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Kursusbeskrivelse
Kursusnavn (dansk):Spiljournalistik, pressehåndtering og markedsføring (tidligere Spil og journalistik) 
Kursusnavn (engelsk):Marketing and Game Journalism (Formerly Games and Journalism) 
Semester:Forår 2011 
Udbydes under:cand.it., medieteknologi og spil (mtg) 
Omfang i ECTS:7,50 
Kursussprog:Engelsk 
Kursushjemmeside:https://learnit.itu.dk 
Min. antal deltagere:0 
Forventet antal deltagere:15 
Maks. antal deltagere:20 
Formelle forudsætninger:A general knowledge of games and game journalism is encouraged, though there are no formal prerequisites for this course.
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NB!! Course restriction!!
Please note that there is a course restriction between this course and the MTG course Games and Journalism.
That means that you cannot take this course, if you have already taken Games and Journalism. 
Læringsmål:After the course the student should be able to:

• Explain the main principles of Journalism in relation to the Games Industry - as observed in both the mainstream press and more fanbased /hardcore media.

• Analyse and reflect on the different journalistic practices in relation to target media of the Game Journalist - what are the main differences between writing for a newspaper compared to a magazine or website?

• Write articles that fits into the basic journalistic disciplines such as news, interviews, features, reviews, previews and blogs - and prove how to target them to a specific media/target audience.

• Analyse the marketings need of a given game, and be able to write a professional marketing plan, so the game reaches a given audience.

• Describe how the gaming press works and why - and thereby be able to dissect the game industry as seen through the eyes of both a game developer, a game journalist or educator.

• Reflect on the ethics (or lack of same) inherent in (Game) Journalism. 
Fagligt indhold:Congratulations on making the best game in the world! Just a real shame no one knows about it....
Knowing the inner workings of modern Game Journalism and Game Marketing is crucial for success for every game developer. 'Marketing and Game Journalism" will be a crash course in how to present your games to the public, how to wrestle the games press and how not to get screwed my smart marketing-people.


“What! You're getting paid to play games? Must be the best job in the world!”

Fortunately yes, but also extremely challenging since more than often the jobtitle "videogame journalist" comes under scrutiny for being somewhat of an oxymoron.

Mainly because the journalistic practice is often underestimated and still mostly conducted by underpaid, young freelance writers with no journalistic education in tackling this multimillion dollar game industry.

That fact has giving growth to the dark side of Game Journalism: bought review scores, lush expensive press-trips and too personal relations between game journalists and game developers / distributors.

This course will tackle the inner workings, ethics and the fundamental journalistic principles inherent in Game Journalism today.
As an example the course will analyse the typically core "reveal - preview - review"-cycle of Game Journalism and reflect upon its effect on the Game Industry as a whole.
We will also discuss the inherent power struggles between the game developers and gaming press.

In order to make the course as realistic and relevant as possible, we will often invite prominent professionals from the game industry - game developers, PR managers, professional game journalists, scientists etc. - in as external guest teachers.
Only in that way the course will give a unique firsthand insight into how the Game Industry works in relation to journalist - and vice versa - since the journalists are an important gatekeeper between a game developer and the public/consumer.

Furthermore the students will be tasked with “real” Game Journalism through a cooperation with DADIU (Det Danske Akademi for Digital, Interaktiv Underholdning - see www.dadiu.dk). During the Spring semester 2011 the students will be asked to write interviews, marketing plans, news, reviews and previews of the new student games from the academy. These articles will afterwards be published through the websites of DADIU and DR (Danmarks Radio) to reach a wider audience.

The course will also put PR and Marketing for Games and Gaming Consoles into perspective and analyse how this is conducted on an international scale. What is good marketing, and how could the press be handled? What is the difference between good PR from bad PR in the Games industry?

In that regard the course will also provide Game Developers a better understanding on how the Gaming Press works: how do I talk to the press, how do I get their attention and how do I best get my game across to the public?

The target audience for the course is developers, journalists, educators, critics and librarians.

There´s no doubt that computer games a extremely important cultural phenomenon that require full attention and a truly professional critical journalistic coverage. The question is how, and in which directions Game Journalism should evolve in this field of ever widening cultural importance. 
Læringsaktiviteter:12 forelæsningsgange

Each lecture will be accompanied by an exercise that illustrates the issues addressed on the lecture. Students are expected to attend and participate in both the lectures and the exercises.

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See the schedule here:
link to the time table
The schedule will be available shortly before the beginning of the term. 

Eksamensform og -beskrivelse:X. experimental examination form (7-scale; external exam), 7-trins-skala, Ekstern censur

The duration of this oral exam is 30 minutes.  

Litteratur udover forskningsartikler:Gillen, Keiron: ”Editorial: New Games Journalism”. 2004. See http://gillen.cream.org/wordpress_html/?page_id=3

Gillen, Keiron: “The New Games Journalism - Or How Not To Herd Cats”. 2005. See http://gillen.cream.org/wordpress_html/?page_id=6

Gillen, Kieron: Review of “Deus Ex”. Originally in PC Gamer, issue 87, 2000.
See: http://gillen.cream.org/wordpress_html/?page_id=16

Kücklich, Julian: “The Road Less Traveled – The Case for Computer Game Philology”. Unknown year of publishing. See http://www.playability.de/en/txt/cgpabs.html

Shanahan, Ian: “Bow, Nigger”. See http://www.alwaysblack.com/blackbox/bownigger.html

Shanahan, Ian Shanahan: “Possesing Barbie” See http://www.alwaysblack.com/blackbox/possessingbarbie.html 
 
Afholdelse (tid og sted)
Kurset afholdes på følgende tid og sted:
UgedagTidspunktForelæsning/ØvelserStedLokale
Torsdag 12.00-14.00 Forelæsning ITU 4A20
Torsdag 14.00-16.00 Øvelser ITU 4A20

Eksamen afholdes på følgende tid og sted:
EksamensdatoTidspunktEksamenstypeStedLokale
2011-05-25 09:00-15:00 Skriftlige arbejder ITU The Examination Office (2E)
2011-06-15 Please contact the course manager Mundtlig eksamen ITU 3A12