Studying online
There are now 2 possible online modes for units:
Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.
Click on an offering mode for more details.
Unit Overview
- Description
In a globally connected world filled with distractions, fragmented media consumption, and hyper-specialisation, a key question in contemporary journalism is how to find, understand, engage, and retain audiences. This intersects with more traditional concerns in media studies of how to ‘measure' and make sense of news consumption and participation. It also relates to the study of news values and the important ethical idea that responsible journalism provides audiences with genuine, trust-worthy information. In this unit, students consider these issues and examine how journalists produce captivating stories across media platforms to reach emerging or so-called ‘niche' audiences. They learn how to create different kinds of news stories for a variety of media forms, focusing on the power of words, voice, and sound. The unit considers best practice guidelines around representing diverse and sometimes vulnerable communities, and how to work transparently and ethically with the digital tools at their disposal. The impact of different forms of distribution, analytics and streaming on contemporary journalism is also explored.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
Availability Location Mode First year of offer Not available in 2025 UWA (Perth) Face to face - Details for undergraduate courses
- Level 2 core unit in the Media and Communication major sequence
- Outcomes
Students are able to (1) identify news values and the techniques of effective journalism practice; (2) explain the role of audience measurement and analytics in constructing news stories; (3) analyse the interactive role of ‘the audience' in journalism; (4) produce engaging journalism content across a range of formats.; and (5) navigate ethical responsibilities and issues surrounding emerging audiences.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) written work; (2) media project; and (3) participation. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Dr Katja Lee
- Unit rules
- Contact hours
- lectures: 1 hour
workshop/practical classes: 2 hours for up to 12 weeks
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.