MDIA1002: Journalistic Voices and Values T2 2024

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MDIA1002: Journalistic Voices and Values T2 2024

MEDIA CONTENT CREATION TASKS 1 & 2 – round-table podcasts

DEADLINEs:

Podcast 1: No later than 11.55 pm Monday June 1 (Value 35%)

Podcast 2: No later than 11.55 pm Monday August 5 (Value 45%)

(For further details on extensions, lateness penalties etc. go to https://sam.arts.unsw.edu.au/students/resources/policies-guidelines)

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, the podcast as a journalistic form has burst onto the scene, with both the number of podcasts being broadcast and podcast audiences growing at a rapid rate. This podcast format is of particular relevance to student and early-career journalists because of the demand for podcasting skills (and related audio/visual skills) by employers and the fact that this is a means by which anyone (journalism students included) can establish a presence online and potentially reach a wide audience. Hence the focus on podcasting in this course.

There are a number of different styles or formats for journalistic podcasts – for example, there are those which are similar to longer radio current affairs pieces and include radio-style interviewing. On Newsworthy, this type of podcast is labelled an “audio story” (see https://www.newsworthy.org.au/audio-stories/ ). There are those in which a solo voice presents a commentary in the manner of a journalistic opinion piece. Then there are those in which a small group (typically two or three people) undertake what sounds like an informal discussion (or possibly a debate) about a currently topical event or issue. For this course, this sub-type of podcast is termed a ” round-table” podcast. Some examples of this type of podcast you will find online involve this group discussing the workings of news media and critiquing the way media organisations have been covering the news.  It’s podcasts of this final type which you will be producing for this course – not audio-story style podcasts, not solo opinion piece podcasts, but rather “round-table” podcasts in which you, in a team of three or four, will be providing a discussion and critique of how topics chosen by the team have been covered by professional news media outlets.  So, note, you won’t yourselves be covering current newsworthy issues and events but rather analysing how the media has been covering topics of interest. (More will be said about this sub-type of podcast below – and obviously in lectures and tutorials.)

It also needs to be noted that some terminological confusion remains as to whether the term “podcast” can appropriately be applied to much of the content available on social media platforms such as YouTube.  Are podcasts audio only, or can a YouTube post with video and one or more presenters speaking to camera also be classed as a podcast? Interestingly, YouTube itself seems to hold that much of its content classifies as podcast. Here’s a quote from YouTube’s own information pages:

YouTube is one of the most popular platforms for podcasts, with a vast global audience of over 2 billion active users. Podcasts on YouTube help creators expand their reach and build their community while providing monetization opportunities.  (https://www.youtube.com/creators/podcasts )

However, this assignment task won’t ask you to produce YouTube style “podcasts” with moving images and presenters speaking to camera. No, for this assignment you will be producing “audio” podcasts – i.e., recorded speech, not video – and in particular the sub-type of podcast which we term a “round-table” podcast.  There will, however, be a minor visual element in that your audio package will be accompanied by what is termed a podcast “cover”, details of which are supplied below. There will also be a short written introduction for your podcast.

INSTRUCTIONS

In small teams you will produce an audio “round-table” podcast in which you and the other members of your team analyse and critique the coverage by major news media outlets of topics of interest. By way of preparing to record your podcast, your team will identify recent coverage of an issue by one or more news media outlets which seems of interest. Your discussion of how these media outlets have dealt with this topic will provide the content of your podcast. The coverage which you discuss and critique can be by media organisations anywhere in the world – you are by no means limited to the journalism published/broadcast by media outlets in Australia. And if one or members of your team speaks languages other than English, you can also include coverage in languages other than English.  Obviously, to prepare for your podcast, you will need to be monitoring a wide range of news media, so you can identify instances of news coverage which will provide for interesting discussion.  When you come to record the podcast, members of the team will need to be specifically naming the media outlets whose coverage you are critiquing and will need to quote from that coverage, and/or include in your final version of the podcast audio “grabs” (if you are discussing audio or video reporting).

The journalism by professional media outlets which the podcast team discusses and analyses in the podcast can fall under the banner of news and current affairs, sports journalism, popular culture journalism, arts-&-entertainment journalism, science and medicine journalism, and so on. As indicated above, you don’t need to confine yourself to discussing the news reports, features, opinion pieces etc by outlets in Australia. The journalism you discuss in the podcast can be from any country.

The steps involved the final production of the round-table podcast are as follows.

1. Early in the term you will be assigned to a podcasting team. You will work with this team for Podcast 1.  In week 7 you will be reassigned to a new team for Podcast 2

2. Throughout the term (starting in week 1) you will need to be monitoring news coverage (print, radio, television, online) of currently topical issues across a wide range of different media outlets. You need to identify items which you think would be interesting for your team to discuss and analyse in the podcast – interesting on account of, for example, being biased, partisan or prejudiced, sensationalist, not well researched, perpetuating stereotypes, defamatory, inaccurate or misleading, lacking cultural sensitivity, heartless and damaging, and so on. (Of course, you don’t need to confine yourself to journalism which you view negatively. You might also identify instances of news reporting which, for example, are very well researched, which challenge stereotypes, are impartial and balanced, in the public interest, expose discrimination or injustice, and so on) The items “of interest”  which you select should all be concerned with the same broad topic area.

3. In preparation for the week 2 tutorial, you collect at least two items of journalism (in the same broad topic area) which you think would make interesting material for discussion and analysis in a “round-table” podcast.  You should find items which will be interesting to compare and contrast. In a file you provide either copies of these items (if they are in print format) or links to where they can be listened to or viewed online. Submit this file via the link provided on Moodle for tutorial preparation in week 2. This will be so that your team can decide during the week 2 tutorial what they will analyse when they come to record the podcast.

4. In the week 2 tutorial, podcast groupings will be assigned and them teams will decide which items (all on the same topic) they think will provide for a lively and entertaining discussion when they later record their podcast (in week 4) . The team is free to find additional items of interest, or even to select a different set of items for discussion. In week 2, your team needs to book a time for recording the podcast in one of the podcast recording studios – with the recording to be done in week 4. Instructions are provided elsewhere on Moodle as to how to book a studio for the recording session. Note that you should aim to record a discussion of at least 30 minutes, and you may need longer.  You will be collaboratively editing and cutting back this original recording for a final “broadcastable” version which runs for between 5 and 7 minutes. You need to originally record a much longer round-table conversation to ensure you have enough interesting and fluent material for the final 5-7 minute podcast, after you have cut, repetitions, umms and ahs, boring or irrelevant bits, etc.

5. In week 4, but not during the tutorial, the team does its recording, either in one of the university podcast recording studios, or by using team members’ own recording equipment (for example, could be done using mobile phones of laptops). Teams need to have booked a slot in the podcast studios before week. 4. It will be vital that all members of the team contribute well to the discussion. (When your work is assessed, tutors will evaluate your individual contributions to the original recording. If you only end up making a few observations, you will receive a lower individual grading.)

6. In the week 5 tutorial, teams collaboratively edit the original recording to produce a final version which runs for 5-7 minutes.  You will have the opportunity during the tutorial to record additional material for inclusion in the final version, if you decide this would improve the final product.  The team may also record a fresh spoken introduction. Team members individually (not in collaboration) prepare their own “cover” and written introduction to the podcast. (Information on these to be provided in lectures and tutes.)
 (Should you be forced by illness or misadventure to miss the week 5 tutorial in which the collaborative editing is done, you will need to work with your team to participate in the editing process outside of class time. If this is not possible, you must discuss with your tutor an alternative arrangement.)

The Editing Process

When the team collaboratively edits the original recording in the week 5 tutorial, they must ensure the following:  

1. The final version has a run-time of between five and seven minutes (edited down from the original longer recording).

2. It includes an effective opening spoken introduction – introducing the speakers and foreshadowing the subject matter.

3. All extraneous material - e.g. ums ahs, long pauses, repetitious/redundant/boring content, poorly expressed/ungrammatical content and so on has been removed.

4. The final piece, after editing, flows smoothly, has a logical progression of subject matter and ideas and is as engaging and easy to follow as possible.

5. Background music, any sound effects, additional sound bites/grabs have been smoothly and effectively incorporated.

As indicated above, always keep in mind that, in your podcast discussion, you will be referencing and critiquing how specific journalistic items (print-style items and/or, television/radio items, and so on) deal with an issue, event or topic. And the purpose is not to summarise the content of these items – we don’t want you to just tell the listener what was being reported.  Rather you must present an analyse and a critique of the manner and nature of this coverage, for example, what perspectives are adopted in the items you discuss in the podcast, are they biased or inaccurate in your view, do they ignore key aspects of the issue or event being covered, how might these items influence the attitudes or beliefs of readers/viewers/listeners, and so on? To effectively conduct this part of the discussion you will need to name and describe the items under consideration (including indicating the outlet where they were published/broadcast) and either quote relevant parts (for example a headline, or a relevant sentence or two) or, if there is audio available, include this audio as a grab. (This aspect is dealt with in detail in the lectures – so make sure you don’t miss these.)

And do make sure that all team members participate well in the discussion.

CONTENT TO BE SUBMITTED

Each member of the podcast team must individually submit:

1. The original audio recording (or recordings) made in the preparation of the podcast (unedited). This must be in mp3 file format (use a file conversion site if needs be.)

2. A written transcript of this original recording or recordings (with the names of the speakers and timecodes provided throughout – example layout provided below). In MS Word or rtf format - not a pdf or Mac only format.

3. The final, collaboratively edited, version of the podcast (5 – 7 minutes). – mp3 format

In a single MS word or .rtf format file supply the following (i.e. all together in one file)

4. A podcast “cover” – also be produced individually by each member of the team (includes the name of the podcast, as chosen by the team). Instruction on what is required will be given in the lectures and tutorials.

5. A written introduction for the podcast (max 100 words) to be produced individually (i.e., not collaboratively) by each member of the team. This includes the name of the podcast – as chosen collaboratively by the team - and the names of the podcast team, and an engaging preview of the podcast content.

6. A written transcript of this final edited version (with the names of the speakers and timecodes provided throughout).

Each member of the team individually submits all of the above – as multiple files. You must use the following file naming template for the files: “Nguyen, Mary, podcast 1, original recording.mp3”,  “Nguyen, Mary, podcast 1, original recording transcript.docx”, and so on.

Note that fluent, idiomatic, grammatical, and journalistically appropriate spoken and written English is required for this course. Work which does not meet this criterion will not receive a pass grade.

The transcripts you produce – both for your original, unedited recording and for the final, edited version of the audio must employ the following format. You will be able to use computer-based audio-to-text transcription software/apps for this (e.g. descript.com, or the transcription functionality in MS Word), but you will need to ensure that any errors are corrected, that timecodes are supplied and it’s in the required format. Here’s an example of what a transcript should include and how it must be formatted.

Example written transcript of a podcast – applies to both the transcript of the original, unedited recording and the final edited version of the podcast.

Written Intro:
In this episode of the Media Microscope Podcast, the team explores the controversy which recently erupted when ABC presenter and First Australian journalist, Stan Grant condemned the British Monarchy as a symbol of colonial power during the ABC’s live coverage of the coronation of King Charles III of England. The team debates the validity of complaints by more than 18,000 ABC viewers that Grant’s comments were inappropriate and reflect on the fact that the abuse directed at Grant on social media has been so intense that he has chosen to step back from his presenter role with the ABC.  [99 words]

RUBRICS AND WEIGHTINGS FOR GRADING

Each team member’s submission will receive an individual grading. The following will be taken into account.

1. (value = 50% of total grade) Your individual contribution to the original (pre-edited) podcast discussion: e.g:

· How interesting, insightful, knowledgeable, well-founded were your observations, opinions and questions?

· Your delivery e.g. - were your contributions to the discussion well expressed, fluent and idiomatic, in an appropriately conversational style, easy to follow, etc.?

· Did you participate fully in the discussion; how well did you contribute to the content and the liveliness of the discussion; how well did you interact with your team members to produce a coherent, smooth-flowing discussion?

Your grade will be determined both by your contribution to the original, unedited “conversation” which you recorded and also by your contribution to the final 5–7 minute edited version of the “conversation”.  Fluent, idiomatic and grammatical English is required for this course.  Work which does not meet this criterion will not receive a pass grade.

2.  (15%) The effectiveness of your individually written introduction: how well does it set out necessary background information about the podcast and its content; how effective will it be in engaging the attention of a casual listener; how well does it preview what are the most interesting discussion points in the podcast; how well expressed - i.e., written in fluent, idiomatic, grammatical English, in an appropriate journalistic style? (For this component to receive a pass grade, this intro must be free of grammatical, spelling, punctuation, and presentation errors.)

3. (5%) Your individually composed podcast cover: how well designed, how attractive, how visually appropriate and impactful, how likely to engage the attention of a causal reader?

4. (30%) The overall quality of the final, edited version of podcast itself: sound quality (easily audible, free of intrusive background noise etc, appropriate and even volume-level throughout), how well edited (including removal of false starts, repetitious or redundant content, poorly expressed  observations/questions, excessive uhms, ahs, you-knows etc.), how well does it flow, how knowledgeable, well-considered, informative, interesting, and engaging, how well does it deal with the issues raised? Does the podcast adequately reference and quote from relevant journalistic items, as the nature and manner of the coverage provided by these items is critiqued in the discussion? The written transcript is appropriately formatted, with names of speakers and includes timecodes.

CONTENT CREATION ASSIGNMENT 2 – PODCAST 2

Obviously podcasting involves quite a range of different skills – researching, speaking, recording, editing, visual design.  It takes practice to master these.  Accordingly, the second major assignment – round-table podcast 2 – provides you with the opportunity to rehearse and develop these further, to build on what you learnt in producing the first podcast. It will follow the same format and a similar schedule to the Podcast 1 assignment.

The objective is that by the end the course you will have developed these skills to a professional, “work-ready” level. You will have opportunities to do more podcasting in other journalism degree courses – and to explore other sub-types of podcasting, for example in the  Features Journalism course,  the  Radio Journalism & Podcasting and Professional Media Practices Course.