UCL - The Press, Journalism and Society

[COMU1323]

[30h] 5 credits

This course is taught in the 1st semester.

Teacher(s): Benoît Grevisse

Language: French

Level: First

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

The objectives of this course are:
1. to teach students how to read the newspaper as "professionals".
2. to bring students to a better understanding of how press stories work.
3. to give students access to a whole group of journalist-writers.

Main themes

The course aims to introduce students to the realities and multi-faceted nature of journalism and the Belgian and international printed Press. It provides a critical overview of the Press, dealing with its history and highlighting its emblematic function. It introduces readings on Anthropology and creates links between literature and journalism.

Content and teaching methods

The course has a number of key components:
1. In-depth analysis of the history and reality of the Belgian daily Press.
2. Comparative presentation of a range of foreign types of Press.
3. Analysis of specific Press stories: local reporting, sensational reporting, news in brief stories, 4. Analysis of a dozen or so literary works that borrow from the journalistic approach to event narration.
5. Presentation of several works of fiction that deal with the relationship between journalism and society.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Evaluation: 20 minute oral examination
Course materials: a book and a collection of articles