Journalism (JOUR-SHU)

This course both introduces students to basic radio journalism, television journalism and podcast techniques and challenges those techniques. How has the digital revolution been transforming what we are now calling audio and video journalism? How can these forms continue to improve? Students will be presented with examples ranging from Edward R. Murrow’s seminal television documentary, Harvest of Shame, to installments of such pathbreaking radio programs as This American Life and Radio Lab, to experimental work such as Jorge Furtado’s Brazilian documentary, Island of the Flowers. Students will also be asked to share their own examples of effective audio and video journalism in a variety of styles, from a variety of countries. Readings, too, will be used as examples of what journalism has accomplished and might accomplish. This will be a hands-on course. Students will have an opportunity to produce their own audio and video journalism in traditional and nontraditional styles. No prerequisites. Fulfillment: General Elective.

This two credit course gives students practical experience in the real world activity of publishing news and information for audiences, specifically through NYU Shanghai’s online student publication On Century Avenue. Students will be guided in the journalistic practice of preparing stories for publication for main and sub-sections of the website that cover on-going events and issues related to NYU Shanghai campus. The course will give students an opportunity to put into practice the theory and technical skills they have acquired during their Journalism course and/or in other Creative Writing courses. It will expose them to the realities and pressures of timely and time-sensitive news gathering as well as the publishing arts of content management and understanding audiences. They will have an opportunity to be journalists and contributors to the website. The Newsroom course will act as an ancillary production hub for the publication. In practice, students will write their own work and collaborate collegially to share ideas and the structure of their proposed stories to further shape them for publication. They will be expected to learn how to consult on story ideas and take direction and to act in a professional manner. They will experience a working newsroom environment that is overseen by the lecturer who will provide continual feedback on story development, editing, and publishing advice. The course outcomes are intended to give students a working knowledge of how an online newsroom functions and expose them to various journalism and content collection roles, challenges and setbacks. The personal rewards will come from influencing and contributing to published content and learning the importance and potential influence of media. The course structure will involve lectures and collaborative and on-going editorial workshops. There will be one class per week and the lecturer will be available at all other times to discuss individual story development. Assignments will consist of sourcing, writing, editing and publishing news stories and/or features for On Century Avenue. This course can be repeated for credits twice. The total completion allowed is 2 times and the total units allowed is 4 credits. Prerequisites: Journalism: Methods and Practice (001 or 002); OR a grade of C or higher in Writing as Inquiry; OR their equivalents in New York or Abu Dhabi. Fulfillment: General Elective.

This four credit course examines the role and functions of journalists and the media in Chinese society as modern reporting moves into the digital media landscape. To provide context to the political and cultural environment of news-gathering, the course assesses the development of journalism in China through the 20th century from around the birth of the Republic of China (1911) and through to the modern era. It will examine the relatively free publishing environment for newspapers in the lead-up to establishment of the People’s Republic of China (1949) and the imposition of government control thereafter. Through providing an understanding of the parallel publishing environment of institutional traditional media ownership and today’s free-enterprise online media corporations, the unit studies how reporters operate in both. Students will gain an understanding of the strong nexus between government and media and the ever-present need for journalists to portray various aspects of Chinese ideology at the same time as functioning as news reporters. The portrayal of media as propagandist will be considered against the abiding devotion of journalists to lift the veils on truth. The roles, functions and rounds of journalism as practiced in China will be studied through class discussion and assignments and these will include reporting across all publishing platforms of politics, business, the environment and national issues. The impact of digital journalism will be an underlying theme through the course. The course structure will involve lectures, workshops, seminars, guest speakers and an industry visit. There will be two 3-hour classes per week. Assignments will include a blend of in-class group and individual presentations and two written papers. Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: GCS Chinese Media, Arts, and Literature; The Global Network Minor in Journalism Studies.

It provides an introduction to the work of the reporter, with particular focus on covering China, and offers students a chance to learn and practice basic journalism skills, including news writing, descriptive & feature writing, and writing for TV etc. Feedback on assignments is given in individual meetings. Visiting speakers and field trips also offer insights into the role of the journalist and the challenges faced. Prerequisites: None. Fulfillment: General Elective.