When you read a newspaper, a lot of what’s on the front pages is usually breaking news, information that needs to be told right away, or it will be dated and lose its relevance. Not so a feature.
If done right, a feature can be evergreen; that is, it can have an indefinite shelf life that will enable it to be used when it is needed, and is not reliant on when it is sent out. Items on such topics as food, travel,pets, home improvement and health, for example, lend themselves wellto this kind of treatment.
The more you write a feature so it can be used any time of the year, the greater your chances of being picked up by broadcast,print and online media.
Features are often about how we live, love, and learn. While the news of the day is of vital importance, many people seek a respite from grim headlines and need useful information relevant to their home and family. That’s where a feature comes in.
While a feature may look like a press release when it is transmitted, the two have some important distinctions.
A traditional press release is better for breaking news, which people need to know right away.
Unlike a press release, a feature is intended for verbatim use, as if a journalist could have written the item. That means it needs to emphasize information over outright promotion. To accommodate verbatim use, it is crucial for features to be concise, no more than about 400 words. Beyond that length, you reach a point of diminishing returns with most media, and features will be either cut for space or not used at all. There are exceptions, now and then, but you shouldn’t count on being one of them.
Do it right and you have more chances than ever to get noticed by the media, which have limited resources for staff, freelancers and syndicates for features. If you can provide quality material for free, that will go a long way toward getting into print or on the air.
Even if your feature doesn’t get used word for word, journalists may look to you as a source for their own articles if they view you as providing credible information in your feature.
There is no one right way to go about this. However, the following paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown of a feature’s most crucial ingredients can serve as a useful template. The more comfortable you are writing a feature, the easier it will be to tailor it to your own preferences.
Source: http://www.cyperus.com/features/guide_intro.shtml
Monday, April 21, 2008
Pinoy Superheroes for real
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Pinoy superheroes for real
By Katrina C. Guevarra, Contributor
In an age when cynicism, absurdity and hypocrisy make the very notion heroism seem a bit daft and loony—a Quixotic notion to be found only in comic books where people where tights and a cape. But even today, the unlikeliest people can embody true heroism in real life.
Take for example comedian/video documentarian Tado Jimenez and Buwi Meneses, guitarist of the irreverent rock group Parokya ni Edgar. “Everyone can be dakila,” they proclaim. Being dakila or noble is a measure of one’s heroism.
Over a few drinks at Treehouse in Quezon City, a group of concerned musicians, poets and actors started sharing their views on certain political issues. “It started at a time much like today. Two years ago the situation was much like today,” recalls Jimenez. Their idea was to be able to participate and express their opinions on what is happening to our country. That eventually led Jimenez, Meneses, along with poet Lourd de Veyra and actor Ronnie Lazaro to found Dakila.
Dakila is an artist group formed by individuals with different advocacies with one aim—to instill modern day heroism in everyday people. “A hero doesn’t have to get himself shot in Luneta. Being a hero means not littering and crossing the street at the proper pedestrian lane. Even in the little things we do, we can become heroic,” explains Jimenez.
In our society today, the words “activism” and “protest” are often equated with rallying on the street and shouting slogans. However, Dakila’s idea of activism and protest is quite the opposite of that.
“The common concept of protest is a rally. With us, as much as possible, we can demonstrate your involvement or participation without affecting other aspects of your life,” said Jimenez.
This is clearly evident through the different programs they had to show activism. Their very first showcase of activism had them holding broomsticks and dustpans instead of placards.
“When we started Dakila, we declared that the Philippines was dirty. Linisin ang Pilipinas [Clean the Philippines] was the campaign of Dakila. So we cleaned up the relief map in Luneta. We did it in three days. We made it beautiful again.”
Every third Sunday of the month, they also have this activity called “Sunday Silence,” wherein they observe silence and just express themselves through instruments and what-nots.
Meneses narrates how they used their influence as artists to be catalysts for change in this country, “Like Tado said, artists are a bit influential because you do something visual. Music is also very influential with the youth.”
This led to them using their music as a medium to reach out to the public. Luckily for them, one of their fellow artists came just in time for this project they were planning. “Noel Cabangon had this song that that he wanted to donate to Dakila. The message was spot on. We were able to say what we wanted to say with the song,” says Meneses.
More than 46 artists collaborated on the song “Kaya Mong Maging Dakila.” “We used artists who want to be socially involved through music,” said Meneses. “If you listen to its lyrics and the flow of the song, it gently implores you to become dakila,” he added. “Basically it’s a call for the core values of being heroic,” said Leni Velasco, logistics officer of Dakila.
The collective, though relatively new, has grown rapidly over two years. “It’s not exclusive to artists. There are students, young professionals. From a mere 67, we’ve grown to around 500 plus. We have members even in Cebu,” said Velasco.
As proof to their unwavering advocacy to get the youth and the public involved in social activism, it launched Peacetahan 2008 together with an NGO group Sulong CARHRIHL. It’s a song and music video, infomercial and poster-design contest. “Through this kind of activities we try to involve young people into advocacies,” Velasco said.
Among these young people who joined the contest is a 20-year old gangster-composer from the outskirts of Tondo, Billy Cruz. His music video entry of his own song composition tells of youth, who since their childhood, have already been drawn into drugs, who instead of books, have sacks of garbage on their hands.
Contrary to his gangster image—pierced ears, colored hair, ghetto outfit, his reason why he made the music video is quite noble. Cruz said, “I wanted to show the youth the truth. It is their right to get an education and not having to earn a living. It is their right to eat three times a day. But they have to salvage trash just to eat. This is to show people how the system really works.”
There are heroes among us, even within ourselves. We just have to open our eyes.
For details on the Dakila Collective, visit www.dakila.org.ph.
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/mar/23/yehey/weekend/20080323week2.html
Pinoy superheroes for real
By Katrina C. Guevarra, Contributor
In an age when cynicism, absurdity and hypocrisy make the very notion heroism seem a bit daft and loony—a Quixotic notion to be found only in comic books where people where tights and a cape. But even today, the unlikeliest people can embody true heroism in real life.
Take for example comedian/video documentarian Tado Jimenez and Buwi Meneses, guitarist of the irreverent rock group Parokya ni Edgar. “Everyone can be dakila,” they proclaim. Being dakila or noble is a measure of one’s heroism.
Over a few drinks at Treehouse in Quezon City, a group of concerned musicians, poets and actors started sharing their views on certain political issues. “It started at a time much like today. Two years ago the situation was much like today,” recalls Jimenez. Their idea was to be able to participate and express their opinions on what is happening to our country. That eventually led Jimenez, Meneses, along with poet Lourd de Veyra and actor Ronnie Lazaro to found Dakila.
Dakila is an artist group formed by individuals with different advocacies with one aim—to instill modern day heroism in everyday people. “A hero doesn’t have to get himself shot in Luneta. Being a hero means not littering and crossing the street at the proper pedestrian lane. Even in the little things we do, we can become heroic,” explains Jimenez.
In our society today, the words “activism” and “protest” are often equated with rallying on the street and shouting slogans. However, Dakila’s idea of activism and protest is quite the opposite of that.
“The common concept of protest is a rally. With us, as much as possible, we can demonstrate your involvement or participation without affecting other aspects of your life,” said Jimenez.
This is clearly evident through the different programs they had to show activism. Their very first showcase of activism had them holding broomsticks and dustpans instead of placards.
“When we started Dakila, we declared that the Philippines was dirty. Linisin ang Pilipinas [Clean the Philippines] was the campaign of Dakila. So we cleaned up the relief map in Luneta. We did it in three days. We made it beautiful again.”
Every third Sunday of the month, they also have this activity called “Sunday Silence,” wherein they observe silence and just express themselves through instruments and what-nots.
Meneses narrates how they used their influence as artists to be catalysts for change in this country, “Like Tado said, artists are a bit influential because you do something visual. Music is also very influential with the youth.”
This led to them using their music as a medium to reach out to the public. Luckily for them, one of their fellow artists came just in time for this project they were planning. “Noel Cabangon had this song that that he wanted to donate to Dakila. The message was spot on. We were able to say what we wanted to say with the song,” says Meneses.
More than 46 artists collaborated on the song “Kaya Mong Maging Dakila.” “We used artists who want to be socially involved through music,” said Meneses. “If you listen to its lyrics and the flow of the song, it gently implores you to become dakila,” he added. “Basically it’s a call for the core values of being heroic,” said Leni Velasco, logistics officer of Dakila.
The collective, though relatively new, has grown rapidly over two years. “It’s not exclusive to artists. There are students, young professionals. From a mere 67, we’ve grown to around 500 plus. We have members even in Cebu,” said Velasco.
As proof to their unwavering advocacy to get the youth and the public involved in social activism, it launched Peacetahan 2008 together with an NGO group Sulong CARHRIHL. It’s a song and music video, infomercial and poster-design contest. “Through this kind of activities we try to involve young people into advocacies,” Velasco said.
Among these young people who joined the contest is a 20-year old gangster-composer from the outskirts of Tondo, Billy Cruz. His music video entry of his own song composition tells of youth, who since their childhood, have already been drawn into drugs, who instead of books, have sacks of garbage on their hands.
Contrary to his gangster image—pierced ears, colored hair, ghetto outfit, his reason why he made the music video is quite noble. Cruz said, “I wanted to show the youth the truth. It is their right to get an education and not having to earn a living. It is their right to eat three times a day. But they have to salvage trash just to eat. This is to show people how the system really works.”
There are heroes among us, even within ourselves. We just have to open our eyes.
For details on the Dakila Collective, visit www.dakila.org.ph.
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/mar/23/yehey/weekend/20080323week2.html
Rocking their way into education
Sunday, March 30, 2008
THE FILIPINO CHAMPION
Rocking their way into education
Learning is the new rock n’ roll
By Katrina Guevarra
TRADITIONAL education is tantamount to drone and boredom to most people. They would rather be somewhere else than the dreaded classroom. Rock concerts and radio talk shows are where they want to be and what they want to hear.
Rock Ed Philippines, a volunteer group working to provide venues and events for alternative education, is out to prove that rock music, musicians and radio stations are the new classrooms for today’s youth. The group has a radio show airing every Sunday evening over NU 107 FM where musicians, poets, artists, entrepreneurs and writers serve as teachers as well as fellow students.
Hosted by Rock Ed’s founder Theresa Badoy and poet Lourd de Veyra of jazz band Radioactive Sago Project, the program does not dictate to students what to think or say. Instead, listeners join hosts and guests in their quest for the facts necessary to make informed decisions on the issues of the day.
“It came out of my frustration to play an active role in the resolution of various problems plaguing our country. Then, I noticed that my nieces and nephews have all the songs of the local bands memorized. That was when I realized that young people listen more to musicians than to teachers, politicians and priests all combined,” Badoy recalls. The Hello Garci scandal had angered Badoy then.
However, she explains that she did not particularly like the idea of attending rallies and admits that she is unsure of what protest movements to trust. After deep contemplation, Badoy saw a glimmer of hope in music and musicians.
“People always seem to trust music and the artists behind them because basically their works are expressions of truth,” she intones. Being a music fan herself, she had first hand experiences on how the compositions of some artists had led her to political awakenings. She then ponders that maybe, like her, music can lead other people to enlightenment too.
De Veyra shares his experience on performing and interacting with the youth during the “Malinis Please” pre-election concert: “I learned that both the artist and the audience are both inquirers along the way. When I interacted with the crowd, I was surprised that they had a different sentiment on certain matters, something distinct than what I presumed,” he points out, adding, “They do not have a gnarling sort of cynicism and irony that you keep inside. Actually, they were optimistic. That’s why you do not have the right to be snarling.”
Rock Ed is resolute in providing alternative education through music, poetry, sports, photography, fashion, graphic design, literature, new approaches to science, film, cultural studies, theatre, dance, and a lot more creative alternatives to the traditional classroom set up.
They bring this kind of learning not only to students but also to out-of-school youths, communities living alongside railroad tracks and prisoners. Rock Ed, using “rock culture” as a vehicle not only aims to promote education and social awareness among the youth but fight poverty as well.
Rock Ed has a ten-year timetable for a series of alternative education projects. “Without a deadline there is no urgency for people to join,” Badoy explains the rationale of declaring a specific time frame for the movement.
When asked to name Rock Ed’s accomplishments so far, Badoy admits, “I’m not quite sure of the progress. At the onset of Rock Ed, I already knew that we will not have bar graphs of success that says, ‘16,000 teenagers are now more patriotic.’ I guess I can’t have those numbers and I probably never will.”
However, she named the program’s expanding area of coverage as something she is truly proud of. “Rock Ed can now be heard in schools and far-flung provinces. We accomplished this without soliciting money, without major sponsors and without influential people backing us up. All these - no seed money, no capital,” Badoy announces proudly.
Rock Ed rocks. It’s the Filipino artist in action initiating positive change through creativity and sheer guts.
THE FILIPINO CHAMPION
Rocking their way into education
Learning is the new rock n’ roll
By Katrina Guevarra
TRADITIONAL education is tantamount to drone and boredom to most people. They would rather be somewhere else than the dreaded classroom. Rock concerts and radio talk shows are where they want to be and what they want to hear.
Rock Ed Philippines, a volunteer group working to provide venues and events for alternative education, is out to prove that rock music, musicians and radio stations are the new classrooms for today’s youth. The group has a radio show airing every Sunday evening over NU 107 FM where musicians, poets, artists, entrepreneurs and writers serve as teachers as well as fellow students.
Hosted by Rock Ed’s founder Theresa Badoy and poet Lourd de Veyra of jazz band Radioactive Sago Project, the program does not dictate to students what to think or say. Instead, listeners join hosts and guests in their quest for the facts necessary to make informed decisions on the issues of the day.
“It came out of my frustration to play an active role in the resolution of various problems plaguing our country. Then, I noticed that my nieces and nephews have all the songs of the local bands memorized. That was when I realized that young people listen more to musicians than to teachers, politicians and priests all combined,” Badoy recalls. The Hello Garci scandal had angered Badoy then.
However, she explains that she did not particularly like the idea of attending rallies and admits that she is unsure of what protest movements to trust. After deep contemplation, Badoy saw a glimmer of hope in music and musicians.
“People always seem to trust music and the artists behind them because basically their works are expressions of truth,” she intones. Being a music fan herself, she had first hand experiences on how the compositions of some artists had led her to political awakenings. She then ponders that maybe, like her, music can lead other people to enlightenment too.
De Veyra shares his experience on performing and interacting with the youth during the “Malinis Please” pre-election concert: “I learned that both the artist and the audience are both inquirers along the way. When I interacted with the crowd, I was surprised that they had a different sentiment on certain matters, something distinct than what I presumed,” he points out, adding, “They do not have a gnarling sort of cynicism and irony that you keep inside. Actually, they were optimistic. That’s why you do not have the right to be snarling.”
Rock Ed is resolute in providing alternative education through music, poetry, sports, photography, fashion, graphic design, literature, new approaches to science, film, cultural studies, theatre, dance, and a lot more creative alternatives to the traditional classroom set up.
They bring this kind of learning not only to students but also to out-of-school youths, communities living alongside railroad tracks and prisoners. Rock Ed, using “rock culture” as a vehicle not only aims to promote education and social awareness among the youth but fight poverty as well.
Rock Ed has a ten-year timetable for a series of alternative education projects. “Without a deadline there is no urgency for people to join,” Badoy explains the rationale of declaring a specific time frame for the movement.
When asked to name Rock Ed’s accomplishments so far, Badoy admits, “I’m not quite sure of the progress. At the onset of Rock Ed, I already knew that we will not have bar graphs of success that says, ‘16,000 teenagers are now more patriotic.’ I guess I can’t have those numbers and I probably never will.”
However, she named the program’s expanding area of coverage as something she is truly proud of. “Rock Ed can now be heard in schools and far-flung provinces. We accomplished this without soliciting money, without major sponsors and without influential people backing us up. All these - no seed money, no capital,” Badoy announces proudly.
Rock Ed rocks. It’s the Filipino artist in action initiating positive change through creativity and sheer guts.
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