Video Journalism (9036.3)

Please note these are the 2018 details for this unit
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Video Journalism
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Arts And Design
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Discipline Of Communication And Media Level 2 - Undergraduate Intermediate Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan Social Work_Exclude 0905)
This unit builds on the learning outcomes of Audio Journalism by introducing students to the principles and practices of contemporary video news journalism for TV/online in a changing digital media environment. TV news and current affairs reports and programs on commercial and public stations will be examined, along with the role of news journalists within the industry, the codes of ethics that guide them, and the professional context within which they work. Tutorials will focus on TV news reporting and production skills with particular emphasis on researching (including application of social media tools), scripting, editing, presentation and interview techniques.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Conduct basic video interviews for broadcast/online publication;
2. Research, write and produce basic video news packages for TV/online;
3. Critique, analyse, synthesise and evaluate TV news and current affairs stories/programs and online video;
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the changing structures, policies and practices of the TV industry, including ethical frameworks, impacts of convergence and the roles of 'new' and social media in research, audience curation and content distribution; and
5. Demonstrate understanding of the role and impact of online video in emerging media industries.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development


Skills development

This unit is organised around 3hour weekly interactive workshops involving journalism field work, discussion, skills development and research.

There is no separate lecture to attend, instead online recorded materials, readings and other resources will be available on Canvas and discussed in class.

Students are expected to familiarise themselves with these materials before coming to class.

 



Prerequisites

9019 Audio Journalism

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

Restrictions: This unit is not open to students who have passed 6973 Broadcast Journalism 2.

Equivalent units

6973 Broadcast Journalism 2

Assumed knowledge

NONE
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
Not available

Required texts

There is no set text for this unit.  However, below are some resources for video production and ethical journalism practice that you might find useful. Relevant readings will be made available on Moodle and many of these books are available in the library or online.

  • Blaine, M (2014). The Digital Reporter's Notebook. New York and London. Routledge.
  • Phillips, G & Lindgren, M (2013), Australian Broadcast Journalism, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, Vic. 3rd edition.
  • Bradshaw & Rohuma (2011). Video, in The Online Journalism Handbook: Skills to thrive and survive in the digital age. Longman Pbl. Ch. 8 pp104-118.
  • Bull, A (2010) Multimedia Journalism - a practical guide. London & New York: Routledge
  • Shook, Larson, DeTarsio (2009) Television, Field Production and Reporting, Pearson Publ. 5th edition.
  • Stewart, P., & Alexander, R. (2016). Broadcast Journalism: Techniques of Radio and Television News. Routledge.
  • Costello, V. (2016). Multimedia foundations: Core concepts for digital design. CRC Press.
  • Alysen, Oakham, Patching & Sedorkin (2011) Reporting in a multimedia world – an introduction to core journalism skills, Sydney & London: Allen & Unwin.
  • Alysen, B (2012) Electronic Reporter: Broadcast Journalism in Australia, Deakin University Press, Vic. 2nd edition.
  • Harcup, T (2015) Journalism Principles and Practice, London, Sage Publications. 3rd edition.
  • Burns, L.S. (2013). Understanding Journalism. 2nd ed., Sage Publishing.
  • Kovach & Rosenstiel (2014), The Elements of Journalism: What People Should Know and the Public Should Expect, 3rd edition. New York: Three Rivers Press.

Recommended television and video journalism viewing:

It is fundamental to your success in this unit (and your future career prospects in journalism) that you stay up to date with local, national and international news and current affairs.  Therefore you are expected to consume a range of daily media to stay up to date.  In order to improve your video journalism skills it is important for you to watch television and video journalism online and on TV on both commercial and public broadcasting outlets to become discriminating about the quality of video journalism being produced.

TV News/Current Affairs:        

You can view these online and via Facebook. Please begin to follow quality news services on Facebook. 

  • 1 x evening news bulletin on ABC1, ABC News 24
  • 1 x commercial TV news bulletin
  • Foreign Correspondent, ABC1/ or Dateline, SBS - weekly
  • Australian Story, ABC1 - weekly
  • Four Corners, ABC - weekly
  • The Project - nightly
  • Sunday Night, Ch. 7
  • ABC bot
  • Junkee

Online video stories:                

  • New York Times App.  (Especially Times Documentaries)
  • ABC News online www.abc.net.au 
  • BBC online
  • The Guardian online
  • Hack - Triple J

Media about the media:

You should also look at what and how the news media reports on itself. The Australian newspaper has a Media section published each Monday and regularly updates its stories online, but many of these are now behind a pay wall. The Sydney Morning Herald has a Media and Marketing page published on a Friday, and is available free online, though it, too, could be behind a pay wall in the future. The Australian Financial Review has a Media and Marketing section that is published on Mondays. Media Watch is aired on ABC television on Mondays at 9.15pm and its host, Jonathan Holmes, has a column on the national broadcaster's website, The Drum.

Other excellent sources of information and programming about the media can also be found at:

  • http://www.onthemedia.org/
  • Poynter: www.poynter.org
  • Columbia Journalism Review: https://www.cjr.org/
  • Pew Research Centre: http://pewresearch.org
  • Ethical Journalism Network: http://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/
  • International federation of Journalists: http://www.ifj.org/
  • www.journalism.co.uk
  • NiemanLab: www.niemanlab.org
  • Clay Shirky blog: http://www.shirky.com/weblog/
  • Buzzmachine: http://www.buzzmachine.com/
  • Walkely magazine: http://www.walkleys.com/about/walkley-magazine/
  • PressThink: www.pressthink.com
  • MediaShift: www.pbs.com/mediashift

Recommended academic journals:

  • Australian Journalism Review
  • Journalism
  • Media International Australia
  • Journalism Studies
  • Journalism Practice
  • Digital Journalism
  • Journalism and Mass Media Quarterly

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Please see the earlier Assessment descriptions (also on Canvas) for submission details for each assessment item.

Special assessment requirements

Student responsibility in relation to assessment:

Students MUST test all YouTube links and video files prior to submission. If the tutor cannot access the story to grade it then this will have an impact on your grade. professionalism requires that you quality check all material before you submit it.

Deadlines: It is the student's responsibility to make sure he/she submits their assignments on time. Filing stories to deadline is part of journalistic professionalism. As per the university guidelines students will lose 5% a day for lateness.

Keep copies of all assignments: Students must keep a copy of all assessment items until they have received a grade for those items.  Losing a copy of an assignment is no defence. Make sure you back up all of your video files during the recording and editing phases.

Academic integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.

Use of Text-Matching Software

The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.

Participation requirements

Students who do not attend the weekly interactive workshops will find it very difficult to successfully pass this unit.

Please note that Assessments 3A &3B in particular require written reflection by students on their tutorial activities. 

Required IT skills

This unit assumes basic computer proficiency, such as basic word processing and internet searching ability use of email and Moodle. It also assumes familiarity with social media platforms, such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and smart phones. It does not assume prior knowledge of video camera operation or video editing. Students will be given basic introductory training in these skills during  class. However, it is up to the student to refine those skills using online tutorials and resources in their own time.

In-unit costs

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • SD VIDEO CARD  - we recommend students purchase  – SDXC ,  32 or 64GB in size, Class 10,  40MB/S  or higher (price from $50 from Officeworks or JB HI- FI). This is a more versatile card that can handle the latest codecs; or 
  • SDHC ,  32 or 64GB in size, Class 10,  40MB/S  or higher (price from $25 from Officeworks or JB HI- FI)

-      The Media Resource Centre supplies SD cards for class exercises only.

  • HEADPHONES
  • portable Hard-Drive is recommended.

Work placement, internships or practicums

This is a practical unit that requires students to operate as working journalists in the field for the completion of their reporting assessment.

Students are expected to follow professional practice standards as per the MEAA journalist' code of ethics:

https://www.meaa.org/meaa-media/code-of-ethics/

The goal is to produce video journalism that is broadcast standard and able to be published on the Journalism course website: NOWUC.com.au and shown to future employers.