2018 Autumn Syllabus SPORTS MEDIA Tuesday/Thursday 3:55-5:15 p.m. 281 Journalism Table of Contents Page 2 Team Description & Season Goals Page 3 Team description and season goals .........................................................................................3 Description Season schedule .....................................................................................................................4-5 It’s easy to be a sports fan, but far more challenging is chronicling the world of sports using the media Staff directory .............................................................................................................................6 tools on which consumers have come to count. This class is designed to teach all aspects of media inter- The Main Points .........................................................................................................................7 action with sports, from legacy media reporter to web-based blogger, from broadcaster to communication Assignments ...............................................................................................................................8 specialist, from social media poster to in-house talent. We will explore sports media as a career, utilizing journalism skills like interviewing, reporting, blogging, Coaching methods ...................................................................................................................10 working with coaches and athletic directors, staging and covering press conferences, statistics, etc. We Technology Excuse Statement ................................................................................................10 also focus on issues related to sports coverage, including race and gender, hero worship and the ethics of Special Attractions ...................................................................................................................12 what sports journalists do and why they do it. Post-Game Notes .....................................................................................................................13 Remember, we are journalists, so leave your team jerseys at home! Annotating with Perusall .........................................................................................................14 This is not a class where you can be passive and do well--your engagement and participation is a key part Academic Dishonesty ...............................................................................................................16 of your success in the course. It’s Time for Twitter ...................................................................................................................17 Sports Desk Meetings .............................................................................................................18 Slack .........................................................................................................................................19 Athletic Contacts ......................................................................................................................20 Playbooks Important Links and Personalities ..........................................................................................21 Sports Journalism: An introduction to reporting and writing 10 Sports Journalism Rules ....................................................................................................22 (Stofer, Schaffer & Rosenthal), PURCHASE THROUGH PERUSALL (see page 14) Commitment to Diversity .........................................................................................................22 Required: AP Stylebook 2017 edition ($22.95 or subscribe to online version) Optional: Best American Sports Writing (2016), ISBN 978-0544617315. Cost: $8.32 through Amazon. The Fine Print ...........................................................................................................................22 Required: Read ESPN.Com, SI.com, and the Columbus Dispatch and Lantern sports pages regularly. Season Schedule Article Draft Module 1b Module 1a Module 9a Jan. 11 Module 9b Jan. 9 March 6 Careers in sports media March 8 Welcome to #OSUSportsMedia Sports Photography Discussion 1: What is your career in sports media? Talking for a living TMQB No. 1 Discussion 7: Let’s Talk About It Module 2a Module 10a Module 10b Jan. 16 Module 2b March 13 March 15 Jan. 18 Evolution of sports writing Writing for and about sports TMQB No. 2 SPRING BREAK! SPRING BREAK! Write-up game story--finish Write-up game story--start Module 3a Module 3b Module 11a Module 11b Jan. 23 Jan/ 25 March 20 March 22 Covering games Writing the game story Building relationships in media relations Making multimedia Due: Game Story Draft Due: Game Story TMQB No. 7 Due: Multimedia Package Project Discussion 2: What went right and wrong Module 4a Module 4b Module 12a Jan. 30 Feb. 1 March 27 Module 12a March 29 The Source Relationship Press Conferences and Interviews Creating press releases and in-house features Visit to Nationwide Arean and begin planning final TMQB No. 3 Discussion 3: Do athletes deserve a private life? TMQB No. 8 project Module 5a Module 5b Module 13a Module 13b Feb. 6 Feb. 8 April 3 April 5 Finding Feature Stories Profiles and personalities Media Guides and Press Notes Press kits and working in the press box TMQB No. 4 In-class assignment: Feature Article idea, lede and nut graph TMQB No. 9 Discussion 8: Sports PR vs. Sports Journalism Discussion 4: The Writing of Frank DeFord Module 6a Module 6b Module 14a Feb. 13 Feb. 15 April 10 Module 14b April 12 What opinions are like Finishing Feature Sports Media Ethics The Final Project Begins Due: Feature story draft Due: Advance Feature/Profile Discussion 9: What is the biggest ethical challenge fac- TMQB No. 10 TMQB No. 5 ing sports media today? Module 7a Module 7a Module 15a Feb. 20 Feb. 22 April 17 Module 15b Something about social (media) Prejudice in sports coverage and media Final project work April 19 TMQB No. 6 Discussion 5: Racism and sexism in sports media Due: Final project draft DUE: Final Project (PR Package) Final discussion post: How did it go? Module 8a Module 8b Feb. 27 March 1 Sports Broadcasting Learning to broadcast Discussion 6: The Locker Room Staff Directory Page 6 The Main Points Page 7 ake every pre-conceived notion you Nicole Kraft, Assistant Professor (clinical) have about classes and learning and After 25 years as a journalist, Nicole Kraft joined the Ohio State School of Com- professors and throw them out the munication faculty as an assistant professor of journalism in 2010. window for this experience. You do not Nicole began her career in sports in 1984 as an intern with the Golden State doT work in here for a grade, and you do not do Warriors before joining the Philadelphia 76ers in 1985 to work in publicity and work for Nicole as your professor. In truth, she is statistics. She helped create the Sixers Media Guide and was a regular contributor your editor, and you are all journalists, and the to Hoop Magazine. work you do is for a) readers and b) to make you She later covered high school sports for The Montgomery County Record and employable once you move into the world. Montgomery Newspapers, before focusing her career on news, politics and government reporting. After You have now all become sports media profes- a stint as a Congressional press secretary and as an editor at the Napa Valley Register, she returned to sionals, which will allow you to focus the sport sports in 1996 as associate editor of Hoof Beats. She became the magazine’s executive editor and direc- you will cover and become master of your own tor of communication for the sport of harness racing. athletic domain. That means the majority of A USA Hockey certified coach and avid “hockey mom,” Nicole currently writes for the Associated Press ideas will be generated for you, by you. covering the Columbus Blue Jackets and covers horseracing for the Columbus Dispatch. She is vice pres- The standards here are professional, not ac- ident of communication for the Columbus Ice Hockey Club and president of the Bishop Watterson Hockey ademic, and your primary work product will be Board. questions. Nicole expects you to ask “why” and Nicole’s focus in teaching and research has been utilizing iPads and iTunes U to create “active learning” “how” on a daily basis, while you discover and uncover and explore. environments in journalism classrooms and provide a self-contained learning environment for multimedia That said, you are here to fail as much as you succeed. Take chances, try new things, don’t be afraid to journalism. She teaches every summer in Ethiopia, where she focuses on distance education pedagogy. In fiddle. This is a life laboratory, and the more we experiment, the more discoveries we will make. 2015 she was named an Apple Distinguished Educator, and is currently pursuing a PhD in global educa- If you are seeking a “sage on the stage” who will lecture while you passively write down every holy nugget this is not the class for you. Nicole’s role here is your guide. You will discover together and learn much from each other. E-mail: [email protected] Note from Nicole: Office Location: 3045E Derby Hall I heard recently of a great question from an editor who called for a reference check on a student applying Website: nicolekraftosu.wordpress.com for a job: “What is he going to be ready to do on Day One and what is he not ready for that’s going to mean Twitter: @nicole_kraft more work for me?” Slack: