Admission requirements
Required course(s):
- Essentials of Journalism
Recommended course(s):
- Investigative Journalism
Description
Audio Journalism is a course in basic, intermediate and advanced production skills for podcasting, with a strong focus on the combined communicative power of sound and verbal narrative. Students are taught how to conceptualize and create audio stories based on the same general model used in other LUC journalism courses. They are expected to do research, find sources, record interviews and on-location sound, and to then craft captivating stories based on well-substantiated facts. The skills, experience and deeper understanding gained from this course will be applicable to further education and work in news and current affairs as well as documentary-style journalism. They will also benefit students who seek further education or work in other fields.
Course Objectives
This course is aimed at training students in the skills needed for the production of audio stories for podcasting or broadcasting. These skills include: formulating story ideas, researching topics, identifying good sources and interviewing them, making high-quality sound recordings, mixing and editing sound and speech recordings in a multitrack audio editing program, writing 'for the ear' and presentation for podcasts and live broadcasts. At the same time, the course will instruct students in the journalistic principles underpinning news and current affairs production values in radio and podcasting. Students who complete this course will be able to individually conceive, pitch and produce audio stories. They will also have gained experience in working in small teams to produce magazine-style or documentary style podcasts.
Timetable
Timetables for courses offered at Leiden University College in 2023-2024 will be published on this page of the e-Prospectus.
Mode of instruction
Students will be given formal instruction in the principles of audio storytelling. They will also listen to various examples of professionally-produced podcasts and radio shows and discuss their merits in the classroom. Individually, the students will be trained in microphone technique, judging sound environments for their suitability in recording interviews and soundscapes, making high-quality recordings, mixing and editing finished 'packages' ready for broadcast or use in a podcast. In a team setting, the students will also be required to combine a number of completed stories in a magazine or documentary-style podcast. In class sessions, the students will jointly listen to each student's production work and the instructor will give a response to each. Keep in mind that this is an essential part of the instructional method and not an aspect students can opt out of.
Assessment Method
Assessments will focus on the quality of various short audio stories which students will be required to produce. The instructor will also assess the quality of joint projects (podcasts) produced by small teams of three or four students. Both types of assignments will be judged on a small set of criteria focusing on the quality of the audio signal produced (how effective are the recordings, editing and mixing?), the logic of the narrative, and the effective and meaningful use of sound effects. There will also be an essay assignment in which students are asked to evaluate a published podcast according to a small set of criteria. This essay will be assessed for writing clarity and application of journalistic principles.
Essay: 10%
Audio item 1: 30%
Audio item 2: 30%
Online podcast: 30%
Reading list
Several podcast episodes and/or series will be assigned as required listening. To be announced.
Registration
Courses offered at Leiden University College (LUC) are usually only open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Leiden University students who participate in one of the university’s Honours tracks or programmes may register for one LUC course, if availability permits. Registration is coordinated by the Education Coordinator, course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.
Contact
Robert Chesal, r.e.chesal@luc.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
-