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COMM532 News: Content and Practice

Updated: 14 May 2010
Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study Online Level
Armidale Semester 2 On line E - Wholly online unit
Armidale Semester 2 On Campus D - Comp/internet essential
Intensive School(s) None
Supervised Exam There is no UNE Supervised Examination.
Pre-requisites candidature in a postgraduate award
Co-requisites None
Restrictions COMM332
Notes None
Combined Units COMM332 - News: Content and Practice
Coordinator(s) Neil Rattigan (nrattiga@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

This unit provides a critical and practical engagement with the texts and practices of today's news media.

News content, including its topics, genres, styles, and practices, will be examined in the unit beside considerations of news industry, institutions, corporations and agencies.

News values, industrial organisation, professional practices, and ethical challenges will be explored in this unit which focuses primarily on news on the Internet, in print and on broadcast media.

Students will become familiar with today's commercial media landscape and be prepared to engage in culturally aware and socially responsible ways with future developments in news media.
Prescribed Material
Mandatory 		Text(s):

Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material

Media and Journalism: New Approaches to Theory and Practice
ISBN: 9780195560459
Bainbridge, J., Nicola, G. and Tynan, L., Oxford University Press 1st ed. 2008
Text refers to: Semester 2 , On Campus and Online
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment
Title Exam Length Weight Mode No. Words
Assignment 1: Essay 20% Online 1500
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-5 GA: 1- 7
Assignment 2: Essay 40% 3000
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-4 GA: 1-7
Online Quizzes 20%
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-3 GA: 1-5
Online Topic Responses 20% Online
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 GA: 1-7
Structured Tutorial Responses 10% On Campus
Tutorial Presentation 30% On Campus
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-4 GA: 1-7

Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. recognise and critically work with current news topics, genres, styles, and practices;
  2. critically analyse the economic, social and political significance of news;
  3. explain and discuss the operations and influences of news institutions, corporations and agencies;
  4. engage in culturally aware and socially responsible ways with future developments in news media;
  5. undertake independent research on ideas and issues in news theory and practice and present findings coherently.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
The unit enhances knowledge of communication and media studies, particularly in the study of news content and practices, in their cultural and historical contexts. 		True True True
2 Communication Skills
Written communication skills are taught, practised and assessed through the construction of essays, feature stories, online postings and presentations. 		True True True
3 Global Perspectives
The unit teaches, practises and assesses global perspectives through historical and comparative work on news media. 		True True True
4 Information Literacy
Information literacy is taught, practised and assessed through the provision of guidance in research methods for analysing, practising and writing about news examples and issues. 		True True True
5 Life-Long Learning
The focus on understanding issues and developing the conceptual approaches of independent analysis means that lifelong learning is taught and practised in the unit. 		True True True
6 Problem Solving
Problem solving is taught, practised and assessed through the requirement to undertake research and analysis that helps to understand issues in news history, theory and practice. 		True True True
7 Social Responsibility
Social responsibility is taught and encouraged by considering news and media ethics, responsibilities in uses of knowledge and social relations of production. 		True True
8 Team Work
News production provides a range of models for team work, which are taught as part of unit content. Team work is practised by on-campus students through tutorial organisation and activity. It may be practised, but is not assessed, through online participation by off-campus students. 		True True
   

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