SAN JOSE CITY COLLEGE
SPRING 2007
JOURNALISM 022
NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
TUESDAYS 2:30 p.m.
INSTRUCTOR: John Shrader
Email: john.shrader@sjcc.edu
Phone: 298-2181 x3214
Office Hours: Monday 11:00 to 12:30
Tuesday 12-30 to 2:00
NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
This course is an introduction to the business of telling stories - in newspapers, online and the electronic media, an introduction to Journalism as we practice it in the U.S. in the 21st Century. You will also be exposed to advertising, public relations and other ways of “telling stories” in the media. In this course, we will use lectures, tutorials, lab work and field work to introduce you to the craft of news writing and reporting.
The course begins with a review of English grammar and how to best use and respect the language. By the end of the semester, you will have completed three semester projects: a publishable newspaper story, a video news report and an audio news report. All three of these skills are used in what is called “convergence”, taking the basic, “Old School” journalism skills to the “New Media”.
The student will learn how to conduct interviews and how to do research, both online and traditional. Also, the student will learn the visual art of communication: still photography, videography and online.
There will be an opportunity for students to be published in the college newspaper, City College Times, and work will be considered for the online edition of the newspaper, both text and visuals. The work that gets published – for both online and print editions – will be considered on its quality.
COURSE CONTENT:
English: The Language and How to Use it
What is Journalism?
What is News?
Interviewing and Research
Story Structure and Focus
The Newspaper Business – reporting and writing for print
The Radio Business – reporting, writing and presentation for radio
The Television Business – reporting, writing and presentation for TV
Online and the Internet – the future of Journalism online, reporting and writing for the medium
Beat Reporting
Visual Communication: Still photography and video
Investigative reporting, Public Relations, Advertising
Covering press conferences and speeches
Panel discussions with professional journalists
Field work
Media Law, Ethics, Responsibility and Accountability
I have been a journalist and broadcaster for nearly 30 years, the last 27 here in the Bay Area. In June of 2006 I left my job at KNBR Radio, where I spent 15 years as senior anchor, reporter and host. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of hosting and producing many radio and television shows, and in the last ten years I have done a good deal of media consulting. My career has spanned several eras of the business: from the early days, during which I shot 16mm film and covered news in the middle of Nebraska, to the days of digital radio, television, the internet, pod-casting and much more. I look forward to sharing some of my experiences and introducing you to the world of Journalism as it is practiced in 2007.
- JOHN SHRADER
REQUIREMENTS:
Textbook: News Reporting and Writing, Eighth Edition. The Missouri Group.
Bedford/St. Martin’s ISBN: 0-312-41646-6
There are copies available in the bookstore, or you should be able to get one online.
You MUST have a textbook to be in this class. There will be regular assignments and readings directly from the book.
Three-Ring Binder: Use this for class assignments, for completed stories and class handouts. This will also serve as the final Stringbook (in the parlance of the newspaper business) as a portfolio of your work. You should also keep this syllabus in your binder.
CD/DVD: For audio and video projects. If you don’t have access to these, we will provide them for you. Audio and Video editing can be done on the computers in the newsroom.
Material from other publications will be used in the presentation of this class, including:
The Elements of Journalism, by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
AP Stylebook
50 Ways to Understand Communication, by Arthur Asa Berger
Writing and Reporting News, by Carole Rich
Online Journalism, by Richard Craig
Photojournalism - An Introduction, by Fred S. Parrish
Broadcasting in America, by Sydney Head, Thomas Spann and Michael McGregor
GRADING STRUCTURE:
Class Attendance: 15%
Class Participation / Class Assignments: 25%
Mid-Term (Take Home): 15%
Semester Class Projects (Total of Three): 25%
Final: 20%
The school has a policy of letter grades, and no plus or minus grades (e.g., B+ or C-).
Number grade equivalency:
A: 90-100 B: 80-89 C: 70-79 D: 65-70 F: 65 or below
LECTURE AND LAB:
We will have both lecture and lab during our Tuesdays together. To best study the craft, we will practice it. Each week we will have an in-class assignment relative to the material we’ve covered during that day.
CLASS ATTENDANCE:
You are expected to be in class. District policy: Students who have consecutive absences from a class equal to the number of meetings held in a single week may be disqualified from the class. My policy is simple: If the student misses a third consecutive class meeting – unexcused and unexplained – you will likely be dropped from the class. Students who miss four or more class sessions during the semester are in danger of having their grade dropped one letter. (e.g., From ‘A’ to ‘B’) There are no plus grades at SJCC. This is a communication business. If you cannot be in class, please communicate ahead of time, and we can make arrangements for the work to be done. If the excuse is no good, or there is no communication regarding your absence from class, it will be considered unexcused or unexplained. (PERFECT ATTENDANCE gets special consideration.)
It would be a good idea to get names and phone numbers of at least two fellow students, who may be able to help with class notes:
Name ___________________Number ______________E-mail_____________________
Name ___________________Number ______________E-mail_____________________
WITHDRAWAL/DROP POLICY:
It is the responsibility of the student to formally drop a class. You should not rely on the instructor to drop you from a class for non-attendance.
COLLEGE HONESTY POLICY:
Students are expected to do their own work, including work inside and outside of class. There will be NO TOLERANCE for plagiarism. In the event the student turns in work that has been plagiarized, you will be subject to suspension from the class, course failure and expulsion from the college.