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.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CN01 - Recognise contemporary social and media realities, contextualise historical events, and identify newsworthy issues at local, national and international levels.
- CN02 - Identify the various stakeholders in contemporary journalism, their roles and the operational dynamics of a digital and globalised environment.
- CN03 - Recognise the specialist areas of contemporary journalism, including their characteristics, styles, sources and specific methodologies.
- CN05 - Define concepts and specialised journalistic terminology in English.
- CN06 - Recognise the principal artificial intelligence tools with applications in journalism.
- CP01 - Work effectively in professional journalism teams, adapting to multidisciplinary and changing environments.
- CP02 - Apply professional ethical principles and standards of academic rigour in journalism, recognising the current legal and ethical framework and respecting the fundamental right to equality between women and men, promoting human rights, a culture of peace and democratic values, including the use of inclusive, non-discriminatory and stereotype-free language.
- CP04 - Manage the technical, material and time-related resources of a journalistic project.
- CP05 - Critically analyse national and international journalism in order to assess its influence on public opinion and current affairs.
- CP10 - Apply knowledge of media funding models to develop viable budgets for journalistic projects, critically analysing economic data and placing it within the business and social context of the sector.
- CP11 - Apply internal and external communication strategies to build a favourable perception of an organisation among its stakeholders.
- CP12 - Manage an organisation's internal communications to promote understanding of its values and organisational culture.
- HB01 - Interpret relevant data obtained from a variety of sources.
- HB02 - Present and defend journalistic projects orally and in writing in Catalan, Spanish and English.
- HB03 - Transform information into engaging and aesthetically effective messages.
- HB04 - Use a range of media research and documentation resources.
- HB05 - Distinguish between information, opinion and manipulation, applying verification and source-checking techniques to debunk misinformation and identify content generated by artificial intelligence.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students will be able to:
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Define the main journalistic concepts and the vocabulary associated with the profession.
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Observe reality in order to identify newsworthy events.
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Address the challenges posed by the journalism profession ethically, with autonomy and responsibility.
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Understand the current media landscape, communication groups and companies, and their influence on public opinion.
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Acquire fundamental knowledge of journalistic organisations, their internal structure, the economic environment in which they operate, and the legal and ethical principles governing the creation and development of news organisations.
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Define basic concepts of academic research, identifying the main theories, methodologies, and research lines in the field of communication.
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Express personal concerns artistically through documentary filmmaking, exploring this audiovisual genre both from an informative and a social awareness perspective.
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.