News Reporting and Writing – Asynchronous Classes (BU Week 2023)
LESSON 1: Covering Elections
For you class activity last week, you were all asked to identify issues that arise during elections. These are matters that you can monitor if you wish to write election stories for your midterm project. To give you all a summary of what both blocks came up with, here they are in table form below. The ones in bold type font are common problems for all three.
| PUBLIC (VOTERS) | CANDIDATES | JOURNALISTS |
|---|---|---|
| – Conflict due to different political views – Personal attacks, cyberbullying, threats – Violence – Misinformation – Limited or lack of access to information – Vote buying – Propaganda – Confusion in precinct assignment – Difficulty of access to precincts in the case of PWDs and pregnant women – Illiterate voters’ votes are sometimes not properly labeled by the ones assisting them – Technological challenges – Political dynasties | – Election fraud (e.g. tampering of ballots) – Propaganda – Personal attacks, cyberbullying, threats – Violence – Misinformation – Lack of funds and resources in campaigning | – Personal attacks, cyberbullying, threats – Violence – Misinformation – Ethical dilemmas (e.g. getting paid for propaganda articles) – Limited or lack of access to information – Censorship |
These are also interesting topics for your research, so if you are still not sure about your research topics, feel free to choose anything concerning the matters above. This is significant because we regularly conduct elections and the work that journalists do during the election season may make or break elections.
In cases of personal attacks, cyberbullying, threats, violence, and misinformation, it is important for journalists to document and report on these because they affect everyone.
Social inclusion stories are also important during elections. As watchdogs of the government, we must ensure that elections are inclusive, therefore, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, or sick individuals are given easier access on the day of elections. People in wheelchairs must be given assistance, if not assigned to precincts where they don’t have to climb stairs.
Vote buying, violations of election rules (for example, this year, candidates are not allowed to give food before, during, and after campaigns since this is also a form of vote buying), and other challenges must also be reported on.
When it comes to journalists not gaining access to where they should get access, it is important to remember that lack of access is also a story. Write a news report that you as a reporter found it hard to gain access to information that should be given to the public freely.
I noticed that most of you also forgot to mention the election issues involving poll workers. Read this 2018 report from Philippine Daily Inquirer, “Comelec: 2018 barangay, SK poll workers to be paid in full on election day.” This is a story based on Comelec Chairman Jimenez’ statement on how much poll workers will be paid.
Another problem during elections is the duration and/or the processes that sometimes take longer than expected. Read this story from Philippine Daily Inquirer, “Comelec admits 2018 barangay polls lasted longer than expected.” This is also an important issue that we may still experience during this year’s barangay and SK elections. Note that in this story, Comelec was given the chance to explain why the issues were experienced, but if you wish to write breaking news stories about the challenges, you may only focus on the problems that arose. There’s no need for the answer from Comelec yet. If you want to write a full story about it, you will need both the problem and the statement from election officials.
Below are two full stories during and after 2018 elections:
- Philippine Star’s story on the day of elections focused on the problems during the campaign: Barangay vote buying, violence mar campaign
- Philippine Daily Inquirer’s story the day after the elections focused on the problems during the elections: Low turnout, vote buying hound barangay polls
LESSON 2: Challenges for Journalists During Elections
The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility has noted areas for improvement for the press during elections. Below are their findings in a study conducted analyzing the news media content during the 2022 elections.
They have noticed that the print media as a whole was stuck in he-said-she-said reporting and that news reporters were underwhelming.
- Print media started the campaign trail with colorful front pages but soon stuck to its formulaic reporting that included the “who, what and where” of the campaign stops, notes on their stance on various development and policy issues, and the endorsement of local officials and groups.
- Print media focused their efforts and resources on the five candidates who were better known, making hardly any effort to include presidential candidates Leody De Guzman, Norberto Gonzales, Ernie Abella, Faisal Mangondato, and Jose Montemayor Jr. This is unlike in TV where De Guzman had some coverage.
- The regional/provincial sections were not utilized to present local and regional issues that could have been covered and reported more extensively by locally-based correspondents.
- Coverage echoed what Comelec officials and former President Duterte said. Only a few reports provided other sources such as civil society and election watchdogs.
- In contrast to TV reportage, senatorial candidates and their positions in issues were given more prominence in print. But while some reports were news-worthy, most reports were puff pieces and press releases pretending to be news. Only the more well-known senatorial candidates were also given print space.
- A few reports in print did more to break away from the campaign and the official statements: providing a closer look into political dynasties in the regions or the role of the youth vote. But these reports were outnumbered by the reports mentioned above.
Some newspapers also had preferential treatment as in the cases of The Manila Times and Daily Tribue.
“The Content Analysis highlighted the divide between the media, showing the clear bias of some media outfits. Tribune’s and Times’ front pages showed a pattern and featured Marcos almost daily all throughout the period.
“Headlines included not only the results of surveys, but also direct quotes from the candidate. Their reports also featured endorsements from local officials and favorable reactions expressed by other officials to Marcos’ sustained lead in the surveys.
“Also included in its front-page reports were the red-tagging of Robredo and her supporters by incumbent officials. The red-tagging story was also picked up by Manila Standard, but not as frequent as Tribune and Times.“
They also made the following recommendations:
On campaign and election reporting
- Provide articles and analyses on the backgrounds and track records of candidates upon their declaration of their intention to run for public office.
- Remind the electorate of these records as the campaign proceeds, particularly as election day nears. This is already being done but is a practice that could still be enhanced.
- Minimize coverage of the campaign trail; heighten the focus on the electorate instead, particularly the voiceless and the marginalized by:
- Identifying the issues of concern of various sectors that candidates should address
- Evaluating and fact checking candidates’ claims as to their veracity and the possibility of their addressing these concerns
Keep in focus the following:
- Enhance coverage of campaign fund sources to include investigative reports on who and what groups are the biggest contributors to which candidates, and look into what their political and economic interests are;
- Make social media and blogs a regular beat towards verifying the claims of bloggers and other online influencers;
- Provide more interpretive news: Remind reporters of the need not only to report the facts but also to evaluate them and explain what they mean the rest of society
Between campaign/election seasons
- Do not wait for the next electoral season to report on the amendments that are needed in the electoral law.
- Begin reporting on the need to revise and update election law:
Among others,- What they say about the qualifications of candidates for certain posts.
- Addressing the issue of “premature campaigning”
- Reviewing the need for a “run-off” vote.
- Engage more closely with academia for the sake of learning from each other and to encourage the updated training of prospective practitioners and changes in school media literacy programs
- Review the conventions of journalism as they have been taught in journalism courses and learned by practitioners towards enhancing interpretation and analysis over the demands of “objectivity” and the “just the facts” approach in news reporting
- Review the understanding of Objectivity as a rule/guideline
For your assignment, imagine that today is Aug. 30, 2023. Comelec has just released Resolution No. 10946. Read this resolution and see if anything interests you. Write a news report about any newsworthy story in this resolution.
Use the form below (find “Get in Touch” below) for your answer. Make sure to include a headline for the story. There is no minimum or maximum number of words. Paste your answer in “Answer for Question #1.” You may use the “upload file” function to upload a .pdf, .doc, or .docx file for your answer. Just insert a note in the “Answer for Question #1” that says your answer is uploaded in the file. Note that there is a limit of 10 MB for each uploaded file.
LESSON 3: Reporting on the National and Local Governments: Part II
Reporting on Court Trials
Rarely do journalists in the Philippines cover court proceedings. But in order to give you an idea how these things are conducted, you were all given an assignment to observe at least one court trial either at the Hall of Justice or the nearest municipal trial court.
Hopefully, you gained some insights during the time you were inside the court rooms observing the trials. One of the high-profile cases in the Philippines also involved journalists. (You may read a summary of the Ampatuan Massacre here, just in time for the Nov. 23 commemoration of the deadly event.)
But how are these trials conducted? This file will require at least an hour of your attention, so please don’t start reading it if you’re not in the mood. Take your time because you have two weeks of break from synchronous classes anyway.
For your assignment, please write down your observations during the trials and base your discussion on the Rules of Criminal Procedures (e.g. were the rights of the accused protected?).
Again, you may use the form below (find “Get in Touch” below) for your answer. Make sure to include a headline for the story. There is no minimum or maximum number of words. Paste your answer in “Answer for Question #2.” You may use the “upload file” function to upload a .pdf, .doc, or .docx file for your answer. Just insert a note in the “Answer for Question #2” that says your answer is uploaded in the file. Note that there is a limit of 10 MB for each uploaded file.
Thank you and see you all two weeks from now!
MIDTERM AND FINAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
| Midterm Exam/Project | Final Exam/Project |
|---|---|
| Deadline: December 19, 2023, 4:59 p.m. WARNING: If you are planning to get your work graded so you can re-write it, please do so before Dec. 12, 2023, 4:59 p.m. Anyone who submits his/her work before this date and time will not be allowed to re-write their work. In other words, your grade for that work will be final. | December 19, 2023, 4:59 p.m. |
| Instructions: For this midterm project, you already have the form for your news stories. You will still write three breaking news stories, five full news reports, and two news features. Breaking news reports may be based on single-source stories, full news reports should go beyond single-source stories and must include interviews, while news features must be features anchored on recent local, national, or international news events. | Last Nov. 6, Unesco released an action plan to regulate social media platforms. Read the Unesco action plan, Director-General Audrey Azoulay, and global opinion survey. Write a news report that makes use of the three layers of reporting that we discussed in our last meeting. Once you’re done writing, use red to highlight which ones in your story are from Layer I (source-originated materials). Use orange to highlight the part of your report that may be considered Layer II (reportorial enterprise). And lastly, use green to highlight which ones include Layer III reporting (interpretation and explanation). DO NOT USE red, orange, and green as fonts. USE the highlighter function on Microsoft Word or Google Docs. |
| Word Count: Breaking – not more than 800 words News – more than 800, but less than 1,000 words Features – more than 1,000 but not beyond 2,500 words | 750 to 1,000 words. Please do not go beyond 1,000 words. |
| How to Submit: For those of you whose first drafts were already graded, please scan the graded sheet. You may use the app ClearScanner to scan your work. If you wish to re-write your graded draft, both the graded draft and the re-written draft should be in one PDF file. Use the website ilovepdf.com to merge two PDF files. Please use to form below to submit your work. In the Midterm/Final submission, please use the following format in naming your file: SURNAME_Midterm_NN e.g. OSTRIA_Midterm_01 Notice the capitalization. Students submitting their work using the wrong format will incur a 10-point deduction. Please use 01, 02, and 03 for breaking news; 04 to 08 for the full news reports; and 09 and 10 for the news features. Please type the name of the file in the bar where it says “Midterm/Final Submission” as well. (AGAIN: You will use the format SURNAME_Midterm_NN both in the text area in the contact form and for your file.) | Please submit your work in PDF format. For the file name, use this format: SURNAME_Final e.g. OSTRIA_Final Notice the capitalization. Students submitting their work using the wrong format will incur a 10-point deduction. You will be graded using the following rubric: Sourcing (5 points) – Uses diverse, credible primary sources. Accuracy (5 points) – All information is accurate and verified. Investigation and Research (5 points) – Thorough investigation beyond basic information. Contextualization (5 points) – Places information within a broader context. Analysis and Synthesis (5 points) – Offers insightful analysis and synthesis. Clarity of Explanation (5 points) – Complex information presented clearly. Overall Impression (5 points) – Engaging, well-written, successfully integrates all layers. TOTAL POINTS – 35 points |