Programme/Approved Electives for 2020/21
None
Available as a Free Standing Elective
Yes
Are you interested in the news or a career in journalism? Are you interested in how the news we see is selected and presented to us?This module introduces a broad range of theoretical debates and issues involved in the making of contemporary news. We examine the factors that affects what becomes news including; who owns global news corporations, organisational constraints within institutions, professional codes of practice such as news values, issues of equality and ethics in production. We will then examine the impact of these factors by analysing news content and, in particular, how these play out in war reporting. Finally we consider how news production and content is evolving with the development of new technologies, the rise of open journalism, for example. There will be some opportunity to consider the issues raised through a practical activity.Reading:Wahl-Jorensen K and Hanitzsch, T (2009) The Handbook of Journalism Studies. RoutledgeAllan. S (2010) News Culture, OUAllan, S (2009) Routledge Companion to News and Journalism. Routledge
Aims
The module is designed to develop practical media skills in the context of producing a TV news report, for students to be introduced to the workings of a TV studio where they will have hands-on experience of the many associated roles and professional production techniques, to develop skills in journalism, research and creative writing, and to study a wide range of theoretical debates relating to TV news production.
Talis Aspire Reading ListAny reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/mds-20020/lists
Intended Learning Outcomes
evaluate theoretical debates about, and critically reflect on, journalistic communications and practices: 2research and write a journalistically ethical news item designed to inform, educate and persuade an audience using the media: 1be aware of changing technologies and the impact on news production: 1,2be aware of the broad contexts of journalism and news production largely in the West (both economical, political, historical and social): 2
10 hours lectures10 hours seminars2 hours tutorials2 hours workshop40 hours seminar, tutorial & workshop preparation46 hours project preparation40 hours essay preparation
Description of Module Assessment
1: Project weighted 40%News reportA short news item (press, broadcast news, blog etc) should be produced of approximately 1000-words.
2: Essay weighted 60%Standard EssayStandard, 2500-word essay based on a choice of pre- determined questions. Students will have to critically reflect on their news report in the essay and the essay questions will encourage this.