Anthony R. Curtis, Ph.D. Spring 2005
BRD-314-01 MWF 11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. Old Main 237
Department of Mass
Communications ~
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Course Description and
Purpose:
This
upper-division course introduces the theory and practice of broadcast news,
including coverage of local, regional and national news and public affairs for
radio and television. Emphasis will be placed on standards and practices of
broadcast journalists and the gathering and packaging of news for broadcast.
This course is about writing, reporting and packaging news, sports and weather
for radio and television.
This
course provides opportunities to analyze a variety of approaches to gathering
and packaging of news by broadcast media outlets functioning in different kinds
of markets. Attention will be paid to understanding how good reporting and use
of language and other communication skills can lead to a compelling and
entertaining reflection of our society. Students will be able to write smooth,
accurate, grammatically-correct complete stories formatted for broadcast that
touch, entertain and inform a broad audience.
A
strong current of ethical practice runs through the course. A code of conduct
for professional broadcast journalists is included.
A
prerequisite for this course is successful completion of Writing for Media MCM
240.
This
course is not about preparation for work on camera as an anchor, stand-up field
reporter, sportscaster, weathercaster, narrator, or other on-air talent.
A
powerful new force is sweeping through the broadcast profession in the 21st
century. A dynamic state-of-the-art concept bringing fundamental changes to the
industry, convergence refers to the coming together of formerly distinct mass
media activities to create a popular new medium. It blends content from a
variety of old media broadcast, print, electronic into a new media stream
of information and entertainment on the Internet. This course will include a
strong emphasis on re-purposing content for the Web.
For
a very long time, we humans have depended on something we now call "the
news" as our primary source of information about the world we live in. In
recent decades, most people have obtained their news from television newscasts
produced by local stations, national broadcast networks and cable news
networks. To a varying degree, they also have obtained news from local
newspapers, radio stations, and news magazines.
Because
most people now get their news from TV, this course and its fundamental
instruction in gathering and delivering "the news" to people is an
important landmark in your career preparation.
Today,
our interests are changing. When major news breaks, most people now turn
quickly to a news Web site to learn more. Graphic footage and accounts of the
latest happenings are delivered to us wherever we are 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. Who is producing the news published on Web sites? The answer is
local television and radio stations, and newspapers; and national broadcast and
cable news networks, and news magazines.
Because
the trend in viewing habits is making news programs broadcast over the air and
via cable channels secondary, it will be of great importance to your future
career for you to start now in preparing to work in a converged environment.
News
today is mostly not entirely, but mostly about crime, violence, disasters,
drugs, sex, race and ethnic relations, accidents, sickness and disease, and
death. Why is that? How did it come to be? Should those general topics continue
to dominate the news? Or are their other underrepresented topics?
How
will you, as a broadcast media professional, know and understand trends in
newsgathering and dissemination?
Not
only in this course, but also during the life of your academic degree program
and in your professional career later, you should find it essential to stay
up-to-date on current events, which change constantly. To remain up-to-date,
you should read a major newspaper every day in addition to watching broadcast
or cable news operations. For instance, you might choose to read the Fayetteville
Observer, Charlotte Observer, Raleigh News & Observer, Washington Post, or New York Times. You also should read a weekly newsmagazine such as Time or Newsweek.
In
addition, you should read the professional weekly business journal Broadcasting
& Cable. You also may wish to
read other media professional journals such as Editor & Publisher (newspapers), Folio (magazines), or Advertising Age (advertising). These publications are in the UNCP
library and all of them have affiliated websites, which can be great way
stations during your daily excursion through current events.
Texts:
Stephens,
Mitchell. Broadcast News, 4th ed. with InfoTrac. Belmont, CA:
Thomson-Wadsworth, 2005. ISBN: 0-534-59570-7
Tuggle,
C.A., Forrest Carr and Suzanne Huffman, Broadcast News Handbook, 2nd
ed. with CD. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2004. ISBN:
0-07-285351-4
Monday
and Wednesday: 10-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Other
times are available by appointment
247
Old Main phone
521-6616 email:
acurtis@uncp.edu
Motto:
Sıasseoir aussi loin que possible du sac gonflable.
Introduction
/ Stephens Broadcast News, pages 1-3
Producing
TV News / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter 10
Television
Newscasts / Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 17
Glossary
/ Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, appendix B
The
Brave New World of Multimedia Convergence / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook,
chapter 13
News
on the Web / Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 18
Ethics
and Law / Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 19
Why
We Fight / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter 12
Sources
/ Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 7
Gathering
News / Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 8
Interviewing:
Getting the Facts and the Feelings / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter
5
Audio
/ Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 9
Writing
to Audio / Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 10
Coverage
/ Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 11
Selecting
Stories and Starting to Write / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter 2
Characteristics
of Broadcast News Writing / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter 1
Writing
Radio News / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter 6
Copy
/ Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 1
Deadly
Copy Sins and How to Avoid Them / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter 4
Words
/ Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 2
Word
Usage and Grammar Guide / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, appendix A
Meanings
/ Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 3
Sentences
/ Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 4
Leads
/ Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 5
Writing
Great Leads and Other Helpful Tips / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter
3
Stories
/ Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 6
Writing
Sports Copy / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter 11
Spring
Break
Visuals
/ Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 14
Television
Reporting / Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 15
Writing
to Visuals / Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 16
Television
News Story Forms-The VO / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter 7
Television
Story Forms-The VO/SOT / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter 8
Television
Story Forms-The Package / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook, chapter 9
Newscast
/ Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 12
Public
Affairs / Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 13
News
on the Web / Stephens Broadcast News, chapter 18
The
Brave New World of Multimedia Convergence / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook,
chapter 13
So
You Want A Job? The Art of the Resume / Tuggle Broadcast News Handbook,
chapter 14
How
To Make Your Tape Impressive-The First Time / Tuggle Broadcast News
Handbook, appendix a
Final
Exam Week Final for this course Friday May 6 at 11:30 a.m. in 237OM.
Course Assignments:
Assignments include in-depth discussions with your colleagues in the classroom, broadcast news writing and production, and presentations to the class.
Your writings, presentations and participation in response to assignments will be judged subjectively by the professor on quality of content, value of submission, sophistication of contribution, professional workmanship, originality and uniqueness, craftsmanship, organization, creativity, communicative value, and technical aspects.
Evaluation of Written
Submissions:
Generally,
there are no right or wrong responses to assignments. Rather, the professor
measures all submissions on three concurrent spectra content, organization
and mechanics. These parallel tracks range from weak to strong.
Writing assignments that you submit must reach the assigned length. Written matter must be typewritten on one side of paper with appropriate formatting. The appropriate AP broadcast style must be followed. Appropriate professional editing must be used. Be sure your name is on your work along with any page headers and footers as assigned by the professor.
Evaluation of written work will be based on appropriateness of content, clarity of purpose, clear and concise writing style, efficient use of words, grammar, spelling, mechanics, organization, preparation, proper use of appropriate broadcast journalism style, and attention to deadline.
Deadlines are extremely important in broadcast journalism. Hand in your assignments at the beginning of class on the assigned day. Late assignments will be penalized. Assignments will not be accepted one week after the due date.
Evaluation of Class
Presentations:
You are encouraged to use a variety of audio-visual aids that may be appropriate to your presentations. Presentations must reach the assigned length of time. Evaluation of your presentation will be based on clarity of purpose, organization, preparation, clear delivery, grammar, efficient use of words and audio-visual aids.
Any presentation paperwork required for submission to the professor must be typewritten on one side of paper. Be sure to hand the presentation paperwork to the professor before delivering a presentation. Please make sure your name is on it.
This is a 300-level upper-division course. Attention
to deadlines is extremely important. You must deliver your presentation on the
assigned date.
Evaluation of
Participation:
Attendance is very important. Classroom communication is a process of sharing. Your observations, insights and analyses are valuable to the whole class. Your participation will be reflected in a concrete way in your semester grade. Your discussion contributions will be judged subjectively by the professor on quality of content, value of submission, sophistication of contribution, originality and uniqueness, and communicative value.
The success of the seminar discussion style of this course relies on your full participation. Just as you must make your presentation on an assigned day, it is equally important for you to view your classmatesı presentations. Please respect your colleagues and attend all in-class presentations. Non-attendance for the presentations of others in the class will be penalized.
How to Succeed: Contribute spontaneously and richly to course discussions and team activities. Listen to the comments of others and respond respectfully. Respect the ideas of others and their right to express them.
§ Assume a leadership role. Be a guide or coach for others in the class if and when such a contribution would be desirable. Voluntarily help other students, but remember that doing work for someone else to submit is inappropriate.
Grading Considerations:
Grades for each of your assignments will be based upon a professional standard. Although you may be writing your broadcast news copy in this class, the professor will evaluate your work according to its suitability for broadcast or use on a news Web site whose standards correspond to the industry-wide norm.
At the outset, it is understood that your broadcast journalism skills may be weak. The professor will take this into account and your semester grade will be based upon improvement, growth and consistent effort through the semester.
How to Succeed: A successful approach in this course is to be self-motivated,
self-directed, and self-disciplined. Gather the needed technology skills and
approach the course with a desire to learn. Manage your time well.
Evaluation Criteria for
Letter Grades:
§
Excellent or A
Professional quality work on the assignment. An
insightful, relevant, newsworthy subject. Story or presentation involves the
reader in its drama, humor, ethos or pathos. Technique is flawless with perfect
content, organization and mechanics. Information supporting the story or
presentation is complete and accurate. Wording is precise. The writing explores
the story at different levels and does not simply make the same point from
different perspectives. Distinguished work perfectly suitable for broadcast.
§
Good or B
Competent, functional story-telling or
presentation for the assignment. Journeyman broadcast journalism. Clear copy
that makes a significant point efficiently in support of the story or
presentation. Appropriate expression of active, believable, revealing
description. Details are thorough and accurate. Writing and presentation
mechanics and organizational techniques are of a high order. The story or
presentation is balanced. Suitable for broadcast.
§
Acceptable or C
Average, run-of-the-mill story-telling or
presentation for the assignment. Properly written, produced or presented, but
the content is merely average quality. Probably suitable for broadcast, but
undistinguished. The story or presentation offers little insight into why the
subject is newsworthy. Content is adequate to identify the subject, but poorly
organized. Mechanics are good, but minimally so. Minimally acceptable for
broadcast.
§
Poor or D
Unacceptable work on the assignment. A
combination of flaws in conceptualizing, researching, organizing, writing and
presenting render the work unsatisfactory. This is work, which with better
planning and extra effort, might have been suitable for broadcast. Less than
acceptable work; below average. Not suitable for broadcast.
§
Unacceptable or F
Completely unacceptable work on the assignment.
Decidedly unprofessional. Weaknesses in journalistic thinking, broadcast
writing technique, and/or professionalism have resulted in a failure on this
assignment. Inaccuracies and other content errors, poor mechanics,
non-broadcast organization, and/or missed deadlines have reduced the assignment
to failure. Not suitable for broadcast.
Final Grade:
You will be graded subjectively by the professor on broadcast news writing and production, presentations to the class, in-depth discussions with your colleagues in the classroom and other aspects of attendance and participation, and indication of your growth of understanding of the elements of broadcast journalism.
Your final semester grade will be based on the professorıs evaluation of all of the work you complete and submit during the course. Attendance and enthusiastic participation form a significant portion of the semester grade.
Very important considerations for success include:
§ perfection of written materials
§ success of presentations
§ punctuality on assignments
§ participation in class discussions
§ cooperation on class activities
§ attendance at class meetings
The grading scale used for this course is:
100-90%=A to A-; 89-80%=B+ to B-; 79-70%=C+ to C-; 69-60%=D+ to D-; 59% and below=F.
Student Academic Honor Code: You have the responsibility to know and observe the UNCP Academic Honor Code which forbids cheating, plagiarism, abuse of academic materials, fabrication, or falsification of information, and complicity in academic dishonesty.
Special Assistance: Please see the professor as soon as possible if you have questions or difficulty. Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak directly to Disability Support Services and the professor, as early in the semester as possible, preferably within the first week. All discussions will remain confidential. Please contact Mary Helen Walker, Disability Support Services, DF Lowry building, 521-6695.