge of journalism graduates over non-journalism graduates as they go over their journalistic endeavors. This kind of analysis, wherein the objectivity of words is set aside for a while to give way to a deeper analysis of where the respondent is coming from because they are actually telling their own stories, which gives a subjective view of things, will be used because the respondents narrative may vary at different degrees since they are, at some point, assessing themselves.

Thus, constructivism, the theory in which this research lies, is well defined at this point. Furthermore, this analysis considers the biases that may be fed by the respondents since they may talk not just in behalf of the general picture, but also in behalf of themselves, who by nature is the core subject of the study.

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CHAPTER 4: NARRATIVES

Narrative: […] Niola, Non-journo grad

Niola finds journalism schools as important because classes in journalism teach students the discipline and ethics necessary in working in the field. For him, there are certain parameters in journalism which journalists will have to work within and that which they cannot cross over. This is where journalism schools can gain the upperhand because only in schools are students truly formed and molded by the ethics taught to them. But for him, not everything is taught in schools nonetheless. While ethics and discipline are necessary in journalism, how you “psychologise” with what your readers and audience want to know proves to be equally important. More than that, he also hints on the importance of practice and experience, which he calls “street journalism,” pertaining to the fieldwork done by practicing journalists on the streets. He recalls his college years when he joined the university newspaper of Naga College, The Naga Collegian, as an editor and DWRN, a radio station, as a field reporter to help him with the finances in college. According to him, he does not regret taking a different course in college as these experiences, and the seminars he has been attending at the moment as a member of Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, have earned him enough knowledge in news reporting to jumpstart his career in journalism. He says he may not have the basic skills taught in journalism schools, but he sure does know where to tickle the fancy of his readers and audience.

Narrative: Jose Perez, Executive Board

As an Editor in Chief of a thriving local newspaper, Bicol Mail, Perez sees the importance of formal education in journalism. Perez said that a “journalism degree is important because it is only then that you can call yourself a professional journalist because you have a diploma to show it.” Furthermore, if an applicant is a journalism graduate, the executive board of any newspaper company can be sure that the applicant truly has knowledge of the nuts and bolts of journalism because they have been molded in school for many years. But he says that among the applicants and journalists he had encountered, most of them acquired more knowledge in journalism from outside the school, on the streets, rather than inside the school. He also shares that what he does is to look at the product or the articles of the applicant first before he looks at the educational background. If the product is good, he says that the executive board can send the applicant to the field regardless of the educational background. In human enterprises such as newspapers, he says that skill is over and above other things; skills can offset an applicant’s lack in credentials. He cites veteran journalist and columnist Conrado de Quiros who did not even finish college in Ateneo de Manila University.

For him, a journalist is one who “dedicates himself to putting into records the stories of today and make comments about it. . . a journalist is a keeper of history taking place in the present tense.” He says that a journalist should have the necessary technical skills in writing a story and the character to go with it. Character helps a journalist build himself a credible reputation.

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Narrative: Mr. Eduardo Yu, Bikol Reporter EIC

For Bikol Reporter’s Editor-in-Chief, a journalist is someone who has been writing news for quite a reasonable period of time, so as his writing can be considered as his living. Consistency in published articles and by-lines is also a basis for regarding one’s self as a journalist. Yu has been in his post for more or less five years. Being the EIC of a paper composed of contributory columns and news, he chooses articles to be published with regards to the paper’s quality and the writer’s articulateness and the choice of topic where a good percentage of readerships rely.

In the local scenario, he points out the lack of journalism graduates in the field of media. With this, he says that people need not to be a graduate of journalism to write. Even holding a diploma does not guarantee a smooth land to a job as a journalist. He says, though, that journalism schools are essential for they give avenues to train aspiring journalists academically through theories and field works. While non-degree holders of journalism may be misled of the ideals and may lack a comprehensive grasp of how it is becoming a journalist, until he/she becomes one; a degree-holder in journalism would have advantages because of the years in training as he/she is in the course.

Mr. Yu reminds the role of the press as the fourth estate and as one of the influences of public opinion. With this, he gives weight on the importance of a journalism degree and encourages journalism graduates to work in the field, specifically in the local scene. He says that the lack journalism graduates practicing the career, in the local scene, is one reason why non-journalism graduates are thriving in the field.

Narrative: Ms. Bernice Paita

By choice and guarded by some limitations, Ms. Bernice Paita, a 2010 AB Journalism graduate, is now working in the field, but more in the course of advertising. She says that she did not regret taking up journalism because she wanted it so, only that she is more interested in production. Journalism, according to her, is very specific. She advises that if a person has his/her heart set to being a journalist, it is advisable to get a degree in journalism. If not, a course which is broader, such as Communication or Development Communication, should be taken in consideration.

A degree in journalism is advantageous in a way that it served as a training ground for aspirants. While in the course, several traits such as working under pressure and being flexible are developed, characteristics that sure are helpful in the job.

General Perspective

Eagerness and qualification lands a person a job; his/her dedication makes him build a career he/she can be proud of; further education leads him/her to a profession; and calling to be of

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service to people guides him to a vocation. A journalist can classify where his line lies in these categories according to the path he took.

As the researchers went through the study, interviews with journalists disclose the real happenings in the field: from admission into the job, to the quality of the paper a writer should submit or an editor would go for, until the gist of the study which cores upon the importance of a degree in journalism. With different perspectives, coming from the executive board to both journalism graduates and non-journalism graduates who are all working in the field, this study had an equal grasp on proving or falsifying the assumption.

Journalism does not require anything other than the skills of being a journalist. With such skills present and a trace of attendance to several symposiums and talks on journalism, one, with luck, can be a journalist. A degree does, in a way, backbone an aspirant to land a job and practice in the field. But anyone can be hired, as long he/she is qualified.

All of the journalists we had interviewed upon stressed the importance of pursuing a degree. As it was said by Mr. Jose Perez of Bicol Mail, “Not everybody is Conrado de Quiroz (who has not finished the course, yet is one of the most looked up columnists in the country).” A journalism degree is seen not as a requirement but a bonus.

With information at hand, the researchers can say that the problem is not actually a problem. Taking up journalism is a choice. An aspirant need not to trouble himself/herself with the dilemma of deciding upon whether a journalism degree is helpful or not, because indeed, it is. Jumping right through a pool of aspirants, degree-holders would definitely be notable. But then again, this does not articulate that they have better skills when compared to non-journalists.

Skills are looked upon with highest regard among other classifications. Skills which are learnt in the actual field work are what counts as an aspirant immerses into his/her endeavour.

Reform with the academe’s standards on producing quality journalists who can be lined upon professionals should be taken seriously. With quality-journalism graduates willing to work in the field, specially in the local scene, there can be favourable events that should lead to the betterment of the kind of media we have today.

Personal Reflection

From what we have gathered during the series of interviews we have conducted in the course of our research, there is only one thing clear about it: that journalism schools should learn to adapt to its surrounding, which are the newsrooms to be specific. Most of the respondents shared that journalism schools—while being hampered by the fact that non-journalism graduates can compete with the journalism graduates they churn out—are still important and therefore should stay.

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But what struck me the most was what one of the Editors in Chief of a newspaper said on the importance of journalism schools. He said that the product of an applicant outweighs his educational background and credentials and that in human enterprises, skill is most important. While he thinks journalism schools are important, he definitely does not care about the degree you bring to the editors’ table. Perhaps, journalism schools can make editors care about the degree their applicants bring to the table.

Journalism schools have been cited by their success in teaching their students the ethics and proper attitude toward journalism as well as the parameters in journalism. But most of the respondents often backpedal, saying that not everything is taught in journalism schools and that most of the journalists today more often than not learned their craft on the streets—a term journalists use to refer to the actual fieldwork done in mainstream media, or more basically, anything beyond the four walls of the classroom.

Therefore, the best thing journalism schools should do is to teach everything in schools as a way to counteract the notion that journalism students are more bombarded by ethics and theories rather than actual experience. Perhaps, journalism schools can bend their curriculums into something that can be more usable in the field. For example, give more emphasis on the writing styles and photojournalism.

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Reflection

Upon having brainstormed for a research topic which concerns thought-provoking dilemmas which may be encountered by people who rigorously aspire to be in the same track, I was positive about the outcome of this research. I knew that this would not just answer queries stated in its statement, but would bring forth individual sensibilities on the importance of what we seem, as students, to throw our lives into.

“Why study journalism if we see people working in our dream field who are non-graduates of the degree anyway?” This question was what drove our research. Throughout the course, we looked for the importance of a journalism degree. This search led us to several stories and opinions of media practitioners whom we had interviewed.

Throughout our interviews, none ever told us that the course is useless. In fact, they seem to support our path. Such is not to please us nor be biased upon our research, but to give strength to the idea of journalism as a job, a career and a profession.

We chose to immerse ourselves to learn the perks in the field. As what the fourth law of economics says, “People respond to incentives.” With our diplomas as a bonus as we package ourselves and offer what we can render to the domains of our career, let’s make the best out of it. We are like special offers in a stall, along with other promising aspirants, only that we have these special boxes wrapped to attract a perspective buyer. There, still lies an equal prize for such items, bargains only exclusive.

A diploma is a proof of hard work and dedication. It entitles an aspirant of an advantage, among others who doesn’t have, but does not assure better skills which is the most essential equipment in the job. Skills are learned even outside the four walls of a journalism school. Sometimes, street journalism better teaches an aspirant of the practical to do’s in the field. Nevertheless, formal education gives a guiding principle toward the ideal scenario. These principles are learned, nurtured, applied and acquired. Such principles fuel passion. Passion, in any means, comes from the heart and vibrates through the spirit. This passion is actually shared by both degree holders and non-degree holders of journalism for they choose to be in a field where such job is a calling.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bercovici, J. (2012, April 16). Forget that survey. Here’s why journalism is the best job ever. Retrieved August 8, 2012, from http://journalism.about.com/od/schoolsinternships/a/Journalismdegree.htmhttp://www.forbes .com/sites/jeffbercovici/2012/04/16/forget-that-survey-heres-why-journalism-is-the-best-job- ever/

Carter, M. (2008, August 2). How to get a job as a journalist?. Retrieved August 8, 2012, from http://suite101.com/article/how-to-get-a-job-as-a-journalist-a62797

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Gonzales, G. (n.d.) The Importance (and/ or Non-importance) of College Education. Retrieved August 9, 2012, from http://www.cosca.edu.ph/?q=node/88

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Lacy, S. (2009, April 8). Who the hell is enrolling in journalism schools right now? Retrieved August 8, 2012, from http://techcrunch.com/2009/04/08/who-the-hell-is-enrolling-in- journalism-school-right-now/

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Interview Questions:

1. How do you consider a person as a journalist?

Executive Board:

1. How is the process of employment in the newspaper industry? 2. Who do you employ? Who do you prefer to employ? 3. What are the qualifications for employment? 4. Through your observations, how are journalism graduates different from non- journalism graduates as they work in the field? Or is there a difference at all?

Journalism Graduates:

1. What do you think was/is your edge over non-journalism graduates as you look for jobs? Immerse in the career? Work in the field?

Non-journalism Graduates:

1. Do you think there is any significant difference between a journalism graduate and a non-journalism graduate as they both go about journalistic endeavors?

Gonzales, Taduran Importance of College Degree in Journalism