The Spectrum (USLS)

Infobox_Newspaper
name = "THE SPECTRUM"


caption = The Spectrum Official Logo: "Since 1956"
type = Student publication
format = Newspaper, Magazine, Newsletter, Folio, Book (depending on publication)
foundation = June 1956
price = P166.00 (publication fee paid by the USLS students per semester; applies to all TS publications)| owners = The Spectrum Student Media Corps

circulation = University-wide
staff = from 25-30 (excluding contributors)
language = English and Filipino
political allegiance= non-partisan
headquarters = Coliseum Ground Floor, University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City, Philippines
ISSN = pending
website = http://www.thespectrum.ph

"The Spectrum" is one of the oldest existing student publications in the Philippines; its history dates back to the year 1956. Its monthly newspaper, bimonthly magazine and annual literary folio ("Scribe") are published by the students of the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City.

History

Early years

It was in the school year 1956-1957 when The Spectrum was born in an exclusive school for boys. That time, the then La Salle College was only populated by less than a thousand students from prep to college. The Spectrum came out once every quarter in tabloid form, printed on white paper which was the standard during that time. Although the high school and college shared the same flag for their publications, they had separate issues prepared by their 30-member staff. Oscar L. Hilado (College) and Mario Guariňo (High School) were the first editors-in-chief of The Spectrum. When La Salle opened its doors to female students in 1966, Lourdes Carisma Barredo became the first female editor-in-chief of the publication three years later.

The Spectrum joined the annual Western Visayas College Press Conference and Awards (COPRE) in 1976. COPRE was and is still being sponsored by the Philippine Information Agency under the Office of the President of Philippines.

The first issue of The Spectrum Magazine came out when the Fundamentals of Journalism Class of the year 1978 was able to produce it as part of their semestral requirements. The Editor-in-Chief then was Isabel C. Urra. Two years later, The Spectrum won its first COPRE awards – Western Visayas’ 2nd Best Magazine and 2nd Best Filipino and Literary pages.

Post-Marcos years

Right after the ousting of then President Ferdinand Marcos, The Spectrum was able to produce issues filled with post Marcos-related articles and pictures of the scenario in the province. In the middle of the ‘90s, "Scope", The Spectrum’s investigative arm was created, where it was first published as a separate newsletter. Scope aimed to instigate change through investigative journalism so as to improve the University’s academic system.

From 1991-1993, the publication won the COPRE Region 6’s Best Newspaper for three consecutive years paving the way for The Spectrum to grab the most coveted Graciano Lopez-Jaena Award. To accommodate literary pieces in the form of prose and poetry, The Spectrum released its first ever literary folio – "Scribe1995".

After the 1990s

In the 90’s, The Spectrum won 1st Place awards in COPRE's various categories for newspaper and magazine besting other publications from different colleges and universities all over the region.

In the year 2004, The Spectrum became the Grand Prize winner of the National Campus Investigative Journalism Award sponsored by The Varsitarian, the official student publication of the University of Santo Tomas. It was when the SCOPE section of the July 2004 Magazine featured the “Probing into the STM Program” investigative piece. The article created an impact on the University’s policy regarding the Student Team Managers Program that resulted to its abolition.

In 2004-2005 The Spectrum and its writers amassed a total of 31 major and minor COPRE (College Press Awards for Western Visayas) awards and recognitions. In February 2005, the Spectrum Negroswide Campus Journalism Fellowship had its debut. It was participated by various college and high school campus journalists all throughout Negros Occidental. A year later, The Spectrum fellowship was held again and this time, student journalists from Negros Oriental’s prominent schools like Silliman University and Negros Oriental State University came to participate.

The Spectrum at 50

The publication celebrated its 50th anniversary in the school year 2006-2007 with Ms. Krysl Marie E. Santiago as Editor-in-Chief. The holding of the 3rd Annual Spectrum Campus Journalism Fellowship was the main event. The fellowship that gathered campus journalists from all over Visayas had Inquirer columnist and ANC host Manuel Quezon III, Palanca awardee and performance poet Angelo Suarez and Peace Journalism Network National Coordinator Jean Lee Patindol, who was also a 1988-89 Editor-in-chief of "The Spectrum", as resource speakers.

The Spectrum at Present

The Spectrum now repackages itself as more than just a publication. It now holds the title the Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle. The current Editor-in-Chief is Jamie Bentinganan.

On September 27-29, it will hold the 4th Spectrum Fellowship: National Campus Journalism Conference 2007 at Santuario De La Salle, Bacolod City.

The event invited several of the country’s top personalities in the field of writing and journalism to share their expertise and experiences. Among them are ANC’s The Explainer and Philippine Daily Inquirer Columnist Manuel L. Quezon III for Opinion Writing, Mother Earth Foundation Vice Chair Chin Chin Gutierrez for the Role of Media in Environmental Consciousness, UP Institute for Creative Writing Director Carmelo “Vim” Nadera for Filipino Writing and Nationalism in Writing and Journalism, Palanca Awardee Angelo Suarez for Creative Writing and Performance Poetry, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Training Officer Yvonne Chua for Investigative Reporting, Sunday Inquirer Magazine Editor Ruel De Vera for Feature Writing, Multi-awarded Children’s Book Author Jean Lee Patindol for Peace and Conflict Journalism, and Women’s Rights Advocate Atty. Rowena Guanzon for Gender-Sensitive Journalism.

The Fellowship will gather the most senior Filipino young writers, campus journalists, artists and advisers from various campus-based publications all over the Philippines.

The Spectrum will also host the 4th National Lasallian Schools Press Conference (LSPCon 2008). The event will feature new topics such as Peace and Conflict Journalism, Gender-Sensitive Communications, Nationalism in Writing and Journalism, among others.

LSPCon 2008 will still invite Vim Nadera, along with two-time Salanga Grand Prize Winner for Children's Literature Jean Lee Patindol, Palanca awardee and performance poet Angelo Suarez, Women's rights advocate, and opinion writer Atty. Rowena Guanzon, among others.

The theme and other details will soon be available.

The Spectrum now has a home online- [http://www.thespectrum.ph] .

External links

* [http://www.thespectrum.ph/ The Spectrum Official Website]
* [http://forum.thespectrum.ph/ The Spectrum Online Message Boards]
* [http://www.usls.edu.ph/ University of St. La Salle]
* [http://www.usls.edu.ph/Student_Inquiry/home.cfm USLS - Student Inquiry]