MJ4501 Journalism, Innovation and Social Media Course description

The course aims at encouraging critical journalism combined with analysis and debate regarding changing conditions for journalism due to digitalization, ownership structures and social media platforms' impact on the media industry. The course aims at deepening the knowledge about the changing conditions for news production, distribution and consumption brought forward by new technology, ownership structures and new business models for funding of journalism.

No prerequisites

The student should have the following learning outcomes upon successful completion of the course:

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge of how changes related to digitalization, media innovation and social media affect press ethics and the role of the journalist
• has knowledge about media innovation and different efforts to create business models to fund journalism
• has thorough knowledge about how media policy affect innovation and ownership structures has a deep understanding of how digitalization and social media change news production, distribution and consumption
• has knowledge about how disinformation and fake news can spread in a digital environment and what news media can do to tackle it and build trust in journalism
• has advanced knowledge of contemporary research, methods and development within the field

Skills

The student

• can analyze developments in ownership and funding of the news media internationally and nationally
• can analyze how digitalization and social media platforms impact the production, distribution and consumption of news
• can analyze strategies for user involvement through social media technologies and consequences for journalism
• can find, analyze and refer to relevant information and literature in order to develop research questions and undertake independent research or development projects

General competence

The student

• is able to analyze professional and occupational issues as well as questions in research ethics
• is trained in innovative thought and able to apply her/his knowledge and skills in new areas such as innovation, digitalization and media policy
• can use the competencies and skills acquired in new ways in order undertake advanced tasks and projects
• can transfer knowledge on key challenges within the field to specialists and the public
• can contribute to the creation of new knowledge and processes of innovation within the field

The focus is on digitalization, innovation and media policy in global and Norwegian media markets. Key research issues include:

• To what extent do digitalization, innovation and media policy affect the development of journalism in various countries?
• In what ways are news media dealing with the changes brought forward by digitalization, innovation, ownership structures and media policy? 

Lectures and workshops.

No course requirements

A term paper of 13-16 pages. The term paper may be written in either English or Norwegian (or another Scandinavian language).

Students who have failed a regular examination may submit a revised version of the exam one time. Students with legitimate absence are entitled to submit the term paper to the new examination.

The paper is assessed according to a grading scale where A (highest) and E (lowest) denote a pass and F denotes a fail.

All exam papers are assessed by an internal examiner. In addition, at least 25 % of the exam papers will be assessed by an external examiner, whose assessment will form the basis of the level for each grade within the grading scale. The internal examiner’s assessment of all papers shall be based on the external examiner’s assessment.

A bachelor's degree or equivalent. The minimum academic requirement for admission is the grade C, in accordance with Regulations Relating to Admission to Master's Degree Programmes at OsloMet.