57195 Entrepreneurial Journalism

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

Description

This subject equips students with the skills and mental models to thrive in an industry that is being disrupted every few years. Disruption not only affects business models, it changes audience behaviour. Students learn how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to their work as freelancers, intrapreneurs or entrepreneurs. This includes strategic editorial decisions (such as identifying needs, audiences and distribution), developing journalistic projects and products, and creating new media startups. This subject develops students' skills in producing quality journalism that meets audiences where they are, and engages as it informs.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:

• Possess an advanced understanding of the professional skills and techniques in a range of contexts appropriate to contemporary journalism practice (1.1)
• Apply a high level of initiative to create content using multiple techniques and within industry accepted frameworks of accountability (1.2)
• Understand the complex capabilities of computer-assisted learning, data and other numeric-based techniques for advanced academic inquiry (2.1)
• Reflect critically on the theory and professional practice of contemporary journalism (2.2)
• Plan and execute a substantial research-based project, demonstrating advanced communication and technical research skills (2.3)
• Ability to apply professional skills responsibly and respectfully in multiple cultural and ethno-centric contexts (3.1)
• Understand how journalism practice can advance story-telling, understanding and cohesion within and across Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities (4.1)
• Demonstrate advanced skills in engagement to enable effective communication with multiple stakeholders, using traditional and emerging techniques (6.1)
• Harness multiple channels of communication, understanding the power and limitations of each as a tool to spread information and engage specific audiences and communities. (6.2)

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject will concentrate on developing the work readiness, skills acquisition and reflective abilities of students. Students will build on their existing understanding of the challenges faced by the media industry to solve a journalistic ‘problem’ they have identified.

Students will use the lean business canvas as the framing device for this undertaking, developing skills around customer segments, market analysis, key metrics and the concept of having an ‘unfair advantage’. They will develop and test the assumptions for their solution using market analysis and interviews — and use project development tools to keep track of their progress.

The subject places an emphasis on independent work and collaboration with small groups to define a distinctive vision. There will be expectation that students use self-directed online learning.

Content (topics)

This subject provides students with the cross-disciplinary competencies and digital industry knowledge required for success in an evolving media ecosystem focused on innovation and entrepreneurial thinking. Students learn business basics, design thinking, pitching and product development and creative problem-solving to address the rapidly evolving media landscape. Students visualise and refine their project pitches using a Lean Canvas business model, empathy mapping tool, persona template and pitch deck. Across the subject assessments, students will show they have engaged with the readings, lead a class discussion about the week's issues and present their own case study of an example of strategic innovation in journalism, apply the principles of strategic audience engagement to their own story, and create a blueprint for their own product or start-up.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Class discussion and engagement

Assessment task 2: Journalistic story + strategic editorial deliverables

Assessment task 3: Journalistic product prototype

Minimum requirements

Codes of conduct

Attendance at classes is essential in this subject. Classes are based on a collaborative approach that involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor to build capacities towards meeting the subject learning objectives. A roll will be taken at each class (whether on campus or online). Students who have more than two absences from class will be refused marking of their final assessment (see Rule 3.8).