THE SCHOOL RUN BY A PAPER (revised)

Insights by a student of the school itself
By Franco Attento

Most colleges and universities in the Philippines are run by government officials and church factions. But here is something new: A school run by a newspaper company. Its name is the Manila Times School of Journalism.

As its name implies, it is a school that specializes in training the youth to become better journalists in both print and broadcasting.

The Manila Times School of Journalism, or MTSJ for short, has no separate building of its own. It’s located at the top floor of the Manila Times building in Port Area, Manila. It's very small, and everyone who venture here don't get lost. It consists of three classrooms, two computer labs, a radio booth, and a TV production studio.

The training in MTSJ can be a pain in the neck, but sometimes it could be fun. In print, the student will be trained in writing articles, and will be assigned into newspaper desks to be given real assignments for real publication to the newspaper itself. Most of the students found the field work a pain since most of them don’t want to enter the newspaper industry. In broadcast, the student will be given a shot at the radio booth, to be trained as a radio announcer and a programmer. The students will also be shaped in TV production. The radio and TV training are what the students liked and most of them are looking forward for more productions.

There are professors who are top-notch, and others who come from different schools. Some of them have doctorate degree; others have a high stature in society. Few of these professors will get in your nerves, but most of them are fun to get along with. Dante Francis "Klink" Ang II , the CEO of the Manila Times, and Benjamin Defensor, the dean, are some of the professors in MTSJ's arsenal.

The students in MTSJ are a mixed bunch. There are those who pursue their studies well so that they could finish college quick, some who just want to have fun, some who are as loud as megaphones and some who are as quiet as a feather. But no matter how different they are, they have one thing in common: They are fun to get along with.

“The school provides training in both print and broadcast. It's not something that you see in other schools", said Gem Eiroll Manalo, a sophomore of the school itself.