The Polytechnic University of the Philippines will host the Journalism Studies Association of the Philippines (JSAP) National Conference 2025, which promotes journalism studies and research, as announced in this year's rendition on November 29 at the Albertus Magnus Hall, University of Santo Tomas.
With the theme, “Journalism Education Amid Geopolitical and Technological Upheavals,” esteemed journalism research experts and media analysts from different parts of the world were invited to speak: Dr. Sara Chinnasamy from Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia; Dr. Christian Cholaszczynski from the University of Social and Media Culture of Toruń, Poland; and Dr. Jeremaiah Opiniano of UST.
A panel discussion was followed after the plenary discussions by the esteemed journalists moderated by Philippine Press Institute (PPI) Executive Director Ariel Sebellino.
It highlighted the challenges the journalism industry faces today including the disconnect between academic research and real-world application. The panel stressed that there are efforts in the academe to bridge the gap between theoretical insights and practical applications.
“We are trying to integrate the outcomes of research into practices for media industries to prepare for crises like pandemics, political unrest, or natural disasters," said Chinnasamy.
They also suggested accessible policy briefs, short media scripts, and even TikTok videos to be implemented more as it help make research more relatable.
The panelists also tackled the impact of geopolitical conflicts in journalism, the integration of journalism into Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the challenges and opportunities with artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism.
The discussion concluded with a call for increased collaboration across nations. "We will discuss more, publish more, and have more conferences, bringing Filipino, Malaysian, and Polish perspectives together," Cholaszczynski declared.
The afternoon session of the conference was divided into three categories, namely graduate studies, undergraduate studies, and photojournalism.
PUP journos conquer JSAP 2024
With the theme “Issues and Trends in Journalism and Journalism Education,” three fresh-graduate groups from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Department of Journalism presented their undergraduate studies that explored the evolving landscape of media and the challenges faced by Filipino journalists.
Among the three is the study by Dominique Alcantara, Divie Escobillo, Ervic Estrabo, Marilag Odtohan, and Moira Panganiban entitled “Green-tagged: Narratives of Bicol-Based Journalists in Covering Environmental Issues,” which talks about the lived experiences of local journalists from the Bicol province that are constantly covering environmental beats.
Odtohan discussed several important things to note when defining the movement of journalists in a certain locality or province.
“Nakita namin na napakahalaga na makita rin ‘yung socio-economic status ng mga organization para makita ‘yung movement ng mga journalists. Kasi, with enough resources, nagiging flexible and versatile ‘yung mga kwento na nako-cover nila. Number two, [the importance of] language. May mga terms din kasi na specifically ang hirap i-translate sa Bicol, kaya kailangan ma-adapt ‘yung mga words [and] terminologies na makakatulong sa mga tao sa pag-describe ng mga punto nila,” she explained.
Odtohan also underscored the importance of supporting community journalists, “Support your community journalists din. Hindi lang ‘yung buhay, hindi lang ‘yung mga tao. May mga pangarap din ‘yan, may mga kwentong isusulat din ‘yan. Kaya, laban!”
Another study focusing on the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) usage in mainstream media newsrooms conducted by Tricia Borromeo, Shainah Limpiado, Sean Magbanua, Ashly Marin, Christian Santiago, and Jannah Taguibao, also made the cut. Titled “A Case Study of Artificial Intelligence in the Philippines Newsroom: Integrating Media Experience,” it featured a range of findings from Filipino journalists working in huge media newsrooms.
Magbanua presented findings about how Filipino mainstream media newsrooms use AI in their reporting, asserting that these newsrooms should only focus on using AI for archiving data sets.
“Based on our research, Philippine newsrooms should focus on AI use, only in archiving. Kasi mahirap maghanap ng photos, especially [because] we have speed journalism. If news companies or organizations have archives, they can adopt AI sa mabilisang journalism. So, no more, no less archiving kasi hindi na po siya pwede gamitin sa other aspect. Kasi, if we can use AI to generate news stories, iba na po siya, it's unethical,” Magbanua explained.
The work of Precious Altura, Rojell Elizaga, KC Mancilla, Myra Pasa, Krisha Seba, and Camille Zarate entitled “No Tea, No Shade: The Lived Experiences of Drag Queens in Drag Race Philippines,” was also presented at the conference. The study sheds light on the current situation of gender-sensitive news media reportage in the Philippine setting while also highlighting the importance of the media’s role in shaping society.
“Magpo-promote siya ng isang community na inclusive sa lahat at hindi nakakapang-discriminate, and it's empowering. We really respect all genders. And one of our goals is to promote gender sensitivity and inclusivity,” Altura shared.
Seba also explained how their study introduces new perspectives of media reporting when it comes to gender, and how important this media portrayal is in this generation.
The undergraduate parallel session also presented two more studies from UST and Mariano Marcos State University.
The conference also included a special session featuring panelists Jose Torres Jr., the executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security; Fernando Garcia Sepe Jr., a former deputy editor for multimedia at ABS-CBN News; and Jimmy Domingo, a photojournalist and lecturer at University of the Philippines Diliman and De La Salle University.
PUP is the home for JSAP 2025
At the latter part of the event, Felipe F. Salvosa II, assistant publication adviser for The Varsitarian, revealed that the PUP College of Communication (COC) will host the JSAP National Conference 2025.
PUP COC Dean Dr. Jose Reuben Alagaran delivered the acceptance speech after the turnover ceremony emphasizing the belief that this collaboration is crucial for advancing journalism education of the partner universities, specifically PUP and UST.
“Our enthusiasm is fueled by the belief that collaborative efforts are essential in enhancing journalism education in the Philippines. We (also) recognize that through teamwork and shared knowledge, we can address the evolving challenges faced by journalism and journalism education today, dominated by digital media and rapid information dissemination.”
Dean Alagaran also remarked that the event was not only a platform for exchanging insights but also a catalyst for strengthening partnerships within the journalism community. He also said that by working together, valuable insights could be gathered to shape the future of journalism education.
JSAP is a professional organization comprising journalism educators from both private and public institutions. It was founded to advance journalism research and education while championing the principles of independent and free media.
This year’s event is supported by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC), and hosted by one of the three pillars of JSAP, the UST Department of Journalism in collaboration with the UST Journalism Society.
It was attended by the largest delegation this year, with students and faculties from the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), UP, UST, and PUP.
Article: Rica Labbao & Joanna Martinez
Graphics: Aldreich Pascual
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