Page 1 of 41 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. Gonzales, Taduran Importance of College Degree in Journalism Page 2 of 41 CHAPTER 1 Introduction RATIONALE Journalism in the Philippines 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 Gonzales, Taduran Importance of College Degree in Journalism Page 3 of 41 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. Gonzales, Taduran Importance of College Degree in Journalism Page 4 of 41 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 Gonzales, Taduran Importance of College Degree in Journalism Page 5 of 41 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 Gonzales, Taduran Importance of College Degree in Journalism Page 6 of 41 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. Gonzales, Taduran Importance of College Degree in Journalism Page 7 of 41 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. Gonzales, Taduran Importance of College Degree in Journalism Page 8 of 41 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 Gonzales, Taduran Importance of College Degree in Journalism Page 9 of 41 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 Camarines Sur. 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. Gonzales, Taduran Importance of College Degree in Journalism Page 10 of 41 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.