Theory-practice debates in journalism to be tackled in UST

Who trains and teaches journalism better: the school or the beat?

Tensions between theory and practice in Philippine journalism will be tackled at a seminar this January 30 at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

Journalism schools and their students, faculty members and alumni will reflect on the “theory-practice” debates in the event titled "Theory and Practice in Journalism Practice and Education: An Academe-Industry Discussion" at UST’s Civil Law Auditorium.

The seminar will feature journalism educators and practicing journalists, the latter including products of the pontifical university. Among the journalism educators presenting are Cherry Pebre of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Maria Cecilia Vargas of the University of Rizal System, Dr. Diosa Labiste of the University of the Philippines Diliman and former broadcast news manager Jose Ma. Carlos of UST.

Those representing industry for the event, apart from UST’s journalism alumni, include Executive Director Ariel Sebellino of the Philippine Press Institute, Editor Ignacio Dee of the Daily Manila Shimbun (a newspaper for the Japanese community in the Philippines), and award-winning business reporter and UST alumna Marie Carisa Ordinario.

The seminar will set the tone for journalism schools to revise their curricula. This comes as the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), particularly its Technical Committee in Journalism, will soon release a new set of policies, standards and guidelines (PSG) for the offering of bachelor’s degree programs in journalism. (The Philippines has around 32 active journalism schools offering bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.)

But researchers in journalism studies have always debated upon the relevance of theory in actual journalism practice, as well as the contribution of theory to the daily practice of journalism. Some of them think there’s no more hope in even reconciling the two.

After the seminar, UST Journalism will hold its public hearing on the forthcoming PSG of CHED for undergraduate journalism curricula at the same venue.

UST’s journalism alumni —young and old, writing for print, broadcast and online media— are expected to provide suggestions on how journalism schools such as UST may teach their students the skills required by the news media industry that also match with the needs of universities as centers of higher learning.

Santo Tomas was recently declared a center of development in journalism education by the CHEd. This new designation, covering the years 2016 to 2018, follows up from UST’s first COD designation covering the period 2013 to 2015. UST is Southeast Asia’s first journalism or communication degree program, offering a Bachelor of Literature degree in Journalism in 1932.

Interested parties, especially UST journalism alumni and faculty members and students of other journalism schools, may inquire with Prof. Jeremaiah Opiniano at 09175370723 and at [email protected].