Real-life experience for USW journalism students

Journalism students at the University of South Wales (USW) are getting real-life work experience of press photography. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The second and third year BA Photojournalism students at USW’s Atrium campus in Cardiff city centre are spending a day a week producing content for a ‘Live News’ blog. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Every Thursday for eight weeks the students are given four hours to find and produce news, sport and feature stories for their http://newsbucket.tumblr.com/ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Each week a different group of students are put in charge of picture editing, sub editing and social media. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“These students are also given the responsible for quality control, and, by critically evaluating peers’ work, students learn what is expected from their own stories,” said Senior Lecturer Becky Matthews. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Only the best work produced weekly is uploaded to the blog and applicable to be handed in as coursework. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The live news days are helping to give students an understanding of the Press industry. The rapid deadlines are improving time management, while the ability to recognise and research story opportunities and repetitive practice is improving their portfolios.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Students have so far covered stories such as St David’s Day, the proposed closure of a community centre, International Wine Day and the Wales vs Scotland Women’s 6 Nations match. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The live news days are an extension of other modules where students work on briefs for a range of external not-for-profit organisations and charities. Students must also submit second and third year work to Alamy: Stock Photos. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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