Do during class Topic to be covered in class
News Cycle
In the old days, people would wake up and read the morning paper. There was no overnight cable news TV channel, so that morning paper was the vehicle for breaking most news that people encountered.
Now, the newspaper has shifted its focus to supplying depth and background; or to researching long-term stories that don’t necessarily have a stunning visual (such as a fire or crash or somebody covering the camera’s lens with his hand).
In order to compete, online and TV news works hard to stay ahead of the game. CNN and The Washington Post already have designed web pages devoted to the deaths of high-profile figures, ready to go live as soon as a reporter learns the cause of death. (See The Smoking Gun for details.)
Start by logging onto a chat room being developed by SHU programmer Benn Linger.
- https://griffinslair.setonhill.edu/chat/wpf
- Visit “Benn’s Testing Room,” and start off by making a comment about the relationship between being the first to break a story, and being accurate.
- Then, read this article and comment about it in the chat room.
- After a few minutes, I will show a brief video; while it is running, please use the chat room to share your thoughts about the video.
Respond in the required format, before class
Do during class
Moved from Aug 31.
A class activity drawing on the group work you began on Wednesday.
Do during class Moodle activity (
login )
If we have time, we will start on this during class; if not, it will be homework (Due before class, Wednesday 07 September).
1) Review the material on writing a news lead (last class). What is one specific thing you feel you learned about leads? What is one specific question you have about leads?
2) Write two different leads for a story following up on yesterday’s Opening Liturgy and Book Discussion. (If you did not attend, you may interview classmates who did.)
3) Write two different leads for an advance story about Honors Convocation.
(An “advance story” means a brief item informing the public that something is scheduled to happen; a “follow-up” means a story that covers what actually happened at the event. You can publish an “advance” story without a “follow-up,” and you can publish a “follow-up” without an advance; however, next week your first “real” reporting assignment will be to attend Honors Convocation and write a follow-up story. So today’s practice writing the leads for the advance story is part of the preparation for next week.)
4) Submit by posting your specific answers in the course Moodle; read some of the the posts published by your peers, and post 2-4 comments.
5) Contribute meaningfully to the Google Docs page on News Leads. (We will have some time to work on this in class, but please make your initial contribution on your own.)
Do during class
We’ll spend a few moments dicussing the online components of the course, and looking at the Participation Portfolio rubric.
Do during class
Come parepared to take notes, just as you would in a real interview.