ZURb1423 Climate change journalism

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Žaneta Gregorová (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Radovan Plášek (seminar tutor)
doc. Mgr. Lenka Waschková Císařová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Lenka Waschková Císařová, Ph.D.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Boris Rafailov, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites (in Czech)
ZURb1106 News writing &&( ZURb1107 Feature writing ||NOW( ZURb1107 Feature writing )|| ENSb1281 Environmental Journalism )&&(!NOW( ZURb1435 Study trip ))
Předmět je určen pro začínající novináře a novinářky, kteří již absolvovali kurz ZURb1106 Zpravodajství a ZURb1107 Publicistika nebo ENSb1281 Environmentální publicistika.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/15, only registered: 11/15, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 9/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 35 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to help male and female students to better prepare for their future journalistic practice in the context of advancing climate change, which has become a relevant topic for the Czech media in recent years. Graduates will gain insight into the issue of climate change and learn which institutions are working with it in the Czech Republic, where to look for current and relevant topics and contacts. They will also get to know how domestic newsrooms approach the topic of climate change and what the work of climate journalists and others who write about climate and related topics looks like in practice. Throughout the semester, students will work on their own texts, which they will be able to consult with the editor and selected Czech media (in 2025 it will be Seznam Zprávy), who will finally edit them and offer them for publication in their editorial offices, if they reach the required quality. The course is intended for beginning journalists who have already completed the course ZURb1106 News and ZURb1107 Journalism or ENSb1281 Environmental Journalism. The subject is organized in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Prague, whose long-term goal is to raise awareness of the impacts and solutions of climate change.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, students will obtain information about climate change, thanks to which they will better understand the specifics of journalism oriented in this way. And thanks to editorial supervision, they will learn how to think about the processing of this topic and will be able to create a journalistic text focused on this topic.
Syllabus

20. 2. 10:00 – 12:30 Getting to know the course content and each other, Introduction to journalism focused on climate change 13:00 – 15:00 Meeting with a climate reporter 27. 2. 10:00 – 12:30 Relevant and current topics in the field of climate change with a focus on Just Transition. Practical information for the study trip. 13:00 – 15:00 Critical analysis with Petr Ivanič, DO&DONT when meeting social issues 5. 3. – 8. 3. study trip (departure 5.3. evening, return Sunday 8.3. afternoon) 13. 3. 10:00 – 12:30 Clarifying topics, creating scenarios 13:00 – 15:00 Meeting with the editor of Seznam Zpráv

27. 3. 10:00 – 14:00 Another meeting with a climate journalist. This is followed by per view (collective debate over almost completed texts – the peer review principle, (three days before the seminar, i.e. no later than 24. 3., we will assign someone else's text to a selected colleague from the course; the given reader will check and evaluate whether the text is understandable, readable, and whether it lacks important background); discussion of the most fundamental problems in processing the text; mutual suggestions for improving the texts; course evaluation


Literature
    recommended literature
  • https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/oxford-climate-journalism-network
  • https://ipi.media/climate-journalism-new-ipi-study-identifies-challenges-and-opportunities/
  • https://publications.iadb.org/en/2022-guide-climate-change-journalists
Teaching methods
Lecture, sharing of ideas and discussion, peer to peer review, writing text.
Assessment methods

Conditions for graduation: 1. Participation in the course (attendance + active participation in discussions) 2. Active preparation for classes in the form of partial assignments for the final text and active communication with the editorial staff 3. Submission of the final text and incorporation of editorial comments In order for participation in the course to be meaningful, regular attendance is necessary, as presentations and consultations with external guests cannot be replaced by any other form! Estimated semester workload: writing a final text of approximately 5,000 characters, which corresponds to approximately 2.7 standard pages, on a topic closely related to climate change, its manifestations, impacts and solutions in the Czech Republic (emphasis will be placed on the topic of Just Transitions), especially in the regions; The text will be based on consultations with the editorial team, reflecting their comments on the choice of topic and practical processing, and will be based on classic journalistic genres, the selection of which can be adjusted during the work on the text. 

Absences will be monitored; without an excuse (oral or e-mail), it is not possible to miss seminars, no compensation can be made, and students would miss a significant part of the course. They are counted after the end of registration, i.e. from the third week. If the reasons for the absence are health-related, an apology must be made in advance or on the day of the course. In the case of switching to online teaching, the course will take place on the announced dates via the Zoom platform. Instructions for the final thesis: At the initial meeting, we will discuss the conditions for completing the course, key milestones and names of climate journalism, and we will conduct a critical analysis to guide you, the students, to choose the ideal topic that you will enjoy working on. At the end of the first day, we will try to place the topics in the context of ongoing climate change so that everyone leaves with an idea of ​​the topic they will be working on. At the second meeting, you will be introduced to the topic of Just Transitions, so that thanks to the theoretical anchoring of the process, you will be able to specify the selected topic. 

Together we will develop a pitch (draft, proposal for the media) for Seznam Zprávy and try to develop a script for the text so that the text has a point and the authorship knows what he wants to say. The following week will be an excursion to the Karlovy Vary region (register for the STUDY JOURNEY course), which is undergoing a transformation process with the end of coal mining and the associated heavy industry. In addition to the regional representation, you will meet actors who are trying to bring their region to a fairer and more sustainable future. The exact list will be presented at the introductory meeting in February so that students can choose topics to cover in advance. You will then meet with the editor and confirm the topics finally, including the genre and possible sources. We will end the day with a lecture on the reality of the work of a climate reporter from a selected Czech media outlet. 

At the last meeting, you will read each other's texts and receive feedback on the topics you have worked on from your fellow students and teachers. You will then meet with another climate journalist. An essential condition is that the article must not be based solely on computer work. An essential part of its preparation is active data collection in physical space and the inclusion of relevant actors in the text. After the excursion, it is recommended to follow up by phone or e-mail. The article must be in-depth based on scientific findings and data (or be directly based on them). Of course, suitable higher-quality photo material, or infographics, with which the editorial team will help. 

It is expected that the editor will see the text at least once, comment on it and send it back to you before the final meeting. In the final collective debate, only the biggest problems that you encountered while writing the final text should be discussed. At this stage, the text is almost finished, you give it to your colleagues from the course to read. The text length is about 5,000 characters with spaces (+/- 500). The ideal length will be determined by the editor with regard to the chosen topic and genre.



Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught in blocks.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2022, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
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