About the class ...
This is a course in the techniques of newsgathering, writing, and production of broadcast material. This course concentrates on the fundamentals of writing for broadcast news, and uses audio news as a means of presenting these fundamentals. The goal of the course is to provide the student with a foundation in broadcast news that equips them for our advanced courses in the field, and ultimately, a career in the field.
Most assignments will be completed out of class. The course will introduce you to a conversational style of news writing, contrast that style with print journalism, and stress broadcast copy preparation/news selection/editing.
Students will be introduced to the format and style of broadcast news, the legal and ethical dimensions of working in news, typical television procedures, and operation of the audio labs. There will be some discussion of current issues facing broadcast news, ethics, and professional career possibilities and constraints in the field.
Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
1. Know the demands of the field of broadcast news and the specifics of jobs within the newsroom (producer, reporter, assignment editor)
2. Know and demonstrate broadcast news values in determining stories, sources, and interview questions
3. Be able to write/produce the typical radio format stories using the proper broadcast style
4. Know television terms and writing styles for typical television news formats
Required Materials
1. Broadcast News Handbook; Writing, Reporting & Producing in a Converging Media World. (Tuggle, Carr & Huffman).
2. One digital recorder with a plug in mic option (must have by the 3rd class period – Wednesday, January 27th).