Discipline and Ideas in Applied Social Sciences Week 8
Quarter 3 – Module 8: Professionals and Practitioners in Communication
What I Need to Know
MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY:
The learners…
Explain the roles and function of communicators and journalist (HUMSS_DIASS12-Ij-32)
Identify specific work areas in which communicators and journalist work
(HUMSS_DIASS 12-Ij-33)
Explain the rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities (HUMSS_DIASS 12-Ij-35)
Distinguish between ethical and unethical behaviors among practitioners
(HUMSS_DIASS 12-Ij-36)
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the module, you should be able to:
1. Identify the roles, function, rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities of communicators and
journalist;
2. Learn the specific work areas of a communicator and a journalist; and
3. Distinguish ethical and unethical behaviors among practitioners.
LESSON/TOPIC: Professionals and Practitioners in Communication
Journalism is a form of writing that tells people about things that really happened, but that they
might not have known about already. People who write journalism are called "journalists." They might
work at newspapers, magazines, web sites or for TV or radio stations.
Figuring out what makes a good story and how to tell it helps young aspiring reports boost their
critical thinking skills and that is especially true at this historic moment.
Journalism gives students a tool to engage constructively and productively with what is going on in
their lives.
What’s In
Communication is the process of sending and receiving messages through verbal and/or nonverbal means—
speech (oral communication), writing (written communication), signs, signals, and behavior. The term
communication process refers to the exchange of information (a message) between two or more people. For
communication to succeed, both parties must be able to exchange information and understand each other. If the
flow of information is blocked for some reason or the parties cannot make themselves understood, then
communication fails.
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What’s New
Note: Answers may vary depending on the views of a student/teacher.M Write your answer in your
notebook.
1. Is a communicator different from journalists? Why?
2. Based on your own experience, how do you gather information?
What is It
PROFESSIONALS AND PRACTITIONERS IN COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST
Also known as “Public Relations Specialists”- they establish positive associations with the public and mass
media on behalf of their client. Employed by businesses of all sizes, they are typically jack of all trades who is
particularly good at communicating in the written form. Communication Specialists send draft and send press
releases that contain important updates about their clients. They organize events at which their clients can meet
with the public to increase product awareness or knowledge of their services or recent developments. Journalism,
writing and marketing degrees can potentially be helpful to people who want to go into this field. The specialist may
be contracted on a part-time or full-time basis as well as hired to work from home or in the office.
Journalist is a person who collects, writes, or distributes news or other current information to the public.
Communicators are persons who can convey or exchange information, news, or ideas, especially one who is
eloquent or skilled.
Roles of Communicators and Journalists
1. To make available information and evidence to inform the public about issues that matter to
them in the most neutral way possible;
2. To provide facts for the public to form judgement and decisions; and
3. To facilitate accurate processing and analysis of such facts in a professional and ethical way
Functions of Communicators and Journalists
1. To collect and document information, facts and opinions, and present them for public analysis
and deepening to the root of reality;
2. To deliver truths and facts; and
3. To present where the news is happening and having the ability to record what is happening
accurately with the new technology.
Competencies of Communicators and Journalists
Listening - it is the ability to receive and interpret messages in the communication process.
Speaking - the action of conveying information or expressing one’s thoughts and feelings in spoken
language.
Writing - the activity or skill of making coherent words on paper and composing text
Reading - the act or skill of reading written or printed matter silently or aloud.
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Rights, Responsibilities, and Accountabilities of Communicators and Journalists
Rights of Communicators and Journalists
1. Freedom of the Press
2. Freedom of speech
3. Access to information, people, spaces
4. Access to gateways and distribution
5. Journalism “privilege”
Responsibilities of Communicators and Journalists
1. Observe ethical codes
2. Respect rights of others
3. Serve a watchdog role
4. Provide information for the public
5. Journalism ethics
Accountabilities of communicators and journalists
1. Provide guarantees against censorship and protection of freedom of expression
2. Safeguarding the confidentiality of journalistic sources
3. Ensuring that information held by the government can be timely and easily accessed by the public.
Code of Ethics of Communicators and Journalists
1. At all times upholds and defends the principle of media freedom, the right of freedom of expression and
the right of the public to be informed.
2. Strives to ensure that information disseminated is honestly conveyed, accurate, and fair
3. Does his/her utmost to correct harmful inaccuracies
4. Differentiates between fact and opinion
5. Does nothing to intrude into anybody’s private life, grief, or distress unless justified by overriding
consideration of the public interest
6. Protect the identity of sources who supply information in confidence and material gathered in the
course of his/her work
7. Produces no material likely to lead to hatred or discrimination in the grounds of a person’s age, gender,
race, color, creed, legal status, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation
8. Shall normally seek the consent of an appropriate adult when interviewing or photographing a child for a
story about his/her welfare
9. Avoids plagiarism
Areas of specialization in which communicators and journalists work
The field of mass communications includes:
• Advertising
Corporate and instructional media (producing visual, audio, media, written, and multimedia materials for
training and instruction, internal and external communications, sales, and public relations).
• Electronic media
Journalism (magazines, newspapers, print, electronic, television, radio broadcast)
• Production Management
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• Public relations
• Telecommunications (news or production)
• Visual communications (graphic design, production design, photography, video)
JOURNALISM
The core purpose of journalist is to research, document, write, and present the news in an honest, ethical, and
unbiased way. Although the method for reporting the news may be changing, the need for talented, qualified, and
educated journalists is not.
A journalist job description still calls for hard work, ethics, quality writing, and, at its heart, the desire to tell the
truth.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES:
BROADCAST JOURNALISM
When you think of
broadcast journalism, you may
think of the famous TV news
anchors, Broadcast Journalism
however, has many different
facets, both in front and behind
the camera. There are local
news anchor jobs, traffic and
weather reporters, and
production crew.
INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
Investigative journalism is finding, reporting, and
presenting news which other people try to hide. It
is very similar to standard news reporting, except
that the people at the center of the story will
usually not help you and may even try to stop you
from doing their job.
PHOTOJOURNALISM
Photojournalism is telling stories with photographs. But
on top of that, the stories created must follow the rules
of journalism. They must be true stories and the
journalist must try to tell the story in the most fair,
balanced, and unbiased way possible.
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SPORTS JOURNALISM
Sports journalist jobs vary across media, roles and content.
Some sports journalists stick with one employer, and does one
form of media, while others freelance covering various sports
and writing and reporting for print, broadcast and/or online
milieus.
What’s More
Using the web diagram below, state at least two of the roles, functions, rights, responsibilities and
accountabilities of communicators and journalists.
What I Have Learned
I have learned that
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
I have realized that
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
I will apply
_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
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Glossary
The following terms used in this module are defined as follows:
Broadcast Journalism - There are local news anchor jobs, traffic and weather reporters, and
production crew.
Business - the practice of making one's living by engaging in commerce.
Community Relations - refers to the various methods companies use to establish and maintain a
mutually beneficial relationship with the communities in which they operate.
Communication Specialist - Also known as “Public Relations Specialists”- they establish positive
associations with the public and mass media in behalf of their client.
International Relation - In all cases, international relation is concerned with the relationships
between political entities
Investigative Journalism - is finding, reporting and presenting news which other people try
to hide.
Journalism - The core purpose of journalist is to research, document, write, and present the news
in an honest, ethical, and unbiased way.
Journalism/Publishing - Publishers are key to the journalism environment, controlling the process
of actual development and printing of a publication.
Media/Broadcasting - is the airing of audio and video to the public.
Photojournalism - is telling stories with photographs.
Politics/Government - politics is the process by which people decide how to live together –whether
it is a family, a school, or a nation. Government is the system used to make the decisions.
Sports Journalism - Sports journalist jobs vary across media, roles, and content.
