DHUM 25A33 - How the Media Works

We live in fast changing times and in an increasingly interconnected world. Today most people use social media to engage with news content and share information. In this landscape, what role does journalism play? Journalism done with integrity and ethics means: to present facts, to research, to observe, to connect the dots, to follow-up, to tell in a clear and concise way a story, and to decrypt the power structures of society. There can be no healthy democracy without that process. Journalists are the gatekeepers of freedom and of free expression yet are targeted worldwide. How come? Why do autocratic leaders point at the press as enemies of the people? According to studies conducted by UNESCO, “female journalists are targeted online significantly more than their male colleagues, and the threats they face are highly sexualized, focused on their physical features, ethnicity, or cultural background, rather than on the content of their work.” We will look into all that together. We will discuss the impact of Artificial Intelligence on journalism and what it means for the future of media.

When I was a journalism student, sitting where you are today, understanding the news meant something. Twenty years later, the media is regarded with mistrust and as a threat. It’s crucial now more than ever that you learn how to read the news and decide for yourselves. We will discuss key elements of journalism. You will become acquainted with gathering news from different parts of the world and platforms and compare them. Whether you become journalists or not, you will always be news consumers. Hence, what you learn in this course will be useful to you throughout your life. Well, that is my ultimate hope!

Students will be graded (out of /20). The criteria are the following:

Class Participation 20%

Homework: Required reading/video/podcast see syllabus/tbd in class and/or short assignments (evaluated through cold-call in class) : 20 %