JOU5322 - Professional Development Broadcast Journalism

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

Apply knowledge and skills in University-based radio and television news days and perform to a satisfactory professional standard;
Apply knowledge and skills in the workplace, perform to a satisfactory standard and critically analyse the aims, structure and activities of a specific organisation or other structured professional experience;
Apply and demonstrate an understanding of the laws and legal restrictions governing reporters and the regulatory regimes governing broadcast journalism;
Further develop a range of employability skills;
Apply and demonstrate an understanding of Public Affairs (central and local government, the monarchy and European Union).

Content:

1. A professional development programme with special reference to employability in journalism and related sectors. The programme will comprise:
- reflection on the nature of work and ethical issues related to it;
- development of employability skills;
- development of group work and team building;
- interviews with Placement Tutor.

2. The Law element in the PDPM module will build on and enhance the study of Law and Regulation from Level 4, and will normally include topics such as reporting restrictions, contempt of court and defamation. It will also include a basic introduction to Public Affairs (central and local government, the monarchy and European Union).

3. An in-house live broadcasting period at the beginning of Semester 2, in both radio and television - outward facing, and using all the industry conventions associated with reporting, production and broadcasting.

4. Critical reflection and evaluation of this period of news days.

5. An element on Holding Power to Account, which will ensure students have a basic knowledge of the working of Public Affairs (government as it affects journalists). This includes a visit to observe a council meeting.

Learning and Teaching Information:

This module is taught via 1 hour interactive lectures, designed to ensure students understand the key aspects of defamation law and public affairs prior to their placement, as well as a series of professional development and employability seminars and workshops (guided and self-study). The placement itself is supported via tutor contact time, which can include telephone, email and personal contact.

Lectures: Law:
Hours: 10
Intended Group Size: Full cohort

Workshops: Employability and skills
Hours: 10
Intended Group Size: Full cohort

Regulatory compliance workshops
Hours: 10
Intended Group Size: Full cohort

News days:
Hours: 120
Intended Group Size: Full cohort

Council Visit:
Hours: 2
Intended Group Size: Full cohort

3 Week Industry Placement
Hours: 90

Further Details related to Assessment:
1) One online assessment to cover Public Affairs. This will last 30 minutes and consist of 15-multiple-choice questions (each with six possible answers) on central and local government, the monarchy and European Union.

2) A 1,000-word report identifying and discussing the legal and regulatory risks in a real-life story of their choice but involving a UK-based, publicly-funded body. The report must also include an outline of the functions and funding of the organisation. This report will form 40 per cent of the mark for the module.

3) News Days: Live Productions. Students produce Webcast news programmes for our in-house TV and online news operation 'Yorkshire Voice' for three weeks. They then produce live radio news bulletins each day from 0900-1800 for BCB (Bradford Community Broadcasting) 106.6FM, while continuing to provide online news content for the 'Yorkshire Voice' website.

4) News days: Report. Students will write a critical analysis of their individual and team performance during the live newsroom period.

5) 3-week industry placement: this is a BJTC requirement. It extends the standard LTU placement period by 1 week.

6) The Professional Portfolio will include two elements. For the first element, students will produce a 1000-word analysis of how to apply OFCOM codes of practice and/or BBC editorial guidelines to a given case study, which will normally be a news story with a number of sensitive elements. The second element is linked to a series of practical workshops designed to develop employability skills. Full briefings on both elements of this portfolio will be given out during Semester 1.

Assessment:

001 Portfolio; 1,500 word equiv.; during semester 1 35%
002 Online test; mid-semester 2 10%
003 Report 1; 1,000 words; during semester 2 30%
004 Live production;pass/fail; during semester 2 0%
005 Report 2; 1,000 words; end of semester 2 25%
006 Placement; pass/fail; end of semester 2 0%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Paul Marsden
Level - 5
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 5YL

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