Writing for the Media

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

This subject provides students with the skills to write at an advanced journalistic level. Lectures will present students with techniques that will enhance skills in interviewing, news judgement, narrative technique, researching, framing ideas, developing contacts and using off the record information. Students will also deal with issues of fairness and objectivity, plagiarism, libel and codes of conduct. On completion of this subject, students will have developed advanced skills in feature writing.

On completion, students will:

• be able to develop practical knowledge of different journalistic writing styles;
• have gained a critical understanding of interviewing, the role of sources and researching;
• have become aware of ethical and legal issues in contemporary journalism; and
• have acquired high level skills in feature writing.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject will:

• be able to effectively research and write extended length journalistic stories;
• have gained an understanding of the practical implications of on-going debates over journalistic conduct in relation to their own writings; and
• be able to demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the mass media and other forms of communication in contemporary society.