JOU5006 - Radio and Online Newsdays

Objectives:

Assessment tasks are designed to enable students to demonstrate the Learning and Employability outcomes for the relevant level of study. Level Learning Outcomes are embedded in the assessment task(s) at that level. This enables a more integrated view of overall student performance at each level.

Content:

This module will begin with some reporting skills sessions to refresh and extend students’ foundation skills learned at Level 4. This will cover sourcing stories, interviewing, news writing and photography & image editing skills.

The module then focuses on providing an understanding of radio& podcastingandthecurrent contextwithin which they operate, including OFCOM. It examines the different market places/audiences relevant to radio& podcasts,and provides tuition in interview skills, writing for radio or podcast, audio editingand the skills neededto compile, write and deliver a newsbulletinand a podcast.

In the second semester, students will explorevideo story- tellingconventionsforonline and social media platforms, andthe wider use of social media platforms topromote and tell stories.They will learn the associated conventions and techniquesof online and social video, including the technical skills required to shoot on a mobile device, edit and publish video online and to social media. Students will also learn effective writing for both an online and social media audience, including the need to meet ethical and legal considerations.

Students will extend their online publication skills to create more sophisticated online stories and will learn the importance of SEO and analytics in driving traffic.

Students will complete a minimum of 15 newsdays as well as a 15-day industry placement during the post-Easter period.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Workshops
Hours: 100
Intended Group Size: Max 15 per group

Newsdays
Hours: 15 days or 90 hours minimum
Intended Group Size: Max 15

Placement preparation workshops
Hours: 10
Intended Group Size: 50

Placement
Hours: Equivalent of 3 weeks, 1 of which must be consecutive days at the same organisation, minimum of 90 hours
Intended Group Size: 1

Guided independent study
Hours: 310

Further details relating to assessment
Portfolio 1: this comprises elements that cover sourcing stories, interviewing, news writing and photography & image editing skills.

Portfolio 2: radio work comprising podcasts and radio interviews.

Newsdays: these are NCTJ requirements.

Placement: students will need to produce paperwork from their industry mentors to show they have passed their placement.

Presentation: this is an outline of the placement organisation, activities undertaken, and lessons learned.

Voice Training: this is a NCTJ requirement.

Portfolio 3: this comprises elements of online & social media videojournalism.

Early Assessment: there will be a formative assessment within the first 4 weeks and this will help unpack the assignment details for the 1st assignment as well as guide and inform student preparation and help introduce the University grading system.

Module is exempt from marginal failure - core assessments of this module must be passed, regardless of the overall module result. Those strands include practical journalism assessment elements, placement and newsdays as well as voice training ie placement and NCTJ requirements.

Assessment:

001 Portfolio 1; 2,000 words eqv., mid semester 1 25%
002 Portfolio 2; 2,000 words eqv., end of semester 1 15%
003 15 Newsdays; 90 hours; semester 3 during first half of placement 10%
004 3 week Placement; 90 hours; semester 3 during the first half of the University placement period %
005 Presentation on placement; 5 minutes; end of placement 10%
006 2 hours voice training; 2 hours; after placement %
007 Portfolio 3; 4,000-word equivalent; end of semester 2 40%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Darren Harper
Level - 5
Credit Value - 60
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 5YL

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