Course contents for news gathering and dissemination

Here is a suggested course outline for a course on News Gathering and Dissemination:

Course Title: News Gathering and Dissemination

Course Description: This course covers the principles and practices of news gathering and dissemination, including the role of journalists in a democratic society, news sources and research methods, writing and reporting techniques, and the ethics of news gathering and dissemination.

Course Objectives:

• Understand the role of journalists in a democratic society
• Identify and evaluate news sources and research methods
• Develop writing and reporting techniques for news gathering and dissemination
• Apply ethical principles to news gathering and dissemination
• Analyze the impact of technology on news gathering and dissemination

Course Contents:

Module 1: Introduction to News Gathering and Dissemination

• Overview of the news industry
• The role of journalists in a democratic society
• News gathering and dissemination: past, present, and future

Module 2: News Sources and Research Methods

• Identifying and evaluating news sources
• Research methods for news gathering
• Interviewing techniques
• Fact-checking and verification

Module 3: Writing and Reporting Techniques

• Writing for news: style, tone, and structure
• Reporting techniques: observation, interviewing, and research
• Writing for different media platforms: print, online, and broadcast

Module 4: Ethics of News Gathering and Dissemination

• The importance of ethics in news gathering and dissemination
• Principles of ethical journalism: truth, accuracy, fairness, and independence
• Case studies of ethical dilemmas in news gathering and dissemination

Module 5: Technology and News Gathering and Dissemination

• The impact of technology on news gathering and dissemination
• Social media and online news platforms
• Data journalism and data visualization
• The role of artificial intelligence in news gathering and dissemination

Module 6: News Dissemination and Distribution

• The role of news editors and producers
• Newsroom management and workflow
• Distribution channels: print, online, and broadcast
• Measuring the impact of news dissemination

Module 7: Case Studies and Group Projects

• Real-life case studies of news gathering and dissemination
• Group projects: students work in teams to gather and disseminate news on a specific topic

Module 8: Final Project and Course Wrap-Up

• Final project: students apply course concepts to a real-life news gathering and dissemination scenario
• Course wrap-up: review of key concepts and takeaways

Assessment:

• Quizzes and assignments (40%)
• Group project (20%)
• Final project (20%)
• Class participation and attendance (20%)

Recommended Readings:

• "The Elements of Journalism" by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
• "News: A User's Manual" by Claude-Jean Bertrand
• "The News Manual" by Australian Centre for Journalism
• "Data Journalism Handbook" by European Journalism Centre

Recommended Resources:

• Online news platforms and social media
• News gathering and dissemination software and tools
• Journalistic ethics and standards resources

Note: This is just a suggested course outline and can be modified to fit the specific needs and goals of your course, students, and institution.