Course Information
COMM 2332.s01
Fall 2013
RADIO / TV NEWS
Catalog Description: The preparation of news and analysis of news styles for the
electronic media.
Course Credit Hours: 3 Lecture Hours
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to do the following:
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Write a news story following broadcast style rules
Read news stories following basic broadcast speech guidelines for rate, inflection
and pausing
Define "news" conceptually and list the criteria for selecting events for news
coverage
Conduct an interview and record a video stand-up report;
Slot stories for a newscast
Identify trends in newscasts relevant to emerging media and real-time
deliverability
Analyze a newscast according to content, style, and objectivity.
Withdrawal Policy:
“See the current Collin Registration Guide for the last
day to withdraw. “
Collin College Academic Policies: “See the current Collin Student Handbook.”
Americans with Disabilities Act: Collin College will adhere to all applicable federal, state and
local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to
providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford
equal opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to
contact the ACCESS office, SCC-G200 or 972.881.5898
(V/TTD: 972.881.5950) to arrange for appropriate
accommodations. See the current Collin Student Handbook
for additional information.
Instructor Information
Instructor’s Name: Ceilidh Charleson-Jennings
Office Number: B232, Spring Creek Campus
Office Hours: T/Th 9:15-10AM, 2:15-3:45,W 3:30-5:30
Phone Number: 972.881.5182
Email: ccharleson@collin.edu
Class Information:
Section Number: COMM 2300.s01
Meeting Times: T/Th 11:30-12:45
Meeting Location: B233
Course Resources: Students will be expected to complete online and/or library readings.
Consistent internet access (at least three times per week) required to successfully complete
course.
Supplementary Text:
Burnett, John. Uncivilized Beasts and Shameless Hellions: Travels with an NPR Correspondent
Publisher: Rodale Books (September 5, 2006)
ISBN-10: 1594863040
ISBN-13: 978-1594863042
Recommended
Supplies: One orange two-pocket folder; one non-permanent transparency marker
Attendance Policy: Attendance is taken every class session at the top of the hour, except
in those classes where a presentation is done or a project turned in, an exam is given or
returned (roll may be determined thus). Graded activities that are missed may only be
made up for extreme emergencies (with medical or other documentation) or schoolsponsored activities. Group presentations are not eligible for make up.
Method of Evaluation
Graded news readings 5 @ 20 pts. each. = 100
Written newscasts 15, 25, 30, 30 = 100
Exams 3@33 each = 100
Package Performance Exams (midterm and final), 50 each = 100 (may be taped in
classroom or on air)
Production or studio assistance, student-selected per own schedule, newscast reports -variable points = 10 pts. extra credit which may be added to any one assignment type
above.
Your grade will be based on the average of your cumulative scores.
Example:
Graded news readings: 82
News stories: total 85
Exams: total 80
Package performance exams: total 87
Studio assistance +5, added to graded news readings = 87
Average of 87+85+80+87=339
339 / 4 = 84.75 = B
A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60=69
F=59 and below
Calendar: (May be modified due to production, content, or facility demands)
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER
Week 1
Intro to course. Basic principles of news format. Sample news reading.
Week 2
Print vs. electronic media, story format standards. Sample news reading.
Week 3
News reading #1 (graded) Tuesday – text: file newscast (20)
News reading #1 self-review and critique, Thursday
Week 4
Newscast NC#1 (student-written) due Tuesday
Lead and story: Newscast analysis Thursday
Week 5
Newscast analysis Tuesday
News reading #2, text: your NC #1 (20) Thursday
Week 6
Written Newscast (NC#2) due Tuesday – bring copy for instructor and copies for two
readers
Angle ethics, and legal matters pt. 1 (Thurs)
OCTOBER
Week 7
Exam #1 in Testing Center Tuesday (no class in classroom)
Prepping for the performance midterm; Angle,ethics, and legal matters pt. 2 (Thurs)
Week 8
Midterm performance recordings—newscast readings
Prepped / Tuesday; Cold / Thursday
Week 9
The interview – field and studio
Week 10
Interview prep Tuesday
News reading #3, text: NC#2 Thursday
NOVEMBER
Week 11
Written Newscast (NC #3) due Tuesday
Interviewing activities and prep
Week 12
Interview (News Reading #4)
Exam #2 on Thursday (no class in classroom Thursday)
Week 13
Writing Sports and Weather
Week 14
Writing Sports and Weather Tues
THANKSGIVING
DECEMBER
Week 15
EXAM #3 in TestingCenter on Tuesday (no class in classroom Tuesday)
Written Newscast #4 (Sports and Weather) due Thursday
News reading #5: text NC #4 Thursday
Week 16
Final recordings, text: file material
IMPORTANT:
Email is the best way to reach me. For confidentiality requirements, use only your
Cougarmail account to contact me.
Please begin all subject lines with COMM 2332, then follow with the rest of your desired
subject line. Ex.
Subj: COMM 2332 Question about the first test.
Please always sign your first and last name on all your e-mails to me. ALWAYS INDICATE
WHICH CLASS YOU ARE WRITING ABOUT.
You'd be amazed at how much easier this makes it for me to answer your questions
quickly and easily!
E-mail is checked M-F, usually before 10 AM and again early afternoon. Please allow 24
hours for response. I do not check e-mail weekday evenings or on weekends at all.
Students e-mailing after 10 AM Friday and 7 AM Monday should expect a response on
Monday.
Faculty Web site: http://iws.collin.edu/ccharleson
House Rules:
~ Attendance is taken every class session at the top of the hour, except in those classes
where a presentation is done or a project turned in, an exam is given or returned (roll
may be determined thus). Graded activities that are missed may only be made up for
extreme emergencies (with medical or other documentation) or school-sponsored
activities. Arrest and detainment procedures are not considered excusable absences.
~You are not penalized for missing class if no graded work is to be performed that class
session. Tardies, however, are disruptive and distracting to the entire class. Every tardy
past the first two receives a 4-pt. penalty from your total performance score in the class.
~ All exams will be preceded by a review, indicating what text content will be covered.
All lecture material, documentaries, guest speakers, etc. will be considered viable for
the relevant exam.
~ Technology and in-class etiquette: Pagers and cell phones MUST be turned to SILENT
and not visible during class. Text messaging and cell phone use is not allowed in the
classroom at any time—this includes text messaging in purses, book bags, and
pockets. Any student leaving class to respond to a page must have proof of an
emergency condition necessitating this. If you know you have an emergency condition
you are monitoring, please alert the instructor ahead of time. Students using cell phones
or other telecommunications devices in class will lose 4 points from the class total
(before averaging) for the first disruption. A second use of cell phones or similar devices
in class will result in a dismissal from class, a disruption write-up and meeting with the
Dean of Students. See section S, p. 191 of Student Handbook.
Additionally, laptop computers are not allowed for in-class use unless circumstances
necessitate and use is pre-approved by instructor.
~ A missed exam, paper due date, etc. may be made up only with a documentation for a
school activity or family/personal emergency that spans the entire test-release period. If
you have an emergency condition necessitating a miss, notify the instructor as soon as
possible either by phone or e-mail. Simply missing the test or other assignment will
result in a zero.
~ Once the exam grades are released, students may not keep their exam pages or
Scantrons. These must be returned to the professor, serving as record of your work in
the course.
~ An absence on a group meeting/rehearsal day will result in a 5 point loss of group
points for the absent group member only. The rest of the group will not be penalized.
An absence on the day of the actual presentation will result in a zero grade for the
absent member, except in the case of extreme, documented emergency.
~ Any written work turned in (possible extra credit, group project reports, etc.) must be
typed. All work is due at the beginning of class. Student arriving late to turn in work (or
turning it in via-e-mail after class has begun) will receive a 10% deduction if work has
already been taken up. No late work / e-mail work accepted after class. If you are
going to be absent on a day something is due, email a copy to me *before* class
begins and then come the next class period with a printed copy for grading. I will not
print student work, but the emailed copy indicates that something was ready for turnin at the appropriate time for credit.
Student Policies and Procedures
~Students are expected to conduct themselves to a collegiate standard. Any student
asked to cease disruptive activities will be referred to the Dean of Students on the
second such occurrence, and will not be allowed to return to class until meeting with
the Dean. While this policy is necessary for very few students, fortunately, the presence
of the occasional student unaware of college behavior standards requires such a
reminder here.
Religious Holidays
In accordance with Section 51.911 of the Texas Education Code, Collin will allow a
student who is absent from class for the observance of a religious holy day to take an
examination or complete a scheduled assignment within a reasonable time. Students
are required to file a written request with each professor within the first fifteen days of
the semester to quality for an excused absence. A copy of the state rules and
procedures regarding holy days and the form for the notification of absence from each
class under this provision are available from the Registrar's Office.
Scholastic Dishonesty
The College may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of scholastic
dishonesty.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts, or omissions
related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree and/or the submission
as one's own work material that is not one's own. Scholastic dishonesty may involve, but
is not limited to, one or more of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion, use
of annotated texts or teacher’ s editions, and/or falsifying academic records.
Plagiarism is the use of an author's words or ideas as if they were one's own without
giving credit to the source, including, but not limited to, failure to acknowledge a direct
quotation.
Cheating is the willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner
during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in advance, copying
computer or Internet files, using someone else's work for assignments as if it were one's
own, or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a course.
Collusion is intentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of scholastic
dishonesty, including but not limited to providing a paper or project to another student,
providing an inappropriate level of assistance; communicating answers to a classmate
during an examination; removing tests or answer sheets from a test site, and allowing a
classmate to copy answers.