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The Open University

IT: Information

The Open University via OpenLearn

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Overview

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BBC News 24, Sky News, CNN. We live in an era where news has become almost instantaneous. This free course, IT: Information, will look at how news is gathered and the technology that's used for its dissemination. You will also be encouraged to examine how information might be manipulated by questioning its reliability.

Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Learning outcomes
  • 1 Bringing the news on the back of a horse
  • 1 Bringing the news on the back of a horse
  • 2 From newsreels to real news
  • 2 From newsreels to real news
  • 2.1 Communication technologies
  • 2.2 The role of technology in the broadcast news industry
  • 2.3 Newsgathering and newspapers
  • 2.4 Comparing early sources of news
  • 2.5 News and television
  • 2.6 New media
  • 2.7 Digitisation of the news
  • 3 Newsgathering now
  • 3 Newsgathering now
  • 3.1 Introduction to SNG and ENG microwave
  • 3.2 IT processes in newsgathering
  • 4 Anatomy of a digital camcorder
  • 4 Anatomy of a digital camcorder
  • 4.1 An introduction to the camcorder
  • 4.2 Sound and light input
  • 4.2.1 Microphone
  • 4.2.2 Microphone input subsystem
  • 4.2.3 Lens system
  • 4.2.4 CCD light sensor
  • 4.2.5 Focusing
  • 4.3 Recorder
  • 4.4 Batteries
  • 4.4.1 Voltage, current and resistance
  • 4.4.2 Battery parameters
  • 5 Signal transmission
  • 5 Signal transmission
  • 5.1 Transmission of electrical signals on wires
  • 5.2 Other transmission media
  • 5.2.1 Microwave
  • 5.2.2 Optical fibre
  • 5.3 Signal speeds, propagation times and distance: the formula triangle
  • 6 Trust
  • 6 Trust
  • 6.1 Reliable information
  • 6.2 Authority and the variety of information sources
  • 6.3 Authentication of information
  • 6.4 Pictures
  • Conclusion
  • References
  • Acknowledgements

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Reviews

5.0 rating, based on 1 Class Central review

4.3 rating at OpenLearn based on 4 ratings

Start your review of IT: Information

  • Profile image for Enrique Enriquez
    Enrique Enriquez @EEnriquez
    20
    This course delivers a rigorous examination of information technology’s evolution within newsgathering, moving from historical horse-borne dispatches to contemporary digital systems. The provided description proved entirely accurate, as did the certificate awarded upon completion; the estimated study duration aligned precisely with the experience. Engaging with the material fostered a concrete understanding of key IT processes—from the anatomy of digital camcorders and battery parameters to signal transmission and the formula triangle for calculations. More critically, it cultivates a necessary skepticism regarding information authenticity in the digital age, covering authority, authentication, and the manipulation of media.
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