MODULE SPECIFICATION
Code: UPCPRN-30-2 Title: Visual Journalism Version: 2
Level: 2 UWE credit rating: 30 ECTS credit rating: 15
Module type: Standard
Owning Faculty: Creative Arts Field: Cultural & Media Studies Field Leader: J Arthurs
Faculty Committee approval: Quality and Standards Date: 2/07/9
Approved for Delivery by: indicate name of affiliated institution if module will only be delivered by them
Valid from: Sept 2009 Discontinued from:
Contributes towards:
Pre-requisites: Journalism Writing UPCPRX-30-1
Co-requisites: None
Entry requirements: If the module is offered as CPD or stand alone, indicate the entry requirements
Excluded combinations: Journalism and Society UPCPAV-30-2
Learning outcomes:
On completion of this module students will be able to:
• demonstrate an awareness of the various ways in which visual journalism is situated and practised (assessed through components A and B);
• critically engage with current scholarly debates about news and journalism in visual form (photography, television, video) (assessed through component B).
• contextualise and critically reflect upon their own journalistic practices in the field of visual journalism (assessed through component B).
• demonstrate an understanding of audio-visual news culture with reference to the remediation of news from print to multimedia (assessed through components A and B);
• demonstrate a critical understanding of the formal and social conventions of audio visual news texts (assessed through component A).
Syllabus outline:
This module combines theory with practice to introduce students to a range of debates and writing/production skills in relation to audiovisual news.
Students taking this module will have learned the theory and practice of news writing in year one and will develop further theoretically informed journalistic skills.
The module considers the audio-visual elements of journalistic production, in particular still and moving-image representations. The lecture series introduces students to the conceptual issues surrounding visual journalism, such as semiotics, composition, and the production, distribution and reception (or encoding and decoding) of imagery. Students will also be introduced to political and ethical issues in visual journalism, with lectures considering the political and ethical implications of different media technologies and different forms of journalistic representation. The module also focuses on specific aspects of the media industry and policies affecting it, as relates to visual journalism, such as privacy laws and the role of the paparazzi.
Other issues considered include the influence of technology, the pressures of commercialisation, recruitment practices, the changing definition of what counts as news and the role of visual news in shaping society.
Teaching and learning methods:
The module will be taught through lectures and workshops. Individual tutorials will be available to comment on students’ preparation for assignments and to discuss written feedback on work submitted. Students will be encouraged to develop their own independent areas of research relating to the course materials, and to share their critiques with their fellow students via discussions and presentations.
Workshops will run alongside lectures, and provide an opportunity not only to discuss lectures but also to address the issues raised in them and in readings in practical activity. Students will continuously produce visual journalism and reflect on issues illuminated in the process of production.
Inputs from journalists during guest lectures will help illuminate conceptual insights.
Reading Strategy
Students will be encouraged to read widely using the library catalogue, a variety of bibliographic and full text, databases, and Internet resources alongside a module reader. Guidance to some key authors and journal titles available through the Library will be given in seminars. It is expected that assignment bibliographies and reference lists will reflect the range of reading carried out. At the start of the module, students will attend a libraries session to help with the selection of appropriate databases and search skills. A list of recommended titles will be provided in the Module Handbook and updated annually.
Indicative Reading List: (see guidance notes)
Bolter, J., Grusin, R. (2000) Remediation Mass: MIT Press
Bruzzi, S., (2000) New Documentary: A critical Introduction, London, Routledge.
Cottle, S. (2005) In defence of thick journalism; or how television journalism can be good for us. Journalism and Public Opinion, in Allan, S., Journalism: Critical Issues, Bucks: OUP.
Dovey, J. (2000) Freakshow, First Person Media and Factual Television, Pluto Press, London.
Ellis, John, (2000) Seeing Things, Television In The Age of Uncertainty, London: IB Tauris.
Hartley, J. (1982) Understanding News, Routledge.
Lewis. J., Wall-Jorgensen, K. (2005) Active Citizen or Couch Potato? Journalism and Public Opinion, in Allan, S. Journalism: Critical Issues, Bucks: OUP.
MacGregor, B. (1997) Live, Direct and Biased – Making TV News in a Satellite Age. London: Methuen
Morgan, V. (2007) Practising Video Journalism London: Routledge
Nichols, B., (1993) Representing Reality: Issues and Concepts in Documentary. Bloomington Indiana Press.
Philo, G. (1995) ‘Audience beliefs and the 1984/5 miners’ strike’ in Glasgow Media Group Reader, Vol 2, Philo, G. Ed., London: Routledge.
Postman, N. (1985) Amusing Ourselves to Death New York: Penguin
Robinson, P., (2002) The CNN Effect, The Myth of News, foreign policy and intervention, London: Routledge.
Schlesinger, P. (1984) Televising Terrorism, London: Comedia.
Winston, B. (1995) Claiming The Real: The Griersonan Documentary and its legitimations, London, BFI
Winston, B., (2000) Lies Damn Lies and Documentaries, London, BFI.
Assessment
Weighting between components A and B (standard modules only) A: 70 B: 30
ATTEMPT 1
First Assessment Opportunity
Component A
Description of each element Element weighting
1 Visual journalism portfolio and critical appraisal 70
Component B
Description of each element Element weighting
1 2000 word essay 30
Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes is/is not required)
Component A
Description of each element Element weighting
1 Visual journalism portfolio and critical appraisal 70
Component B
Description of each element Element weighting
1 2000 word essay 30
SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT: Attendance at taught classes is/is not required.
Specification confirmed by …………………………………………………Date ……………………………
(Associate Dean/Programme Director)