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Title / Write a news feature about diversity in New Zealand’s population
Level / 5 / Credits / 5
Purpose / This unit standard is intended for people studying journalism in an off-job situation.
People credited with this unit standard are able to analyse the ways the media portray diversity in New Zealand, and write a news feature about diversity in New Zealand.
Classification / Journalism > Journalism Skills
Available grade / Achieved
Entry information
Recommended skills and knowledge / Unit 27218, Gather and record information, and plan news stories for publication and broadcast; and Unit 27219, Write a variety of news stories for publication and broadcast.
Explanatory notes
1All evidence requirements in this unit standard must be demonstrated in accordance with the minimum standards for professional journalism, found in the current editions of: Statement of Principles (Wellington: New Zealand Press Council, 2006)available at – for print journalism; the Codes of the New Zealand Radio Code of Broadcasting Practice (Wellington: New Zealand Broadcasting Standards Authority, 2008) available at These standards encompass – the Radio Code, the Free-to-Air Television Code, the Pay Television Code.
2Industry text:
–Tully, Jim (ed), Intro:A Beginner's Guide to Professional News Journalism (Wellington: New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation, 4th edition, 2008).
Relevant text:
–Metge, Joan, and Kinloch, Patricia, Talking Past Each Other: Problems of Cross-cultural Communication (Wellington: Victoria University Press, 1993).
3For the purposes of this unit standard a news feature refers to a story pertaining to a minority group. It will be a timely and succinct account of unfolding events of public interest to minority groups, and which also may interest a general audience.
4Definitions
breaking news refers to how news stories develop as more facts and comment become available;
diversity refers to minority groups, which may include ethnic communities, within New Zealand society. The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognising our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment;
ethnic community refers to a group of people in New Zealand (other than Māori and New Zealand born pakeha/European) who have a significant point or points of difference because of their custom, values and beliefs derived from their country of origin;
minimum standards for professional journalism refers to the conventions under which the media operateandmay include but are not limited to – stories of publishable standard, meet agreed deadlines and length and are legally, ethically and culturally sound;
minority group refers to a group of people in New Zealand who have a significant point or points of difference, which may include an ethnic community, that sets them apart from the majority;
news cycles refers to the period in which a news outlet gathers news;
news feature refers to a story or article that goes into considerable detail regarding concepts and ideas of specific interest;
news rounds may refer to general news reporting or relate to a sector of special interest in the community within which a news organisation will expect journalists to find news;
a newsworthy person refers to anyone whose status, knowledge, activities, statements, or involvement in a news event means they are topical;
newsworthiness refers to events of sufficient interest or importance to the public to warrant reporting in the media;
notes refer to material recorded through shorthand, longhand and, voice recorder, in accordance with minimum standards for professional journalism. In the compiling of the information for the required stories the notes must display evidence of a steady progression of shorthand use, to the minimum requirement of 80wpm;
platforms refer to the delivery modes of radio, print, internet, and television;
portray refers to the manner in which the news media present images, quotations, interviews, and information about a community that creates an impression for its audiences;
publishable standard refers to the standard required by news media outlets for them to consider publishing the material. It will meet standards described in the industry texts and may include but is not limited to – news cycles; news rounds; breaking news; newsworthy person; newsworthiness; notes; platforms; reliability, validity and usefulness; news values; introductions (impact, succinctness); structure (appropriate for story type and platform; arranged logically); grammar; spelling; punctuation; house style; word selection (jargon and clichés avoided); attribution (mix of direct and indirect quotes including paraphrasing); understanding (issues in context, key questions answered); editorial requirements; balance; fairness; language used in news media publications and broadcasting;
reliability, validity,and usefulness,when referring to a news source mean that the bona fides of the person, organisation or reference are established as a credible, knowledgeable, accurate, and authoritative source.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Analyse the ways the media portray diversity in New Zealand.
Evidence requirements
1.1A selection of news stories is analysed in terms of the way they portray diversity in New Zealand society. The analysis includes ways in which the media represent the minority groups in New Zealand and is in accordance with the industry and relevant text.
Rangenews stories may include but are not limited to – immigration, cultural issues, social issues, integration, language and learning difficulties, housing;
ways in which the media represent the minority groups in New Zealandmay include but are not limited to – depth of understanding of communities, balance, fairness, story selection, type of story (good news/bad news);
evidence is required for a minimum of five news stories about minority groups, published or broadcast in New Zealand during a period of any selected week.
Outcome 2
Write a news feature about diversity in New Zealand.
Rangeevidence is required for a news feature about a minority group of a minimum of 1000 words of publishable standard for publication or broadcast.
Evidence requirements
2.1A minority group within New Zealand society is selected and a news feature is planned.
2.2Research is conducted using a variety of media to provide background information.
Rangemay include but is not limited to –published material, broadcast material, official agencies, libraries, internet;
evidence is required for a minimum of three media.
2.3Sources of information for the news feature are identified, consulted, and interviewed.
2.4News feature is written in accordance with the publishable standard.
2.5News feature is corrected in accordance with the publishable standard and filed following training establishment practices.
Replacement information / This unit standard replaced unit standard 23119.Planned review date / 31 December 2016
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 21 July 2011 / N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0002
This CMR can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMRs). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
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CompetenzSSB Code 101571 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018