Journalism Boot Camp ​ COMM 624, Summer 2020 July 27 to Aug. 13

American University School of Communication

Investigate, Innovate, Inform. Now is the time. SOC is the place.

Instructors

Professor Terry Bryant [email protected] (785) 979-0345 Professor Jeremiah Patterson [email protected] (202) 630-1095 Professor John Watson [email protected] (202) 885-2083 Professor Amy Eisman [email protected] (202) 841-6840 (mobile)

Welcome to Journalism Boot Camp

Your Journalism faculty have planned an exciting Journalism 2020 Boot Camp experience enhanced this year by special features for online engagement. Each day you will learn from deeply informed instructors and journalists at the top of their field as you study the basics of the profession, from ethics to hands-on digital production.

Despite being online this year, the overall objectives for Boot Camp are the same — to introduce you to Washington, D.C., to the journalism landscape and to the varied skills you need to succeed in the year ahead. Our three-week course will feature both synchronous and asynchronous instruction, focusing on writing and reporting basics, multimedia and web production and much, much more.

Clearly, you are studying journalism at one of the most challenging and difficult times in contemporary history. The demands of covering and living through the realities of Covid-19 — at the same time as the nation grapples with the racial disparities in healthcare and the economy highlighted by the protests this summer — make this a particularly remarkable moment in time. This also means an evolving syllabus dependent on both health guidance and news events, a curriculum that will be informative as well as sensitive to the needs of journalists and sources.

In other words, whether online or outside, you will be replicating the same experience as the professional journalists around us. Obviously, we will also focus on the presidential election ahead; indeed, you have a front-row seat to history. You no doubt face a summer of pandemic, protests and politics.

Some of the features you can expect:

● A welcoming website built to enhance community and communication ● Daily journalism ethics lectures ● Video introductions from some of division’s journalism instructors ● One-on-one virtual meetings with instructors to gauge progress ● At least one virtual “happy hour” ● Intense writing and digital production training ● Routine feedback on scheduled assignments ● Lectures on everything from building an online portfolio and producing news remotely to how Washington works. Some of the topics we will cover include: reporting on the global pandemic, race issues, the upcoming presidential election; journalism’s mission; AP Style; the First Amendment; investigative journalism; covering underrepresented communities; branding yourself; social media verification; the freedom of information act; visual journalism; covering congress; podcasting; interactive journalism; and photography, video and audio

The Journalism Division has three main goals for Boot Camp:

1. To introduce you to how we teach and think about journalism 2. To learn how to navigate the official Washington, D.C. ecosystem - sources, context and issues ​ ​ 3. To introduce you to the School of Communication and American University

Over the next three weeks, you will learn journalism on a variety of media platforms — digital, photography, audio, video and social media among them. In Boot Camp and in the M.A. program, we stress the importance of learning the fundamentals of critical thinking, news judgment, interviewing, AP style, grammar, ethics and the ever more complicated world of fact checking. Traditional reporting and distribution methods continue to evolve as journalism is realigning. You are part of the generation that will create, navigate and define journalism’s future.

This evolution in our industries is happening against an extraordinary backdrop — as we said, in Washington, D.C., you have a front-row seat to history. Here's how Austin Ramsey, a student in last year's cohort ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ described his experience in the journalism master's program. Few of us can remember a time so fundamental to our journalism roots, which means we are doubling down on the traditions — objectivity, transparency, accuracy, veracity — even while we explore new avenues for storytelling.

Ethics

The importance of appropriate ethical behavior is part of why Boot Camp devotes a full hour nearly every day to the discussion of journalism ethics. The time invested is the equivalent of a one-credit course in the topic. Professor John Watson – one of the most memorable and engaging faculty members on this topic – will lead that discussion daily.

Learning at the Right Pace

Through a combination of class lectures, tutorials, guest speakers and multimedia reporting assignments, you will begin to learn the skills you need to survive in journalism’s digital age. It won’t be easy. You will learn on assignment, getting honest and sometimes tough feedback that you haven’t heard in awhile. If it sounds like a lot, it is. Expect long hours — including overnight homework and, perhaps, weekend assignments. We recognize that some of you might be more advanced in professional journalism so please work with your instructors to make sure you are getting the most out of Boot Camp.

Objectives

You will:

● Be introduced to professional journalistic writing, headlines, AP style, news literacy, ethical decision making ● Develop a professional online portfolio that you will use throughout the rest of the program ● Be introduced to multi-platform storytelling: online writing, photos, audio, video, mobile, data ● Learn from experts on cutting-edge issues ● Understand how to navigate a professional newsroom

Why we take the multimedia approach

Multi-tasking journalism skills are the norm, not the exception, for working journalists and communicators today. Most news organizations, news sites, networks, magazines, radio stations and television stations produce content for mobile and online audiences first, as they seek ways to vertically integrate content across traditional venues. One reason they do this is to produce new income streams to replace traditional ones that have declined over the past decade and to reach audience members where they are.

Expectations

● Your work will be accurate, ethical, transparent, fair and truthful ● All assignments are due on deadline without excuse ● You will need to become an “all-platform journalist,” which means digital writing and reporting, and gathering audio and video, often as a solo journalist

Required Tools

You will need your own laptop computer and a cellphone for shooting video. This is necessary for academic and professional work. You also should have an external hard drive. You will have access to video labs and cameras on the AU campus.

Recommendations

External hard drive: Getting a reliable external hard drive is a critical investment for a digital journalist. You ​ will have many uses for this drive throughout your American University career and beyond. Be aware that video, in particular, uses a large amount of space and power so you will put your video work on external hard drives instead of leaving projects on your desktop.

An external hard drive formatted for a Mac is preferred because the video editing equipment is Mac based. You can also get by with a hard drive that is partitioned for both a Mac and a PC.

You can get a hard drive with plenty of storage at a reasonable cost. Here are a couple of 1TB hard drives for under $50:

Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive Western Digital 1 TB External Hard Drive

You can purchase what you need from any reputable company (Seagate, Western Digital, LaCie, etc.) Make sure it is bus-powered, meaning it doesn't have to be plugged into an electrical outlet — it's powered by the ​ ​ computer. An external HD will be mandatory for broadcast specialization students because they must master video editing and that requires a substantial amount of storage and computing capacity.

Broadcast students might all consider newer external SSD hard drives -- extremely fast hard drives with no moving parts that have become much more affordable in the last couple years. Samsungs are a popular choice with the 1TB models retailing for under $200. ​ ​

USB Thumb Drive: This is good for storage of files for smaller projects such as papers and PowerPoint. A flash ​ drive (at least 32-64 GB) is good for smaller projects. Here are some 64 GB flash drives. ​ ​ ​

You don’t have to use USB drives for all of your files; AU students get Google Accounts, which come with Google Drive for storage. However, Google Drive is not a reliable system for storing large video files.

Computers: If you need to purchase a new computer, we recommend an Apple laptop. SOC labs and ​ equipment are primarily Mac-based or formatted for Mac. Our instructors also primarily use and teach on Macs.

For students who are in the international or investigative tracks, you can get by with any current Windows or Mac laptop. The standard MacBook Air, with a 1.1GHz Processor and 256GB Storage is sufficient. (Note, however, 256GB is not a lot of storage, so if you purchase this Mac, get in the habit of using an external hard drive, USB drive or uploading to Google Drive or Dropbox.) If you plan on editing any video, you will likely ​ ​ encounter frustrating results with the MacBook Air. It’s simply not powerful enough. We have labs with iMacs for higher-end editing.

For Broadcast track students or anyone interested in multimedia, a MacBook Pro is your best option in order ​ ​ ​ ​ to seamlessly run Photoshop, Audition or Premiere Pro and offer compatibility with Macs in our media labs.. The baseline 13” MacBook Pro with a 1.4GHz Processor and 256GB Storage should be OK. Obviously, more processing power and larger storage can help you further, but at a price. Additionally, editing video on a 13” screen can be frustrating for many students. (We’re just trying to manage expectations, before you shell out too much money.)

For Broadcast students, expect your MacBook Pro to handle, say, 80 percent of your workload, but you’ll still have to switch periodically to our lab computers to work with large video projects. That’s why an external hard drive is critical.

We are currently working on getting a license for online access to the Adobe Creative Cloud for students. We will update the syllabus and let you know when we find out whether we were successfully able to get the license.

The MIL newsroom, which broadcast students can use in the fall and spring semesters, operates with both Mac and PC platforms for producing audio and video news shows. Students produce newscasts with the Associated Press ENPS content management system, which is used worldwide. PCs are also good if you decide ultimately to focus on data analysis.

Required Textbook

You will use the Associated Press Stylebook to check to make sure you are writing in proper AP style. If you prefer a hard copy, you can order the 2020 stylebook from the Associated Press here for $26.95. Some ​ ​ ​ people like the paper version, but it is not updated as much as the online version. or

You can choose to use the online AP Stylebook available for free from the American University Library. You ​ ​ can access it by logging in to myau.american.edu and then clicking here to access the online AP Stylebook. Be ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ sure to bookmark the site.

Grading

You will be graded on in-class assignments, quizzes, and homework, including the writing, audio and video work you produce. Your grade also will take into account proper grammar and style usage, accuracy and your ability to meet deadlines.

You will be graded multiple times throughout each of the three weeks, with assignments per week adding up to a final grade.

Ethics Daily ethics lectures and assignments 15 percent

Week 1 Online writing, reporting and how to cover Washington, D.C. 25 percent

Week 2 Creating a digital portfolio, interviewing, covering events, 25 percent working with data

Week 3 Photography, audio and video storytelling 25 percent Professionalism Professionalism and Participation means conducting yourself 10 percent and Participation with the same high standards expected in the working world. Externally that means appropriate, accurate and ethical conduct with sources, guests, hosts and presenters. Internally, that means showing up on time online; handing in assignments by deadline; treating your peers and professors with respect and consideration; keeping a civil tone, even during challenging discussions. You will be expected to problem-solve, collaborate and stay abreast of the news.

A A = 95-100 Only excellent, on-time work earns an A. What constitutes “excellent”? A- = 90–94 It should be essentially error-free, show attention to detail, clarity of writing and critical thinking. This work contains direct quotes and strong leads when it applies to well-constructed stories and includes fewer than two style and grammar errors.

B B+ = 86–89 Work that shows some effort and care, but contains some errors, B = 83–85 unclear passages or a shortage of critical analysis; contains as many as B- = 80–82 four style and grammar errors.

C C+ = 76–79 On-time work that meets the basic minimum requirements. This work C = 73–75 doesn’t show attention to detail or any particular effort to apply critical C- = 70–72 thinking; contains five or more style and grammar errors.

D D = 60-69 Significantly late or substandard work that shows a lack of effort and understanding of the values set forth in quality journalistic skill.

F F = Below 60 Work that is incorrect and incomplete or late. Any work that is copied without attribution or plagiarized will fail, and the student has the potential to be dismissed from the program.

Professional Standards

● We expect you to attend all classes every day and to arrive on time. Tardiness will not be tolerated. ​ ​ CLASS BEGINS ONLINE AT 9 a.m. and the online portion will usually end by 2:30 p.m. You must ​ return from lunch on time.

● During class lectures and discussions on Zoom you should have your camera turned on (unless you’ve talked to a faculty member) and your microphone either silenced or ideally be in an environment with little background noise. If you are silencing your mic, you should use the Push to ​ ​ Talk feature in Zoom. ​

● It is rude to check personal emails and the web during our Zoom meetings. It is disruptive and distracts you from the task at hand. Violations will affect your professionalism grade.

● Turn work in on time. Deadlines are imperative in the work world and in your master’s program. Any work received after a deadline will affect your grade. If it is too late, as determined by the instructor, it will not be accepted.

● Spelling, grammar and AP Style count. No kidding. You’re in a journalism class, after all.

● Academic/Professional Ethics: The highest standards of personal and professional conduct are expected at all times. Standards of academic conduct are set forth in the University's ACADEMIC ​ ​ INTEGRITY CODE and the SPJ and RTDNA CODE OF ETHICS. By registering, you have acknowledged ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ your awareness of the Academic Integrity Code, and are obliged to become familiar with your rights and responsibilities as defined by the Code. Plagiarism, as well as other ethical violations, will be dealt with harshly – including possible dismissal from the Graduate Program, and/or failure in the course, and a notation of such on your permanent academic record.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is to present any information or language that was prepared and written by someone else as if it were your own work. This would include copying and pasting information from the Internet without attributing the source. It would also include passing on another student’s work as your own.

Standards of academic conduct are set forth in the University’s Academic Integrity Code. By registering, you have acknowledged your awareness of the Academic Integrity Code, and you are obliged to become familiar with your rights and responsibilities as outlined by the Code. Violations of the Academic Integrity Code will not be treated lightly, and disciplinary action will be taken should such violations occur.

Specific to this class, it is a violation of the Integrity Code to manufacture information — such as scripting quotes for an interview, making up names or other information or staging video to represent any news event. No reenactments are allowed. Other potential violations include using someone else’s video, audio, photography, data or reporting as your own.

All work for this class must be original and must be completed specifically for this class. No duplicate work will be accepted. You may not use any previous work from other classes, internships or jobs. Simply: all work submitted for academic credit must be original for this class and done by you, the student. If there is ever a question, please ask us before you hand it in.

Guests

You will enjoy a variety of speakers from SOC and beyond, all leaders in their fields. Among SOC faculty you will hear from: Professor Margot Susca on writing; Professor Sherri Williams on covering underrepresented communities; Professor Lynne Perri on visual journalism; Professor John Watson on journalism’s mission; Dean Laura DeNardis on the power of information on the internet; Professor Jennifer LaFleur on data journalism and FOIA; Professor Amy Eisman on digital writing and headlines; Professor Jill Olmsted on podcasting; Professor Chris Halse on investigative journalism.

Industry speakers include: Chandelis Duster, reporter at CNN; Moriah Balingit, reporter at the Washington Post; Rae Daniel, Reporter and anchor at KSHB-TV in Kansas City; Brandon Benavides, producer at NBC Washington; Fernando Pizarro, former Capitol Hill reporter for Univision; leaders of the DCist, an online site that covers the district’s news, curiosity and culture; Lata Nott, Freedom Forum Fellow for the First Amendment; Dani Rizzo, AU alum and adjunct, digital director at the Humane Rescue Alliance; Matt Glassman, Assistant News Director at NBC-4 Washington.

Instructors and Speakers

Professor Terry Bryant, associate division director and senior professorial lecturer, is back for his sixth year of ​ Boot Camp. He returned to American University full-time in the 2017 fall semester. He spent two years as the broadcast coordinator and lecturer for the Department of Communication at Mississippi State University. Before his move to Mississippi State, he taught for two years as a professorial lecturer at AU. Before his time at AU, he spent 14 years teaching broadcasting and media writing classes at the University of Kansas. He taught one semester internationally with the CIMBA program in Paderno del Grappa, Italy, and conducted a two-week broadcasting workshop in Liberia, Africa. He worked as a reporter, videographer, meteorologist and sports anchor at TV stations in Kansas, Mississippi and California from 1985 to 1997. He also has experience working live sporting events with CBS Sports, ESPN and Fox Sports. In May 2016, he was the play-by-play announcer for the NCAA Track and Field West Preliminaries. This past spring, he took a group of AU students to Puerto Rico to report on the living conditions seven months after Hurricane Maria struck the region.

Professor Jeremiah Patterson teaches a variety of digital, multimedia and broadcast courses as a Professorial ​ Lecturer in the Journalism Division at American University’s School of Communication and as the Director of the weekend M.A. program in Journalism and Digital Storytelling. He is the division’s lead faculty member on digital communication and technology skills and he’s fierce about bringing emerging media into the classroom. He specializes in digital news production and storytelling, with a background in web design. On campus, Patterson serves as Co-Chair of the SOC Diversity Committee and as the faculty adviser for Visible, AU’s first LGBTQ student publication. He designed and manages The Wash, a mainstay of journalism student work. He also authors the monthly Journalism Division newsletter. Patterson is currently a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Fellow at The Center for Teaching, Research and Learning on campus. There, he’s researching and exploring the impact of design thinking on classroom instruction. He created a course for Spring 2018 called Storytelling with Emerging Media, designed for students who are looking to collaborate and experiment with new tools and tech in the journalism landscape, like Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook Live, VR and AR. After graduating with an M.A. in Journalism and Public Affairs from AU SOC — yes, this same program you’re currently enrolled in — Patterson served as a web content developer for The Wildlife Society before becoming Digital Manager for the Online News Association. In that role, he was a key player in the world’s largest association of digital journalists. Later, he deepened ONA’s partnership with #AUJournalism by hosting the first student-focused, pre-conference session at AU. An Ohio native, he’s now lived in D.C. for 10 years. Ask him about his dog, Iggy.

Professor Amy Eisman is the Director of the Journalism Division. She has overseen several programs at SOC ​ ​ as well as teaches journalism, digital content and entrepreneurship. From 2015-2017 she facilitated the JoLT ​ program exploring the intersection of gaming and journalism. She has directed three SOC programs: the MA in Interactive Journalism; the MA in Media Entrepreneurship and the Writing Program. In 2015, she was named among the 100 Tech Titans in digital Washington by Washingtonian Magazine. Eisman was with ​ ​ Gannett for 17 years, first at USA TODAY and later as Executive Editor of USA WEEKEND. Eisman was also a managing editor at AOL, a Fulbright lecturer in Moscow and has trained newsrooms on web content and writing. She’s held workshops at the washingtonpost.com, Freedom Forum, VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague and Moscow. She co-chaired the 2010 Online News Association conference ​ ​ and in 2011 presented in Vladivostok about digital journalism. She chairs ONA's MJ Bear Fellowship committee, honoring digital journalists under 30, and judges the White House Correspondents' Association Awards. Recently she served on a PBS committee reviewing Editorial Standards and Policies.

Professor John C. Watson, Ph.D., J.D., brings a combination of professional experience and scholarly ​ credentials to the classroom. A journalist for 22 years, he has a law degree and a Ph.D. His research on media law and journalism ethics has been published in law reviews and refereed scholarly journals. He is the author of Journalism Ethics by Court Decree. He has conducted studies that question the ethical propriety of publishing police composite sketches of crime suspects, and weighs the merits of licensing journalists. Professor Watson was honored by the National Association of Black Journalists in 2018 with the Ida B. Wells award, which is given annually to an individual who makes exceptional efforts to make the journalism ​ profession more diverse.

Professor Margot Susca, Ph.D. (Florida State University) is an assistant professor in SOC's journalism division. ​ ​ ​ She teaches courses in reporting, journalism ethics, children's media culture, mass media and society, and code. Her academic work and research focus on journalism and society; corporate media ownership and democracy; lobbying and its effect on media policy; and U.S. military recruitment video games. Dr. Susca has published articles on these subjects in The New Republic, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, and Salon through her work with The Conversation. First Amendment Studies, Global Media Journal, and the ICA journal Communication, Culture & Critique have published her peer-reviewed research. She also has presented work in these areas at conferences in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Dr. Susca is a frequent guest and expert for radio, TV and online news outlets around the world, discussing media ownership, media mergers and consolidation, journalism and democracy, and fake news in The Des Moines Register, Wisconsin Public Radio, BYU Radio, RT America, Hearst, WUSA9, ARD (Germany), and Norway's Dagbladet. Dr. Susca is a 2002 graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism where she studied the fundamentals of urban reporting, feature writing, and breaking news in the months after the September 11 terrorist attacks, which she covered from Lower Manhattan. She has worked as a reporter in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Florida, where the Society of Professional Journalists recognized her investigative work on high school graduation rates and the GED. She lives on Capitol Hill with her 8-year-old daughter, who wants to grow up to be an investigative journalist.

Professor Lynne Perri is a full-time journalism professor, teaching journalism ethics, reporting and visual ​ journalism. She also is managing editor of the Investigative Reporting Workshop, a nonprofit news organization based at the School of Communication at American University. She is a former deputy managing editor for Graphics and Photography at USA TODAY and was a reporter and editor at The Tampa Tribune, the Tallahassee Democrat and the Clearwater Sun. She has been an adjunct professor at Syracuse, Northwestern and the University of Maryland and been a visiting lecturer at the University of Iowa, Ohio University and the University of Nebraska. She has led workshops for The Washington Post, the Knight Center for International Journalists, the American Press Institute and the Society for News Design.

Dr. Sherri Williams is at the intersection of social media, social justice, reality television, mass media and how ​ people of color use and are represented by these mediums. Williams has a particular interest in how Black people’s use of social media is changing social justice and the entertainment industry, especially television. She is also interested in and studies how marginalized people, especially Black women, are represented in the media. National media outlets including CNN, USA Today, Smithsonian Magazine and Vice interviewed Williams for her social media expertise. She was also named one of NBC BLK’s fierce Black feminists you should know. Her journalism career started in 1999 at the Associated Press’ Jackson, Mississippi bureau and she worked in three newsrooms for 10 years. Her coverage of communities of color earned the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists first place minority affairs reporting for two consecutive years. Williams' work on how Black residents voted in Mississippi's 2001 state referendum to change the Confederate stars and bars from the state flag and her contribution to a project about how Mississippi's poorest county reversed its fortune with casinos were awarded by the APME. She still writes for media outlets as a freelancer and wrote a narrative about COVID-19's impact on Black America for the NAACP's magazine The Crisis. Williams teaches ​ ​ journalism/storytelling classes and media studies courses that examine how race, gender, class, and sexual identity are portrayed in the media. Williams led the award-winningBlack on Campus student journalism ​ ​ project with The Nation which documented Black college students experiences in the midst of rising racism on campuses. This year she partnered with The Nation for another project which will explore and amplify the intersectional presidential election concerns of young voters in the Vision 2020: Election Stories from the Next ​ Generation project. ​

Professor Jennifer LaFleur joined the Investigative Reporting Workshop as data editor in 2017. LaFleur ​ previously was a senior editor for Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, where she managed a team of data journalists, investigative reporters and fellows. She also contributed to or edited dozens of major projects while at Reveal, including an investigation that was a 2018 Pulitzer finalist. She is the former director of computer-assisted reporting at ProPublica and has held similar roles at The Dallas Morning News and other newspapers. She was the first training director for Investigative Reporters and Editors and currently serves on IRE’s Board of Directors. She has won awards for coverage of disability, legal and open government issues. She has visited training rooms around the world, and in the process has taught thousands of journalists data and investigative skills.

Professor Chris Halsne is AU’s first Investigative Broadcaster in Residence. He has been on television for ​ 30+ years. He’s managed special-projects units in Seattle, Denver and Oklahoma City. In the past two years, he’s been awarded the Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi award for investigative reporting, three National Press Club awards, 4 Heartland Emmys, and a Regional Edward R. Murrow award. One of the top animal-rights reporters in the country, he’s been honored with four Genesis awards from the Humane Society of the United States for his undercover exposés. A documentary filmmaker, fiction author, and podcast contributor, he takes a multi-media approach to every investigative news idea. Halsne is married to an accomplished ultra-runner who sells virtual-reality surgical teaching simulators. They have two daughters.

Professor Jill Olmsted has taught communication courses for 30 years, specializing in audio and video ​ storytelling and public affairs reporting. She writes and comments about media issues, does freelance voice-over work, and has done media training for law enforcement and government agencies. She has worked as an on-air television and radio news anchor, reporter and editorialist as well as a producer, editor, photographer and news manager. As a former Washington, D.C., correspondent for nationally syndicated programs, she covered federal agencies and the White House. She is the author of Tools for Podcasting, a ​ ​ free e-book and accompanying website about the growing universe of podcasting with free video and ​ ​ audio tutorials to build your own podcast. The highly-reviewed book is part of the Open Textbook ​ Library and listed as a resource online by The New York Times and RTDNA.org (Radio-Television News ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Directors Association). She’s been a member of professional organizations that include the Online News ​ ​ Association (ONA), Radio-Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), National Association of Hispanic ​ ​ ​ ​ Journalists (NAHJ) and The Association of Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). ​ ​ ​

Fernando Pizarro is an experienced Washington political reporter and an adjunct professorial lecturer at the ​ School of Communications at American University, where he teaches a course on immigration reporting. A multiple Emmy Award-winner and nominee, he has covered Capitol Hill, the White House and the federal government for almost two decades. Since 2000 he has covered national and mid-term election cycles, including eight national party conventions, multiple debates and primaries, and interviewed presidential candidates and foreign heads of state. He has covered major news events all over the U.S., Asia and Latin America. His analysis has appeared in the Washington Post, NPR, 1A, On Point, BBC, WNYC, Public Radio International, The Diane Rehm Show, and radio and print media in Spain, Mexico, Central and South America. Currently he is a trustee for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and sits on the Board of Governors of the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Emmy chapter. His Washington experience includes working as a national correspondent for Univision, Capitol Hill producer for NBC News, freelance correspondent for CNN en Español, producer for Associated Press Television, and a U.S. correspondent for National Television of Chile. Previously, he was a sports anchor at ESPN International, NBC Latin America, Telefutura and Pan American Sports Network. In 2014 The Huffington Post listed him as one of the top 40 Latinos in American media. The League of United Latin American Citizens honored him with the 2016 Media Trailblazer Award. He was a 2006 Border Justice Fellow at the USC Annenberg Institute for Justice and ​ ​ Journalism and won awards from the Florida Bar for overall immigration coverage, and the Iowa Newspaper Association for editorial writing. ​

Schedule

The following schedule is a roadmap. Homework also will include readings and video tutorials that will be assigned during the day. The schedule is subject to change.

WEEK 1: Journalism Basics

Monday, July 27

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Welcome and introductions Amy Eisman, Zoom Terry Bryant, Jeremiah Patterson

10:45 a.m. -11 a.m. Break

11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Journalism’s Mission John Watson Zoom

12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch

1 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Panel Discussion: Chandelis Duster, John Watson Zoom CNN; Rae Daniel, KSHB-TV; Brandon Benavides, NBC-Washington; Moriah Balingit, Washington Post

2:15 p.m. - 5 p.m. Writing assignment (due at 5 p.m.)

Tuesday, July 28

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Journalism Basics: Leads; story Margot Susca Zoom structure; elements of a news story (5Ws and H); difference between journalism and advocacy; how to dig deeper, brainstorm story ideas, sources, research 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Talk about stories from Monday Terry Bryant, Zoom afternoon Jeremiah Patterson

12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch

1 - 2:15 p.m. Writing Drills Terry Bryant, Zoom Jeremiah Patterson

2:15 p.m. - 5 p.m. Writing assignment (due at 5 p.m.)

Wednesday, July 29

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 - 12 p.m. Interviewing Terry Bryant, Zoom Jeremiah Patterson

12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch

1 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Guest speaker: Dani Rizzo with the Terry Bryant Zoom ​ ​ Humane Rescue Alliance (students will write a story from their interview with the speaker)

2:15 p.m. - 5 p.m. Writing assignment (due at 5 p.m.) Offline

Thursday, July 30

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 11 a.m. AP Style Terry Bryant Zoom

11 a.m. - 12 p.m. AP Style Assignment Offline

12:15 - 1 p.m. Lunch 1 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Guest speaker: Lata Nott with the Terry Bryant Zoom ​ ​ Freedom Forum (students will write a story from their interview with the speaker)

2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Students write first amendment story Offline

3:15 p.m. - 5 p.m. Prep work, setting up interviews Jeremiah Patterson, Zoom Terry Bryant

Friday, July 31

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Questions about story Terry Bryant, Zoom Jeremiah Patterson

10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Out reporting (lunch on your own)

3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Writing your story Terry Bryant, Zoom Jeremiah Patterson Breakout Rooms

Homework due Friday Email Google Doc of story by 5 p.m. Late work won’t be accepted.

WEEK 2: Digital Reporting & Storytelling

Monday, Aug. 3

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 11 a.m. Building your online portfolio Jeremiah Patterson Zoom

11 a.m. - 1:15 a.m. Break

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. The Internet in Everything Laura Denardis Zoom

12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch

1 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Covering underrepresented Sherri Williams Zoom communities

2:30 - 2:45 p.m. Break

2:45 - 4 p.m. Branding Yourself Assignment (due at Jeremiah Patterson Zoom ​ 7 p.m.)

4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Return stories and discuss Jeremiah Patterson, Zoom Terry Bryant

Tuesday, Aug. 4

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Social media verification workshop Jeremiah Patterson Zoom

11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m. Social Media Verification Assignment Jeremiah Patterson (due at 7 p.m.)

12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch

1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. FOIA Jennifer LaFleur Zoom 2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Break

2:45 p.m. - 4 p.m. WordPress: What is it? Jeremiah Patterson Zoom Portfolio workshop

4 p.m. - 5 p.m. DCists Terry Bryant Zoom

Wednesday, Aug. 5

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Writing for Digital: From headlines to Amy Eisman Zoom ledes

11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Practice headline writing Terry Bryant Zoom

12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch

1 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. ??? Zoom

2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Break

2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Podcasting and working with Adobe Jill Olmsted Zoom Audition

4:30 - 5 p.m. Podcasting Assignment (due at 7 p.m.) Jeremiah Patterson Zoom ​

Thursday, Aug. 6

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Visual Journalism Lynne Perri Zoom

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch

1 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Data Jennifer LaFleur Zoom 2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Break

2:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. Data Workshop: Group 1 Jeremiah Patterson Zoom Data Assignment (due at 7 p.m.) ​ 3:45 p.m. - 5 p.m. Data Workshop: Group 2 Jeremiah Patterson Zoom Data Assignment (due at 8:15 p.m.) ​

Friday, Aug. 7

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Covering Congress Fernando Pizarro Zoom

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch

1 - 2:15 p.m. Investigative reporting: finding sources Chris Halsne Zoom for the pandemic and protests

2:15 - 2:30 p.m. Break

2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Interactive storytelling tools Jeremiah Patterson Zoom

3:30 - 3:45 p.m. Break

3:45 - 5 p.m. WordPress lab Jeremiah Patterson Zoom Portfolio Assignment (due at 7 p.m.) ​

WEEK 3: Photography and Video

Monday, Aug. 10

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Introduction to photography Terry Bryant, Zoom Jeremiah Patterson

11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Quick photo critique, introduce Photo Terry Bryant, Zoom Assignment Jeremiah Patterson

12 p.m - 3 p.m. Working lunch: shoot Photo ​ Assignment (due at 7 p.m.)

3 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. Photo editing basics Jeremiah Patterson Zoom

3:45 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Work on editing photos

4:15 p.m. - 5 p.m. Informal photo assignment critiques Terry Bryant, Zoom Jeremiah Patterson

Tuesday, Aug. 11

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Basic video storytelling Terry Bryant Zoom

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch

1 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Broadcast journalists covering news Matt Glassman Zoom during a pandemic

2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Break

2:30p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Video editing with Adobe Premiere Terry Bryant Zoom

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Editing assignment (due at 7 p.m.) 4:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Informal video assignment critiques Terry Bryant, Zoom Jeremiah Patterson

Wednesday, Aug. 12

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Writing for broadcast Terry Bryant Zoom

11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m. Practice broadcast writing Terry Bryant Zoom

12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch

1 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Broadcast writing critiques and Terry Bryant Zoom introduction to afternoon assignment

2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Break

2:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Shooting and editing video Terry Bryant Offline

Thursday, Aug. 13

Time Topic Faculty Room

9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Journalism Ethics John Watson Zoom

10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Talk about story ideas Terry Bryant, Zoom Jeremiah Patterson

10:45 a.m. - 4 p.m. Working lunch: shoot and edit story (video stories are due at 3 p.m.)

4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Watch video stories Terry Bryant, Zoom Jeremiah Patterson