This Unit intends to address the specifics of freelance journalism, with regard to rules, techniques and modalities. It will analyze the media system and market, at national and international levels, in synchronic and historical perspectives, and the situation of freelance journalism in these contexts. The purpose of the Unit is also to propose and encourage personal strategies suitable for the development of a freelance journalist career, namely, time management techniques, calculating the value of work, cultivating sources, creating contacts and “client portfolio”. The journalistic genres suitable for freelancers and ways of transforming journalistic pieces into long term and far reaching projects will be analyzed. Project financing modalities, the advantages of specialization and reputation, as well as promotion strategies through social media will be discussed.
This Unit seeks to create in students a notion of the reality of the media market and the situation of freelance journalism. It is intended that students are able to see themselves as a personal enterprise developing career management skills, and that they know how to assess which journalistic genres and themes are most appropriate to their personal and professional profile. It is also the objective of the UC to encourage students to seek a specialization, acquiring awareness of the importance of reputation, and provide tools that help to find financing for projects and achieve economic independence. It is also intended that students learn to publicise and promote their work, namely through the building of an audience on social media.