JRN2002 Radio Journalism

JRN	2002	62608	1, 2007	ONC	Radio Journalism	1.00	Toowoomba
Subject	Cat-nbr	Class	Term	Mode	Description	Units	Campus

Academic group:	FOART
Academic org:	FOA003
Student contribution band:	1
ASCED code:	100703

Staffing
Requisites
Synopsis
Objectives
Topics
Texts
Reference materials
Student workload
Assessment details
Important assessment information
Assessment notes
Other requirements
Production date
PDF version

STAFFING

Examiner: Dianne Jones
Moderator: Craig Burgess

REQUISITES

Pre-requisite: JRN1000 and JRN2000

SYNOPSIS

This course provides students with an introduction to broadcast news. It develops an understanding of the history of radio journalism and the theoretical debates concerning the news media's role and key functions, and stresses current affairs knowledge. Radio Journalism also takes a hands-on approach to teaching students how to research, interview, write, report, prepare and present radio news under "real life" deadlines. Students will learn to operate electronic recording and editing equipment, think independently, refine their news sense, operate within the community as journalists, and make ethical decisions. Topics covered include radio news in context, broadcast news writing style, interview techniques, voice production, and editorial decision-making.

OBJECTIVES

On successful completion of this course the student should:

demonstrate an understanding of the major news events of the previous weeks, in particular, how these events were handled by the broadcast media;
have an understanding of the major theoretical debates concerning the news media, including the role of the broadcast media in fostering public awareness of social issues and problems;
demonstrate an ability to meet tight broadcast news deadlines;
be able to isolate major news stories and to justify their possible inclusion in the front section of a metropolitan or regional radio station news bulletin;
be able to write radio news stories based on his/her experience gained from exercises completed in tutorials and workshops, his/her own research material and interviews on local issues;
be able to interview and produce stories with recorded material.

TOPICS

	Description	Weighting (%)
1.	Current Affairs	10.00
2.	Radio news technology	5.00
3.	Broadcast news writing style	20.00
4.	Interview techniques	10.00
5.	Reporting skills	10.00
6.	Constructing a news story	10.00
7.	Voice production	10.00
8.	Editorial decision-making and newsroom operations	10.00
9.	Radio news - historical and theoretical contexts	15.00

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

The Macquarie Dictionary and Thesaurus. 2 Minidiscs. 2 blank cassettes (30 minute tapes). To complete the practical components of this course, you will require your own mini discs, audio cassettes and batteries. Do not purchase these items until you have consulted your lecturer.

Alysen, B 2005, The electronic reporter, 2nd edn, UNSW Press, Sydney.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Phillips, G & Lindgren, M 2002, The Australian broadcast journalism manual, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY	HOURS
Assessment	56.00
Directed Study	30.00
Lectures	13.00
Private Study	35.00
Tutorials or Workshops	26.00

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description	Marks out of	Wtg(%)	Due date
ROUNDS STORY	100.00	35.00	07 Jun 2006	(see note 1)
2,000 WORD ESSAY	100.00	25.00	05 Apr 2007	(see note 2)
NEWSBREAK	100.00	40.00	03 May 2007	(see note 3)

NOTES

1.: See Note 1. This assignment is aligned with Objectives 2, 4, 5 & 6.
2.: Students will be advised in week one's class of their assignment requirements and due dates. Students must complete and submit all items of assessment in order to be considered for a passing grade in this course. The use of another person's work as the student's own, without appropriate acknowledgment in the essay according to USQ's academic conventions, is plagiarism. Where such a breach of ethical conduct occurs, the assignment may receive a mark of zero. This assignment is aligned with Objectives 1, 2 & 4.
3.: Students will be advised in week one's class of their assignment requirements and due dates. Each of the four Newsbreak assessments, worth a total of 40 per cent of the course's marks, will be completed in class and under deadline conditions. Students must complete and submit one Newsbreak story per class (for a total of four) in order to be considered for a passing grade in this course. Students who fail to attend a Newsbreak class will receive a mark of zero for their story. Students who present a valid medical certificate for a missed Newsbreak class will be required to complete and submit their Newsbreak story at a date and time to be determined in consultation with the lecturer. In order to successfully complete this four-part assessment item, students must maintain an up-to-date knowledge of news events and current affairs. This assignment is aligned with Objectives 1, 3, 4, 5 & 6.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Attendance requirements:
It is the student's responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. For this course, normal class attendance consists of one 4-hour tutorial per week.
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To successfully complete an individual assessment item, a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks or a grade of at least C-. This statement must be read in conjunction with Statement 4 below.
Penalties for late submission of required work:
If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval, then a penalty of 10% of the total marks available for the assignment will apply for each of the first FIVE working days late, after which a zero mark will be given. DEADLINES - EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED ON ANY GROUNDS. In fully documented cases of extreme medical disability, other production assignments of equivalent value will be set, ON CONDITION THAT the student fully informs the Examiner at least three working days before the assignment's due date. (Newsbreak - See important information in Note 3 in Assessment Details).
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
Students must attempt all items of assessment to pass the course. A final grade is determined on the basis of the total accumulated points after all pieces of assessment have been attempted and is assigned in accord with Faculty regulations.
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
Examination information:
There is no exam for this course.
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
Given the details under (6) above, there are no deferred exams for this course. However, if any deferred/makeup work is granted, it would have to be submitted by a date set by the examiner.
University Regulations:
Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6 Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm

ASSESSMENT NOTES

(a) The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must lodge the assignment at the USQ. (b) All Faculty of Arts assignments must be lodged in the Faculty Assessment Centre on the Ground Floor of Q Block no later than 12 noon on the due date. (c) In the event that a due date for an assignment falls on a local public holiday in their area, such as a Show holiday, the due date for the assignment will be the next day. Students are to note on the assignment cover the date of the public holiday for the examiner's convenience. (d). Students must retain a copy of each item submitted for assessment. This must be despatched to USQ within 24 hours if requested by the Examiner. (e) In accordance with University's Assignment Extension Policy (Regulation 5.6.1), the examiner of a course may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances such as documented ill-health. (f) Students who have undertaken all of the required assessments in the course but who have failed to meet some of the specified objectives of the course within the normally prescribed time may be awarded the temporary grade: IM (Incomplete-Makeup). An IM grade will only be awarded when, in the opinion of the examiner, a student will be able to achieve the remaining objectives of the course after a period of non-directed personal study. (g) Students who, for medical, family/personal, or employment-related reasons, are unable to complete an assignment or sit for an examination at the scheduled time, may apply to defer an assessment in the course. Such a request must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. One of the following temporary grades may be awarded: IDS (Incomplete - Deferred Examination; IDM (Incomplete Deferred Make-up); IDB (Incomplete - Both Deferred Examination and Deferred Make-up).

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

The journalism course maintains high standards of spelling, grammar, syntax and style. Faults in any of these could render a project or proposal unacceptable.
If assignments in the course require the use of surveys, interviews, etc., students should be aware of the University and Faculty of Arts ethical requirements/guidelines. (The course syllabus distributed to students in the first week of teaching provides this information.)
Students can expect that questions in assessment items in this course may draw upon knowledge and skills that they can reasonably be expected to have acquired before enrolling in the course. This includes knowledge contained in pre-requisite courses and appropriate communication, information literacy, analytical, critical thinking, problem solving or numeracy skills. Students who do not possess such knowledge and skills should not expect to achieve the same grades as those students who do possess them.
Students will require access to email and have internet access to USQConnect for this course.

This version produced 20 Dec 2007.