Journalism and Media Studies 2
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Year Co-ordinator: Taryn De Vega Room: 137 Email: isaacsdevega@ru.ac.za |
Teacher: Kaeleboga Aiseng Room: 110 Email: k.aiseng@ru.ac.za |
Teacher: Jeanne du Toit Room: 108 Email: j.dutoit@ru.ac.za
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Teacher: Sam Carolus Room: 214 Email: s.carolus@ru.ac.za |
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Teacher: Gillian Rennie Room: 208 Email: g.rennie@ru.ac.za |
Teacher: Harold Gess Room: 209 Email: h.gess@ru.ac.za
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Teacher: Bella Boqo Room: 209
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Journalism and Media Studies Board |
JMS2 Academic programme
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Semester 1 |
Semester 2 |
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Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
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Media Studies |
The making of meaning
Bella Boqo & Chikezie Uzuegbunam |
Media Histories
Taryn de Vega |
Media Institutions
Kaeleboga Aiseng |
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Media Production |
Audio Storytelling for Journalism and Public Communication Jeanne du Toit
Introduction to WEPD Sam Carolus, Harold Gess, Brian Garman, Gillian Rennie |
Introduction to WEPD Sam Carolus, Harold Gess, Brian Garman, Gillian Rennie
Audio Storytelling for Journalism and Public Communication Jeanne du Toit |
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Year Co-ordinator: Taryn De Vega
Room: 137
Email: t.isaacsdevega@ru.ac.za
JMS2 includes components in which students learn about the study of media and those in which they learn how to produce media. In the Media Studies courses, students are introduced to the academic study of the ways in which the media is involved in the construction of meaning; exploring representation, genre, narrative, and semiotics in the analysis of media texts. Secondly, students examine the historical contexts in which media practices are located and explore the concept of media institutions and how they are organised in the digital era.
In the Media Production components of JMS2, students learn how to produce media for a variety of platforms. Such learning applies to the production of media for broadcast purposes, print publications, and online environments. Production courses seek to ensure that learning tasks provide students with opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge about media and its context to the reflective production of media.
JMS2 has a credit value of 30, with each semester weighing 15 credits. A credit represents 10 notional learning hours, meaning that each semester-long course represents 150 hours.
JMS 2 Media Studies and Media Production courses each represent 50% of the final year mark. Both semesters contain one Media Studies component and one Media Production component, running concurrently. Each of these modules is weighted at 7.5 credits, meaning that students complete 15 credits per semester.
Times of lectures
There are three Media Studies lectures per week and one Media Production lecture plus one Media Production practical.
Monday 8.40 Media Production
Tuesday 9.35 Media Studies
Wednesday 10.30 Media Studies
Thursday 11.25 Media Studies
Vacation observation work
In JMS2, students have historically been required to pursue extra-curricular opportunities for experiential learning about media production. They are encouraged, in particular, to spend time at reputable media organisations either to participate in media production or simply to act as observers. This experience is understood to enrich their understanding of the learning gained in their coursework. It also provides them with the chance to produce media work of their own, over and above what they do in their course assignments. Towards the end of the year, such work can then be included as evidence of their own learning in their applications for the JMS3 production electives. Whilst this is not compulsory it is encouraged and will add value to their extra-curricular portfolio submission for entry into JMS3. Work in the student press and vacation observation work will be considered alongside the J3 applications.
Media Studies Courses
Semester 1: The Making of Meaning
The course focuses on the theory informing our understanding of the relationship between media representations and contemporary society. Exploring representation, genre, narrative, and semiotics, the course introduces students to the foundational concepts and methodologies of Media and Cultural Studies. The course begins by looking at Stuart Hall’s approach to representation and representational practices in contemporary society, followed by the exploration of narrative, as a universal form of representation. Later the course continues with the study of genre, as the media presents numerous genres, which organize and construct narratives according to generic conventions. Genre studies highlight how media is managed, constructed, distributed, and received in line with the producer’s and audience’s expectations. Finally, the course looks at Semiotics and how meaning is constructed and socially produced. While the course content is taught via a focus on the representations of Africa and Africans in contemporary media, it includes an analysis of a variety of media – from music videos to adverts to still photos and news reports.
Semester 2: South African Media, its history and Institutions
In the second semester, students are introduced to the study of the historical contexts in which media practices are located, and as part of such learning, they become familiar with the analyses of the systems and institutions of the media and explore their implication for ways in which media production is regulated and practised. Term 03 - Media Histories explores the defining moments in the history of print media in South Africa, beginning with oral communications prior to the introduction of print and concluding with the digital era and its effects on print media today. Term 04 - Media Institutions, introduces students to the concept of media institutions and how they are organised in the digital era. Here students will learn about ongoing transitions from old to new media, the influence of digital media on shaping the society and industry, traditional versus new forms of news production, the political economy of media production in the technological era, social media influencers, fake news, and many other faces in the media institutions.
Media production courses
Students will be assigned to a group in either the WEPD or Podcast Production course in the first semester and, in the second semester, will swop into the other course.
Introduction to WEPD (Writing, Editing, Photography and Design)
WEPD is a historic principle and an underlying philosophy that speaks to how writing, editing, photography, and design all work together in print (and digital) publication processes. Terms 01 and 03 - Introduction to Design focuses on the fundamental principles of design and (creative) writing. Here, you will begin to explore design thinking through the creation of your own handmade visual journal or zine. Terms 02 and 04 - Introduction to Photography and video focuses on the photography aspect of the course and delve deeper into more journalistic writing and editing. Here, your assignments are designed to sharpen your skills as a photographer in the field and expose you to a wider range of writing forms such as a profile feature article, an opinion piece, a photo-essay, and more. The
course is organized around producing individual videos, photos, designs, and stories around the theme of Social connection and belonging: people, power, place, and purpose. The course draws inspiration from the book On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation by Kim Samuel.
Audio storytelling for Journalism and Public Communication
This course introduces students to audio storytelling in the digital age, for the purpose of Journalism as well as Public Communication. It locates such learning in context of the requirements of Community Radio. It engages with how such radio can be enhanced through podcasting. It focuses on Audio Diaries, a genre of storytelling designed to enable people to share stories about their personal social experiences.
Media production practicals
Each student is automatically allocated one practical slot a week.
Mark allocation: Media Studies (50%) and Media production (50%)
MEDIA STUDIES: 50%
SEMESTER 1:
Term 1: Representation, Narrative, and Genre assignments, 12.5%.
Term 2: Semiotics assignments, 12.5%.
SEMESTER 2:
Term 3: Media Histories, 12.5%.
Term 4: Media Institutions, 12.5%.
MEDIA PRODUCTION: 50%
25% WEPD
25% Podcasting
No exam is written
Entry into JMS3 – Please note the following:
Entry to Journalism and Media Studies 3 is predicated upon a candidate obtaining a minimum of 50% for both the Media Studies and Media Production components of the Journalism and Media Studies 2 course. A candidate who fails to obtain 50% for one of the components but passes on aggregate will be granted a non-continuing pass. The production and media studies courses are equally weighted. So, a student who obtains, say, 65% for production and 45% for media studies would obtain an aggregate of 55% for JMS2 and would pass JMS2 but would not be allowed to continue into JMS3. However, a student obtaining 50% and 60% (for the same aggregate of 55%) would be allowed to continue. Vacation observation work will also be considered alongside the application.
Last Modified: Thu, 11 May 2023 15:20:15 SAST