Department of Mass Communications
Southern Illinois Univ. Edwardsville
MC. 330, Advanced Broadcast Writing
Ralph R. Donald, Professor. Spring, 2007
Office (DH 1033) hours as posted
Class meets MW 3:30-4:45 pm in DH 1015
(and occasionally in DH 1014)
<rdonald@siue.edu> (618) 650-2236
Course Description: Advanced theory and
professional writing techniques for radio and
television. Topics include writing commercials,
news and other continuity, plus dramatic
scriptwriting for television. Prerequisite: MC 204.
Texts/Websites: Copywriting for the Electronic Media: A Practical Guide by Milan D. Meeske)
Writing the Screenplay: TV and Film, 2nd ed., by Alan A. Armer;
Writers Guild of America’s Professional Writer’s Teleplay/Screenplay Format, a handout;
and the Mass Communications Department’s TVR Script Style Standards (see URL below)
Later in the semester, if you want to purchase your own copy of the Final Draft software, the
best price we’ve found is at Journey Ed’s website:
http://www.journeyed.com/department.asp?NAV=0111&SKW=DPscreenplay
Expenses: Later in the semester, there could be as much as $35 in duplicating expenses –
spread out over six weeks -- to make script copies.
Major Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, students should be
prepared to perform the following either at a more advanced level or at entry-level
competency:
• write radio and television news stories better than they were able to do in MC 202 ;.
• write radio commercials better than they were able to do in MC 203;
• write televison commercials better than they were able to do in MC 204;
• understand the requirements for instructional, corporate and marketing
videos and video news releases and write a short instructional video script;
• analyze the content of a television program to learn how its screenplay is structured;
• write a treatment (story outline) and script for a 30-minute dramatic or comedy television
program;
• become competent with Final Draft software (used for writing WGA standard scripts);
• through story sessions in class, during which students read their copy to each other, learn
the critical skills necessary to improve their own writing and evaluate the work of others.
The Course Plan: I will conduct lecture-discussion sessions to either introduce or expand
student knowledge of each kind of writing. Having read the
assigned book chapters and handouts, and having spent time in the
Multimedia Lab practicing with Final Draft scriptwriting software,
students will be prepared to complete writing and other
assignments. Instructional videos and other taped examples from
TV programs and feature films will be used as illustrations.
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Copy Style Standards: The Mass Comm TVR faculty has created style standards for most kinds
of TV, radio and film scripts. These are the default style standards used exclusively in our
department, beginning in MC 202. The department will expect you to use these styles
exclusively in all of our courses at SIUE, and they will be the style criteria used to evaluate all
scripts in your Senior Portfolio. They may not be precisely the styles used at various radio and
television stations at which you may intern or work, because, unlike AP style, none have found
100 per cent acceptance in the industry. All these style standards are available for you to print
and study at the bottom of this web page:
http://www.siue.edu/MASSCOMM/departmenthandbook.html
Just a note: On your internship, you may be instructed by your supervisor to use styles other
than ours. That’s fine. And if you put them in a special section in your senior portfolio for
scripts written during your internship, you will be judged on your consistency of use of those
standards.
Course Activities
 Advanced radio news writing
Write radio news copy
 Advanced television news writing
Write television news copy
 Persuasion theory and practice in commercial
writing.
Write a 60-second radio commercial
 Advanced TV commercial writing
Write a 30-second TV commercial script
 Learning about instructional, corporate,
marketing videos
Writing an instructional video
 Dramatic (and comedic) scriptwriting
Analysis of teasers, plot, theme, action
breakdown by acts, climax, and
epilog, treatments and outlines
Analyze a 30-minute dramatic TV show
Write 30-minute TV show script
 Four tests on the two textbooks, plus a take-home test on news copy editing.
Point Values for Projects and tests
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Radio news story (50 points); (a senior portfolio item)
TV news story (50 points); (a senior portfolio item)
Radio News Style and Editing Take-home Test (25 points);
Radio commercial script (50 points); (a senior portfolio item)
TV commercial script (50 points); (a senior portfolio item)
Instructional video script (50 points); (a senior portfolio item)
TV program analysis (50 points); (a senior portfolio item)
Treatment for final TV script (50 points); (a senior portfolio item)
Act I Draft (10 points); Act II Draft (10 points); Act III Draft (10 points);
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• Final project: a half-hour TV series episode script (100 points); (a senior portfolio item)
• Four book tests @ 25 points each (100 points);
• Perfect attendance (50 points). Attendance scale on next page.
Final Grading Scale for the Semester: Total points possible: 655
589-655 points.................... A
524-588 points.................... B
458-523 points.................... C
393-457 points.................... D
Below 393 points............... F
Note about “examples” I will ask you to provide in exams: Sadly, Mass Comm. students
have not viewed and experienced many classic motion pictures. But, like writers of literature,
playrights, musicians or studio artists, it is imperative that TV/Film writers know and study
the classics of their medium. So students in this course are required to begin this process by
acquiring or renting classics from Blockbuster, Netflix, etc., for viewing. In writing your
exams, I require all examples you provide (and I almost always ask for examples) to be from
among the classics on the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest American Films list, which I
will provide you at the beginning of the semester. Start with Casablanca. There are a few
questions on tests that require you to have viewed this film. This is the best assignment in this
course: See great movies and learn your trade. Popcorn optional.
Re-writing & Re-grading Opportunities: This course is serious about the motto, “The best
writing is re-writing.” To reward you for your efforts to improve your writing, you can raise
your first-time score for your radio news story, TV news story, radio commercial script, TV
commercial script, and your instructional video script. You may submit one rewrite per
project (along with the original graded script) up to a week after the return of your graded
script. This doesn’t mean that your first attempts can – or should -- be sloppy, un-edited first
drafts. That’s an insult to me, and a waste of everyone’s
time. Your first draft should be your best, most polished
attempt. Then, if I still see room for improvement in my
review comments on your script, you’ll have a chance to
improve it, along with your grade. Pay special attention
to the instruction sheets that accompany each
assignment. You will be penalized additional points for
failure to follow written instructions, including your use
of the wrong script model. Project instructions will
always specify the name of the script model to be used
for the project. So don’t start with points off for failure
to heed simple instructions! Later in the semester, no rewrites/grade improvements are
necessary/possible for your Act I, II and III first drafts. My comments on those drafts will
serve as a guide for the rewrite of your final, graded script. Also, please note that by the time
you submit your final script, it should be entirely free of errors. As an incentive to provide a
script ready for the pros, one point will be deducted for every single typo, misspelling,
grammar, style or punctuation error, including repetitions of the same mistake. This may
seem severe, but this is the way the scripts in your senior portfolio are graded, so get used to
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it. Needless to say, all scripts will lose points for misspellings, grammar or style errors.
Attendance:
no unexcused absences...........................................….50
1 unexcused absence...............................................….35
2 unexcused absences..............................................…20
3 unexcused absences............................................…..10
4 unexcused absences....................................................0
points
points
points
points
points
Note: Five or more un-excused absences may result in a grade of either “I” or “F” for the
course. Excused absences are for authorized university field trips, documentable illnesses and
family emergencies. Excused absences do not excuse you from copy or script deadlines in this
class except under extremely unusual circumstances. Even if you’re home and sick, you can still
e-mail me your assignments. If you have four or more excused absences, you may also be
assigned extra makeup work.
Schedule of Events
(Some dates may change, but due dates are as listed, unless I notify you otherwise. All deadlines are
final. Normally technical difficulties such as “The computer ate my script” will not be accepted as an
excuse to miss a deadline, because such an excuse means that you procrastinated until the last minute,
ran into trouble and didn’t budget enough contingency time for emergencies. As you have heard,
“There is no crying in baseball.” Well, here’s a new one for you: There are no excuses in the
broadcasting business. You are expected to produce professional results or else there’s dead air – and a
pink slip for you.)
Jan. 8
Intro. to the course and its requirements. Collect
and compile e-mail addresses.
Out-of class assignments: Start viewing the same
TV program every week. Don’t miss an episode
all semester, and you’ll discover that it’s a good
idea to tape them all for reference. Also, rent and
view at least one film from the AFI Greatest list
every week.)
Jan. 10
Radio news writing vs. newspaper writing. (Pass out assignment sheet for outof-class graded assignment: write a 30-second radio news story from the facts
found in the newspaper story provided in class.) In class, you will choose your TV
series. Be sure to have at least two or three other program choices in mind, because
someone else may holler “dibs” on your first choice before it’s your turn.
Jan. 15
Holiday. MLK Day.
Jan. 17
Radio news script due. TV vs. radio news writing. (Pass out assignment sheet
for out-of-class graded assignment: write a 60-second TV news story from the
facts in the newspaper story handout you used for the radio news story. Also
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pass out Radio News Style and Editing Take-home Test)
Jan. 22
Radio News Style and Editing Take-home Test due. Meet in Multimedia Lab.
(Writing 2-column scripts using Microsoft Word) Back in DH 1015: Persuasion
in commercials: view documentary The Compact Propaganda Film. (Pass out
assignment sheet for out-of-class graded assignment: Write a 60-second radio
commercial).
Jan. 24
TV news story script due. We view examples of Super Bowl spots. (Also pass
out assignment sheet for 30-second TV commercial.)
Jan. 29
Meet in Multimedia Lab. Radio commercial due. Orientation to Final Draft
software, including how to import from Microsoft Word. Hand out tutorial.
You’re responsible for doing the tutorial for Final Draft on your own. F.D. is not
hard to learn and it will save you hours formatting WGA style scripts by hand.
Spend remainder of class working on tutorial.
Jan. 31
Discuss documentaries, instructional, corporate, marketing videos and VNRs.
(Pass out assignment sheet for out-of-class graded assignment: Write a fiveminute instructional video. Also, pass out copies of first test.)
Feb. 5
TV commercial due. Seinfeld episode handout distributed, to be read and studied
before next class. WGA screenplay writing style. (Pass out assignment sheet for
out-of-class graded assignment: analysis of a TV program and an episode)
Feb. 7
Meet in Multimedia Lab. Test on Meeske, Chapters 1-10.
Feb. 12
Instructional video script due. Viewing and analysis of a Seinfeld episode to
analyze teaser, plot, theme, action breakdown by acts, climax, epilog, and
amount of time for each element. The treatment/story outline.. (Pass out
assignment sheet for out-of-class graded assignment: A ten-page, double-spaced
treatment for a new episode of the series used for your TV program analysis)
Feb. 14
Screenwriting #1.
Feb. 19
Screenwriting #2 – the sequel. TV episode
program analysis due.
Feb. 21
Catch-up.
Feb. 26
Treatment due. Each student makes a fiveminute “pitch” of their story. Pass out copies
of second Meeske test.
Feb. 28
Meet in Multimedia Lab. Test on Meeske, Chapters 11-end.
Week of March 5 and 7 -- Spring Break.
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March 12
Script conferences for your first 10 pages and readings in class: Everyone turns
in one copy to me. Bring enough copies to this class and for your second and
third script readings so that each student who reads a part in your screenplay
has his/her own copy. You read the actions and minor, one-liner roles.
March 14
First 10 pages’ script conferences continued.
March 19
First 10 pages’ script conferences continued.
March 21
First 10 pages’ script conferences continued.
March 26
Second 10 pages’ script conferences: Turn in your first draft of the second 10
pages of your screenplay. Don’t forget to make copies.
March 28
Second 10 pages’ script conferences continued.
April 2
Second 10 pages’ script conferences continued. Pass out copies of Armer test.
April 4
Meet in Multimedia Lab. Test on Armer, Chapters 1-7.
April 9
Second 10 pages’ script conferences continued.
April 11
Third 10 pages’ script conferences
continued. Don’t forget to bring copies.
April 16
Third 10 pages’ script conferences
continued.
April 18
I’m in Las Vegas attending the BEA and
NAB conventions. ‘Tough job, but
somebody’s gotta do it. Use this day to
finish your final drafts and attend
Mass Comm Week panels.
April 23
Third 10 pages’ script conferences continued. Pass out copies of final Armer test.
Anyone who earns an average score of 23 or better on the first three tests doesn’t have to
take the final book test and gets an automatic 25/25 score!
April 25
Third 10 pages’ script conferences continued.
Deliver a Final Draft (one copy) of your final draft script to my office NLT 3 pm April 30.
Final Exam Day, Thursday, May 3, 2 pm: Meet in Multimedia Lab. Last test on Armer,
Chapters 8-end.
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Plagiarism
Sad to have to mention this at all, but I must add a few words about plagiarism: See
http://www.siue.edu/POLICIES/1i6.html for SIUE’s official policy, which is mine, too.
Remember that previously-aired plots, story ideas registered with the WGA, broadcast copy and
scripts are as protected from misappropriation as books and articles, and are therefore subject to
the plagiarism policy. So be creative and do your own work. Also, no “double-dipping:” scripts
written for other courses may not be submitted for credit in this course. This is to your benefit:
the more scripts you write, the better writer you become; the more scripts you write, the more
items you’ll have available for your senior portfolio.
SIUE Academic Policies
Relevant policies regarding the following may be found on the University’s web site:
http://www.siue.edu/POLICIES/3c1.html Student conduct code
http://www.siue.edu/POLICIES/3c2.html Student academic code
http://www.siue.edu/POLICIES/3c3.html. Student grievance policy
These sites explain student responsibilities and rights and describe SIUE’s disciplinary
procedures for misconduct (including instances of plagiarism). As described in these
documents, students have responsibility for maintaining an environment which
encourages free inquiry and expression and respecting the rights and responsibilities of
faculty and staff members -- and vice-versa. Students are expected to follow course or
class guidelines as set forth in syllabi and as announced by their instructors. Students
who fail to follow classroom instructions may be involuntarily withdrawn from the
course. The student grievance policy describes the procedure to be followed if a
student files a grievance against an instructor.
Dept. of Mass Communications Conduct Code
(April 7, 2004)
Individuals enrolled in this course are expected to conduct themselves in a civil and
respectful manner, both toward their instructor and fellow students. In accordance
with SIUE’s Student Conduct Code (www.siue.edu/POLICIES/3c1.html), acts of
misconduct for which students are subject to discipline include, but are not limited to,
intentional interference with or disruption of class as well as behavior or conduct which
poses a threat to the mental, emotional, or physical well being of self or others. Noncompliance, interference or resistance to this code is considered actionable when a
student fails to comply with a reasonable verbal or written instruction or direction
given by a University employee (e.g. instructor, teaching assistant or staff member). In
such cases of violation, it is the University employee’s right and responsibly to remove
the student from class (via the Campus Police, if necessary) and seek out the
appropriate sanctions (e.g. suspension, separation, probation, enrollment restrictions, or
expulsion from the University) pursuant to the conduct code policy.
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