Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)

Study Course Description

Introduction to Journalism

Main Study Course Information

Course Code

KSK_106

Branch of Science

Communication Theory; Media and communications

ECTS

3.00

Target Audience

Communication Science

LQF

Level 6

Study Type And Form

Full-Time

Study Course Implementer

Course Supervisor

Anda Rožukalne

Structure Unit Manager

Ieva Puzo

Structural Unit

Faculty of Social Sciences

Contacts

Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szf@rsu.lv

About Study Course

Objective

To create in students understanding about reasons of emergence, main development stages of journalism, its place and tasks in the Latvian and global context, familiarising with functions and tasks of journalism, the place of this area in the state’s political, legal and economic system. The main task of the course is to familiarise students with various manifestations of journalism, building a foundation for mastering of practical journalism courses: to make an insight into problems of journalism; to create an understanding about the dynamic development of journalism and media environment, its reasons and processes; to analyse the interaction between journalism and audience. Students develop theoretically mastered skills to be able to work in different mass media. Special attention in this course is drawn to the analysis of journalism development processes and practices in Latvia, Baltic countries and Scandinavia, as well as evaluation of quality of information, sources of information and determination of the value of information.

Preliminary Knowledge

Not necessary.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1.As a result of successful mastering the study course students obtain knowledge about: • functions and tasks of journalism; • ethics in journalism; • legal regulation of journalism; • specifics of a journalist’s profession.

Skills

1.As a result of successful mastering the study course students obtain skills: • to differentiate types of journalism and their quality, functions, behaviour; • to evaluate ethical and non-ethical professional action; • to evaluate information, its feasibility, sources of information.

Competences

1.As a result of successful mastering of the course students understand the nature of media and foundations of journalism, its regulation, professional ethics and dilemmas.

Assessment

Individual work

Title	% from total grade	Grade
1. Individual work	-	-
1. reading of literature; 2. submission of essays; 3. practical tasks.

Examination

Title	% from total grade	Grade
1. Examination	-	-
Student’s work will be evaluated as follows: 1. participation in lectures – 15%; 2. work at seminar classes – 25%; 3. essays – 15%; 4. individual and group works – 20%; 5. examination – 25%.

Study Course Theme Plan

FULL-TIME

Part 1

Lecture

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

Tasks of journalism nowadays, nature, functions, mission. Challenges of journalism as a profession. Approaches of journalism, media system.

Lecture

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

Journalism in Latvia, its peculiarities and main development stages. Challenges of journalism as a profession. Freedom of press, freedom of expression. Freedom of press in journalism practice in Latvia and worldwide. Independence of media.

Lecture

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

Journalism as a profession, its different manifestations. Specifics of media and peculiarities of journalism: press, radio, television, news agencies, internet portals and digital networking platforms.

Lecture

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

Journalism and state. Legal regulation of media and journalism, self-regulation in journalism. Public and commercial media.

Lecture

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

Concept of dignity and respect in the context of freedom of press and freedom of expression. Foundations of journalist’s ethics. Codes of ethics and codes of conduct. Ethical dilemmas of journalism, ethical matters at different stages of journalist’s activity. Right to an image. Journalism and problem of respect for private life.

Lecture

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

Development of Latvian media. Changes in the mass media system at the end of eighties of 20th century, emergence and development of a new media system in the nineties and the beginning of 21st century. Latvian journalism in the context of Baltic and Scandinavian countries.

Class/Seminar

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

How does information occur? Where and how do journalists obtain information? How to find a source of information? How to evaluate it?

Class/Seminar

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

How to obtain publicly and politically important information? Preparation process and techniques.

Class/Seminar

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

Information sources in journalism. Communication with the source of information, verification of its credibility.

Class/Seminar

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

Professional ethics: journalists answer the question what is and what is not ethical every day. How to find correct answers? Situation analysis.

Class/Seminar

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

Journalist’s profession. Its challenges nowadays. How do we know what professional journalism means? Where does professionalism in sports, business and show business journalism hide? What are current professionalism problems in journalism?

Class/Seminar

Modality	Location	Contact hours
On site	Auditorium	2

Topics

Journalist's work in various media: knowledge, skills, professional roles

Total ECTS (Creditpoints):

3.00

Contact hours:

24 Academic Hours

Final Examination:

Exam (Written)

Bibliography

Required Reading

O’Neill, D. & Harcup, T. (2020). News Values and News Selection. In T. Hanitzsch & K. Wahl-Jorgensen (Eds.), The Handbook of Journalism Studies, 2nd edition. New York, NY: Routledge.

Karlsson, M., & Clerwall, C. (2019). Cornerstones in Journalism: According to citizens. Journalism Studies, 20(8), 1184–1199.

Kreiss, D. (2019). The Social Identity of Journalists. Journalism, 20(1), 27–31.

Waisbord, S. (2018). Truth is What Happens to News: On Journalism, Fake News, and Post-Truth. Journalism Studies, 19(13), 1866-1878.

Matamoros-Fernández, Ariadna, and Johan Farkas. 2021. “Racism, Hate Speech, and Social Media: A Systematic Review and Critique.” Television & New Media 22 (2): 205–24.

Rožukalne, A. (2020). Self-censorship in Latvian journalism: A research note. European Journal of Communication, 35(1), 60–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267323119897799

Niklas Luhmann, The Reality of the Mass Media, London, Polity Press, 2002, p.130.

Baltic Media in Transition, Ed. by Peeter Vihalemm, Tartu, Tartu University Press, 2002, p.305.

Development of the Media in Latvia in the 1990s, Baltic Media in Transition, Ed. by Peeter Vihalemm, Tartu, Tartu University Press, 2002, pp.65.-71.

10.

Latvijas Mediju analīze. Komunikācijas pētījumu sērija, Daudzveidība III, Rīga: LU Komunikācijas studiju nodaļa, 2001. 70. lpp.

11.

Deuze, M., What is Journalism?, Journalism, Vol. 6 (4), 2005, pp. 442. – 446.

12.

Šulmane, 2., Neatrastās Identitātes? Latvijas Dienas Laikrakstu Žurnālisti Politikas, Ekonomikas un Kultūras Lauku Ietekmē, 2011. (fails: identitātes) Rīga: Latvijas universitāte.

13.

O’Neill, O. (2002). A question of trust. Reith Lectures. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

14.

Lasmane, Skaidrīte (2011) Komunikācijas ētika. Rīga: Latvijas universitāte (5.nodaļa “Mediju un žurnālistu ētika”).

15.

Jan Fredrik Hovden, Gunnar Nygren & Henrika Zilliacus-Tikkanen (eds.) (2016) Becoming a journalist. Nordicom. (fails: becoming_a_journalist, no 51 – 70.lpp.)

16.

Šulmane, I. Latvijas žurnālisti gadsimta beigās. Latvijas Mediju analīze. Komunikācijas pētījumu sērija, Daudzveidība II, Rīga: LU Komunikācijas studiju nodaļa, 2001. 62.-69.lpp.

17.

Šulmane, I. Profesionālais diskurss latviešu un krievu presē: salīdzinošā analīze. Daudzveidība, Rīga, LU, 2002. 158.lpp.

18.

Development of the Media in Latvia in the 1990s, Baltic Media in Transition, Ed. by Peeter Vihalemm, Tartu, Tartu University Press, 2002, pp.65.-71.

19.

Singer, J., Who are These Guys?, Journalism, Vol. 4 (2), pp. 139. -163.

20.

Franks, S. (2013). Women and Journalism. London: I.B.Tauris.

Additional Reading

Lewis, S. C., Zamith, R., & Coddington, M. (2020). Online Harassment and Its Implications for the Journalist–Audience Relationship. Digital Journalism, 8(8), 1047–1067.

Denis McQuail, Karen Siune, New Media Politics, The Function of the Mass Media. New Media Politics., 1999

Latvijas Mediju analīze. Komunikācijas pētījumu sērija, Daudzveidība II, Rīga: LU Komunikācijas studiju nodaļa, 2001. 162.lpp.

Komunikācija. Latvijas Universitātes Raksti 648, Rīga, Zinātne, 2002, 127. – 196. lpp.

Other Information Sources

Eiropas Žurnālistikas observatorija

International Federation of Journalists

Latvijas žurnālistu asociācija

Introduction to Journalism

Main Study Course Information

Study Course Implementer

About Study Course

Objective

Preliminary Knowledge

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

Skills

Competences

Assessment

Individual work

Examination

Study Course Theme Plan

Lecture

Topics

Lecture

Topics

Lecture

Topics

Lecture

Topics

Lecture

Topics

Lecture

Topics

Class/Seminar

Topics

Class/Seminar

Topics

Class/Seminar

Topics

Class/Seminar

Topics

Class/Seminar

Topics

Class/Seminar

Topics

Bibliography

Required Reading

Additional Reading

Other Information Sources