module specification

This module covers what student journalists need to know about the mechanics of journalism within reporting of the criminal justice system in a democratic society, incorporating debates about ethics and the legal system. It is core for all journalism-related courses as everyone in the media needs to know how the system works in order to work safely at a professional level in the industry in all its forms.

Classes will look at the ethical and judicial frameworks and constraints which control the reporting of legal matters, including crime and its contexts.  Students will explore these subjects from the industry viewpoint, learning how to find and develop stories during site visits and report on them from a perspective of legal security.

The study of journalism ethics as set out by industry regulators for newspapers and broadcasting is central to the module, with the codes of practice from both sectors being interrogated as they impact reporters on all platforms, subs and newspaper/website editors, and news programme producers for radio, TV and podcast.

Ethics gives a deeper meaning to the study of the legal system for journalists. Classes will locate the law which journalists need to know, both civil and criminal, within a broader ethical framework in today’s multi-platform, multi-national world. Analysis of current cases and case law will be as important as knowledge of existing frameworks and codes.

Field trips to Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court and Wood Green Crown Court will be key to personal experience and understanding, as will guest speakers.

Discussion, research, screenings and visits will all play a part in developing students’ critical thinking skills and the professional skill of accurate, legally acceptable writing.

The module will be assessed by a portfolio (containing a multi-platform element), an online journal moderated by tutors at the end of the year, and an in-class media law and regulation knowledge test.

Students will become familiar with the workings of the whole legal system from Magistrates’ Courts to the Supreme Court. LO 1, 2, 3, 4

They survey the current legal system as it applies to journalists, including: libel, court reporting restrictions, privacy, protection of minors, race and religion. 1, 2, 3, 4,

Students will be coached in professional writing and video delivery techniques to produce multiplatform court reports. LO 1, 2

Students will be tested on their knowledge of media law and regulation in relation to being a journalist.. LO 4

Teaching of this module is a blend of workshops, lectures and site visits. The module maximises the potential of its Islington-based location, close to the sites of relevant activity in relation to public administration and criminal law, therefore making full use of the access to quality learning opportunities in north London, site visits including Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court and Wood Green Crown Court.

In class, small group research, discussion and reflection is encouraged, followed by whole group debates to further consolidate learning outcomes through independent thinking. Students are called on through these small group/whole group research and debate workshops to apply theory in relation to media law, regulation and ethics in relation to current events on the news agenda thus embedding the relevance of study to real events as they are encountered by contemporary working journalists.

Student reflection is built into the architecture of module assessment with students writing Journal posts in Weblearn on a weekly basis. Reflection on multimedia journalistic technique is also encouraged, despite the more academic nature of the module, with students delivering news stories from the courts which are legally safe based on knowledge from class, plus video recorded pieces-to-camera from court, again mirroring professional journalistic practice and encouraging reflection on class-based knowledge to deliver news products which are legally sound.

If students read all the required texts, participate in all the class activities and complete the required assessments and assignments, they will develop transferable skills, usable in the workplace. They should be able to:

1. Understand the structure and mechanics of the criminal justice system in England and Wales to enable delivery of journalistic products
2. Write legally secure court copy and multimedia output.
3. Deliver a video report with confidence and professionalism and be able to answer questions about the judicial system and law as it affects journalists and questions about professional codes regulating newspapers and broadcasting.
4. Function safely and professionally from a legal perspective within professional environments.

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