Benefiting from over 30 years’ practical skills training experience, Fitzwilliam Institute’s Online Diploma in Journalism course features:
THE ROLE OF THE JOURNALIST
An introduction to the newspaper office, The changing face of journalism, The work of the journalist explained, What is news, How news is changing, What makes a hard-hitting news story, Where news comes from, How to gather news and generate stories, Hard news and soft news explained, The difference between features and general interest articles.
HISTORY, ROLE AND BUSINESS OF PRINT MEDIA
A short history of the newspaper industry, The business of newspapers, Newspaper structures & departments - production, circulation, promotions, advertising, accounts. Journalism and society, The media landscape, How the media works. How the business model of media works. How publications position themselves in the marketplace. The role of the circulation manager and building market share. Advertising, classified advertising. Going online.
NEWS WRITING SKILLS
News Values, Developing News Writing Skills, Interview Techniques
Exploring news values, Determining news worthiness, News writing skills, Different news for different audiences. The 5 W's and the inverted pyramid, KISS, Short simple sentences, Getting your introduction right, Ensure accuracy, Facts not opinions, Using quotes, Avoiding jargon, Structuring the story, Recapping past history, Conducting an interview, Telephone interviews, Email interviews, Press conferences.
Sourcing/Research - Developing your News Gathering Skills
Building your contacts book, The importance of contacts - how to cultivate and use them, Who makes a good contact book, Useful tips for running a contacts network, Tracking down stories and finding facts. Researching a story, On and off the record. Protecting and respecting your sources, Calls you should make, Stories to look for, Developing the story, Good sources for information and story ideas, Monitoring other media, The importance of current information, Who to speak to, How to use cuttings, Always check quotes, Using the internet.
FEATURE ARTICLES, OPINION COLUMNS, REVIEWS
What makes a good feature, Transforming research into copy, Structuring your feature, Doing it in the house style. Revise and improve. Writing opinion columns - The four categories of columns, How to write comment, Grab a topic, Gather facts, Get to the point, Structure.
Writing Reviews - Theatre, Music, Book Television, Radio - The reviewer's role and responsibilities - what you should include in your review - attitude - How to review and write up for theatre, musicals, concerts. Reviewing books - a checklist of what to include in your review. Tips on reviewing CDs, Films and TV Eating out reviews - the pitfalls - key points to include - an example of a fact file. Car reviews.
NEWSROOM STRUCTURES
Newsroom Structures Explained
How the newsroom is organised, The chain of command, The roles of the news editor, deputy editor, associate editors, the news editor, chief sub-editor, sports editor, features editor and the picture editor examined. The daily editorial conference and its function - the news list, coordinating journalists and stories, assignments, placing stories, newspaper policy, Routine tasks. Copyflow - how a news item goes from an original idea to a printed story.
The Role of the Sub Editor
The importance of the sub-editor's job including responsibilities - being held to account, protecting the paper's reputation, Dealing with raw copy, Keeping it in the house style, Cutting to length, Best intro angle, to re-write on not to re-write, Constructing Headlines, Caption writing, Placement of a story, news/advertising ratio, The influence of advertising, Planning, The importance of timing, Design theory- layout, visual appeal and design definitions.
ETHICS LAW & COPYRIGHT
Journalism and Ethics
Ethical dilemmas for journalists, invasions of privacy, racism, reporting of terrorism, anti-sexism, anti-ageism, whistle-blowers, cheque book journalism, the political economy of the media, monopoly ownership, hyper-competition, moral panics, sexing up a story, dumbing down.
Law and the Journalist
What is libelous, defamation, Defence against libel, Justification for printing, What justifies fair comment, Malicious comment, Corrections, Clarifications, Offers of amends, Reporting criminal courts, Reporting civil courts, Employment tribunals, Inquests, Contempt of court.
Copyright and the Journalist
Intellectual property, Understanding copyright, The limitations of copyrighted material, How copyright protects the journalist.
FREELANCE JOURNALISM
Freelance Journalism Explained
Qualities that are necessary to be a successful freelance journalist, The pros and cons of freelancing explained, Making contact and talking to editors, Breaking into the magazine market, The importance of knowing your market - Research - analysing the contents of newspapers and magazines, Article analysis, Tailoring your work to their requirements, Best categories for the freelance to tackle.
Setting Up as a Freelance Journalist
Opportunities for the freelance journalist, Finding a regular supply of work, How to organise yourself - keeping records, cuttings file, joining the National Union of Journalists.
ONLINE JOURNALISM
Writing for the Web
Blogrolls to wikis, the audience for online journalism, Print industry under attack, The rise of citizen journalism, The journalist as online publisher, Online ethics - guidelines and best practice, Blogs, Weblog conventions, blogspeak, How to begin blogging, Tips for setting up a blog, Blogroll, Tags, Trackbacks, Pingbacks, What is Technorati? How to promote your blog, Using wikis, How to write for a wiki.
Journalism and the Social Media Landscape
Benefits of social media, Understanding your audience, Social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace, Flickr, Picassa, Blogger, Ning, Meetup, Second Life, Viral content production, Social media marketing techniques, Social bookmarking, Social Networking, Accumulating social capital, The Future of Social Networking, Understanding Facebook, How Facebook benefits a business, How to target your market, how to promote yourself on Facebook, How advertising works on Facebook, Understanding Linkedin, LinkedIn groups, companies, applications, direct ads. Marketing on Linkedin.
PRINT AND DESIGN
How content dictates design, Design as a selling tool, Why the front page must attract the reader, Settling on a style for the publication. The main elements of print layout, Paper and size, Structure and look, Typefaces/Fonts, Structuring text, White Space, Colour, Pictures and Graphics. Headlines, Straplines, Tag lines, Sub-headings, By-lines, Captions. The production stages, Shaping the page. Do's and Don'ts of Print Design.
BROADCAST JOURNALISM
Learn the most important aspects of radio reporting, Writing for radio - news flashes, headlines, voicers, tasters , Planning the news package, Identifying contributors, Techniques for presentation, Qualities of a good presenter, Techniques for successful interviewing, Technical side of interviewing, Types of interviews.
Radio
What makes radio journalism distinctive? Writing short reports and headlines, Writing different types of stories: News flashes, Headlines, Copy stories, Voicers, Tasters, Live reports, Script writing, and Presentation skills. Digital audio editing, Ethics of editing.
Television
Writing for television, The News Package, scripting a television news bulletin, Fitting the narrative with the shots, Gathering News, Technicalities associated with news gathering, Tips for interviewing, Short features, Camera shots and editing, Presentation, The News Schedule, How a TV newsroom is organised. What to wear.
JOURNALISM SPECIALISATIONS
Investigative Journalism
Learn to investigate stories concerning Malpractice, Corporate wrongdoing, Political corruption, Crime. Analyzing documents - court cases, legal documents, tax records, company and property ownership, government reports, regulatory reports, corporate financial filings/returns, Investigating technical issues, Interviewing on-the-record sources, Interviewing anonymous sources/whistleblowers, Sourcing information through Freedom of Information Acts from Government and Government agencies. Understanding cause and effect, Uncovering the stories behind the statistics.
Sports Journalism
Sports journalism, an essential element of any news media organisation, is a highly specialised field and requires specific knowledge and skills, but the disciplines and practices are similar to those of a standard journalist. How media coverage of sport is structured and prioritised, Interviews, Sources and contacts, Planning, Researching, Covering an event, Sports news reporting, Captions, Feature writing, Profiles, Sport as soap opera - Scene setters, Types of stories - build up or scene setter, Previews, Running reports, Considered reports, Delayed reports, Inquest pieces.
Writing for Women's & Men's Magazines
Women: The changing face of women's magazines, Front page teasers How to tackle the triumph over tragedy article, How to write the confessional article, Celebrity profiles, Celebrity interviews - how to approach them and what questions to ask, The importance of preparation, getting an original quote, The role of photographs.
Men: the new contents of men's magazines, Understanding how they are read and consumed, Demographics and target markets, Market research - observing the contents, review the work of other writers, Picking an area of interest and becoming an expert, Common topics - fashion, cars, sport.
Travel Writing
What a travel editor is looking for, The secret of a good travel piece, Tips on finding new angles, How to write the travel article - what to include and what to leave out, Gripping introductions, Use of sidebars, Staycations, City Breaks, Cheap travel, Special offers, Niche markets - Grey Pound travel, Features, The Travel Narrative, Contacting and writing for the top travel markets. Other opportunities - in-flight magazines, eco tours, exercise holidays, wellness travel.
Public Relations
Sponsorship; Internal PR functions; Corporate Image; Press and Broadcast Media Relations; Client Relationships; Internal PR; Commissioning and Briefing Photographers; Supplying Material to the Press/Getting Material onto TV and Radio; Organising Seminars; Exhibitions and Conferences; Audio/Visual Aids; Writing Skills (Press Releases, Writing Feature Articles for the Press, In-house Journals and Newsletters); Crisis Management; Corporate Advertising; Brochures and Printing.
ONLINE PR MODULE
The Social Media Landscape
Blogs, Microblogs, Chatrooms, Delicious, Email, Flickr, Twitter, Instant messaging, Message Boards, Mobile Internet , New Media Releases, Online Conferencing, Online Surveys, Pay per click, Podcasts, RSS, Search Engines, SEO, Social Networking Service Sites, Video Sharing, Virtual worlds, VoIP, Wiki and Widgets.
The Internet as a Media
Commercial Implications of the Internet, Social Interaction with the Internet, Web 2.0 and its Implications, Internet Convergence, the Network Effect, Internet Information Exchange, Internet Audience Size and Exposure, Internet Culture and Communication, Transparency and the Internet.
Online PR building blocks
Online Communications Platforms, Online Communication Channels, Online Communication Mediums, Interactivity and Application of Communication Channels, Policy, Optimisation, Monitoring and Evaluation of Online Communications Channels, Online Communications Channels Planning and Implementation.
Social Media and PR strategy
Local versus Global Communication, Landscaping Platforms, Channels and context, Online PR Organisational Analysis and Segmentation, Developing Online PR Strategies, Online PR Tactics and SEO considerations, Online PR Planning, Managing Online PR Risk and Opportunities.
Online Influences on present PR practices
Internet influence on News, Internet Journalists, Economics of Online News Production, Internet Critics and other influences, the PR Practitioner as an Online Publisher, Ethical Internet PR, Truthfulness and Duty of Care, Online Ethics, Debate, Guidelines and Best Practice. Monitoring and Evaluation of Social Media Discourse, Trends and Value. Policy Influences, corporate speak. Implications of Social Media for Corporate Social Responsibility.
Creative Writing for the Web, Writing for your Client, Relevant Content - Importance of, Simple versus Complex Messages, Keeping a Natural Flow to your Content, Optimising Content, Keyword Management, When to use Key Words, Ratio of Prose to Keywords, Importance of Homepage Content, Images and Art Text, Importance of Spell Checking, Using a Copywriter.
Setting up a Consultancy
Creating a Business Plan, Executive Summary, Business Opportunities, Sales Strategy, Competitor Analysis, Management Team and Personnel, Operations, Financial Forecasts, Business Legalities, the Workplace, Office Equipment, Financing your Business.
Marketing Your Consultancy
Marketing Strategy, Marketing Plan, Competitors, Promotional Tools.
Presentation Skills
Preparation and Research; Speech Content; Subject Matter and Objectives; Speech Delivery and Variety; Body Language, Eye Contact, etc.; Presentation Aids e.g. Visuals, etc.; Management of Locations and Audiences; Presentation Structure.
I had always wanted to study journalism or creative writing, but never had the time or courage to do much about it, until I came across the Fitzwilliam Institute’s Diploma in Journalism via Online Distance Learning. What I read on the website got my interest, so I requested a brochure, had a phone consultation and decided I had nothing to lose from investing in something I knew I would enjoy. From the beginning, the friendly and informative course expert made me feel at ease about enroling on the course, understanding and answering any questions I had.
The course content allowed me to develop new skills and encouraged me to become more creative. All of the modules were practical and quite interactive, and they included a vast amount of relevant and useful information. The support of my course tutor made my experience very enjoyable.
This course has met all expectations and given me the knowledge and confidence to take writing to another level, which I would not have been able do without having completed the course.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this course to anyone looking to expand their knowledge in journalism or writing!
On successful completion of this course you will receive a Professional Diploma qualification that is certified and awarded by the ICM (Institute of Commercial Management).
The Institute of Commercial Management was founded in 1979 and is one of the leading Professional Examination and Certification Bodies in the world today. Fitzwilliam Institute have developed and provided practical skills training courses in liaison with the Institute of Commercial Management qualifications and certifications framework for over 25 years. The Institute of Commercial Management certifications and continual professional development training awards are recognised by leading industries, bodies and professions.
Duration: You will have full access to online resources and subject expert support for 6 months. However, you can complete the course in as little as 3 - 4 months, by dedicating 6-8 hours of study per week.
Course Fees: 995.00 EUR
To secure your place on the course the full fee is required. All fees must be paid in full before the course begins. Please note, the full course fees are inclusive of all course materials and certification costs.
Enrolment intake is strictly limited on this course. Early application is advised. Places are allocated on a first come first served basis.
We want to make education easy and enjoyable for you. At Fitzwilliam Institute, we offer a range of finance options to suit your needs.
You can buy now and pay later with humm - humm provides a simple application process, simple terms and conditions, up to 36 monthly payments. With low-interest rates.
Fitzwilliam Institute closes on Bank Holidays and for a number of days at Christmas and New Year. Fitzwilliam Institute reserves the right to postpone, cancel or alter courses without notice or to change any of the details in this brochure. Fees are not refundable unless the course is cancelled by Fitzwilliam Institute. Distance Learning courses are provided by Fitzwilliam Institute BGLS Ltd.
Year on year, we have the pleasure of training students from top Ireland and international companies. See where our most recent students come from and find out what they have to say.