Chained to the Rhythm: Top ‘Hits’ on Campus Press Freedom

Today marks the observation of the National Campus Press Freedom Day. Slated annually on the 25th of July, is a separate celebration of National Press Freedom Day declared every 30th of August. Amid the distinction set apart, there is more than to these narratives of differences between campus journalism and real-world journalism that binds them: the struggle for true freedom.


The emphasis of the celebration on campus press is a recognition of student journalism that promotes critical thinking and propels responsible journalism in prime years. However, this sphere of journalism within the campus is often riddled with spiralling coverage of school events or hyper-fixations on competitions. Not that it is wrong, but these alone, create a bubble, separate from the world outside.


This is captured by "Chained to the Rhythm", a hit song by Katy Perry that satirically suggests an echo chamber through her lines, "So comfortable, we're livin' in a bubble, a bubble; We cannot see the trouble, trouble". But even if that was the case, campus press aren't really comfortable living in the bubble.


Dance, dance, dance to the distortion

The latest blow to campus press freedom that invited national attention transpired last February after TomasinoWeb, a multimedia organization from the University of Santo Tomas (UST), published a harmless photo of a student in uniform entering a convenience store. This poked the admin’s regard to their image following similarities in student uniform to that of the store’s staff and ordered the photo to be taken down. Student journalists behind the organization are called to different offices to explain and warned of sanctions. This led to the chorus calls on how free campus press is under the threat of censorship.


Apart from the pressures of the school admin, a study launched by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) saw that student journalists are often the victims of 'drop-by' where surveillance from state forces pry over at one's doors. This isn't just intimidating, but some are straight red-tagging.


Barangay summons and unwarranted profiling are no longer an isolated case of coercion to label students as sympathizers for simply voicing out on national issues. Last year, a staff from The Democrat, an independent student publication of the University of Nueva Caceres, detailed how they received an invitation letter for a meeting with the Philippine Army that didn't even contain an official seal.



Yeah, we think we're free (aha)

Meanwhile, Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology (IIT) houses six publications, five from its respective colleges and one from the institute. This diverse number shows the thriving community of creatives and scribes taking up the cudgels as truth-tellers. However, funding, while onomatopoetically has a ring to ‘thriving’, is a different story.


CASSayuran, the official student publication of the College of Arts and Social Sciences, shared a historic service of student journalism, opening its doors to aspirants of CASS. As much as we welcome new interest in the pursuit, we had to let go of promising individuals whose budding passion for journalism had just begun over experienced student journalists. Our limited resources compel our absorptive capacity to respond to the competitive number of applicants we receive every year.


Moreover, the publication covers critical issues that concern the studentry. While differing viewpoints are ingredients of a meaningful conversation, the reactive and castigating responses from this contrast prove counterintuitive to the latter. The goal of journalism is not to criticize but to unveil and report the truth which in the process, criticized those who keep the right to know from the people. We are not in the business of cushioning the reception of those who take offense at what we do.


The battle ground of facts outside the campus may be harsher but this is not a contest of who fares worse. Rather, it is a wake-up call that these shackling hurdles do not carry a label that every time one breaks free from this rhythm, one is worthy of the calling. For if a real journalist means to grapple with the lack of support, tone down fearless views due to pressure, and be red-tagged, campus press are indeed not comfortable living in the bubble.


This campus press freedom day, safeguards in ensuring the rights and safety of our student journalists must be fortified. As a publication, resources are crucial to deliver its purpose; hence, support in any form should be instituted as well. These young voices are the sound of an intergenerational democracy, a future promised for the progress of the country.


At the end of the day, the lines between delineated campus and real-world journalism are blurring. Hopefully, it's for reasons that amplified stories transcend the confines of our individual communities and not of the unfortunate experiences students and professional practitioners of the field share. Until then, we are nothing but literally chained to the rhythm.

About the Author

John Vincent Balustre

John Vincent Balustre is the current Editor-in-Chief of CASSayuran. During his early tenure in the publication as a freshman and a sophomore, he has served simultaneously as an Associate Editor and a News Writer. He was the former Editor-in-Chief of The Capitol, Misamis Occidental National High School's English Student Publication. For years, his field of interest in writing has revolved around politics, community engagement, and entertainment.