Welcome to Digital Journalism Essentials
If you're fascinated with the world of online journalism and long to be part of a powerful army of journalists who are committed to delivering to-the-minute breaking news, this course is for you. This is an in-depth exploration of the world of digital journalism starting with the basics—a journalist's tools, copyright, fair use and attribution—to the more complex areas of the craft like fact-checking, fake news, storytelling and using social media. By the end of these six sessions, you'll have the technical skills and ethical understanding to start pitching your ideas right away.
Skills You Will Learn
Key differences between traditional and digital writing
Basic tools you need for successful reporting
101 of do-it-yourself fact checking
Being a solution to fake news
Differences between key formats of digital writing like editorial, opinion, branded content and more
Fundamentals of platforms you may use
What you need to know about copyright
Picking the right topics
Writing short, snappy headlines that work
How to use social media to gather and distribute your content
How to use user generated content
A breakdown of a personal website for a journalist
Session 1
Digital Journalism Overview
- Lesson 1: Digital Journalism vs. Traditional Publishing
- Lesson 2: The Tools and Skills You’ll Need to Succeed
- Lesson 3: Today’s Journalism Ethics and the Importance of Fact Checking
Session 2
Publishing in the Modern Newsroom
- Lesson 1: Common Digital Platforms
- Lesson 2: Copyright, Attribution, Fair Use & Creative Commons
- Lesson 3: Tools at Your Disposal
- Lesson 4: Editorial v. Opinion v. Advertorial v. Branded Content v. Content Marketing
Session 3
Digital Storytelling Basics
- Lesson 1: Writing Short, Snappy & Chunky
- Lesson 2: Attention Grabbing Headlines
- Lesson 3: Optimization (SEO)
Session 4
Writing Tips & Tricks
- Lesson 1: Researching & Choosing Topics
- Lesson 2: Great Photo & Video With Your Phone
Session 5
Social Media as a Journalism Tool
- Lesson 1: News Gathering with Social Media
- Lesson 2: User Generated Content
- Lesson 3: Social Promotion
Session 6
Breaking into Journalism
- Lesson 1: Personal Website
- Lesson 2: Pitching
- Lesson 3: Persistence
