New Cardiff University Welsh journalism module challenges ’fake news’

A new and unique Welsh medium module, 'Cymru: Y Senedd, y Straeon a'r Spin' ('Wales: The Senedd, The Stories and The Spin'), will run for the first time in Cardiff University from February 2017. The module was devised by Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol funded academics, Sian Morgan Lloyd , Welsh medium Lecturer at the School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies at Cardiff University and Iwan Williams, Welsh medium Lecturer in Media and Public Relations at Swansea University. The aim of the module, which will be available for Welsh medium students at both Universities, is to develop students' understanding of the important relationship between politicians, journalists and the communications industry in Wales. It will also ensure that students familiarise themselves with the media landscape in a devolved Wales; the challenges of journalistic pluralism, and the way in which politicians, lobbyists and public relations practitioners influence the news agenda. Challenging 'fake news'. Sian Morgan Lloyd said: "Young people are used to getting their news from social media. However, as a result their news agenda is shaped not by news editors but by algorithms that have been specifically created to encourage people to 'like' and share events that interest them.