Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
History and Foundations of Journalism
Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish,
Teaching staff
Introduction
Probably, our era is the first in the history in which people receive more information and has more data. This information is organized into stories and narratives that contain speeches, views, judgments and criticisms regarding the reality around us. The making of these stories, texts and images have the power to shape the vision about a specific event or fact.
How to analyze these stories and how to build them is essential to the communicator. The selection, organization, structure and presentation of this information allows the succeed aimed with a story. This success has to do with changes in society, with understandings of the historical facts and with the very nature of human beings. Information processes are not cold data exchange or isolated messages, but an interaction of texts, stories and speeches.
In this subject, students will learn to take a critical attitude towards the stories and speeches and select the items to build their own. They will learn the tools that allow them to structure and give substance to a story.
Likewise, in this subject emphasis will be placed on the need to carry out documentation processes, information management and verification of information in journalistic work. To do this, the student will acquire knowledge about the use of tools, systems, sources and procedures necessary to carry out correct journalistic documentation.
Pre-course requirements
None.
Objectives
- Define journalism as a public service based on verification, context, and the public interest.
- Distinguish between journalism, opinion, influence, advertising, propaganda, and disinformation.
- Apply newsworthiness and prioritization criteria to real or hypothetical events.
- Understand how agenda-setting, framing, and the pseudo-environment influence public opinion.
- Work with sources and documents using criteria of verification, attribution, and transparency.
- Identify current challenges: generative AI, platforms, polarization, SLAPPs, and media concentration.
- Transform intuition into a well-reasoned professional criterion.
Syllabus
SECTION 1. WHAT IS JOURNALISM?
- Definition of journalism and the transformation of the profession
- The construction of current events
- The functions of journalism
- The legal framework of the profession and code of ethics
SECTION 2. WHAT IS NEWS?
- Facts and news
- Criteria and selection
- Ranking of topics
- Journalistic genres
- Information sources
SECTION 3. DOCUMENTATION AND FACTCHECKING
- Archiving and Documentation
- Research and Credibility
- Fact-Checking
- AI, Citizenship, and Routines
SECTION 4. HISTORY OF JOURNALISM
- Origins
- Industrialization
- Audiovisual Media and Propaganda
- Catalonia, Spain, and the International Scene
- Digital Ecosystem
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
FIRST EXAM PERIOD:
Continuous assessment based on 5 activities/assignments
Activity 1: Rigor - 15%
Activity 2: Judgment - 15%
Activity 3: Fact-checking - 20%
Activity 4: Report - 15%
Activity 5: Credibility - 35%
SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT SESSIONS
Exam - 100%
*Attendance and attitude will be taken into account.
Bibliography and resources
Anderson, C. W., Bell, E., & Shirky, C. (2012). Post-industrial Journalism: Adapting to the Present: a Report. Columbia Journalism School.
Castells, M. (2009) Comunicación y poder. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
Gomis, L. (1991). Teoría del periodismo. Cómo se forma el presente. Barcelona: Paidós.
Jenkins, H. (2008). Cultura de la convergencia. Paidós.
Jiménez, D. (2018) El director. Madrid: Libros del K.O.
Kovach, B., & Rosentiel, T. (2012). Los elementos del periodismo. Madrid: Santillana.
Lakoff, G. (2017). No pienses en un elefante. Lenguaje y debate político. Península.
Lippmann, W. (2003). La opinión pública. Madrid: Cuadernos de Langre.
Martínez-Albertos, J. L. (1989). El lenguaje periodístico. Madrid: Paraninfo
Salmon, C. (2008). Storytelling. La máquina de fabricar historias y formatear las mentes. Península: Barcelona.
Wolton, D. (2010). Informar no es comunicar. Contra la ideología tecnológica. Gedisa: Barcelona.
Bamberg, M. G. W., & Andrews, M. (2004) Considering Counter-narratives: Narrating, resisting, making sense. John Benjamins B. V.: Amsterdam.
Guallar, J.; Leiva-Aguilera, J. (2013) El content curator. Guía básica para el nuevo profesional de internet.Barcelona: UOC.
Mortimer, J. A., & van Doren, C. (1996) Cómo leer un libro. Debate: Madrid.
Neumann, E.N. (2010). La espiral del silencio. Paidós Comunicación.