COMMS 203 : Television Journalism

Arts

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A practical course where students explore the production of current affairs journalism. Students learn to write, video, present and edit short news items in the field and integrate these into a multi-camera production recorded as live in the television studio. Studio skills include directing, production management, multi-cam scripting, vision switching, presenting and interviewing within a framework of current industry practice.

Course Overview

Students work in production teams of 5 to produce their own 24 minute television current affairs programme, recorded live at the end of the semester.  Each programme contains 2 short, previously recorded and edited inserts, as well as two 6 minute interviews with studio guests.  The major production roles within the groups are: studio director; production assistant; two interviewers; vision switcher/or studio presenter.  The group work as a team to  write their own script, prepare their inserts in advance, camera script, prepare green screen graphics, select and confirm studio guests, allocate studio crew roles and deliver their programme  on 'Studio Day' as if live-to-air.    Class time is split between learning skills in the television studio and field production/editing skills.  All the practical assessments help students to prepare their material for their final programme and learn to work as a television news team in the field and in the studio.
Course outcomes:
Experience a "hands on" approach to the skills of television journalism  
Acquire production skills operating in a multi-camera television studio
Acquire skills in news/current affairs field production and news item scripting and editing
Acquire skills in scripting, presenting, directing, and production management
To learn how to work in a television industry based production team
To record a live magazine format television programme under broadcast industry conditions.


 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 60 points at Stage I in BA courses Restriction: FTVMS 201

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. To be able to apply knowledge and understanding through the exercise of practices specific to fields of study (Capability 1.2)
  2. To be able to define, contextualize and address questions or problem through multi-and/or interdisciplinary enquiry. (Capability 1.3 and 2.3)
  3. Be able to construct reasoned, reflexive arguments and interpretations using valid evidence to justify claims and conclusions. (Capability 2.3)
  4. To be able to define problems with regard to their significance, ethical implications, and real-world challenges, using skills in the analysis of social and cultural data. (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)
  5. Be able to research, imagine, and aim to create transformative solutions to defined problems. (Capability 3.2)
  6. Be able to express and present information and ideas clearly, coherently and persuasively in a variety of forms to diverse audiences. (Capability 4.3)
  7. Be able to interact and collaborate with individuals and groups to accomplish tasks, and show capacity to work constructively as part of a team to achieve positive outcomes.
  8. To be capable of intellectual flexibility, self-assessment and self directed learning for the benefit of career management as well as future personal and professional progress. (Capability 5.2)
  9. To understand the historical, social, political, economic and cultural significance of tangata whenua and recognise the ongoing significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to contemporary New Zealand. (Capability 6.1)
  10. To recognise the cultural, linguistic and historical diversity and global connectedness of New Zealand as a Pacific nation

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Practical Exercises 20% Individual Coursework
Practical Video Insert 30% Group & Individual Coursework
Practical recorded television programme 50% Group & Individual Coursework

Learning Resources

There is no set text for this course but readings and materials to view are made available on Canvas.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course you can expect: 3 hours of practical workshops in the TV studio, or edit suite;  4 hours of self directed field production/editing; and 3 hours of self directed work on assignments/scripts/programme content preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

A recording of your rehearsals every week will be made available to each group. Students are expected to view this footage before they have their next session in the television studio.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

As this is a practical television course which records 6 live programmes made by the production teams at the end of the semester, it is not possible to reschedule for another day should a member of the production team not be able to attend on 'Studio Day'.  Therefore, it is important that any student who may not be able to attend on the day of the recording contact the course convenor in advance.  An alternative will be individually negotiated which also takes into account the needs of the whole production team. 

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 02/07/2020 09:33 p.m.