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This course provides students with an understanding of the forces that shape the selection and presentation of news. It introduces significant theoretical approaches that seek to explain what is news and the criteria by which it is selected; it explores key aspects of the production of news and analyses specific areas of news (foreign, political, sport and crime) in more depth.
This course introduces students to the study of journalism. You will learn about: how the news works; issues and constraints that journalists face; and how the news is changing. Among the major ideas threaded through the course are the independence of journalists, the way technology shapes what journalism can do, the position of the news within society and politics and the double orientation of news producers towards public service and selling a product. Learning will take place largely through active engagement with the news, including brief tasters of doing journalism.
On completion of the course you should be able to:understand how news is produced and the major forces shaping its productionidentify ideas of quality journalismconstruct arguments about the power of journalism within societydiscuss how news is changingreflect on the role of technology in journalisminterpret media content in terms of production dynamicscritically analyse media contentwork individually and in small groups on information-gathering and analysisdevelop basic news skills
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:
Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award
Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.
Biculturally competent and confident
Students will be aware of and understand the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and its relevance to their area of study and/or their degree.
Donald Matheson
Tara Ross
We require only electronic copies of assignments submitted via Learn (no papercopies). We will return assignments electronically too.
There are required readings on Learn, accessible on the page for each week.
Library portalLearn Referencing for Media & Communication Using EndNote for referencing Writing guides for Media & Communication
Domestic fee $777.00
International fee $3,375.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .