Session 4: Meta journalistic discourse – perceptions of journalism. Education and its relationships highlighted at conference

We play a key role in shaping the next generation of journalists – so what’s our relationship with them really like? And what do they think news is?

First up Salford University’s Helen Johnston, above, talking about the discursive construction of news – highlighting students’ conversations about what they perceive news to be, the dreaded word ‘content’ and methods of engagement.

Maria Theresa Konow-Lund, below, from Oslo Met University in Norway revisited her project in the town of Holmlia, a news desert for which her students created a journalism project within the community, telling residents’ stories and creating social media groups and connecting people.

Nottingham Trent’s Deborah Wilson David led on Tuning into Journalism, a meta approach to teaching radio journalism to students in China. Deborah discussed the challenges of transferring a UK-based BJTC accredited broadcast journalism MA program to China (taught in English). How might you teach UK council and public affairs to an overseas programme in Beijing?

There were many misunderstandings, Deborah explained, including simple terminology like the difference between a cue and a package and an interview. “My mad idea was the meta-feature – a short radio feature that narrates its own construction, mirroring the assignment brief.” So an audio feature about making an audio feature.

Bethany Wood, above, from the University of Derby discussed Engaging post-millennials: an exploration of Gen Z and their role in the news cycle, while her colleague Neil Roberts’ presented a critical examination of Trumpian journalist Tucker Carlson’s interview with Vladimir Putin.

Bethany’s sample of 800 post-Millennials – those born between 1997 and 2012 – might now be referred to as Gen Z, but effectively it’s those currently aged in their teens to mid 20s. Her research into their news consumption, trust and engagement has shown a clear link between socio-economic backgrounds, education levels and parental trust in news, regardless of the platform.

Finally Neil’s presentation was a long way from Gen Z, analysing the 126 minute ‘interview’ – some might say promo – between former Fox News presenter Carlson (aged 56) and Putin (aged 72) in 2024. He analysed the reaction to the interview and whether, despite it’s Western journalistic deficiencies, still allowed discourse about the role of journalism in democracy. Do people expect Carlson, a performative, right-wing journalist, to behave in the same way as other trained journalists when his job appears to have altered from the norm?

Catch up with the conference again on Day 2, Friday June 27, and please give us a follow on our social media accounts on X/Twitter @theAJEUK, LinkedIn and Bluesky