SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Report for a variety of journalistic purposes 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
110357  Report for a variety of journalistic purposes 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Journalism 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language Media Studies 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  12 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-06-30   2029-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard will assist those learners who wish to work in journalism as reporters gathering information and material (content) necessary for a story.

Learners credited with this standard will be able to:
  • Prepare for reporting
  • Report on an assigned story
  • Review and select information gathered 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    It is assumed that learners accessing this unit standard will be competent in:
  • Reading, writing and oral communication to NQF Level 4 in the language of the commissioning organisation
  • Basic computer literacy skills
  • Knowledge of the production requirements of the commissioning organisation (Range: story quotas, deadlines, story length)
  • Appropriate information retrieval skills 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Assessment of this unit standard can take place for any combination of general news, sport, entertainment, or feature stories for any medium. Assessment should take place at a non -specialised level and as part of a supervised team engaged in print, electronic or new media content production. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Prepare for reporting. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Strategies for clarification on an assigned story are demonstrated. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Focus, angle, information-gathering strategy, news sources and required visual or aural elements, intended use and placement.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Story can be discussed in terms of relevant factors. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Audience interest, news values, ethical implications and journalists` and organisations` codes of conduct, relevant provisions of media law, current and breaking news climate.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Suggestions are made for practical activities that will deliver the story. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Working relationships with other members of story team are conducive to obtaining information required for the story. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Team includes researcher, porter, message- taker, driver, photographer, sound or visual recording technician.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Appointments with news sources are made in a timely, appropriate and precise manner. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Telephone manner, adequate time-frame, accurate recording of names, functions, addresses, and provision of relevant information to source.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Resources for reporting are ready and functional. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Transport, recording equipment, appropriate attire, safety equipment, directions, telephones, supplies, identification and permits.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    Arrangements and intentions are known to team and line authority. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Report on an assigned story. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Report includes any combination of the following: interviewing, basic research, fact- checking, observation, reading, listening, interpreting statistical data, and recording the information obtained 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Questions for which answers are sought are formulated in terms of the story brief. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Information gathered is related to the questions to be answered, story requirements and story focus. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Information includes facts, data, names, dates, points of view, opinions, analyses, recorded and written statements and conversations, verbal statements, documents, visual material, sound, observations by others and observations by self.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Sources of information demonstrate knowledge of principles of diversity, balance and fairness. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Assessment of the reliability of information obtained is used to determine and adjust information-gathering process. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Methods of gathering information comply with journalistic ethics and applicable laws, and the policy and practices of the assigning organisation. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Information gathered is recorded accurately, as comprehensively as resources allow. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    Sources of information can be discussed in terms of corroboration, source reputation, history, expertise or location. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Critically review and select information gathered. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Information obtained is reviewed with reference to story brief, visual and audio possibilities and news values of the organisation. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Progress in information gathering and any consequent requirements are evident to line authority. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Selection of information for processing can be discussed in terms of its relevance, appeal and interest for the intended audience or reader. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Colour, logic, balance, originality, visual or audio quality and publication or broadcast deadline.
     


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the appropriate ETQA.
    Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the appropriate ETQA.

    Moderation
    The moderation requirements of the appropriate ETQA must be met in order to award credit to learners for this unit standard. 

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    Essential embedded knowledge will be assessed through assessment of the specific outcomes in terms of the stipulated assessment criteria. Learners are unlikely to achieve all the specific outcomes, to the standards described in the assessment criteria, without knowledge of the listed embedded knowledge. This means that for the most part, the possession or lack of the knowledge can be directly inferred from the quality of the learner`s performance. Where direct assessment of knowledge is required, assessment criteria have been included in the body of the unit standard.

    The following embedded knowledge is addressed in an integrated way in the unit standard:
  • Contextual knowledge of the story topic
  • Interview techniques
  • Research techniques
  • Note-taking
  • Operation of required recording equipment 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems and make decisions regarding appropriate activities to deliver the information (story) using critical and creative thinking to take remedial action. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others (assigning editors, photographers, camera operators, recording technicians, drivers) as a member of a team to achieve the story required. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively to complete (story assignments) within deadlines. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect and analyse information obtained and critically evaluate it for its relevance and usefulness for the story. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively (with sources and colleagues), using visual and / or language skills. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology (motor vehicles, computers and recording equipment) effectively and show responsibility towards the environment (editorial and location) and health of others (colleagues, sources and the public). 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding that the editorial production world is a set of related systems and that problem-solving does not occur in isolation. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the learner is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion in isolation. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgments should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the learner can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles that assessment should be: appropriate, fair, manageable, integrated into work or learning, valid, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 
    		•

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    N/A 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  58978   National Certificate: Journalism  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  MICTS 
    Core  49123   National Certificate: Journalism  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Registered"     		 2007-10-18  Was MICTS until Last Date for Achievement 
    Elective  58394   National Certificate: Film and Television Production  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  MICTS 
    Elective  50583   National Certificate: Public Service Communication  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  PSETA 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. ATTI Nelspruit Pty Ltd 
    2. BLC Entertainment 
    3. Epitome Villa (Pty)Ltd 
    4. EYETHU NATIONAL COMPUTER COLLEGE PTY LTD 
    5. FILM Mentorship & Training SA 
    6. Frayintermedia Cc 
    7. HILLCROSS BUSINESS SCHOOL (PTY 
    8. Jeppe College of Commerce and 
    9. MBOWA COLLEGE PTY LTD 
    10. Media Village Training 
    11. Musengavhadzimu Media 
    12. OL Afrika Media 
    13. OPELONG BUSINESS INSTITUTE (PT 
    14. Peo Entle HIV Wellness Management and Youth Skills Development NPO 
    15. Posh Multimedia 
    16. Pretoria Technical College 
    17. PRX SCHOOL TEST 
    18. Richfield Graduate Institute of Technology Pty Ltd 
    19. SOUTH AFRICAN CORPORATE TRAINING ASSOCIATION (PTY) LTD 
    20. Together Lifestyle Resort Pty Ltd 
    21. TSP COLLEGE 
    22. Varsity Institute of Science & Technology (Pty)Ltd 
    23. VUTHLARI MARKETING CONSULTING 
    24. Whitestone College 
    25. ZA WIT (PTY) LTD 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.