Video and Audio Journalism

This subject is not offered in 2014.

170 hours

This subject is available only to students enrolled in the Master of Journalism. Students in the 200 point program should complete JOUR90001 Researching and Writing Stories before doing this unit.

See prerequisites

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject provides a solid grounding in video and audio journalism skills. The structure of news and current affairs reports is analysed, and training in recording and editing vision and sound packages, and in scripting and presenting on-camera is provided. Ethical considerations relevant to video and audio journalism are canvassed in the context of 'quality' journalism, with its roots in serving the public interest, objective scrutiny and fact-based reporting.

Students who successfully complete this subject should:

• Have a developed sense of what constitutes a broadcast news or current affairs story;
• Be able to compile, file and broadcast a news story, using video and audio tools, digital editing and some mojo equipment;
• Be able to apply high level research and fact-checking skills to investigate news stories;
• Have developed practical skills of shooting, recording, editing and filing news and current affairs stories;
• Have developed expertise in interviews, talking-to-camera and voicing scripts;
• Demonstrate a high-level of narrative story-telling and written and oral communication skills across news and current affairs audio and visual stories;
• Be equipped to critically reflect on challenges that journalists face across different media today and into the near future.

• Video news story package (equivalent to 800 words), due early in semester, 20%
• Video current affairs package (equivalent to 2000 words), due mid-semester, 30%
• Audio current affairs package (equivalent to 1500 words), due late in semester, 20%
• In-class examinations (one on using the camera and one on Story Structure and Workflow) (equivalent to 500 words), throughout the semester, 20%
• Attendance and participation, throughout semester, 10%

Alysen, Barbara, The Electronic Reporter, (3rd Ed. 2012)

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject should

• understand the fundamental principles for making critical and ethical judgments regarding professional journalism practice;
• be able to evaluate the dynamic processes of change operating in contemporary media and communication industries;
• demonstrate skills in journalistic research, analysis and interpretation;
• demonstrate skills in writing, reporting and communicating facts and ideas;
• demonstrate time management and planning skills through managing and organising workloads;\
• have acquired cultural and ethical understanding through reflection, reading and practical experience of journalists’ responsibilities;
• demonstrate an understanding of how to market their own ideas and successfully pursue careers in an increasingly diversified and transforming industry environment.