Some thoughts

Hello again!

I've finished the solutions journalism module in just two days! Yes! It's true. I've not been too busy with work so I took the chance to get a little ahead of my schedule. The goal is still to finish this program by the end of September or so.

I've had some ideas recently. As I was reading the solutions journalism module, I thought that this should not only be one (of many) approaches within the journalistic field. It should be the one and only road in most journalistic topics. Why? Because I think journalists mostly write about "problems" or issues - like I said, it doesn't apply to every journalism topic, but it does apply to environmental journalism, for instance. There are still journalism topics/areas such as arts journalism where it's all about information (rather than "solving" a problem). So these areas need a different approach. But if you start reading a newspaper, there are a lot more "issues" being reported than just a nice story about a new museum opening or something. So for these issues, it makes a lot of sense to me to always apply the solutions journalism approach (despite all the criticism).

Any thoughts?

I think I will take a few days off and then start with a new module on Monday.

Come back next week!

Katy

Solutions Journalism

Welcome back, friends!

Advocacy Journalism is finished. Since it was a short module, I was able to complete the whole book in only three days! (Yes, and I was still working, too)! I've set a record!

The next module is called "Solutions Journalism" and I am so excited about that one as well. I am a very solutions-oriented gal. And today's journalism needs to be more "solution-oriented", if you ask me. Most conventional journalism is problem-oriented. So this new approach is a very inspiring one I think. So far, I've read only the introductory chapter. It caught my interest right away.

So next week's entry will be focusing on solutions journalism and its impact on today's journalism. How does that sound?

Please feel free to send me comments and/or questions. Since this is a distance education program, there might be some unanswered questions out there. Also, if it's "just" about journalism topics, I'd be happy to talk about it, too. (As long as it's topics that I'm already familiar with). ;)

Thank you for reading my blog. See you next week!

Katy

Advocacy Journalism

Hello everyone!

Arts Journalism is done! With great success I finished the exam. I'm so happy and hope to stay in this field some day in the future.

My new journey -  although a smaller one - takes me to advocacy journalism. This journalistic field has become really important. Advocacy journalism entails the fact that it is impossible to separate news from views... meaning, you choose a topic and automatically adopt certain point of views on this topic. Essentially, it is about the impossibility of objectivity. This is exactly why I chose this topic/module: Because I want to know how scholars argue about the possibility or impossibility of objectivity in journalism. And, of course, I want to know more about advocacy journalism as it has become such a big topic over the last decade.

So I will keep you posted/informed as I go on with my studies. It is promising! The module itself only has about 8 pages, so it's completely doable in a short period of time. Also, the module focuses on the most important facts.

Come back next week!

Katy

Exam Day

Dear blogger friends,

Today is the day! I'm taking the online exam in arts journalism and just wanted to write down a few impression for you.

So I've taken about 8 online exams so far and they are pretty much all the same: You take about 10 Multiple Choice questions and about 3-4 "open" questions where you have to write a little bit yourself. Most of the time, I have no trouble with these kind of questions. The Multiple Choice ones are usually not my favorite because they are give you three possible answers and they are very similar sometimes (and only one answer is right). I prefer writing my one answer down.

This whole test takes me about 35 min. It depends, though - some of these exams are quite a bit longer, some take only 20 min. I guess the modules are all very different in size so maybe that's why. Anyway, I'm going to take this exam today - I hope it'll be good!

Wish me luck!

Next time, I will give you some insights into my newly discovered love of arts journalism which I would like to combine with PR. Maybe I could work for a gallery that needs PR.

Katy

The art of arts journalism

Hello all!

I'm really inspired. This arts journalism module is wonderful. I've had so many epiphanies lately, I can't even count them. So thankful and glad I took this module!

So far, I've read pretty much half of the book. The chapters are not too long and overall, I can say, it is really good writing and therefore easy to read. I've shown it to some of my friends and they are all amazed by how interesting and nicely made the module book are. That leads me to a whole new and absolutely urgent statement about the quality of the module books: The paper is very high quality, there are many pics printed in colors and the book itself is glued but in a really high professional manner. When I received all module books, I was amazed of how good they feel in my hand - not too heavy, not too "cheap" and light-weighted. I really think they invested in some good material. After all, the student needs to be able to work with those books for a while. And they shouldn't fall apart after a few times of turning the page.

Arts journalism is an art in itself. I realized, reading the referring sections in my dad's newspaper, that their style is unique and so very different from other journalistic writings.

Well, I guess that is all I can say for today. There are still so many things to do and I'm running out of time.

Come back next time!
Katy

Arts Journalism: A new discovery

Hello my dear Journalism friends,

So the exam went really well I think. Still haven't heard back from the tutors yet but I have a good feeling.

I couldn't wait to start with the new module! It's about arts journalism as I've mentioned in my last entry. The book consists of five chapters providing a good overview of the whole topic, including definitions, basic skills, different types of articles, budgeting, and - of course - how to gather a good story. In my opinion it sums up the topic really well and gives great insight so far. I've read the first chapter and solved some exercises.

I've always enjoyed reading the arts section in my dad's news paper. I also liked environmental topics a lot. Everything culture and nature related I guess. Maybe I should read some of these sections more intensely and look out for the things I learn during my studies.

Well, that is all for today. Time to go back to cleaning up my apartment and spend some more time with my friends. No more studying tonight. But tomorrow I am going to read the second chapter.

Stay tuned!

Katy

Finish line

Hello all,

Well, I've finished the book in one week! I'm really proud of myself. What a great success. I really liked the topic, too. Environmental Journalism might be a major career, aside from Public Relations. But maybe I can combine the two somehow? That would be the best scenario.

I can see the finish line: I guess I will be finished with this course in about 2 months if I keep up the pace. It's hard to study during the summer but I think I can do this. It takes a lot of discipline... because the beach is right outside. But this is what I've committed to.

The next module is going to be Arts Journalism! I am really excited about that. I love art and everything connected to art. There will be an important art exhibition in October which I am planning to go to. Maybe I can write about it and send it in?

Well, that's all for today. I have to take the environmental journalism exam still. I think I will do that this weekend (yes, I can take exams anytime I want!). Saturday I think. Wish me luck.

Stay tuned for more!
Katy