Modules

Module title: Television News
SCQF level: 09:
SCQF credit value: 20.00
ECTS credit value: 10
Module code: JAC09123
Module leader: James Blake
School School of Arts and Creative Industries
Subject area group: Media and Screen
Prerequisites

JAC08113
Radio News
2019/0, Trimester 1, Face-to-Face, Edinburgh Napier University
Occurrence: 001
Primary mode of delivery: Face-to-Face
Location of delivery: MERCHISTON
Partner: Edinburgh Napier University
Member of staff responsible for delivering module: James Blake
Module Organiser:


Learning, Teaching and Assessment (LTA) Approach:
Throughout this module you will source stories and video footage on location in and around Edinburgh. Lecturers with industry experience will provide insight into professional practice and will advise you during production and will provide feedback on work as it is produced. In technical workshops you will acquire the camera techniques and editing skills (LO3) needed to create individual television packages (LO1 – 3). In TV news workshops based in industry standard newsrooms and studios, you will engage in the production of live rolling TV news (LO1 – 4). By means of lecturers, and by reflecting on practice, you will learn to analyse broadcast industry workflows, changes and challenges (LO5). You will be required to work individual, in pairs and in groups and will need to take responsibility for pre-planning and keeping up with precise production schedules. Technical assistance will be available to help you manage the broadcast technology. However, you are also expected to keep your technological skills up to date by spending time outside of the class using the production equipment.

Employability skills are embedded throughout the module, and are clearly linked to work-shop exercises and assessments. The television studio creates an industry environment with exercises and assessments designed to further simulate the workplace. Production meetings during news days allow students to take on the roles of 'Producer', ‘News Editor’ and ‘news-belt producer’, which include preparing material and managing a team. Industry practitioners also assist in providing students with knowledge of the industry and the required employability skills.

Research/teaching linkages
Staff with practical experience of the industry will teach on this unit. A core element is to prepare students for working within the industry, either on their placement or on shorter work experiences set up. Emphasis is placed on gaining skills, but also encouraging students to critically reflect on their practice. Teaching staff will have up to date knowledge of academic literature published about broadcast journalism. Staff research is also embedded in this module including: the impact of social media, mobile reporting and interactive and immersive media forms.

Equality and Diversity
The studios and broadcast newsrooms at Merchiston campus have disabled access. As real-life stories are covered on this unit, students will report on people form all walks of life and will be encouraged to reflect the diverse local population in their coverage of news. Teaching and support material will be published on Moodle where possible.

Internationalisation
Workshops regularly explore how different stories are covered abroad; bringing an international dimension to learning. The inclusion of international TV footage from international news agencies in the production of new bulletins provides an excellent opportunity for stu-dents to see how news is sourced and distributed around the world. Media convergence, social media, UGC and mobile journalism is also discussed regularly with reference to global trends and developments.


Formative Assessment:
There will be a number of formative projects and assessments during the module. These will include Avid editing workshops (LO3) and scriptwriting for TV news (LO1 - 3). There will also be formative camera skills assessments on location (LO3 - 4) and on-screen presenting techniques (LO1 - 4). After each of these formative assessments, you will receive feedback which will focus on both editorial judgement as well as technical / production quality (LO 1 – 4).
There will also be at least two formative group news day assessments in the second half of the module. Following the production of 15-minute bulletins, students will receive formative feedback designed to look forward to the next assessment.
Summative Assessment:
15.c. Summative Assessment
Your first summative assessment involves the creation of a 2’30” TV news reporter package (LOs 1 – 4). This is an individual assessment which should be based on an original story idea and completed to professional production standards. For your second assessment, the new sday, you will produce a 15-minute TV news bulletin which will result in a group mark. Prior to this there will be at least two “non-assessed” news days after which you shall receive formative feedback. (LO1-4). The final assessment will be an academic essay which where you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of key issues around TV news. (LOs 2, 5)
Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activityLearning & Teaching ActivityNESH (Study Hours)
Face To Face Practical classes and workshops 56
Independent Learning Guided independent study 144
Total Study Hours200
Expected Total Study Hours for Module200


Assessment
Type of Assessment Weighting % LOs covered Week due Length in Hours/Words
Project - Practical 50 1-4 9 HOURS= 0, WORDS= 0
Project - Practical 30 1-4 12 HOURS= 0.25, WORDS= 0
Essay 20 2,5 14 HOURS= 0, WORDS= 1500
Component 1 subtotal: 50
Component 2 subtotal: 50
Module subtotal: 100

Description of module content:

You will examine different television reporting styles and techniques. You will engage in the production of live rolling news days: covering real-life stories sourced locally, nationally and internationally with the help of news feeds. News bulletins will include elements typical within the TV industry including reporter packages and shorter newsbelts. In this way, you will gain an understanding of the structure and narrative mechanisms in TV news bulletins. During the news days, you will be encouraged to cover sports news stories, report from Edinburgh courts and the Scottish Parliament.
You will take responsibility for pre-planning and producing TV news content to strict deadlines that reflect industry practice. In studios and newsrooms that imitate industry production facilities, you will produce TV news bulletins to industry standards. Voice coaching, camera workshops and technical support will be provided.
Prior to engaging in news days, you will produce an individually assessed television reporter package. You will also critically analyse issues around the evolving TV news industry and you will demonstrate an awareness of target audiences, mobile journalism, social media, the effect of emerging technologies on the industry and the legal and ethical framework within which broadcast journalists work (including broadcast regulation and legal compliance).
Skills learnt on Radio News are expected to be applied on this module. Legally and ethically sound journalism skills impartial, balanced, accurate and properly sourced reporting, advanced writing skills for broadcast outlets and the sourcing of original stories are basic requirements on this module.
Learning Outcomes for module:

Upon completion of this module you will be able to
LO1: Produce originally sourced, well-structured and well written TV reports
LO2: Produce work individually and in groups that is legally and ethically sound as well as accurate, balanced and impartial
LO3: Produce broadcast work that is technically sound
LO4: Work in groups to produce TV bulletins to deadlines during news days
LO5: Demonstrate a critical understanding of target markets, broadcast regulation and current developments in the emerging converged news industry .
Indicative References and Reading List - URL:
JAC09123 TV News
 

Related information