50305 Specialist Reporting

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences: Journalism
Credit points: 8 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks

Requisite(s): 50115 Journalism 2 OR 50235 Journalism 2 OR 57011 Research and Reporting for Journalism

Handbook description

Topic: Sports Reporting

The subject explores the specific characteristics of research and reporting relevant to the field of sports. It develops practical reporting skills and critical analysis of sport reporting and its relationship to the broader range of journalism practices.

The primarily focus is on the print reporting but the subject also includes opportunities to report in a multimedia environment. Subject objectives are achieved through class exercises and workshops and through peer analysis and discussion of each student reporter's coverage of a specific sport such as swimming, golf, athletics, football, hockey and soccer. All students complete tasks in news reporting, live broadcasts, sports blogs and features.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On completion of this subject students should be able to:

develop specialist skills in the research, analysis and interpretation required in the coverage of sports;
develop an awareness of local, national and international events and issues of significance in sport, and an ability to review, reflect upon and discuss sports issues, including the critical evaluation of media issues relating to the coverage of sport and sports business;
build on basic production skills in reporting, interviewing and writing by covering current events and issues in sport and demonstrating an ability to produce sports stories under pressure;
develop ability to produce a sports feature;
develop understanding of the way in which story are produced for a range of audiences and publications;
identify key ethical and legal obligations in sports reporting;
develop skill in sports reporting across a range of genres;

develop ability to set and meet deadlines;

develop an ability to reflect on own work.

Contribution to graduate profile

have an understanding of the role of the media in local, regional, national and global contexts
able to use their professional skills and knowledge across all media: print, television, radio, the Internet, online and multimedia
have a critical understanding of the relationships between technology, professionalism and social change and are able to adapt their professional skills to future change and to new production challenges
have strong research skills to effectively retrieve and analyse information from a range of sources
have developed the ability to be self-reliant and pro-active, flexible and innovative, and
have an understanding and commitment to ethical journalism practice
have critical understanding of issues of gender, race, ethnicity, disability and class and the way these are linked to issues of media representation, production and reception

Teaching and learning strategies

Teaching activities will include seminars which will include discussion, hands-on exercises, report writing using live broadcasts and special location exercises and story writing assignments. Students will produce stories stories appropriate for publication. These stories along with peer feedback will be logged online and UTS Online will be used to facilitate communication with other students and lecturers between classes. The subject is designed to be flexible in its ability to respond to media events as they arise. Guest lecturers may be invited to occasional classes. Students will be expected to monitor the media to develop their knowledge and understanding of current developments and debates within the sporting industry, and key sporting events and fixtures.

Content

develop understanding and practical skills in range of tasks relevant to sports journalism, including interviews match reports, new stories, profiles, colour stories, and in-depth features
reporting strategies and trends particular to sports journalism in various mediums
sports news within particular time constraints
live broadcast skills
information retrieval and sources relevant to sports reporting
developments relevant to sports in on line media and interactivity
history and change in sports reporting
profiles and longer in-depth feature stories
role of photography in sports journalism
ethical and other professional reporting issues relevant to sports journalism

Assessment

Assessment item 1: News Assignment, two stories, one graded

Objectives	a, c, d, e, f, g, h, i
Value	30%
Due	Story 1 Week 3 Story 2 Week 6
Task	Students will research and write two sports short stories of approximately 500 words each. Each story is to be posted on UTSonline where it will be peer reviewed with follow up discussion in class.
Assessment criteria	Evidence of accuracy, clarity, balance and fairness in coverage of sports assignments Evidence of understanding of news values in sports reporting Demonstrated skill in writing sports copy

Assessment item 2: Live broadcast reports

Objectives	b, d, e, f, g, h
Value	20%
Due	Assignment 4 Week 8, Assignment 5 Week 11
Task	Students will watch a designated live broadcast of a game and write a 500 word report immediately afterwards within a designated time span of one and a half hours.

Assessment item 3: Feature Story

Objectives	a, b, c, d, e, f, g, i
Value	25%
Due	Week 13
Task	Students will research and produce a sports feature story. Story to be logged online, where it will be peer reviewed with discussion in following class. Length approximately 1,500 words.
Assessment criteria	Accuracy, clarity, balance and fairness demonstrated in writing assignments. Initiative, depth of research and demonstration of overall journalistic skills and ethical professional practice. Evidence of skill in use of language and narrative in sports reporting. Demonstrated organisational skills and ability to meet deadlines. Professional standards of work submitted, including presentation, production, structure, sources.

Assessment item 4: Sports blog

Objectives	b, f, g, h, i
Value	25% overall
Due	Week 14
Task	Students will produce their own sports blog which will include written and visual texts. Students can also include sound and video elements in blogs. The blog will be developed between Week 4 and 14 around a particular sport or a particular issue in sport or sports reporting. Students will post a Blog proposal in Week three which explains the nature and parameters of their blog and their chosen audience. Each student will post to their blog at least twice a week. Students can work in team for this assignment to produce a group blog. Students will file a memo with their blog in Week 14 in which they reflect on the production of the blog from the point of view of the criteria set out below.
Assessment criteria	Evidence of understanding of ethical and other issues relevant to sports reporting. Initiative, depth of research and demonstration of overall journalistic skills and ethical professional practice. Demonstrated organisational skills and ability to meet deadlines. Evidence of use of understanding of importance of visual images in sports reporting. Evidence of knowledge of sources of sports information. Evidence of ability to communicate with chosen audience about sports.

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. You are expected to initiate, attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in all scheduled meetings or classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g., illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Indicative references

Conley, David & Lamble, Stephen 2006, The Daily Miracle, Oxford University Press.

Heads, Ian & Lester, G. 1998, Two Hundred Years of Australian Sport, Angus and Robertson, Sydney.

Rowe, D. 1999, Sport, Culture and the Media, Open University Press, Buckingham.

Alysen, Barbara et al 2003, Reporting in a Multimedia World, Allen & Unwin.

Mencher, Melvin 1994, News Reporting and Writing, Brown and Benchmark.

Andrews, Phil 2005, Sports Journalism, a Practical Introduction,

Clayton, Joan 1994, Interviewing for Journalists, Piatkus, London.

McGuire, M., Stilborne, L., McAdams, M., Hyatt, L. 2000, The Internet Handbook for Writers, Researchers & Journalists, Guilford, NY, NY.

Quinn, Stephen 2001, Newsgathering on the Net, MacMillan, Australia.