Communication, technologies and digital culture

The program refers both to Innovation and Analysis of Journalism Models and to the Laboratory of Techniques and Language of Journalism (the exam is unified). First part - The journalist field and the journalism functions - Journalism models: the traditional and the digital ones - Newsmaking fundamentals - Journalism genres - The “Italian case: origins, evolution and current trends of development Second part The second part will focus on digital journalism topics, among them: - boundary work - the “platform press” - information disorder and fake news - the role of Artificial Intelligence - business models. The Laboratory lessons will provide skills for producing information. They will be held in various steps across the first and second parts of the course and will be focused on practical activities.

There are no requirements.

The examination texts, which refer to the components Innovation and Analysis of Journalism Models and Laboratory of Techniques and Language of Journalism (the exam is carried out in a unified way), will be published by the beginning of the course. PROGRAMME FOR ATTENDING STUDENTS WHO PRESENT A PROJECT WORK DURING OR AT THE END OF THE COURSE 1) S. Natoli, edited by, La Professione del giornalista. Centro di Documentazione Giornalistica, Roma, 2016 (pdf will be available in the Classroom with updates ), except the following chapters: 8. La cassetta degli attrezzi; 28. Il costume; 33. L’ambiente; 40. Internet; 43. Il social media editor; 44. Il sistema dell’informazione e i suoi protagonisti) OPPURE 1) F. Giorgino, Sociologia dei giornalismi. Informazione, politica, economia e cultura, Mondadori, Milano, 2025, only the following chapters:–Introduzione;–Capitoli 1, 2 e 3; -Un capitolo a scelta tra i seguenti: 4 (Informazione e politica) OPPURE 5 (Informazione ed economia) OPPURE 6 (Informazione e cultura); –Conclusioni. It is possible studying the previous edition, Giornalismi e società. Informazione, politica, economia e cultura, Mondadori, Milano, 2017, only the following chapters Prefazione; Introduzione; Giornalismi, notizia, notiziabilità; Un capitolo a scelta tra i seguenti: secondo (Informazione e politica) OR terzo (Informazione ed economia) OR quarto (Informazione e cultura); Conclusioni 2) C. Sorrentino, Il giornalismo ha un futuro, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2025 3) Project work In addition to completing the project work, students will be required to participate in at least six proposals presented in class and on the classroom (questions, exercises, assignments, etc.) and complete them by the assigned deadline. These activities will not be evaluated. PROGRAMME FOR NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS (WHO DON'T PRESENT A PROJECT WORK) 1) S. Natoli, edited by, La Professione del giornalista. Centro di Documentazione Giornalistica, Roma, 2016 (pdf reso disponibile nella classroom con integrazioni aggiornate), OPPURE 1) F. Giorgino, Sociologia dei giornalismi. Informazione, politica, economia e cultura, Mondadori, Milano, 2025. It is possible studying the previous edition, Giornalismi e società. Informazione, politica, economia e cultura, Mondadori, Milano, 2017. 2) C. Sorrentino, Il giornalismo ha un futuro, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2025 3) A book to choose between: P. Mallozzi, Si può incartare il pesce con l'intelligenza artificiale? Prima di dimenticare: 450 anni e 100 pezzi di storia del giornalismo italiano, Formato Kindle, 2024; OR O. Mancuso, Inchieste e misteri d'Italia. Il giornalismo investigativo nella storia, il diritto di essere informati, Nuova Cultura, Roma, 2024 OR F. Rizzuto, S. Vaccaro, Il giornalismo nell’era della disinformazione, Mimesis, Milano, 2023

Because of the Covid-19 outbreak and on the basis of rules established by the Government and Health authority, the course or parts of it may also be held at a distance or in blended mode (in presence and at a distance). In any case during the lessons in presence safety regulations will be guaranteed. Lessons of frontal didactics. Lessons-meetings with professionals from the publishing and editorial information. Moreover, the professor promotes a strong interaction between the students and the teachers during lessons.

Attendance of the course is not compulsory, but it is strongly recommended.

Oral exam about topics of the textbooks and article and explained during the course. A score of not less than 18/30 is required to pass the exam. The student must demonstrate: - to have acquired a sufficient knowledge of the subjects presented in the textbooks and in the article and explained during the course - to be able to use an appropriate language. In order to achieve a score of 30/30 and honors, the student must demonstrate: - to have acquired an excellent knowledge of the subjects presented in the textbooks and in the article and explained during the course; - to able to link them together in a logical and consistent way; - to be able to use an appropriate language.

Lessons of frontal didactics and lessons meetings with professionals from the publishing and editorial information. Practical activities: exercises are offered in the classroom or at home during the course. Moreover, the professor promotes strong interaction between the students and the teachers during lessons.

The first part of the course (18 hours) will be devoted to an introduction to the basic concepts of the sociology of journalism and their declination in the contemporary context, in view of the hybridisation of genres and formats on the one hand and of consumer practices on the other. A second part of the course (12 hours) will focus on the main genres of contemporary journalism (political, economic, cultural, sports) and on emerging forms that represent a remodulation of the more traditional formats (e.g. Mobile journalism) or production and consumption models (e.g. Slow journalism) of the profession. A third part of the course (18 hours) will be specifically geared toward radio news, with a focus on the relationship with television news. The following will be analyzed: ways of communicating news (differences between print media, web, television, radio); specifics of the radio message (writing to be heard; brevity, simplicity and clarity; how to read; relationship between journalist and listener); the structure of a radio news outlet (sectors, hierarchies, organization); the Gr "house" (acronym, headlines, news, service launches, "closed" services, interviews, statements, breaks); the layout of a radio newscast (long Gr and flash editions). The laboratory, closely linked to the latter part of the course, includes specific lessons aimed at acquiring skills that can be directly used in the field of information management and production in the current environment of hybrid journalism. Students will be asked to practise the production of information products in the above-mentioned genres and forms, in relation to which there will be classroom discussion, evaluation and self-assessment sessions.

No prerequisites are required.

First text to be chosen among: - F. Giorgino, "Sociologia dei giornalismi. Informazione, politica, economia e cultura", Mondadori, Milano, 2025 (limited to chapters 1, "Il giornalismo e le scienze sociali", 2, "Teoria generale del newsmaking", e 3 "Modelli di giornalismo"; for non-attending students, one chapter of their choice from the remaining chapters must be added); OR "Giornalismi e società. Informazione, politica, economia e cultura", Mondadori, Milano, 2017 (limitatamente al cap.1, "Giornalismo, notizia, notiziabilità"; for non-attending students, one chapter of their choice from the remaining chapters must be added); -a selection of chapters form S. Natoli, La professione del giornalista, Centro di Documentazione Giornalistica, Roma, 2016, which will be made available on this Classroom. Second text: - L. Serafini, Il giornalismo digitale. Una prospettiva sociologica, Carocci, Roma, 2024 (for attending students, a selection of chapters to be announced in the course of the lectures). Third text to be chosen among: - A. Puliafito, D. Nalbone, Slow journalism. Chi ha ucciso il giornalismo?, Fandango, Roma, 2019; - O. Mancuso, Inchieste e misteri d'Italia. Il giornalismo investigativo nella storia, il diritto di essere informati, Nuova Cultura, Roma, 2024; - R. Zarriello, Brand journalism. Storytelling e marketing: nuove opportunità per i professionisti dell'informazione, Centro di Documentazione Giornalistica, Roma, 2019 OR C. Maccarrone, R. Zarriello, L'impresa come media. Brand journalism: tecniche giornalistiche per raccontare la tua azienda, Trefoglie, Palermo, 2022. These texts will be supplemented by the course material, which will be published in Classroom.

The course is based on a fruitful integration of theoretical theoretical lectures, lessons with information professionals, whose contribution will be aimed at providing a privileged point of view on specific technical, professional or productive aspects related to the information professions, seminars on topics of transversal interest. In particular, the theoretical lessons will focus on the acquisition of a. an adequate understanding of the processes of newsmaking on the one hand, and of the peculiarities of the individual journalistic genres and their hybridizations on the other; b. the critical capacity needed to read the evolution over time and according to the geographical contexts of reference of the various "models" of journalism and the relationship between information and democracy on the one side and between information and business on the other. Guest lectures, on the other hand, will serve to foster both knowledge of the various journalistic genres and the critical capacity to apply the knowledge acquired to the analysis of information products. This will be preparatory to testing the knowledge and skills acquired, which will be the focus of the workshop part, and which will include moments of public discussion, in order to implement the students' ability to communicate/transmit what they have learned. Should the current situation or subsequent developments require it, the teaching activities may be carried out at a distance according to the procedures to be indicated by the University.

Attendance to the course will be recorded by signature sheet. Attending students will be entitled to take the exam with a specific program.

The exam will include a part in which the more theoretical knowledge acquired during the course, relating to the processes of newsmaking, the genres and formats of contemporary information, models of journalism and the relationship between information and democracy, will be returned, as well as the knowledge acquired through the testimonies of the guests present in class. This is done by means of an oral test, which is the culmination of an ongoing process of verification of the knowledge and skills acquired by the student. During the lessons, in special moments of public discussion aimed at implementing the ability to communicate/transmit what has been learned, the acquisition of critical and judgmental skills will be verified, declined in the creation of information products framed in the genres and forms discussed during the course.

The course is based on a fruitful integration of theoretical lectures, lectures with guests, whose contribution will be aimed at providing a privileged point of view on specific technical, professional or productive aspects related to the information professions, and lectures-events based on debates with several voices on topics of transversal interest. In particular, the theoretical lessons will focus on the acquisition of a. an adequate understanding of the processes of newsmaking on the one hand, and of the peculiarities of the individual journalistic genres and their hybridizations on the other; b. the critical capacity needed to read the evolution over time and according to the geographical contexts of reference of the various "models" of journalism and the relationship between information and democracy. Guest lectures, on the other hand, will serve to foster both knowledge of the various journalistic genres and the critical capacity to apply the knowledge acquired to the analysis of information products. This will be preparatory to testing the acquired knowledge and skills, which will be the focus of the workshop part, and which will include moments of public discussion, in order to implement the students' ability to communicate/transmit what they have learnt.