52642 Multimedia Features
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Anti-requisite(s): 54021 Narrative Multimedia Journalism AND 58210 Storytelling, Narrative and Features
Description
In this subject, students deepen their understanding of storytelling through longer and long form digital text writing and photojournalism in freelance and solo settings, using a variety of platforms. Students are introduced to the role of news narrative in the delineation of character, circumstance, issues and solution/resolution. They learn the mechanics of longform writing through research, story structure, voice, interviewing technique and language selection. Students acquire skills in the visual language of photojournalism and how to craft feature stories from pitch to publication. They explore innovative, digital uses of longform journalism via a range of cutting-edge tools and technologies.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| a. | Apply the methods and digital techniques used in contemporary journalism in text and visual storytelling |
|---|---|
| b. | Demonstrate ethical journalistic practice |
| c. | Develop skills in all aspects of storytelling from idea development to pitching, interviewing and editing |
| d. | Employ multimedia elements to construct long-form narratives |
| e. | Apply relevant theories and concepts to professional practice |
| f. | Demonstrate a reflective, critical and contextual understanding of professional practice |
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:
- Act in a professional manner appropriate to communication industries (1.1)
- Apply theoretically informed understandings of communication industries to independent and collaborative projects across a range of media (1.2)
- Employ appropriate research and inquiry skills to independently gather, organise and analyse information across diverse platforms (2.1)
- Act as reflexive critical thinkers and innovative creative practitioners who evaluate their own and others' work (2.2)
- Analyse and act ethically in the personal, political and professional contexts of civil society (5.1)
- Exemplify effective and appropriate communication in different communication industry contexts (6.1)
- Utilise digital literacy and production skills across a range of media (6.2)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject is delivered through a combination of live and recorded lectures, practical tutorial activities and online modules for pre-class preparation. Recorded weekly lectures explore key subject themes, scholarly research and the latest industry trends in an Australian and global context. Classes develop students’ hands-on technical skills (including interviewing and editing), highlight best practice and provide students with in class peer-to-peer discussion and debate about their own story choices. To enhance their learning, students discuss lectures, industry exemplars, readings and their own story ideas and research, hear from industry guest lecturers and analyse contemporary case studies on the use of long form, text, photojournalism and multimedia in industry. Students will, at times, work in groups but the emphasis will be on the individual acquisition of industry-oriented skills and knowledge. Students receive formative feedback on their assessments.
Content (topics)
The content includes the study of text-based features, news features and visual current affairs stories. It examines current trends in narrative journalism and includes reflection on digital journalism and communication theories concerning storytelling convergence and visual communication. These theories provide the framework for understanding story structure, interviewing, point of view and voice, as well as techniques used for listening and observation. There will be lectures on ethical and legal issues in journalism.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Photo Essay or News Story with Photos
| Objective(s): | a, b, c, d, e and f | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 20% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | Option (a): Six photographs, 300 words in captions in total, plus headline Option (b): Three photographs, 400 word news story plus captions, plus headline. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Profile Feature
| Objective(s): | a, b, c, e and f | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 650-word online text profile feature including at least 2 original photographs 300-word critical reflection statement | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Multimedia News Feature
| Objective(s): | a, b, c and e | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 1,000-word text news feature including at least 2 original photographs PLUS 3-minute podcast/audio piece OR 2-minute video | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
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).
Required texts
Links to required subject readings will be available on the UTS Canvas subject site.
References
Allan, S. (2017) Photojournalism and Citizen Journalism: Co-operation, Collaboration and Connectivity. (n.p.): Taylor & Francis.
Arvanitakis, J. et al., (2020). Who Gets to Tell Australian Stories? Putting the spotlight on cultural and linguistic diversity in television, news and current affairs. Media Diversity Australia. August 17.
Caple, H. (2019). Photojournalism Disrupted: The View from Australia. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.
Cox, J. B. (2020). Feature Writing and Reporting: Journalism in the Digital Age. United States: SAGE Publications.
Dowling, D.O. (2019) Immersive longform storytelling: media, technology, audience. New York: Routledge.
Gleason, T.R. (2019) Photography. In Convergent Journalism: An Introduction: Writing and Producing across Media, V Filak (ed), 3rd edtn. New York: Routledge.
Hanitzsch, T., Hanusch, F., Ramaprasad, J., and de Beer, A.S. (eds). (2019). Worlds of Journalism: Journalistic Cultures Around the Globe. New York: Columbia University Press.
Harcup, T. (2020). What’s the Point of News? A Study in Ethical Journalism. Switzerland: Springer.
Kelly, J., Smith, K., and Josephson, S. (2020) Handbook of Visual Communication: Theory, Methods and Media, 2nd edtn. New York: Routledge.
Kovach, B. and Rosenstiel, T. (2014). The Elements of Journalism, 3rd edtn. Crown
Lamble, S. (2016). The History of Journalism. In News as it happens: an introduction to journalism, 3rd edtn. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press, pp. 165-175
Lind, R.A. (2019). Race/Gender/Class/Media: Considering Diversity across Audiences, Content and Producers. New York: Routledge.
Lowe, P. and Good, J. (2020). Understanding Photojournalism. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.
Metykova, M. (2016). Diversity and the Media, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Pearson, M. and Polden, M. (2019). The journalist's guide to media law: a handbook for communicators in a digital world, 6th edtn. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.
Tilton, S. (2020). The Journalism Breakdown: Writing Multimedia Journalism Content in an Era of Changing Media Systems & Economic Models. (n.p.): Cfsc Publishing.
Veneti, A., Jackson, D. and Lilleker, D.G. (2019). Visual Political Communication. Germany: Springer International Publishing.