jrn2srp sport reporting
SPORT REPORTING
JRN2SRP
2015
Credit points: 15
Subject outline
Sport journalists are required to write a variety of stories for a variety of mediums. In addition to previews and match reports, the sport journalist must be able to write about the politics of sport, report on sports stars involved in judicial or legal hearings, write about the personal lives of sports stars in feature stories and write opinion pieces on issues involving sport and its participants. Print journalists will find themselves being asked to contribute to radio and television broadcasts and this subject will offer further opportunities to become proficient at reporting on those mediums. This subject will build on prior learning of the 'mechanics of journalism,' such as the inverted pyramid; types of sources; and different approaches and techniques, whilst giving the student exposure to realistic settings such as a television live cross or media conference.
SchoolSchool of Humanities & Social Sciences
Credit points15
Subject Co-ordinatorDavid Lowden
Available to Study Abroad StudentsYes
Subject year levelYear Level 2 - UG
Exchange StudentsYes
Subject particulars
Subject rules
Prerequisites JRN1WFM - Writing for the Media or by approval by ABJS coordinator.
Co-requisitesN/A
Incompatible subjects JRN3SRP
Equivalent subjectsN/A
Special conditions Core subject for ABJS & elective for ABJ. Available as an elective subject to ABA major in Journalism and a compulsory subject to ABA minor in Sport Journalism.
Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes
01. Develop a 'media diet' which is not based on mainstream sport but other sport and general news.
- Activities:
- Students will be given a 'pop' quiz three times in the semester (only the 2nd and 3rd will count towards their grade) that will indicate whether they have been reading the papers and keeping up with current events. Sport Journalists need to keep up with non sport news to inform their work. Sports people, events and entities may take on a different importance or be placed in an unusual context depending on what else is happening in the world at the time.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
02. Students will become familiar with and demonstrate the basic techniques of a good television 'live cross.'
- Activities:
- Students will be given vision of a media conference one week prior to their live cross. They will need to identify the main angle arising from the conference and conduct their own research on the person of interest to provide context to the news angle. The student will write an introduction for the newsreader in television format and upload this to Moodle prior to performing the live cross in the LTU studio which will include a short Q&A.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
- Speaking(Speaking)
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
03. Students will demonstrate an ability to convey not only the outcome of a sports event but be able to identify and describe the major incidents which led to that outcome.
- Activities:
- Students will watch a sporting event in class, shotlist it as they are watching it and then write a match report to be uploaded to Moodle by 10.30pm. This will be the students first task in this subject which requires them to be conscious of a deadline.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
- Writing(Writing)
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
04. Students will demonstrate the basic techniques of sports commentary for radio (optional).
- Activities:
- Students will either present another TV live cross or provide radio commentary for 15 minutes of a sports broadcast. Beforehand they will be given a marking criteria which will identify the key areas of good sports commentary.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
- Speaking(Speaking)
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
05. Students will write a preview of a sporting event or performance yet to take place which will show they have grasped the difference between writing a preview as a journalist and that of a promoter or public relations representative whose job it is to "talk up" the event.
- Activities:
- Students will have a week (so no time pressure) to research and write a 400 word article about a sporting event or performance yet to take place.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
- Writing(Writing)
06. Students will write an opinion piece on the coverage of women's sport.
- Activities:
- Following a lecture on the topic, students will be split into small groups to discuss the merits of whether women's sport receives the coverage it deserves. Students will then be required to use the knowledge gained along with further research in their own time to write a 400 word opinion piece on the topic.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Writing(Writing)
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
- Teamwork(Teamwork)
07. To bring together various writing techniques taught through the semester into a feature sports story. This will give students an opportunity to research and write with creativity and flair, using elements such as metaphor and analogy.
- Activities:
- Students will write a 800 word print feature on a sports topic of their choice. The feature will be display an ability to explore their chosen topic from a multi dimensional view. This will be done by conducting research and their own primary source interviews.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
- Writing(Writing)
08. Write a 400 word article that identifies the main news angle from a media conference that the student has participated in.
- Activities:
- Students will be participate in a media or press conference with a high profile sports person. They will need to ask questions and or take notes of answers and then identify the main news angle. The other students in the room will be their rivals and so each student will be exposed to the pressure of finding the "biggest" story. The students will then upload their 400 word print article to Moodle by 10.30pm the same night.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Speaking(Speaking)
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
- Writing(Writing)
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
Subject options
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Melbourne, 2015, Semester 1, Day
Overview
Online enrolmentYes
Maximum enrolment sizeN/A
Enrolment information
Subject Instance Co-ordinatorDavid Lowden
Class requirements
LectureWeek: 10 - 22
One 1.0 hours lecture per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via blended.
WorkShopWeek: 10 - 22
One 2.0 hours workshop per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via blended.
Assessments
| Assessment element | Comments | % | ILO* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 word article (match report) | 10 | 05 | |
| 400 word article (opinion piece) | 10 | 03 | |
| 400 word article (preview piece) | 10 | 05 | |
| 400 word sport news article (media conf) | 10 | 04 | |
| 800 word feature article | 20 | 08 | |
| Quiz (2 x 200 word equivalent) | 10 | 01 | |
| TV Live Cross (600 word equivalent) | 15 | 02 | |
| TV Live Cross or Sport Commentary (600 word equivalent) | 15 | 06 |