NZQA registered unit standard
27225 version 1
Page 1 of 4
Title
Write a news feature about diversity in New Zealand’s population
Level
5
Purpose
Credits
5
This unit standard is intended for people studying journalism in
an off-job situation.
People credited with this unit standard are able to analyse the
ways the media portray diversity in New Zealand, and write a
news feature about diversity in New Zealand.
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 in this unit standard must be demonstrated 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 text:
– Tully, Jim (ed), Intro: A Beginner's Guide to Professional News Journalism
(Wellington: New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation, 4th edition, 2008).
Relevant text:
– Metge, Joan, and Kinloch, Patricia, Talking Past Each Other: Problems of Crosscultural Communication (Wellington: Victoria University Press, 1993).
3
For the purposes of this unit standard a news feature refers to a story pertaining to a
minority group. It will be a timely and succinct account of unfolding events of public
interest to minority groups, and which also may interest a general audience.
4
Definitions
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27225 version 1
Page 2 of 4
breaking news refers to how news stories develop as more facts and comment
become available;
diversity refers to minority groups, which may include ethnic communities, within New
Zealand society. The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It
means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognising our individual
differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual
orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political
beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe,
positive, and nurturing environment;
ethnic community refers to a group of people in New Zealand (other than Māori and
New Zealand born pakeha/European) who have a significant point or points of
difference because of their custom, values and beliefs derived from their country of
origin;
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;
minority group refers to a group of people in New Zealand who have a significant
point or points of difference, which may include an ethnic community, that sets them
apart from the majority;
news cycles refers to the period in which a news outlet gathers news;
news feature refers to a story or article that goes into considerable detail regarding
concepts and ideas of specific interest;
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;
a newsworthy person refers to anyone whose status, knowledge, activities,
statements, or involvement in a news event means they are topical;
newsworthiness refers to events of sufficient interest or importance to the public to
warrant reporting in the media;
notes refer to material recorded through shorthand, longhand and, voice recorder, in
accordance with minimum standards for professional journalism. In the compiling of
the information for the required stories the notes must display evidence of a steady
progression of shorthand use, to the minimum requirement of 80wpm;
platforms refer to the delivery modes of radio, print, internet, and television;
portray refers to the manner in which the news media present images, quotations,
interviews, and information about a community that creates an impression for its
audiences;
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); editorial requirements; balance; fairness; 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
27225 version 1
Page 3 of 4
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Analyse the ways the media portray diversity in New Zealand.
Evidence requirements
1.1
A selection of news stories is analysed in terms of the way they portray diversity
in New Zealand society. The analysis includes ways in which the media
represent the minority groups in New Zealand and is in accordance with the
industry and relevant text.
Range
news stories may include but are not limited to – immigration,
cultural issues, social issues, integration, language and learning
difficulties, housing;
ways in which the media represent the minority groups in New
Zealand may include but are not limited to – depth of
understanding of communities, balance, fairness, story selection,
type of story (good news/bad news);
evidence is required for a minimum of five news stories about
minority groups, published or broadcast in New Zealand during a
period of any selected week.
Outcome 2
Write a news feature about diversity in New Zealand.
Range
evidence is required for a news feature about a minority group of a minimum of
1000 words of publishable standard for publication or broadcast.
Evidence requirements
2.1
A minority group within New Zealand society is selected and a news feature is
planned.
2.2
Research is conducted using a variety of media to provide background
information.
Range
2.3
may include but is not limited to – published material, broadcast
material, official agencies, libraries, internet;
evidence is required for a minimum of three media.
Sources of information for the news feature are identified, consulted, and
interviewed.
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27225 version 1
Page 4 of 4
2.4
News feature is written in accordance with the publishable standard.
2.5
News feature is corrected in accordance with the publishable standard and filed
following training establishment practices.
Replacement information
This unit standard replaced unit standard 23119.
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.
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