A partnership between QUT, RMIT and Fairfax Media is set to take next generation journalists into unexplored territory and prepare them for journalism's still-fluid future.
The new pilot unit "Innovation in Modern Journalism" will be offered to advanced level students at the two universities in the upcoming first semester of 2015, QUT head of discipline journalism, media and communication Dr Jason Sternberg said.
"It's a genuine collaboration. Newsrooms and universities are both at the crossroads in terms of the way we do business," he said.
"Journalism schools and media organisations have a lot to learn from each other. This unit is designed to pair the blue sky thinking of students with the experience and practicality of working journalists to see what comes out.
"QUT prides itself on being 'a university for the real world' so that means giving students opportunities to contribute to their own future profession.
"We're committed to preparing our students for a new way of working."
Dr Sternberg said students would be encouraged to investigate new forms of journalism and new forms of storytelling.
"It's really blank slate stuff. We'll be looking for total innovation."
He said recent innovations included the hugely successful and gripping podcast series The Serial, played in 12 weekly episodes late last year.
"It was downloaded free by millions of people. The Serial reinvestigated a real 1999 murder in the US with narration, text, people maps showing the relationships of those mentioned in the case, and evidence. It was made by the producers of the long-running radio show This American Life," Dr Sternberg said.
"It was a multi-media experiment in long-form journalism that was number one on iTunes and will have a second season.
"In Australia, we have seen another example of a new approach - a joint venture between ABC Four Corners and Fairfax's The Age on the CBA financial planning scam which took out the 2014 Gold Walkley."
The Innovation in Modern Journalism course was initiated by Fairfax Brisbane Times editor-in-chief Simon Holt who brought together more than 60 newsroom specialists for the project.
Mr Holt said data experts, designers, product managers, app specialists, social media editors and others from the Fairfax Media network in Australia and New Zealand would share their expertise with students.
"Given the right scope, we hope this course is a licence for students to think creatively when it comes to telling important news stories."
Media contacts:
Niki Widdowson, QUT Media, 07 3138 2999 or n.widdowson@qut.edu.au
After hours: Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901
