Introduction to Journalism and Reporting

Step into the world of news reporting

On this four-week course, you’ll be introduced to different types of journalism and news reporting today as well as exploring that of the past.

Learning from the experts at the University of Kent, you’ll go behind the scenes to see how news content is created.

You’ll discover the best practices from industry experts to help hone your skills as a budding journalist.

Develop your interviewing skills

To examine the key pillars of good journalism, you’ll learn how to find reliable and relevant sources as well as techniques to improve your communication and interviewing skills.

You’ll identify the different types of interviews before trying out your skills as you prepare to conduct your own interview.

Explore journalism ethics and legal frameworks

You’ll examine your perceptions of news and the behaviour of some publications before learning about the ethical and legal frameworks for journalists.

This will help you explore ethical dilemmas journalists may face as you think about what you would do in particular situations.

On the course, you’ll also get the opportunity to put what you have learned into practice during different activities such as creating a news story, carrying out an interview, and taking part in an interactive quiz.

This course is designed for anyone interested in studying journalism at university or college.

It will also be of interest to avid consumers of news or budding writers who want to learn about how it is made, or those looking for a career change.

• Exploring journalism and reporting
• Welcome to the course
• Where do we get our news?
• The changing shape of journalism
• Key forms of journalism
• Weekly wrap-up
• Vital ingredients of good journalism
• Welcome to Week 2
• What is news?
• The building blocks of good journalism
• Prepare to create a headline and intro
• Peer Graded Assignment
• Weekly wrap-up
• How free are journalists and what controls are there on them?
• Welcome to Week 3
• The legal and ethical framework for journalists
• Ethical dilemmas
• Case study analysis
• What do we mean by 'the Public Interest'?
• Weekly wrap-up
• What makes a good interview or quote?
• Welcome to Week 4
• Exploring the purpose of interviews and what makes a good quote?
• Different types of interviews
• Getting ready to do your own interview
• Try out your interviewing skills
• End of Course 1