Fall 2010 Journalism 349 T/395: Reporting the World: A Critical Examination of the U.S. News Media Classes: T/Th 12:30 - 2 Instructor: Tracy Dahlby Telephone: 512-471-6272 Email: [email protected] Teaching Assistant: Monica Chadha Objectives This course is designed to provide students with a dynamic way of looking at, thinking about, and reporting the world, both abroad and at home. It will help you establish a framework for analyzing and understanding the events and processes that shape our lives in a global society. Our guiding considerations: How does the news we consume form our views of the world and influence our reporting? To what extent do such views jibe with or differ from what really occurs? As journalistic observers, how can we develop tools for obtaining a clearer picture of important events and trends? In attempting to answer such questions, we will focus on how to: . Think critically about what purpose the news media serve – and how we can use various news- and non-news media to see the world more clearly. Determine the extent to which the news media succeed or fail in conveying the reality of events on the ground and why. Drill down to fundamental layers of understanding about events, their political, economic, cultural and psychological complexities, and develop deep context on issues affecting our communities and us. Develop and hone our research, reporting and writing techniques. Distinguish the dos and don’ts of professional journalism, and consider the ethical compass points of fairness, accuracy and truth seeking as they relate to explaining the world around us. Prerequisites Undergraduates (J349): Admission to a journalism area of concentration. Graduate students (J395): Graduate standing. Classes The class meets for 1 ½ hours twice a week and employs a series of case studies that will teach you to think critically about how the news is “made” and the factors that have contributed to the shaping of American journalism today; the degree to which ideologies, ownership and political power clarify or obscure journalism’s task of going after the illuminating or significant story and getting it right; the journalist’s obligations to history, objectivity and fairness; the proper stance to assume in regard to conflicting value systems and the demands posed by technological, political and social change in a globalizing world. In short, we will discuss and practice techniques for becoming better reporters and writers. Each class will start with an editorial discussion of what’s in the news and how it relates to our study. Your familiarity with the ebb and flow of current events will be an important factor in your grade for class participation. At the first class session we will discuss how to set up a network of RSS feeds to help you monitor the events of the world. You will be required to follow: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Financial Times, the Economist, Newsweek, the BBC World News, and Reuters. You are welcome to monitor any additional news outlets you find useful and encouraged to share them with the rest of us. The instructor will lead seminar-style discussions of the ideas, issues and events under our journalistic microscope. You will be encouraged to volunteer your ideas and from time to time will also be called on to participate to ensure that everyone gets involved and we all benefit from a full range of views. Assignments There will be three main types (four for grad students): . Commentary and news analysis: Designed to reflect your thinking on issues covered in class, regular written assignments will develop your ability to process information and opinion (from assigned reading, other media, and class discussion) and make meaning out of it for a general audience. Completing the assigned reading and reporting on your own initiative will be critical to demonstrating your grasp of the issues in written form. Leading class discussion: Each student will be asked to help lead a class discussion based on our readings at least once during the course of the semester. Graduate students (and undergrads for extra credit): One extra essay will be required of grad students – in consultation with the instructor grad students will choose a book (or books) from the Suggested Reading list below and write an analysis of 800 to 1,000 words to be filed before the Thanksgiving holiday break. Please do not choose a book you have already read or written about. Semester project (grads and undergrads): You will choose a topic of your liking that deals with issues or events covered in class and develop an in-depth 2 approach to it. The length of the assignment is a minimum of 2,000 words for undergraduates and 2,500 words for graduate students – or the multimedia equivalent. Students wanting to do a multimedia project should discuss plans with the instructor well in advance of the deadline. Important dates: Project rough drafts are due on Monday, November 22, at 6 p.m.; completed drafts are due on Monday, December 6, at 12 noon. Note: Your instructor reserves the right to require written summaries of reading assignments where necessary for adequate comprehension. Grades Timing: Deadlines are sacrosanct in journalism. Meet them and qualify your assignments for full credit; miss them and your highest potential grade will drop sharply – one grade level at each of the following benchmarks: 30 minutes, 12 hours, 24 hours late. You may always file your assignments before deadline to the applause of your grateful editors. Assessment: Writing assignments will be graded on the skill with which you use language, organization and solidly reported content to illustrate and satisfy your topic – and the degree to which you improve your skills over the course of the semester. See Appendix I below for a detailed assessment grid for commentaries and analysis. The Matrix: Final course grades will be calculated on the plus/minus grading system for both undergraduate and graduate students. They will be tallied according to the following percentage guidelines: . Commentary, analysis and reporting exercises 50 . Semester project 15 . Class participation and in-class exercises 35 Filing Your Work All written communication between you and your editors (instructor and TA) will be electronic. For routine memos (messages), use standard email. Send story proposals and story files as email attachments in Word. When filing an attachment always be sure to put the same slug on BOTH your email AND the attachment. Here’s how to create a proper slug: Start by using the correct tag for the item you’re sending: For commentaries/stories, it’s “file.” For project proposals, it’s “prop.” For all other messages, it’s “memo.” Add a space, then your last name, and then another space, and finally the assignment number (or for memos only, a brief topic identifier). If your last name is Smith, for example, and you’re filing your first assignment, the slug reads: 3 file smith assign1 If you’re filing a project proposal, the slug is: prop smith project If you’re sending a routine memo, it reads: memo smith missed deadline Please send all proposals and story files to both of your editors – one copy to Monica, one to Tracy. Memos can of course be sent to either Monica or Tracy or both, depending on to whom you want to talk about what. Important: Always start all commentaries with a working headline. Putting a headline or title on your work helps focus both writer and reader, and is therefore a good habit to acquire. Thus it’s also a requirement of this course. Editorial Consultations You will meet with your instructor at least once during the semester to discuss individual progress, reporting methods, research ideas and career goals. You are also encouraged to make use of office hours to discuss any of the foregoing. Tips for Success Reading: Reading, both panoramic and sharply focused, is essential to your success as a journalist. Formal reading assignments come from two main sources – required texts or materials provided for you on our Blackboard site. Please do all the reading assigned for class discussion so that we can make the best use of our time together. Taking notes: Producing good notes is second nature to the professional journalist; even in the presence of cameras or other recording devices you want your own record of comments and events to help you decide what you think about things and how they connect to other things you know. Accordingly, each time you encounter a source, whether human or media (e.g., a city official, an expert on climate change, or a book, an article or a video) please take notes. This is important both in the course and for your development as a critical thinker. To talk or write authoritatively about a subject you need to not only read and view but master the relevant materials, which means retaining key ideas and supporting detail. Taking good notes is the best way to ensure you have something lasting to show for your close encounters with the world of sources and ideas. Office hours: Take advantage of them – to discuss the class, your progress, ideas, career plans, or your professional interests. You’re always welcome. 4 Required Texts Orientalism, by Edward W. Said Occidentalism: The West in the Eyes of its Enemies, by Ian Buruma and Avishai Margalit The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation, by Gene Roberts and Hank Klibanoff China: The Balance Sheet: What the World Needs to Know About the Emerging Superpower, by C. Fred Bergsten, et al Suggested Reading Internet Impact Googled: The End of the World as We Know It by Ken Auletta Cyberselfish: A Critical Romp through the Terribly Libertarian Culture of High Tech by Paulina Borsook The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr The Age of American Unreason by Susan Jacoby The Cult of the Amateur: How Today’s Internet is Killing Our Culture by Andrew Keen You Are Not Gadget: A Manifesto by Jaron Lanier Infotopia: How Many Minds Produce Knowledge by Cass R.