letter to the future journalists

To my beloved Journalism aspirants,

Before you read this, take a deep breath. Inhale, and then, exhale. Now think, is writing a passion burning inside your heart? Or is it only the way you know to survive the obstacles of daily life in college? Or both? I remember my dad telling me such when he realized that I was very eager to drop my engineering course back then. He knew well that I really love writing more than anything else (When I say else, I mean making computations behind variables and constants that I really don’t know if it would exist if I buy a pair of sandals in the Shoe Salon.). He always drags me back to the reality of life by poking me with such mind-boggling ideas.
I have never been confused with my choice of career, since all my life I’ve been wanting to see myself writing not just to provide me a good living in the future but also to influence other people. I want to share to them my wondrous thoughts, ideas, feelings, aspirations, and even my sentiments. I want to set myself as an influence to other people who badly want some changes in our society. Someday, I want the product of my pen and paper to be the reason in awakening the nationalistic glands and reactivating the patriotic nerves inside us. I know well in my heart that all of these dreams and goals will have to depend on one foundation, and it is the skill of writing that most journalists are well-known.

Anyone can possibly engage themselves into the writing habit, but journalism is a profession that is more than writing. It isn’t just like posting your daliy feeds or updates on your Twitter or Facebook account where you are unmindful whoever reads your posts, or it isn’t just like posting articles on your blogsites in which you don’t have to worry about the time span of finishing it. Journalism, according to a prolific and popular journalist and writer Jose A. Quirino, is “literature in a hurry”, for journalists seldom have the luxury of time in writing their own news stories. Usually, they have deadlines to meet. In addition, they have certain laws and ethics to follow strictly. They cannot just write like the so-called ‘bloggers’, but they can persuade on their articles mostly if they have their own columns. Through their own columns, they can influence other people upon an issue, or they can make the public readers decide whichever side is to trust.

Everyone of us, like the journalists and broadcasters, have this what we call freedom of speech. We can exercise it whenever we want to speak of our feelings, or wherever we are in our own beloved democratic country. We can express our feelings freely, but in the field of journalism nowadays, it is somehow being limited. Limited because of some writer’s personal agenda, limited because you know that you will be stepping on the foot of some so-called dirty politicians, limited because your followers are somehow anonymous to you, and limited because news stations and news publications practically cannot stand alone in the business industry without the financial investments of advertisers. Somehow, the real essence of journalism is being lost, but not at all. There are still some brave journalists who pass beyond the so-called limitations of their freedom of speech (Of course, they would strongly point out that when you say freedom, there are no border lines that will make FREEDOM turn into LIMITED.) . They strongly stand on the side of the truth, blatantly criticize dirty-playing politicians, and even applaud publicly those who are in the righteous path. They are the true journalists who don’t care if they earn little from writing, for they know well that their profession is as noble as those who teach in public schools who sweat in blood but will never get rich in financial terms. They are the ones who don’t care whatever kind of danger is awaiting them once their articles are published, circulated nationwide, and be known to the people whom they are bumping at. They bravely face the consequences of their jobs even though they know well that the only award they can get from these kind of people is the bullet of death. In fact, there was this news from BBC News World (17 February 2010) that says that the Committee to Protect Journalist claimed that during the year 2009, 34 journalists were killed (Maguindanao massacre) in our country “making it the worst year for the journalists since records began 30 years ago”.

If you will ever be following the same path I am crossing now, don’t ever forget the general functions of journalism. First, to inform the public through the news coverage with utmost truth; second, to influence and mold public opinion; third, to amuse or to entertain the public; and lastly, to serve and promote public welfare as a whole. Journalists will always be the backbone of our society and the instrument that will help the new generation in reforming our history. Our country will never be as steady as it is now if it wasn’t been for the journalists who never stopped believing on the power of the pen which will serve the country as the most effective sword against all odds. So I’ll repeat to you what my dad told me then before I made up my mind in enrolling in this course: Is writing a passion that is intensely burning inside your heart? Because if it is so, then follow your great cravings with such a million of zest and courage. But if you think journalism is the only transportation you may have in order to earn you a diploma in college, then think twice. Don’t ever believe those people who say that you can pass the course in just a wink of an eye, because it’s never the case. Believe me, I’ve tried it, I even winked both of my eyes, but never such a thing happened. I’m still here, sweating blood for every of my examination, my mind gruntling in between of my lessons, my heart pulse racing and thumping whenever we will have recitations. Reconsult your NCAE results from your senior years in highschool and consider the other options meant for you. Remember, always follow your heart. If it is on the same path I am crossing now, then let’s follow the same guiding star together.


Hoping for the continous success of our chosen profession,
Kneesaa Iahtara T. Tan