25366 version 1
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Rewrite a story and analyse and report on legal issues for applied
journalism
Level
6
Credits
15
Purpose
This unit standard is for people who are employed in news media outlets and
who are required to analyse and resolve legal issues when writing stories for
publication or broadcast.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: use a supplied case study
story to identify and describe legal issues, and rewrite the story to resolve the
legal issues; and analyse and report on legal issues that have arisen during
the writing of stories in the workplace.
Subfield
Journalism
Domain
Applied Journalism
Status
Registered
Status date
20 March 2009
Date version published
20 March 2009
Planned review date
31 December 2013
Entry information
Open.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and
industry.
Standard setting body (SSB)
Competenz
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0002
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
25366 version 1
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Special notes
1
Evidence presented for award of credit must be in accordance with the required
standards for applied journalism, found in the current editions of: Statement of
Principles (Wellington: New Zealand Press Council, 2006) available at
http://www.presscouncil.org.nz/principles.html – for print journalism; Radio Code of
Broadcasting Practice (Wellington: New Zealand Broadcasting Standards Authority,
July 2008) available at http://www.bsa.govt.nz/codesstandards-radio.php – for radio
mode; Pay Television Code of Broadcasting Practice (Wellington: New Zealand
Broadcasting Standards Authority, January 2008) available at
http://www.bsa.govt.nz/codesstandards-paytv.php; and the Free-to-Air Television
Code of Broadcasting Practice (Wellington: New Zealand Broadcasting Standards
Authority, August 2006) available at http://www.bsa.govt.nz/codesstandardsfreetv.php.
2
Relevant legislation:
Broadcasting Act 1989;
Copyright Act 1994;
Defamation Act 1992;
Electoral Act 1993;
Harassment Act 1997;
Human Rights Act 1993;
New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990;
Personal Property Securities Act 1999 Section 173(k)
Privacy Act 1993;
Telecommunications Act 2001;
Terrorism Suppression Act 2002;
Trespass Act 1980;
Victims' Rights Act 2002.
Relevant laws and legal conventions as described in the sources cited in special
notes 1 and 3.
Court Newspaper Rule;
Law of breach of confidence;
Rules on reporting Parliament;
Tort of breach of privacy;
Tort of defamation;
Tort of trespass.
3
Industry texts:
Burrows, John, A Journalist's Guide to the Law (Wellington: New Zealand Journalists
Training Organisation, Wellington, 5th ed, 2006);
Burrows, John, and Cheer, Ursula, Media Law in NZ (South Melbourne: Oxford
University Press, 5th ed, 2005);
Price, Steven, Media Minefield: A journalists’ guide to media regulation in New
Zealand (Wellington: New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation, 2007).
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25366 version 1
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4
For assessment against this unit standard the candidate is required to:
 submit a rewrite of a supplied case study story identifying and resolving legal
issues within the story. This case study story will be supplied by the NZ
Journalists Training Organisation;
 submit written reports and supporting documentation, showing how they have
analysed and resolved five different legal issues arising from five different stories
written in the workplace.
5
Definitions
broadcast refers to broadcast on radio or television, depending on the activities of the
workplace;
industry standards refers to the required standards for applied journalism and the
industry texts and sources cited in the special notes as well as documented policies
and procedures set down by the workplace;
publication refers to publication in newspapers, magazines, or periodicals, depending
on the activities of the workplace.
Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Identify and describe legal issues within a supplied case study story, and rewrite the story
to resolve the legal issues.
Performance criteria
1.1
Legal issues that are contained in the story are identified and described in terms
of the consequences of potential outcomes and impacts on stakeholders.
Range
stakeholders may include but are not limited to – employer,
audience, newsroom colleagues, other professional colleagues,
self, news sources, news subjects, justice system.
1.2
Options available to resolve the legal issues (identified in performance criterion
1.1) are described.
1.3
Story is rewritten resolving the legal issues using one or more of the options (in
performance criterion 1.2) in accordance with industry standards.
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25366 version 1
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Element 2
Analyse and report on legal issues that have arisen during the writing of stories in the
workplace.
Range
evidence is required for five different legal issues from selected stories;
evidence showing how each of the legal issues was resolved must be in the
form of a written report for each story.
Performance criteria
2.1
Stories are analysed, and legal issues associated with the stories are outlined in
terms of relevant laws, legislation, legal conventions, and general legal
principles.
2.2
Stakeholders affected by the legal issues (outlined in performance criterion 2.1)
are identified, and their expectations, rights, and responsibilities are explained.
Range
stakeholders may include but are not limited to – employer,
audience, newsroom colleagues, other professional colleagues,
self, news sources, news subjects, justice system.
2.3
Recommendations to resolve the legal issues (identified in performance
criterion 2.1) are developed and the consequences of potential outcomes are
noted.
2.4
The legal Issues are resolved, in accordance with industry standards by using
one or more of the recommendations (identified in performance criterion 2.3).
Please note
Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated
authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.
Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP 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.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016