Digital Journalism March 2014

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Faculty of Arts

30:2xx Digital Journalism

Session Term Date

Instructor:Glen Gatin

Mobile/SMS204 761 0753Skypeggatin

Office Hours:To schedule an appointmenthttp://ggatin.youcanbook.me

[email protected]

Course Description:

Modern societies depend on journalism for essential information about many aspects of their lives. In a

tradition reaching back to the earliest days of the printing press, journalism has provided information,

analysis, commentary and reflection. Citizens in a free and democratic society rely on journalism to make

informed choices about their political leaders and participation. Observers have noted that journalismprovides thefirst rough draft of history.

Social philosophers have also noted that, we become what we behold. we shape our tools and thereafter

our tools shape us. As societies adapted to technological advances in communications, journalists have

both led and followed. The current digital transformation of society has changed many things about

journalism but has not replaced our need for individuals who have the specialized skills and aptitudes to

understand, describe, critique, and document all aspects of our lives. This course builds upon the

foundations of traditional journalism and invites students to examine the current structures, organization,

and practices of digital journalism. The course will position digital journalism in the context of the digital

humanities and introduce the conceptual tools necessary to understand and participate in this emerging

field.

Course Objectives:

Participants will:

Develop the knowledge and critical understanding of the key concepts, methodologies, currentadvances, theoretical approaches and assumptions in the field of digital journalism.
http://ggatin.youcanbook.me/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://ggatin.youcanbook.me/


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Develop the capacity to critically evaluate the use of established and emerging web-basedresources and social media platforms common in the field of online journalism: blogs, micro-

blogs, wikis, multimedia, data analysis/visualization applications, and information and

communication

Adopt an interdisciplinary perspective, particularly where digital journalism intersects withdigital humanities and related disciplines.

Display a developed ability to gather, review, evaluate and interpret information and compare themerits of alternate hypotheses or creative options, relevant to digital journalism, media studies,and digital humanities.

Demonstrate the ability to review, present and critically evaluate qualitative and quantitativeinformation in support of arguments based on the major theories, concepts and methods of digitaljournalism.

Apply underlying concepts, principles, and techniques of analysis in the creative process and usea range of established techniques to initiate and undertake critical evaluation of arguments,assumptions, abstract concepts and information. By creating works of digital journalism studentswill gain an appreciation for the role of journalism in society and the importance of the study ofjournalism in the humanities.

Frame appropriate questions for the purpose of solving a problem or creating new work, makingcritical use of scholarly reviews and primary sources.

Communicate information, arguments, and analyses accurately and reliably, orally and in writing,to a range of audiences.

Understand the limits to their own knowledge and ability, and an appreciation of the uncertainty,ambiguity and limits to knowledge and how this might influence analyses and interpretations.

Display qualities and transferable skills necessary for further study, employment, communityinvolvement and other activities requiring the exercise of initiative, personal responsibility andaccountability in both personal and group contexts.

Work effectively with others on decision making in complex contexts, demonstrating the abilityto manage their own learning in changing circumstances and to select an appropriate program offurther study.

Behave consistently with academic integrity and social responsibility.Course Topics:

Fundamentals of journalistic writing for the web Critical thinking, fact checking, accuracy of information Theoretical perspectives of digital journalism Ethics and codes of digital journalistic practice Security of communications, protection of sources Literary journalism, data journalism, process journalism, citizens journalism Social marketing, digital journalism and social change Global information society and the data, information, knowledge and wisdom (DIKW)

framework Traditional, convergent, and born-digital journalism Emergence of mobile platforms and augmented reality as new forms of electronic journalism New economic models for journalism

Reading List:(Subject to regular updating and revision)


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Alejandro, J. (2010).Journalism in the age of social media,(Fellowship paper), Reuters Institute for the Studyof Journalism.

Apte, U. M., & Mason, R. O. (1995). Global Disaggregation of Information-Intensive Services.ManagementScience, 41(7), 12501262. doi:10.1287/mnsc.41.7.1250

Armstrong, C. L., & Gao, F. (2011). Gender, Twitter and news content: An examination across platforms andcoverage areas.Journalism Studies, 12(4), 490505.

Bell, E (2013,)Post-industrial journalism. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/KE5IO8o3C18

Benkler, Y. (2006). The wealth of networks: How social production transforms markets and freedom. YaleUniversity Press.

Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (2011). The social construction of reality: A treatise in the sociology ofknowledge. Open Road Media.

Borger, M., van Hoof, A., Costera Meijer, I., & Sanders, J. (2013). Constructing Participatory Journalism as a

Scholarly Object.Digital Journalism, 1(1), 117134. doi:10.1080/21670811.2012.740267

Brandon University Research Ethics Committee (BUREC), Policies and Procedures.http://www.brandonu.ca/research/files/Research-Ethics-Committee.pdf

Coddington, M. (2013). Normalizing the hyperlink: How bloggers, professional journalists, andinstitutions shape linking values, Digital Journalism, 1(1), 116. doi:10.1080/21670811.2013.785813

Dotson, S., & Slaughter, D. (2013). An informed public: journalism and the consequences of digital data.Envision Peace Museum. Retrieved fromhttp://www.envisionpeacemuseum.org/2013/08/an-informed-public-journalism-and-the-consequences-of-digital-data/

Dutton, W. H. (2009). The fifth estate emerging through the network of networks.Prometheus, 27(1), 115.

Emily Bell: post-industrial journalism. (2013). Retrieved fromhttp://youtu.be/KE5IO8o3C18

Fico, F., Lacy, S., Wildman, S. S., Baldwin, T., Bergan, D., & Zube, P. (2013). Citizen journalism sites asinformation substitutes and complements for United States newspaper coverage of local governments.

Digital Journalism, 1(1), 152168. doi:10.1080/21670811.2012.740270

Herman, E. S., & Chomsky, N. (2002).Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media.Random House Digital, Inc.

Ingram, M. (2013, September 25). Jeff Bezos is both right and wrong about why newspapers are like horses.

paidContent. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://paidcontent.org/2013/09/25/jeff-bezos-is-both-right-and-wrong-about-why-newspapers-are-like-horses/

Kozolanka, K., Mazepa, P., & Skinner, D. (Eds.). (2012).Alternative media in Canada. University of BritishColumbia Press.

Lancaster, K. (2012). Video journalism for the web: A practical introduction to documentary storytelling.Routledge.
http://www.envisionpeacemuseum.org/2013/08/an-informed-public-journalism-and-the-consequences-of-digital-data/http://www.envisionpeacemuseum.org/2013/08/an-informed-public-journalism-and-the-consequences-of-digital-data/http://youtu.be/KE5IO8o3C18http://youtu.be/KE5IO8o3C18http://www.envisionpeacemuseum.org/2013/08/an-informed-public-journalism-and-the-consequences-of-digital-data/http://www.envisionpeacemuseum.org/2013/08/an-informed-public-journalism-and-the-consequences-of-digital-data/


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Martins, G. L. (2013). Teaching cyber journalism: a comparative study in the journalism courses of Rio Grandedo Norte and Mato Grosso do Sul.Journal of Latin American Communication Research, 2(1), 147167.

McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding Media, The Extensions of Man(Third.). New York: McGraw-Hill BookCompany.

McNair, B. (2013). The Rise of the Fifth Estate.Journalism Practice, 7(6), 772774.

Mullen, A., & Klaehn, J. (2010). The HermanChomsky propaganda model: A critical approach to analysingmass media behaviour. Sociology Compass, 4(4), 215229.

Prasad, K. (2009).E-Journalism: New media and news media. BR Publishing Corporation.

Riptide. (n.d.).Riptide. Retrieved September 21, 2013, fromhttp://www.niemanlab.org/riptide/

Siebert, F. F. S. (1956).Four theories of the press: The authoritarian, libertarian, social responsibility andsoviet communist concepts of what the press should be and do. University of Illinois Press.

Shirky, C. (2008).Here Comes Everybody, The Power of Organizing Without Organizations.New York:

Penguin Press.

Vis, F. (2013). Twitter As a Reporting Tool for Breaking News: Journalists Tweeting the 2011 UK Riots.Digital Journalism, 1(1), 2747.

Wilkinson, J. S., Grant, A. E., & Fisher, D. (2008).Principles of convergent journalism. Oxford UniversityPress, USA.

Wong, A., & Belair_Gagnon, V. (2013, October). On the NSA, the media may tilt right: Columbia JournalismReview. Columbia Journalism Review. Journalism School Review.

Course Outline

In addition to lecture and in-class participation, all course activities will be conducted in online

environments and will follow practices common in the field of digital journalism. Each class will be

centered on themes as described below. Examples are descriptive rather than prescriptive and topics are

subject to change as current events present an opportunity to illustrate course concepts.

Class 1: Introduction to the principles and practices of digital journalism.

Although the medium has changed dramatically, many of the traditional principles and practices of

journalism still apply. Journalists must still be fair and accurate, think critically, protect sources, write

effectively, inform the public and support the democratic process. Some older practices and strategies

have been abandoned as new media applications have become available and as new economic realities

have emerged. The class will survey the major changes and examine forecasts of changes yet to come.

How digital is digital journalism? A familiar saying asserts that a person need not be an electrical

engineer to turn on the lights. Digital platforms and services have developed to the point that digital

journalists need not be computer programmers or web designers. Having those skills is an advantage in

journalism as it is in many other areas of the digital humanities. but not a requisite. What is more
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important is an appreciation of the basic principles of computing and data analysis, as journalists interpret

the world for their audience. Students will use and critically analyze a range of applications and practices

common to the field of digital journalism.

Class 2: Theories of digital journalism.

Academic study of most disciplines is guided by the use of theoretical frameworks. This class willconsider theories and modelspresented in works as varied as McLuhans(1965) Understanding Media;

Herman and Chomksys (2001)Manufacturing Consent; Shirkys,(2008) Here Comes Everybody;

McNairs(2013)The Rise of the Fifth Estate. Other theories will be compared and contrasted.

Class 3: Convergent journalism.

What makes social media social? Society is in a transitional phase and increasingly everyday activities are

transferred or deeply affected by digital practices. Perhaps the clearest example is our money and banking

systems which are almost entirely digital in many important ways. Similarly, traditional print and

broadcast journalism are still important, but more and more their activities are digitally mediated. Jeff

Bezos, the founder of Amzon.com, recently purchased The Washington Post newspaper. He likened print

journalism to the horse. At one time society was completely dependent upon horses but is no longer, since

the development of combustion engine vehicles. He points out that we still have horses and they are still

significant parts of the culture and the economy and will likely remain so. Bezos and others recognize that

print journalism will persist but reliance will shift to new digital formats and institutions.

Class 4: Digital journalism and social change.

Everybody owns a press, everyone is a journalist. The tumultuous and contentious G-20 Summit of 2011

held in Toronto was a watershed moment for digital journalism in Canada. Journalists who had no

affiliation to mainstream newspapers were covering events effectively and were widely followed. In the

ostensible interests of security, many people were detained or arrested in very broad sweeps including

credentialed journalists and digital journalists alike. Neither class of journalist received theaccommodation that is usually accorded to the press in cases where the public interest in events of the day

is high. The principle which seemed to be in effect was that if everyone is a journalist, then no one is a

journalist. This course will consider the concept of citizens journalism as the fifth estate.

Class 5: Writing for multimedia and mobile platforms

Academic writers and journalists have always had to be parsimonious and concise. Writing to deadlines

and within word limits are routine expectations. Changing communications patterns both limit and

liberate digital journalism. In a digital multimedia environment, communications are sometimes

constrained by character limits, for example, the microblogging platform, Twitter, where messages must

be less than 140 characters. SMS services are ubiquitous with many people using their mobile phones

more for text messaging than spoken communications. In contrast, journalists now have access to

multimedia platforms such as YouTube where they can easily create very rich and complex messages.

The development of the hyperlink has added rich multimedia possibilities to linear text.

Class 6: Digital project management.

As with most of the digital humanities, specialized applications and practices available to journalists have

dramatically changed practices. The challenge of dealing with information and data in the age of the


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internet has been compared to trying to get a drink from a fire hose. Computer programs, online

applications and easy access to vast stores of data and information have resulted in the emergence of

journalistic practices that were inconceivable in recent memory. Data journalism will become an

increasingly important element of everyday journalistic practice. The class will consider applications and

practices that make the management of digital journalism projects possible. Applications such as

Spundge, Storify, Scribd will be featured along with a veritable universe of specialized applications anddatabases offered by Google. Google applications such as Advanced Search, Scholar, Maps, Docs,

YouTube, NGram Viewer, Analytics, allow the collection, analysis, publication and dissemination of

digital news.

Class 7: Digital journalism and social media.

While the term social media is commonly understood to refer to new web-based platforms and services,

the concept is much deeper and represents a significant change which has occurred in online media. The

earlier iterations of the Internet allowed access to vast amounts of data and information, much of it

developed, presented and curated by computer programmers and other data specialists. With the

development of the World Wide Web in the late 1990s, the Internet became a service that more people

could use without having extensive technical skills. The Internet was not only a place to get information,

but a place where individuals could share information. The entire Internet became more of a conversation,

a social experience. The implications of this change are still affecting many aspects of society, journalism

included.

Class 8: Visual story-telling.

Some of the most powerful possibilities for digital journalism are found in web-based geospatial

applications, Global Information systems, story boards and concept maps. If a picture paints a thousand

words, then a 5 minute web video can easily paint 10,000 words. Journalists can use a wide variety or

tools and platforms to help develop and support their stories and articles. Photojournalism has long been

a specialized niche of journalism and the advent of digital photography has resulted in many newtechniques and practices.

Class 9: Digital media law, ethics and codes of practice.

The emergence of a digital society has impacted our legal systems and has presented challenge and

opportunities which couldnt have been imagined in a pre-digital world. Journalists have operated within

a system of legal constraints and privileges which now require re-examination. For example, court

reporters are now presented with challenges related to the near instantaneous reporting. Never has it been

easier to inform the people about matters of public interest but likewise it has never been easier to have a

trial by social media. Many laws and legal principle must be reviewed and updated and in some

instances entire new legal concepts have been formed. Students of digital journalism must understand the

fundamental legal principles of the profession and the changing legal interpretations and practices.

Class 10: Ethical issues and codes of practice

Many of the ethical principles enshrined in the codes of practice for traditional journalism are transferable

to the digital context. Codes of practice from various traditional international, North American and

Canadian professional journalism associations will be studied and compared to the codes of established

and emerging associations of digital journalists. The conventions and laws of online behavior are being


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worked out around the world and digital journalists must be able to cope in an environment of constant

change and ambiguity.

Class 11: Economic models of digital journalism

One of the stark realities for journalism as a field has been the veritable collapse in the cost of collecting,

aggregating, analysing, publishing and syndicating the news. At one time, a newspaper was a very costlyventure and only comparatively large institutions could produce the news and they charged for their

product and services accordingly. Now many journalists are able to use free applications and services to

write and disseminate their stories. Journalists are still faced with everyday living expenses, food, shelter,

and need to earn money from their labours. Many large news outlets have eliminated their print versions

and have reduced their payroll expenses in order to remain solvent. Journalists no longer can count on a

comfortably paid career. News outlets and journalists have been forced to develop new models for

compensation. Some newspapers have adopted electronic paywalls or other subscription methods. A new

economic model known as crowd funding is attracting support. Recently a crowd-funding campaign was

mounted to generate funds necessary for the news outlet Wikileaks to acquire and publish the draft copies

of an international trade deal which governments were negotiating in secret. Social media was used to

collect pledges of support and the funds were quickly raised and the story was just as quickly developed.

Services such as Indiegogo, Uncoverage and Kickstarter are being used to finance journalism projects,

large and small.

Class 12: Class, age, gender, and race in digital journalism

While high hopes exist for a digital utopia of social inclusion, it is apparent that paternalistic, colonialist,

and hegemonic forces are still prominent features of the online world. Digital journalism offers some

powerful and unique possibilities for promoting inclusion.

Class 13: The future of digital journalism

The future is very bright indeed. Many epic political and legal struggles are underway to empower andexpand the use of the Internet for communications and journalism. Traditional newspapers may become

like the handwritten scripts of old, still around and precious for what they represent but not in everyday

use.

Class 14: Careers in digital journalism

A frequent general observation about careers is that a significant percentage of jobs in the future havent

even been invented yet. This has certainly been the case with an increasingly digitized society. Many

existing jobs have moved partly or entirely online and many new career paths have opened that exist

online in an online or virtual setting. Digital journalism is a case in point. Not only have the main

business models changed, but nearly every aspect of the journalistic process has been digitized. Whether a

journalism career exists in the traditional sense is up for debate but what is not questioned it the need for

journalists to adopt digital applications and practices.

Class 15: In-Class presentations and guest lectures will be scheduled as time allows and according to

availability.

Administrative Details


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1.Contact hours:This course will meet for a minimum of 36 hours, which will include lectures, webinars, grouppresentations, and evaluation time. As the course progresses, group activities will be conducted bymeans of various online applications introduced throughout the course.

2.Required Text:No physical textbook is required for this course. All course materials will be available electronically.

3.Required Materials:All participants must have regular access to a multimedia laptop with webcam and headset (microphoneand speakers) capable of wireless Internet connection. (Qualifying devices are available fromlocal computer outlets for between$250.00 and $500.00, less than the cost of textbooks for many courses)

4.Entry level knowledge & skills:Basic word processing, file management, web-browser and email skills.

5.Assignments:

Assignments are due as detailed below.

6.Incomplete Courses:Participants unable to complete the last assignment before the end of term may request a grade ofincomplete. To do this you must pick up an Incomplete form from the Arts Office. Unless there arespecial circumstances, the time limit for an incomplete will be three weeks beyond the end of the term.

7.Academic Integrity:

It is acceptable to borrow ideas, methods, etc. from other students, books, or journals, but be sure toacknowledge the contributions of others. Avoid cut and paste. All sources must be acknowledged andfrom a verifiable source. Students are specifically referred to the policy on academic integrity Section

4.2.2 of the General Calendar. Violations of this policy, including all forms of plagiarism, will not betolerated.

8. Ethics Compliance:

Human subjects research required for this course will be conducted in compliance with the Tri-CouncilPolicy for Research Involving Humans. This course will be conducted under and ethics certificateapproved by the Brandon University Research Ethics Committee. All student research must be conductedin accordance with these guidelines and requires approval by the faculty member.

9.Course Evaluation:The anonymous course evaluations will be completed online. All students are expected to complete theevaluation.

10.Proposed Class Schedule:TBA

11.Statement of Fair Warning


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It is possible that a student may find readings and/or discussions of controversial matters troubling. If so,

please contact the instructor immediately for alternative assignments or an alternative course. Participation in

public web spaces will be through anonymous accounts established specifically for the purpose of this class.

12.Statement of Accommodation

Students with disabilities requiring accommodation are encouraged to register with the Disability ServicesCoordinator located in the Accessible Learning Centre, Room 106 A.E. McKenzie Building, call 727-9759.

13. Grade Equivalencies:

A+ Outstanding 90-100

A Outstanding 85-89

A- Outstanding 80-83

B+ Good 77-79

B Good 74-76

B- Good 70-73C+ Satisfactory 67-69

C Satisfactory 64-66

C- Satisfactory 60-63

D+ Weak 57-59

D Weak 54-56

D- Weak 50-53

F Inadequate 0-49

Grading and Mark Distribution

Personal Portfolio 40%

Students will create web-based multimedia entries in a wiki styled as an electronic portfolio. Entries must

be a minimum of 250 words of text (or equivalent) and address themes and topics developed in class. The

personal portfolio is a space to develop the practical and conceptual skills related to online journalism.

Ten percent of the grade available for the portfolio will be assessed on _____(before the VW date for the

class); the balance of student work will be assessed upon completion of the course.

Mid-term project 20%

At least 3 options are available for a mid-term project. The grade for the mid-term project will be assessed

on ____ (at the 2/3 date for the class).

1. Create a web-based narrated presentation. Presentations must address topics from the study ofdigital journalism and must conform to Pecha Kucha style - 20 slides with 20 seconds of narration

per slide. Presentation should be embedded in the personal course portfolio.


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2. Create or significantly improve a Wikipedia article on some aspect of journalism.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Journalism. New articles must qualify for

Good Article status.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Version_1.0_Editorial_Team/Assessment#Grades

Improved articles must be improved at least one category.

3. Have an article about digital journalism published by a journal, local media, newspaper, radio ortelevision.

Final assignment -- multimedia essay 40%

Write a paper critically analysing the topic of convergent journalism. Participants will demonstrate that

they have absorbed class materials, can write in a journalistic style, and can critically discuss the topics

and issues related to the study of digital journalism. The paper must be 10-15 pages and must be

composed entirely in Google Documents (shared electronically with the professor before beginning) and

must incorporate hyperlinked references. Final paper is due on the scheduled exam date for the class.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Journalismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Journalismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Version_1.0_Editorial_Team/Assessment#Gradeshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Version_1.0_Editorial_Team/Assessment#Gradeshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Version_1.0_Editorial_Team/Assessment#Gradeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Journalism