BJ2S74 - Journalism and Society 20 May 2019 - 31 Aug 2025 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: BJ2S74
Module Title: Journalism and Society
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Film and TV
Faculty Sub Group: Film and TV
Module Leader: Philip Mitchell
Module Team: Craig Hooper, Gwyneth Moore
First Intended Intake: SEP 2019 Final Year of Intake: 2024
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 5
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100442 - journalism
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 20 May 2019
Valid To 31 Aug 2025

Module Aims

This module is organised to address a series of themes pertinent to the on-going conceptual development of news media studies in both Europe and North America and aims to sharpen students' critical understanding of the connections and mutual influences between news journalism and the societies it claims to reflect.

Content Summary

This module is organised to address a series of themes relevant to news media studies in both Europe and North America. It starts by briefly examining the historical context of the British news media (press, radio and television). Secondly, it considers the applicability of various analytical frameworks for investigating, amongst other concerns: the production of news as a commodity; the institutional imperatives of newswork; the textual features of news discourse; the negotiation of news ideology by its audience. Thirdly, we will undertake an evaluative appraisal of several research studies concerning different aspects of news coverage. Topics to be addressed will include: the news treatment of 'law and order issues' and the articulation of dissent; the ideological effectivity of sexism and racism in the news; the dynamics of news reporting when issues of 'national identity' are being contested; 'moral panics' in the news; ethical issues in news journalism; war-time journalism and the reporting of political violence.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 24
Seminar 24
Independent Study 80
Directed Study 72
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Demonstrate a critical awareness of the key debates which surround the role of news journalism in contemporary society.
LO2 Discern the strengths and weaknesses of various frameworks for analysing both news discourse and journalistic institutional procedure.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Written Assignment (CW) Project (CW) 1 Project on journalism- related topic of student’s choice. 0 2500 50 No 40
Written Assignment (CW) Essay (CW) 1 Essay chosen from list of options. 0 2500 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Project (CW) 1
Essay (CW) 1

Reading List

Franklin, B (2005) Key concepts in journalism studies. London: Sage

Wahl-Jorgensen (2008) The handbook of journalism studies. Oxford; Routledge

www.cjr.org

www.poynter.org

www.bjr.co.uk

Rusbridger, A (2008) Breaking news: the remaking of journalism and why it matters now. London: Canongate

www.ReutersInstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk