Do I need to be on camera on the Certificate in Television Journalism?

Yes — and recorded for feedback. Camera-averse students typically grow into it; tutors structure early exercises to build confidence before more exposed assignments.

How is the Certificate in Television Journalism different from the Certificate in Broadcast Journalism?

Television Journalism is TV-specific. Broadcast Journalism covers both television and radio. Students wanting full broadcast range typically take the Broadcast Journalism Certificate; students focused specifically on TV careers take this one.

What kit do I need for the online route of the Certificate in Television Journalism?

A phone capable of HD video, a basic tripod, a USB microphone and a laptop capable of running editing software. Editing software access is provided. The joining pack lists optional upgrades.

Will I finish the Certificate in Television Journalism with a showreel?

Yes — the final week of the course is a showreel-build session where you select, narrate and brand your best work from the course. Strong students leave with a showreel suitable for entry-level TV applications.

Can I take the Certificate in Television Journalism fully online?

Yes. The online route includes live tutored sessions, remote studio exercises and structured package-production work that you complete in your own location with kit guidance.

Certificate in Television Journalism in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Certificate in Television Journalism at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-to-six-month UK qualification focused specifically on television news craft. You will write TV scripts for the ear and the picture, build short news packages, develop on-camera reporting presence, and learn the studio and gallery basics a TV newsroom assumes from day one.

Television is one half of broadcast craft — radio is the other. This Certificate is the practical TV-specific introduction; many students pair it with the Certificate in Radio Journalism or progress to the Certificate in Broadcast Journalism for full coverage of both.

Key Features

TV script craft — writing to picture, sentence length, attribution for on-screen delivery.
Package production — three short TV packages by course end, with structured tutor feedback.
On-camera reporting — two-way live links, piece-to-camera, presence and pacing.
Studio basics — gallery operation, autocue, single-camera and multi-camera setups.
Field sound and lighting basics.
Three study modes — on-campus, fully online with remote studio exercises, or distance learning.

What You Will Learn

The Certificate in Television Journalism is built around the working day of a TV news reporter — going out with a camera operator, writing the package on the way back, voicing in the booth, sitting in the gallery while it goes to air.

TV news script writing — sentence length, picture-cued sentences, attribution.
Package construction — scripting, voiceover, music-bed ethics, archive use.
On-camera presence — piece-to-camera, two-way live links, presenting bulletins.
Studio operation — gallery, autocue, single-camera technique.
Field reporting — composition, shot list, sound, lighting basics.
Interviewing for TV — short-form, long-form, vox-pop technique.
TV broadcast standards — Ofcom Code, election impartiality essentials.
Showreel preparation — what to put on tape for a TV newsroom application.

Who This Course Is For

New reporters specifically targeting television.
Print and digital journalists transitioning into TV news.
Production runners at TV newsrooms ready to develop reporter skills.
Podcasters and YouTubers wanting professional broadcast training.

Career Pathways

UK television news hires consistently for entry-level researcher, producer-assistant and on-air reporter roles, particularly at regional ITV, BBC regional newsrooms and 24-hour news operations. Typical applications include:

News Researcher (national or regional TV news)
Production Assistant (current-affairs television, documentary)
Video Journalist (digital news team, broadcaster online arm)
Live News Assistant (rolling news, breaking-news desk)
Junior TV Reporter (regional news, community broadcaster)
Continued Study (Diploma in Television Journalism, Advanced Diploma in Broadcast Journalism)

The Certificate articulates into the Diploma in Television Journalism at LSJHML for students continuing.

Entry Requirements

Minimum age 16.
Secondary school qualification (GCSE/O-Level or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 (or equivalent) for non-native English speakers.
No prior broadcast experience required.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.