Journalists need core skills to work in multimedia news environments found online, in TV and radio, in newspapers and magazines as well as those working in media environments of other sectors, such as PR and communications.
Essential journalism is designed to teach you the skill-sets needed from finding and telling stories, to harnessing the technologies of the digital age for reporting.
Your learning will focus on:
- News and how to find it
- Telling stories for different audiences and platforms
- Interviewing skills
- Reporting news events and meetings
- Interacting with your audience
- Finding stories in data
- Working safely
- Working to high ethical standards
The programme of study teaches the still-vital traditional skills, plus how to be a successful journalist in the digital age. Social media, using smartphones, understanding what the website statistics are telling you, finding buried stories in data are all included. You will also learn the most effective way(s) to tell stories to make best use of the available platforms.
This module is assessed by a two-hour online exam and completion of an e-portfolio of evidence. Please note, the exam for this module cannot be sat abroad due to software requirements and the technical support needed.
Please note: Essential journalism replaced the news reporting module in September 2016 and the NCTJ currently recognises the news reporting module as equivalent to essential journalism.
From 1 September 2019, news reporting will no longer be recognised in place of essential journalism - so if you have passed the news reporting module but not achieved the Diploma in Journalism by this date you will be required to have the essential journalism module in order to do so. If you have any questions about this, please get in touch with [email protected].