NZQA registered unit standard
27223 version 1
Page 1 of 5
Title
Write news stories from local government activities for publication
and broadcast
Level
5
Purpose
Credits
5
This unit standard is for student journalists who are required to
write news stories from local government proceedings for
publication and broadcast.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate
knowledge of the New Zealand local government system, and
explain how relevant legislation and standing orders apply to
journalists reporting local government activities in accordance
with the industry texts; and identify newsworthy local
government activities and write news stories.
Classification
Journalism > Journalism Skills
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Recommended skills
and knowledge
Unit 27218, Gather and record information and plan news
stories for publication and broadcast; and Unit 27219, Write a
variety of news stories for publication and broadcast.
Explanatory notes
1
All evidence requirements must be in accordance with the minimum standards for
professional journalism, found in the current editions of: Statement of Principles
(Wellington: New Zealand Press Council, 2006) available at
http://www.presscouncil.org.nz/principles.php – for print journalism; the Codes of the
New Zealand Radio Code of Broadcasting Practice (Wellington: New Zealand
Broadcasting Standards Authority, 2008) available at http://bsa.govt.nz/radio-code/.
These standards encompass – the Radio Code, the Free-to-Air Television Code, the
Pay Television Code.
2
Industry texts include but are not limited to:
– Burrows, John, A Journalist's Guide to the Law (Wellington: New Zealand
Journalists Training Organisation, 5th ed, 2006);
– Price, Steven, Media Minefield: A Journalist’s Guide to Media Regulation in New
Zealand (Wellington: New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation, 2007);
– Tully Jim (ed), Intro: A Beginner's Guide to Professional News Journalism
(Wellington: New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation, 4th edition, 2008).
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27223 version 1
Page 2 of 5
3
Relevant legislation may include but is not limited to:
Electoral Act 1993;
Local Government Act 2002;
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987;
Resource Management Act 1991;
Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975;
Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 and subsequent amendments.
4
Definitions
breaking news refers to how news stories develop as more facts and comment
become available;
local government activities refer to meetings which apply to any scheduled open
meeting of a local government council, committee, or sub-committee; and operations
which apply to the day-to-day activities of local government staff and elected
representatives, including rules, regulations, and practices;
minimum standards for professional journalism refers to the conventions under which
the media operate and may include but are not limited to – stories of publishable
standard, meet agreed deadlines and length and are legally, ethically and culturally
sound;
news cycles refer to the period in which a news outlet gathers news;
news rounds may refer to general news reporting or relate to a sector of special
interest in the community within which a news organisation will expect journalists to
find news;
news stories refer to timely and succinct accounts of unfolding events of public
interest;
newsworthiness refers to events of sufficient interest or importance to the public to
warrant reporting in the media;
a newsworthy person is anyone whose status, knowledge, activities, statements, or
involvement in a news event means they are topical;
notes refer to material recorded through shorthand, longhand, and voice recorder, in
accordance with minimum standards for professional journalism. In the compiling of
the news stories the notes must display evidence of a steady progression of
shorthand use, to the minimum requirement of 80wpm;
platform refers to the delivery modes of radio, print, internet and television;
publishable standard refers to the standard required by news media outlets for them
to consider publishing the material. It will meet standards described in the industry
texts and may include but is not limited to – news cycles; news rounds; breaking
news; newsworthy person; newsworthiness; notes; platforms; reliability, validity and
usefulness; news values, introductions (impact, succinctness); structure (appropriate
for story type and platform, arranged logically); grammar; spelling; punctuation;
house style; word selection (jargon and clichés avoided); attribution (mix of direct and
indirect quotes including paraphrasing); understanding (issues in context, key
questions answered); balance; fairness; editorial requirements; language used in
news media publications and broadcasting;
reliability, validity, and usefulness, when referring to a news source, mean that the
bona fides of the person, organisation or reference are established as a credible,
knowledgeable, accurate, and authoritative source.
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27223 version 1
Page 3 of 5
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of the New Zealand local government system, and explain how
relevant legislation and standing orders apply to journalists reporting local government
activities in accordance with the industry texts.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Local government structures and procedures are identified and explained. The
explanation includes identifying how the Local Government Official Information
and Meetings Act 1987, and standing orders, apply to the rights and
responsibilities of journalists who report local government meetings and
activities.
Range
1.2
Roles within local government are identified and the purpose of each is
described.
Range
1.3
local government roles may include but are not limited to – mayor,
elected representatives, chief executive, departmental managers;
evidence is required for a minimum of three local government
roles.
Local government language is identified and explained.
Range
1.4
local government structures and procedures may include but are
not limited to – community boards, district councils, regional
councils, city councils, council committees;
evidence is required for a minimum of three local government
structures and procedures.
local government language may include but is not limited to –
jargon; technical terms; the way in which agenda items, reports to
councillors and staff, annual plans and newsletters to ratepayers
are written;
evidence is required for a minimum of three examples of local
government language.
Local government activities and issues arising from those activities are
identified and explained in terms of newsworthiness.
Range
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
may include but is not limited to – meetings, operations, media
releases, annual plans, budgets, annual reports, speeches, media
conferences, personal contacts (which may include – mayor, chief
executive, elected representatives, line managers, staff,
ratepayers and business groups);
evidence is required for five activities and one issue arising from
each of those activities.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27223 version 1
Page 4 of 5
Outcome 2
Identify newsworthy local government activities and write news stories.
Range
evidence is required for the writing of a minimum of four stories about local
government activities – two stories covering council meetings and two stories
covering council operations.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Research of local government activities leads to the identification of newsworthy
stories in accordance with the industry texts.
Range
news opportunities arising from council meetings and operations
may include but are not limited to – council and committee
meetings, community board meetings, agendas, budgets, annual
plans, outcomes of decisions, impacts on the community, details
of submissions from the community, complaints, appeals, activities
of lobby groups; information from local government documents
and officials, documents from community groups or individuals,
impacts on the community, notes.
2.2
News stories from council meetings and operations are written in accordance
with the publishable standard.
2.3
News stories are corrected in accordance with the publishable standard and
filed following training establishment practices.
Replacement information
This unit standard replaced unit standard 23109.
Planned review date
31 December 2016
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
21 July 2011
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0002
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27223 version 1
Page 5 of 5
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMRs). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact Competenz info@competenz.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the
content of this unit standard.
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016