The NSPC is an exciting event that brings together talented campus journalists from across the country. It aims to showcase their competencies and promote responsible journalism. Let’s dive into the guidelines for the different individual writing contests:
1. Eligibility and Participation
- Only learners from schools with a school paper (print, digital, or electronic publication) in either English or Filipino for the school year 2023-2024 can participate.
- First-place winners in their respective contest categories are allowed to compete.
2. General Guidelines
- Participants should raise any questions or concerns with the assigned proctor or examiner. If unresolved, escalate to the NSPC Focal Persons.
- School paper advisers, teachers, principals, parents, or guardians found in the contest venue will lead to disqualification of their contestants.
- The top five winners per medium will be recognized, and their points contribute to the overall score calculation (combining Individual and Group Contests).
- Violation of guidelines results in disqualification.
- The decision of the Board of Judges is final and irrevocable.
3. Specific Contest Guidelines
a. News Writing, Feature Writing, Editorial Writing, Science and Technology Writing, and Column Writing
- Contestants will receive fact sheets or other sources of information as a basis for writing their articles.
b. Sports Writing
- The National Technical Working Group (NTWG) will orient and provide instructions before the contest.
- A pre-game conference introduces players, coaches, and tournament officials.
- Contestants cover an actual game.
- A post-game conference interviews officials and athletes.
- Contestants then proceed to the designated contest room to write the sports article.
c. Copyreading and Headline Writing
- Contestants must bring their own pencil.
- Follow directions given in the contest piece.
- Provide a headline for the article.
d. Editorial Cartooning
- Contestants need to bring their own pencil no. 2.
- The cartoon must center on the given topic or issue.
- Comply with professional and ethical standards of media.
e. Photojournalism
Preparation:
- Contestants arrive at the venue 30 minutes before the orientation.
- Allowed cameras: point-and-shoot, compact, or DSLR with a prime lens or zoom lens up to 105mm ONLY.
- Cameras with long lenses or not following specifications lead to disqualification.
- Contestants submit a camera with emptied internal memory and two blank memory cards for checking.
- Bring a camera cable for uploading and saving pictures.
- No cellular phones or extra digital cameras allowed in the contest area.
- Contestants use their own black ballpen; NTWG provides scratch papers for notes during shooting.
Photo Shoot, Uploading, and Captioning:
- Loading and unloading the storage card in front of the examiner.
- The control shot is the first shot.
- Contestants have one hour to take pictures.
- Unlimited shots allowed, but submit the control shot and five photos with captions related to the given theme.
- Edited or manipulated entries (retouching, cropping, etc.) are not accepted.
- Photos saved in one folder (file naming convention: CODE NUMBER_2024NSPC).
- Contestants write the file name of each photo in the caption sheet.
- NTWG provides caption sheets.
- Contestants have 30 minutes to provide a caption for each of the five photos.
- Advisers, trainers, and parents are NOT allowed in the contest venue during the competition.
I hope this summary helps you understand the guidelines for the NSPC! If you have any further questions, feel free to ask. 😊