sign in sign up
<<
Home , 2006 Pulitzer Prize, Chicago Tribune, Sarah Cohen (journalist)

Detailed weekly schedule COMM 502.001 Fall 2009

This is a detailed look at this course, the required and beyond, week by week. It might change if circumstances require that; all updates to the schedule will be electronically accessible on the official Fall 2009, Blackboard site for COMM-502.001. Book excerpts will be available either via the Library website or Blackboard. To be clear, you should come to class prepared, having done your class assignments by the date posted below. Also recommended are online resources or printed excerpts with which, at the very least, you should have a working, conversational familiarity.

Date Topic Assignments Recommended August 24 Introduction to Start reading investigative Muckraking! and to the course itself August 31 A brief history of Finish reading Check out the recent investigative Muckraking! Investigative reporting, and Reporters and overview of the Familiarize yourself Editors (IRE) award fundamentals with the work by the winners in all media 2009 winners of the forms(www.ire.org ), and Peabody Award (www.Pulitzer.org ) (www.peabody.uga. for investigative, edu television and national, film award-winners international and public service journalism September 7 No class Finish reading (Labor Day) Muckraking!

Watch the film, All the President’s Men September 14 The wonderful Also read excerpt Links to American world of documents from Taking on the University and other --- Trust: The Epic libraries; various Battle of Freedom of Story meeting, in and John D. Information Act which we will Rockefeller , by resources, sample discuss possible Weinberg FOIA letters, etc. investigative project (read chapters 8-16, ideas pages 150-273) 2

September 21 Understanding the Investigative Assorted links to be epidemiology of reporting added later investigative methodology/plan information, and due knowing where to find it.

Researching online September 28 The search for truth Excerpt from Doubt “Politics and the is Their Product: ” How Industry’s by George Orwell; Assault on Science --- Threatens Your Health, by David “Lies for the Public Michaels (pp.ix – Good,” from Lying: 97) Moral Choice in How to avoid being Public and Private bamboozled Read “Who Creates Life , by Sissela Bok Reality” Boston University address by distinguished The Elements of --- journalist Bill Journalism: What Kovach Newspeople Should Know and the Review David Public Should Interviewing Barstow’s New York Expect , by Bill techniques Times’ and the St. Kovach and Tom Petersburg Times’ Rosenstiel (Chapters “PoliFact” 2009 2 and 3, pp. 35-77) Pulitzer Prize- winning stories.

Semester reporting project set and approved October 5 Introduction to Computer-Assisted Excerpt from computer-assisted Reporting , Chapter Precision journalism 2 and 3, and Journalism by --- handouts with Philip Meyer assorted online Guest speaker: resources Former Washington Post Pulitzer Prize- winning reporter

3

October 12 Investigating power Closely read the Read the San Diego and political Union -Tribune influence stories by the Las /Copley News Vegas Sun (Public Service stories Service) and the about former Rep. East Valley Tribune Randy Cunningham (Local Reporting). (winners of the 2006 Reporters for both Pulitzer Prize); newspapers exposed life-and-death Washington Post abuses of political stories (Delay- power Abramoff political corruption scandal coverage) by , James Grimaldi and R. Jeffrey Smith, (winners of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for , www.pulitzer.org );

excerpts from The Buying of the President 2004, by Charles Lewis and the Center for Public Integrity October 19 Writing the Selected reading: Handouts or other investigative story excerpt from Follow excerpts the Story , by James B. Stewart

---

Review of specific investigative project development issues October 26 Investigating Read “The Climate Peruse the most environmental Change Lobby” recent winners of degradation Center for Public the Society of --- Integrity report; Environmental read the 2008 and Journalists awards; 4

Also, general class 2009 Grantham discussion on the Prize -winning series Excerpt from The course material thus of stories by the Investigative far, project issues, New York Times and Reporter’s etc. USA Today , Handbook (chapter respectively 18: Investigating the Environment) Written progress report due on the semester reporting project

November 2 Investigating Read the 2008 Excerpt from The business Investigative Investigative Reporting Pulitzer Reporter’s Prize stories in The Handbook (chapter Tribune 12: Investigating the and The New York Private Sector). Times ;

Also, read 2007 Public Service Pulitzer Prize stories in The View “Enron,” an Journal reporters Oscar-nominated James Bandler, documentary film; Charles Forelle and view “A Dangerous Mark Maremont on Business,” joint CEO stock options. investigation and production of Also, read excerpts PBS/Frontline, The from Conspiracy of New York Times and Fools by Kurt the Canadian Eichenwald; Broadcasting Corp. Reported by David And read excerpts Barstow and Lowell of “Death on the Bergman (winners Tracks,” by Walt of the Pulitzer Prize, Bogdanich (winner the Polk Award and of the Pulitzer the DuPont- Prize). Columbia Silver Baton; and excerpts of the published Times story.

5

November 9 Investigating the Watch the film, The Report of the news media itself: Insider Independent Review who watches the Panel (CBS News watchdog? 60 Minutes II Bush/National (A discussion of Guard commission), cautionary www.image.cbsnew professional s.com/htdocs/pdf/co minefield issues, mplete_report/CBS_ from internal Report.pdf censorship, editorial “Well-Connected” bias and inaccuracy ongoing series of to ethical reports, the Center transgressions, for Public Integrity inadequate fact- http://www.publicin checking and tegrity.org/telecom/ editorial supervision)

Guest speaker: Bryan Rich , Founder and CEO of Global News Intelligence (GNI) November 16 Investigating U.S. 2006 Pulitzer Prize Read ’s intelligence and stories (with Eric 2006 Pulitzer Prize national security Lichtblau) for stories in The issues, the U.S. National Reporting; Washington Post military and the Also, read excerpts about secret CIA business of war of State of War: The “” prisons; Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Read also her 2008 Administration , by Pulitzer Prize stories , pp. 1- with Anne Hull on 109. conditions at Walter Guest speaker: Read military James Risen , hospital; Pulitzer Prize Also, excerpts from winning reporter for The Dark Side: The Also see Windfalls Inside Story of How of War , winner of the War on Terror the 2004 George Turned into a War Polk Award, --- on American Ideals, published by the by Jane Mayer, pp. Center for Public 1-138. Integrity

6

Plus a discussion of And view Torturing Selected readings: project management Democracy , Chain of Command issues and produced by Sherry by Seymour Hersh, techniques Jones, winner of the Chapter I (“Torture 2009 Robert F. at Abu Ghraib”); Kennedy Award view “Abuse at Abu Ghraib” 60 Minutes (winners of the Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award, respectively). November 23 Investigating Selected reading. “anything that moves”

A review of great investigative reporting throughout the U.S. and the world, from criminal justice to the environment, animal trafficking to tobacco smuggling, etc.

November 30 Summing up class Semester reporting discussion project due

December 7 Oral story presentations in lieu of final exam