JRN 452 W
RADIO & TV
NEWS WRITING
SPRING 2012
TIME/LOCATION :
T-TH 11:30-1 p.m.
Bunnell 126
PREREQUISITES: ENG 111, ENG 211 OR 213
JRN 202 OR permission of instructor
AND
INSTRUCTOR: BRIAN PATRICK O'DONOGHUE
Associate professor, Bunnell 101B
bpodonoghue@alaska.edu
474-6247
Office Hours:
Tues., Thurs., 2-3:30 p.m.,
and by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Overview of radio and television news writing. Emphasis on
newscast writing principles, including storytelling forms,
script formats, medium-specific interviewing techniques,
ethical considerations and current industry trends.
Overall goal: Learn to script broadcast news ─in other
words, writing for the ear and/or eye─ in the syntax of
audio and video news reporting.
SPECIFIC
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the completion of the course, students should be able
to:
 distinguish between writing for broadcast and writing
for print or the web
 write to video/write around audio actualities
 script a coherent news story less than two minutes
long incorporating pictures and multiple sound bites
 edit a print story for broadcast, producing tight
copy, free of grammar errors and libelous content
 analyze and discuss ethical choices confronting
broadcast journalists
 demonstrate news judgment selecting and ordering
stories for presentation in a short newscast.
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INSTRUCTION METHODS: Lectures, guest speakers, readings,
videos, discussion, in-class exercises and most
important, WRITING!
JRN 452 is a designated writing-intensive course. Classes
frequently include lab writing exercises. Rewrites are
mandatory on several assignments. The professor will
schedule individual conferences at least once during the
semester and discuss each student's writing development.
Class discussions generally center on assigned readings.
They may involve current events and local and national
coverage of those events. Expect weekly quizzes on
current events. Attendance is mandatory, with a
progressive penalty for unexcused absences.
REQUIRED READING:
OUR TEXT CONSISTS OF
HANDOUTS AND ONLINE VIDEO CLIPS COVERING
ASPECTS OF BROADCAST SCRIPTWRITING AND RELATED LECTURE TOPICS.
HIGHLY
RECOMMENDED
BOOKS
AND
RESOURCES
Working With Words: A Handbook for Media Writers and
Editors, Brian S. Brooks, James L. Pinson, Jean Gaddy
Wilson.
The Elements of Style, Strunk and White
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
We will spend a fair amount of time in discussion. It’s
important for you to a) be in class to take part in these
discussions, b) prepare for class by reading any assigned
materials, and c) contribute generously to discussion.
Plan to attend class, arrive on time, and stay involved
Attendance is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition
for what I consider “active participation.” I will evaluate
your participation in the class using the following general
guidelines.
Content, understanding: Have you done the assigned reading
and other homework? Do you follow the class discussion and
build on others’ ideas? When you don’t understand
something, do you ask questions?
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Creativity: Do you generate your own insights and examples
and share them in class?
Curiosity and interest: Do you bring enthusiasm to the
classroom?
HOW TO SUCCEED IN JRN 452:
Become a true newshound. Pay
attention to the stories dominating
the news locally and nationally.
Compare story coverage in print
pages alongside radio and video
newscasts. Look at the reporting
angles taken by rival stations and
networks. Go the extra mile and
collect news scripts. Share what
you find with class.
Thoughtful news viewing contributes to better news
judgment, better understanding of what makes a story and
better editing of your own work.
COURSE POLICIES
Absence from class
If you are unable to attend class, it is your
responsibility to arrange for a classmate to collect copies
of any handouts, or to provide you with information on any
assignments, activities, lecture materials, or date
changes.
You cannot make up any in-class exercises for the day.
Everyone gets one free pass on this.
Except for documented medical emergencies, absences must be
approved by the instructor prior to the class session that
will be missed. Alternate assignments to make up for any
in-class points will be given only for instructor-approved
absences. Any excused absence MUST be preceded by an email
to me. Telling me after class that you’ll miss the next
session is fine, but you must ALSO SEND ME AN EMAIL.
Punctuality
Arriving late to class is distraction. Enter as quietly as
possible. Chronic tardiness inevitably lowers scores on
quizzes, which are given at class start.
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Cell Phone Free Zone
Turn off your phone commencing class. Period. Do not text.
Do not check to see who just called. Do not message
classmates or scan Facebook during class. All of the above
are obvious, disrespectful, hamper discussion and reduce
comprehension. None of us, including the professor, is as
good at multi-tasking as we presume. Don't believe me?
Watch Frontline's "Digital Nation."
Format
All assignments, even those completed in class, should be
typed. For essays or quizzes that's generally double-spaced
(that’s DOUBLE-SPACED) in an easy-to-read 12-point font,
such as Times New Roman or Helvetica.
Radio and TV Scripts should be formatted as specified.
Pages should be stapled together in the upper left corner.
The top of the page should look like this:
Jackson (lastname)
Storyslug+version("draft1" etc.)
Jan. 14 (date created or last revised)
Deadlines
Deadlines are critical in journalism. A single missed
deadlines could mean your job. Therefore, work that is
turned in late (late means later than the beginning of
class on the day the assignment is due) may result in an
automatic 20 percent point reduction.
Plagiarism/Fabrication
Plagiarism is using other people’s words or ideas as your
own without crediting the original author. Fabrication
includes making up quotes, sources, or events.
Evidence of plagiarism or fabrication in any assignment
will result in a minimum penalty of an F for the course.
Further action, such as expulsion from the department and
additional academic penalties, may be taken.
To protect yourself from false accusations of plagiarism,
keep all of your interview notes, research material and
rough drafts until you receive your grade for the semester.
If you are confused about what constitutes plagiarism or
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fabrication, please ask. If you’re confused about these
terms, it’s likely other students are too.
JRN 452 GRADING:
Scripts
Exercises
Quizzes
Assignments
Final
Midterm
Participation
50 percent
10 percent
10 percent
10 percent
10
5 percent
5 percent
Extra Credit
There will be extra credit opportunities this semester,
announced as the semester goes along.
Final grades calculated using UAF's plus-minus formula
applying this philosophy:
A+: Honor grade, indicates originality & mastery of subject
A: Excellence, completion of more work than regularly required
B: Above average effort
C: Satisfactory performance, minimum grade required for J-majors
D: Lowest passing grade
F: Failure
LAB INFORMATION
We will use the computer lab in Bunnell 126 for this class.
Your Polar Express card gets you access to this room at all
times. For the first time this semester, students initially
will logon using their UAF ID and Elmo password. You then
need to click on the ASIP icon on the bottom application
panel to logon to access the NEWS server.
Work can be saved to a personal folder created on your UAF
cloud server, or copied to a "JRN 452" folder within the
NEWS server.
DISABILITIES
If you have a disability and require any auxiliary aids,
services or accommodations, please see me after class, see
me in my office, or call me during the first few weeks of
the semester so we can talk about your particular situation
and collaborate with the Office of Disability Services
(474-5655). Early attention to specific accommodation needs
provides enough time for planning and preparation.
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