Module manager: Carl Hartley
Email: C.D.Hartley@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
| COMM2410 | Journalism Practice |
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module prepares students for the challenges of live news production in a professional environment. Participants will see their journalism through from the initial idea, to research and development, production and then on screen, on the airwaves or uploaded to a digital platform. In keeping with industry practice, TV, radio and digital production skills are taught side-by-side. They are then put into practice during news days; simulations of a professional journalism environment based in a newsroom, studio and gallery.
This module builds on students’ previous experiences by asking them to apply their journalism and production skills to live news. They are required to work together on collaborative media outputs such as TV programmes, radio bulletins, websites and mobile apps.
The module aims to:
1. provide students with comprehensive practical instruction on how to research, develop and produce news stories for daily deadlines;
2. enable students to use the tools of news production such as filming, editing, writing and presentation skills to provide content for a range of joint journalistic ventures;
3. familiarise students with a professional working environment and the organisational structures that underpin a newsroom;
4. add studio and gallery skills to the students portfolio of abilities;
5. ensure students stay within legal, regulatory and ethical guidelines whilst working in the pressured environment of a professional newsroom simulation;
6. In association with the module Multimedia News Production Two, to meet the requirements of industry accreditation at Level Two.
At the end of the module students should be able to:
1. find, research and develop news stories for inclusion in a collaborative live news output such as a TV programme, radio bulletin or website;
2. produce news items for radio, TV and digital to a daily deadline applying appropriate recording, editing and storytelling techniques;
3. demonstrate team working, editorship, presentation and studio skills in the production of live news.
Professionalism, confidence and team working.
This module sees students take a large step in the direction of professional practice in journalism by working as part of a team to make live news programmes and digital news platforms. This is achieved through a series of news days, where students participate in a simulation of an industry working environment, based in the newsroom, studios and gallery. The module is designed so that the practical workshops track the news days. Skills required to produce programmes and stories are taught in the classroom, then practiced in the newsroom during the following news day.
• Small group practical workshops support students in the learning of technical and journalistic skills required in the production of live news. Topics covered include storytelling, programme production software to create running orders and scripts, cue writing, web production, live blogging, mobile journalism and voice training. Workshop time will also be given to preparing students for the Project Report assignment;
• The skills and understanding gained through the workshops are practiced in a series of multimedia live news days. Students will also learn through experience how to take an active role within a team, editorship skills through prioritising and positioning stories and leadership.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop | 11 | 2 | 22 |
| Studio Time | 4 | 8 | 32 |
| Practical | 7 | 8 | 32 |
| Private study hours | 114 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 86 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Private study should be dedicated to:
• Practicing technical skills: 37 hours
• Newsday preparation: 45 hours
• Completing submission process: 8 hours
Students will be given informal feedback at the end of each of the fifteen news days. General points will be shared with the group as a whole along with individual guidance as necessary.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Compilation of TV, radio and digital work with associated scripts, based on news day production | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
The resit task is to complete the Multimedia Portfolio to daily deadlines but outside of a newsday environment.
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 6/4/2024
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