What is news? (Coursera)

What is news? (Coursera)

This course will guide you through the basic elements of professional journalism and the news values and ethics of covering real-world issues and events. The overview and examples of the types of news coverage helps introduce the different types of journalism, such as social media, multimedia, print, visual and broadcast, and how professional journalists effectively use each format.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Course 1 of 5 in the Become a Journalist: Report the News! Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Welcome to the Michigan State School of Journalism!
You will learn about the School of Journalism, our award-winning faculty and the world-class atmosphere of Michigan State University. We are a special place, where amazing things happen every day.

WEEK 2
Earning and keeping trust
In every module of this course, we will go deeper into journalistic values and ethics. In many ways, these values are what distinguish journalism from the many other kinds of content. You will learn how to move beyond creating content to creating journalism through understanding and using these values.

WEEK 3
Connecting with audiences and communities
You will learn how to reach your audience and community as a journalist, by exploring news reports, interest and importance, and values and ethics.

WEEK 4
Forms of journalism and their purposes
Understanding the ways journalism happens is just as important as knowing how to do it. There are many different types of journalism, as our world is filled with so many things to communicate about: sports, cars, celebrities, movies, war, business, real estate, pets, art...if you can name it, you can do journalism about it.

WEEK 5
Journalism happens in interesting ways
Journalists are working in new and exciting places such as social media. Technology has allowed the profession and journalists to do their jobs in innovative ways. You will learn about how technology impacts journalism, and best practices for blogs, Twitter, Instagram, Periscope, WeChat, Facebook and other realities of engaging in social media.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Content, Advertising & Social IMC (Coursera) Coursera
Northwestern University

Content, Advertising & Social IMC (Coursera)

Want your content to go viral? Who doesn't! It takes a thoughtful, integrated approach to make content that stands out in our increasingly oversaturated world. In this fourth course of the Social Marketing Specialization - "Content, Advertising & Social IMC" - you will learn how marketers are successfully navigating today's media landscape. You will learn why developing engaging content for your audience is an essential component in effective social marketing.

Sep 14th 2026
4 Weeks
Introduction to Digital Marketing (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine

Introduction to Digital Marketing (Coursera)

Although traditional marketing strategies are still used, companies continue to shift their focus to digital approaches such as search engines, social media. These technologies take into account the journey of the customer and how they make their purchase decisions. It is important for marketers to have an understanding of digital marketing strategies and familiarize themselves with the key technologies underlying them.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
Richard Schechner's Introduction to Performance Studies (Coursera) Coursera
New York University

Richard Schechner's Introduction to Performance Studies (Coursera)

Performance Studies: An Introduction explores the wide world of performance--from theatre, dance, and music to ritual, play, political campaigns, social media, and the performances of everyday life. Performance studies also ranges across cultures--Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, the Americas. And it spans historical periods from the art of the paleolithic caves to YouTube and the avantgarde. This course is devised by Richard Schechner, one of the pioneers of performance studies, in dialogue with more than a dozen expert scholars and artists.

Sep 28th 2026
13-24 Weeks
Connect with Diverse Audiences during a Public Health Crisis (Coursera) Coursera
The State University of New York

Connect with Diverse Audiences during a Public Health Crisis (Coursera)

Public health communicators have a duty to communicate health information with integrity, accuracy, and clarity. For messaging to be most effective, public health communicators must help their audiences draw meaningful connections with the information being shared, and connect with them in ways that foster trust and credibility.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
Making Sense of the News: News Literacy Lessons for Digital Citizens (Coursera) Coursera
University of Hong Kong,The State University of New York

Making Sense of the News: News Literacy Lessons for Digital Citizens (Coursera)

Never before has the need for News Literacy been more urgent. As news consumers are bombarded with a constant stream of fake news, propaganda, hoaxes, rumors, satire, and advertising — that often masquerade as credible journalism — it is becoming more and more difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. While the public’s faith in the news media erodes, purveyors of misinformation have helped give rise to troubling cultural trends and alarming political movements.

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Film, Images & Historical Interpretation in the 20th Century: The Camera Never Lies (Coursera) Coursera
University of London,Royal Holloway, University of London

Film, Images & Historical Interpretation in the 20th Century: The Camera Never Lies (Coursera)

This course is a short taster on the topic of the use of Images, Film, and their use in historical interpretation in the 20th century. It is primarily provided for those who have a general interest in history that draws on photojournalism as primary evidence, and films based on historical events.

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Foundations for Interviewing with Confidence (Coursera) Coursera
Salesforce,SV Academy

Foundations for Interviewing with Confidence (Coursera)

This is Course 2 in the Salesforce Sales Development Representative Professional Certificate. In order to successfully complete the course, please ensure you have taken Course 1: Groundwork for Success in Sales Development. The goal of this course is to prepare you to build your professional tech sales portfolio, and develop and leverage your personal and professional brand.

Sep 14th 2026
4 Weeks
Career Planning: A Pathway to Employment (Coursera) Coursera
University System of Georgia

Career Planning: A Pathway to Employment (Coursera)

This course is designed to foster creative approaches to launching a new career. You will articulate best ways to make a first impression and analyze your strengths by creating a personal statement. You will identify appropriate elements to make your resume stand out from the crowd. You will also identify the most effective ways a cover letter can answer a job description, and how to best leverage social media in your job search.

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Responsible Reporting on Suicide for Journalists (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Responsible Reporting on Suicide for Journalists (Coursera)

Responsible Reporting on Suicide for Journalists is designed to give working journalists and students who are interested in the field an understanding of how news media can impact suicide trends and how that power can be used to improve public health. An extensive body of research shows that certain methods of reporting on suicide deaths can increase the number of subsequent suicides among the public. Conversely, responsible methods of reporting on suicide can increase the likelihood of people seeking help.

Sep 28th 2026
1 Week
Identifying, Attracting, and Growing Your Digital Audience (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine

Identifying, Attracting, and Growing Your Digital Audience (Coursera)

Welcome to Course 1 of the E-Marketing Specialization: Identifying, Attracting, and Growing Your Digital Audience. In this course, we will begin with a brief introduction to digital marketing and how a brand’s identity is closely linked to its digital presence. We will explore strategies to identify, grow, and maintain an online audience to help achieve your marketing goals. You are highly encouraged to use this course experience to begin building a digital marketing plan for your current or future business. The activities in this course are all designed to guide you through different sections of a digital marketing plan.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks