Specification

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Specification
(PDF), Last Updated: 26 May 2011
(Version 4) For first teaching from September 2009, for first assessment from Summer 2010, for first award in Summer 2011

Related Circulars

GCSE Journalism in the Media and Communications Industry (JMC) (S/IF/60/10)
(PDF), Last Updated: 14 July 2010

This course is divided into three units:

Unit 1: The Journalism Industry and Skills for Journalism;
Unit 2: Communication and Print; and
Unit 3: Broadcast Media and Communications.

The content of each unit is outlined in more detail below:

Unit 1: The Journalism Industry and Skills for Journalism

  • The origins and continuing development of the modern media
  • How the media and communication industries work through print, audio, moving image and digital technology
  • The structure of the modern media in the British Isles
  • The different roles within the modern media
  • Public relations
  • The skills of the journalist

Unit 2: Communication and Print

  • The formats of print media
  • The branches of print journalism
  • The roles within print journalism
  • What makes a good news story (news value)
  • How to gather information for news stories and feature articles
  • Target audiences
  • The differences between the presentations of stories in different print media
  • Writing and editing skills

Unit 3: Broadcast Media and Communications

  • Broadcast media formats
  • Target audience
  • The roles within the broadcast media
  • The different branches of broadcast journalism, and the different story types
  • Broadcast and journalism law
  • Industry guidelines
  • Broadcast writing skills
  • Presentation techniques
  • The technical needs of broadcast journalism
  • News ‘sense’
  • Material appropriate to broadcast.

For more information, see the specification.