Week 12: Journalism 2001

1. Week 12: Journalism 2001 November 24, 2008

2. Announcements • Cory Bellamy, student intern • Office of Sports Information Director • Former Jour 2001 student

3. WDIO Tour • What surprised you? • What did you learn? • Always job openings at the station!

14. News Release Rewrites • Good summaries • Need to include 5Ws and H • Avoid full name in lead unless prominent person • Watch wordiness!

15. Upcoming deadlines • Feature Story Assignment • Final article due: Monday, December 8 • Final eportfolio project: Due December 15 • Final Exam: December 15 • Open book, similar to past AP Stylebook editing assignments

16. Feature story draft:Due tonight! • This is your out-of-class assignment for November 24 • We will review/discuss your drafts/outlines individually • Worth 10 points • Final story due December 8

17. Also tonight • In-class assignment: • Editing classmate Community Journalism story • Make changes, give to reporter • Editing form returned to me: Worth 5 points • Rewrite Community Journalism stories • Using all of the editing suggestions, rewrite/edit your story • Email final copy to: lkragnes@d.umn.edu • Worth 5 points • Stories will be posted on class weblog

18. Chapter 19: Multicultural Reporting • NY Times: How Race is lived in America • One year project • Published in June, July of 2000 • 15 installments • Teams of reporters, editors

19. Rodney King beating • Rodney King beating • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_King • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROn_9302UHg • Minneapolis riot, 1967

20. Trends in multicultural coverage • Cultural sensitivity training • Diversification of media staffs • 13.42 percent in 2004 • Overall newsroom staffing tumbling • 4 percent decline overall • Diversification of coverage • Inner cities: Minorities are the majorities

21. Approaches to multicultural coverage • Guidelines for media and reporters • Provide consistent, daily coverage • Get to know the communities you cover • Develop multicultural links and friendships • Expand coverage beyond the “problem people” perspective • Mainstream sources for all stories • Periodically assess the representativeness of sources • Don’t “overcredential” sources • Recognize that there is diversity within cultures • Bring your own perspective to the newsroom

22. Multicultural websites • Asian American Journalists Association • National Association of Black Journalists • National Association of Hispanic Journalists • National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association • Native American Journalists Association • The Center for an Accessible Society • Journalism Organizations & Related Sites

23. Checklist for improving coverage • Have I covered the story with sensitivity, accuracy, fairness and balance regarding all of the people involved? • What are the likely consequences of publication? Who will be hurt and who will be helped? • Have I sought a diversity of sources? • Am I seeking true diversity or using tokenism by allowing one minority person to represent a community or point of view? • Have I allowed preconceived ideas to limit my efforts to include diversity?

24. Am I flexible about the possibility that the focus of the story may change when different sources are added? • Have I thought about using quotations from minority experts in non-traditional fields? • Have I spent time in minority communities and with residents to find out what people are thinking and to learn more about lifestyles, perspectives, customs, etc.? • Have I written about achievements on their own merits, rather than as “stereotype breakers?” • Have I guarded against allowing place names to become code words for crime? • As I seek diversity, am I being true to my other goals as a journalist? • Will I be able to explain my decision clearly and honestly to anyone who challenges it – and not to rationalize?

25. Out-of-Class Assignment:Due December 1 • Red Lake Cartoon Assignment • Read the letters to the editor • Write short story about Jim Heffernan’s apology • Short reaction to the controversy

26. Chapter 25: Business Newsand other specialties • What’s the difference between beat reporting and specialty reporting?

27. Business reporting • Typically more than beat reporting • Reporters do cover store openings, speeches, meetings, etc. • Provide analysis of business events

28. Types of business stories • Hard news to soft features • Handouts to personal finance columns • People items to business openings

29. What is an annual report? • Difference between publicly held, privately held company • Auditor’s report • Financial statements • Letter from chairperson • Actual numbers

30. Checklist for business reporting • Read The Wall Street Journal religiously • Take courses on economics and business to give yourself a good base of background knowledge • Don’t think that business writing has to be boring • Build a clip file • Don’t stop learning about business

31. Consumer Journalism • Began with Ralph Nader • 1965 publication of “Unsafe at Any Speed: The Designed-In Dangers of the American Automobile” • Today: More than comparing grades of meat or gas prices • From when to mail packages to long-term dangers of using common materials in the home

32. Online business, consumernews sources • www.safetyforum.com • www.consumer.gov • www.natlconsumersleague.org • www.consumereports.org • www.fda.gov

33. Consumer journalism checklist • Get a well-rounded liberal arts education • Read as much about consumer affairs as possible • Learn the language of consumer reporting • Try to get an internship in consumer reporting • After college, take more advanced training courses

34. Other specialties • Expanding coverage in new technologies • Coverage of the environment • Other specialties?

35. Final In-Class Assignments • December 1: • GLBTA Panel Story • No more than 400 words • Email to lkragnes@d.umn.edu • December 8: • Amy Rutledge Interview • No more than 400 words • Email to lkragnes@d.umn.edu

36. Community Journalism Rewrite • Peer review and rewrite of community journalism stories for Web site

37. Community Journalism Review • Overall excellent stories! • You’re all good writers now – we’ll work on being stronger reporters! • Remember the basics: 5Ws and H • You might know a topic – assume this is new to the reader • Need attribution • Strongest after direct quote • ,” he said, she said. • Comma inside quote marks • Stick to third person: Not we, us, I, you • Need quotes! Named sources! Or reads like report/opinion piece • Style errors: • Dates • Months • Numerals • Need first name • Several stories almost ready for publication – good job!

38. A Residence Inn is set to be developed now through 2010 in the Duluth Heights Community area after about three-fourths of the residents within 300 feet of the property signed a petition passing the rezoning of the area for commercial land use. Campus Park Villas and Townhomes, which is a student housing complex as implemented a new rules that has residents disappointed with the housing facility.

39. Chester Park’s Lush forest is under attack by an invasive foreign species. Duluth’s native forest Chester Park is being invaded by a foreign plant called buckthorn. The Buckthorn plant blocks sunlight and moisture from reaching other plants. * * * * * * * * * * * * Chester Park’s lush forest is under attack by the Buckthorn plant, an invasive foreign species that blocks sunlight and moisture from reaching other plants.

40. Review of feature story drafts • While doing editing/rewrite of community journalism stories

41. Let’s revisit portfolio https://portfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/index.jsp

42. Portfolio • Store academic information on your Electronic Portfolio. Each student has 100 mb of storage. • Access Electronic Portfolio at: https://portfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/index.jsp