When content creator Ivana Alawi tied with veteran broadcast journalist Kara David for Best Public Service Host at the inaugural FAMAS Broadcast Arts Awards, the result sparked online discourse, with many questioning whether an influencer whose work primarily centers on lifestyle vlogs and philanthropy should be recognized in the same category as an award-winning investigative journalist. More than the recipients themselves, however, the controversy raised the question: Who gets to be called a journalist—and what exactly counts as journalism?
Amid the public debate, largely absent from this conversation is campus journalism. Although student publications routinely cover issues affecting their communities, they are seldom included in public discussions about what constitutes “real journalism.” Whether that omission is justified depends on how journalism itself is defined. If journalism is understood primarily through credentials or institutional affiliation, campus publications fall outside conventional definitions.
However, If it is understood through its public function, its place in the conversation merits closer examination.
A watchdog for the academe
The role of journalism distinguishes itself from content creation, through its traditional practices of ethics, objectivity, and fact-checking, as explained by the Knight Center for Journalism. Student publications are mainly anchored on issues affecting students and academic communities such as tuition concerns, mental health advocacy, artificial intelligence, and national issues.
But beyond the walls of the institution, these publications are committed to producing reports that reflect the lived realities of Filipino students regardless of different academic backgrounds. Campus journalism seeks to inform student communities, uphold truth, demand accountability from institutions, and document social issues directly affecting students.
Campus journalism is journalism
Campus journalism is often dismissed as merely an extracurricular activity, often viewed as a platform for school announcements and campus events—or merely as a training ground for future journalists. This perception is further reinforced by the fact that campus publications are composed of students from diverse academic disciplines, many of whom voluntarily serve as writers, editors, photographers, artists, and multimedia staff regardless of their degree program.
However, student journalists frequently face the same threats faced by the professional press. The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) documented more than 1,000 campus press freedom violations since 2010, including censorship, administrative interference, withholding of publication funds, harassment, surveillance, and red-tagging.
In 2023, An Lantawan, the official tertiary publication of Leyte Normal University, lost recognition from the administration, had its funds withheld, and was required to undergo organizational accreditation. In 2025, Atenews of Ateneo de Davao University was subjected to online harassment and red-tagging after releasing a statement regarding national issues, with editors reportedly being doxxed online.
Likewise, history demonstrates that campus journalism has long extended beyond campus walls. During the Martial Law era, student publications became vital channels for documenting abuses, resisting censorship, and preserving democratic discourse when mainstream media faced severe restrictions.
Student journalism has historically served not only as a training ground for media professionals, but also as a crucial pillar in defending press freedom and public accountability both on campus and on a national level
Campus journalism fulfills many of the same democratic functions as mainstream media. It informs students about issues that directly affect their academic and campus lives, scrutinizes institutional decisions, amplifies voices that may otherwise go unheard, and documents events that become part of a school’s history.
Despite smaller reach, its role in promoting transparency, accountability, and informed civic participation remains critical. It addresses the needs of the student community, through the stories often overlooked by mainstream media yet carry significant impact on students’ rights, welfare, and everyday experiences.
Like all forms of public-interest journalism, campus journalism strengthens democratic participation by informing communities, holding institutions accountable, and preserving stories that matter.
