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MDS-20020 - Module Specification
School of Humanities
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2022/23 Last Updated: 14 February 2023

MDS-20020 - Making the News
Coordinator: Elizabeth Poole Tel: +44 1782 7 34968
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733147

Programme/Approved Electives for 2022/23

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Yes

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None


Barred Combinations

None


Description for 2022/23

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. Routledge
Allan. S (2010) News Culture, OU
Allan, S (2009) Routledge Companion to News and Journalism. Routledge

Aims
This module introduces students to theoretical debates about news production, particularly around the context of production, institutional and professional routines and practices, and how this impacts on content and audiences. Students will be asked to apply this knowledge in producing their own news report.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any 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: 2
research and write a journalistically ethical news item designed to inform, educate and persuade an audience using the media: 1
be aware of changing technologies and the impact on news production: 2
be aware of the broad contexts of journalism and news production largely in the West (both economical, political, historical and social): 2

Study hours

10 hours lectures
10 hours seminars
2 hours tutorials
2 hours workshop
40 hours seminar, tutorial & workshop preparation
46 hours project preparation
40 hours essay preparation


School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Project weighted 40%
News report
A short news item (press, broadcast news, blog etc) should be produced of approximately 1000-words.

2: Essay weighted 60%
Standard Essay
Standard, 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.

Please note that for the 2022/23 Academic Year programmes may be adapted to operate in accordance with a flexible, digital approach. This means that there may be some changes made to how modules are delivered and assessed. The latest information will be provided to you by your School in module handbooks. We endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes and details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/student-terms-and-conditions/

Last Updated: 14 February 2023