J-365 The Broadcast News Magazine

J-365 The Broadcast News Magazine

Professor R.J. de Maria

Reid #301 540.458.8436

Introduction

As the course title implies, we will study and implement the approaches and techniques for researching, writing and producing local television news magazines.

Popular television News Magazines such as 20/20 and Sixty Minutes are composed of hard news and feature segments. Our goal is for each student to become familiar with both forms by researching, writing and producing such segments. Our plan is to regularly produce news magazines for televising over cable channel 18.

Expectations

The course is structured to move you along toward completion of one small project and eventually a full length magazine piece. It is expected that you will produce one short (two minute news or feature segment and one in-depth (15 minute) magazine segment. Your final grade will be based on how well you meet the course expectations.

There are several checkpoints built into the calendar to make sure you keep up. I can’t force you to work hard enough to produce excellent segments but, the checkpoints are there so that you and I will know well before the due date if you are doing what is necessary to succeed.

Final productions may end up being a team effort. I expect you to be cooperative. Team productions mean that all members work toward the successful completion of the project.

Deadlines are just that. Take them seriously. A missed deadline in this class is a zero. A missed deadline to a local or network producer is a lost job.

You are expected to do a fair amount of reading of local and national web sites, newspapers and news magazines to prepare for class meetings. In addition, we will view and discuss selected segments from nationally produced television news magazines.

Some of the reserved readings will be strictly process driven. Lectures will be based on those readings and local news events. You will apply what you learn from the readings and in-class viewing in your producing assignments.

I expect you to come to every class prepared. If I am there, so will you. We will spend a fair amount of time discussing and critiquing each other’s work. Every class is a production meeting, so you can see the necessity of attending each meeting. On most days, we will use the full time set aside for class. Readings are on the course shelf located in the third floor reading room.

Competencies

At the end of this class, you should be able to:

· Understand and apply the principles of effective writing for both broadcast and the world-wide web.

· Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work.

· Think critically and independently.

· Understand and employ ethical methodology in the production planning and implementation.

· Demonstrate an understanding of groups in a global society in relationship to mass communications.

· Display a working understanding of all constituents served by the produced programming in particular the region’s disproportionately underrepresented groups.

· Critically evaluate your own work and the work of others for accuracy, fairness, clarity and appropriate style.

· Conduct research and evaluate methods appropriate to the communications professions, audiences and the purposes they serve.

· In this class, you should be presented with opportunities to self-test your knowledge of 11 values and competencies identified by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications and embraced by this department. Many of these values and competencies have been identified and addressed in previous courses in the department. The list is available at I:\public_html\Curriculum\ACEJMCvalues.html

Topic

At our second class meeting you will discuss story ideas. We will respond to it as a class; I serve as the executive producer and will lead the discussion. Be prepared to revamp your segment ideas based on the class reaction and critique. Choose your topics carefully. Make sure you will have access to information and that people will talk to you.

Schedule

Week 1 Course introduction

Production Topic Meeting

Introduction to the tools of production

Video Editing with Dalet (Michael Todd)

Editing with the Avids (Michael Todd)

Camera Operation and Field Exercise

Week 2 Field Exercise Due

Topic outlines and draft due

Turn in a 1-2 paragraph description of your project, including potential sources for data and interviews.

Begin research and writing

Second Field and Avid Editing Assignment

Week 3 First script draft due

Second Field and Editing Assignment Due

In-class critique and discussion

Equipment Schedules and check-out procedure (Michael Todd)

Week 4 Field video tape footage due

View and critique footage

Second shooting script drafts due

Complete Program One

Week 5 Finalized scripts due

Complete shooting footage

View and critique footage

Teams Selected

Week 6 Complete editing

Complete Program Two

Begin Final Team Production

Week 7 Production Topic Meeting

Assignment of topics

Week 8 First Script outline

In-class critique

Week 9 First shooting scripts due

Video tape footage due

In-class critique

Week 10 Scripts due

Discussion and critique

Complete Field and studio footage

Week 11 Finalize production scripts

Begin program editing

Begin Production

Week 12 Complete and polish production

Ready for Cable casting

View and critique and Course evaluation

Grading

Final Magazine Segment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 points

Note: Your overall grade depends upon your cooperation as a team member, dedication, ingenuity, writing, and ability to conduct effective research.

Grading Criteria

· Did The Project Meet Its Expressed Goals?

· Interpretation

· Script Quality

· Journalistic Impact of the Overall Project

· Was the Completed project suitable for televising to a mass audience?

Technical:

Camera Work and Video Quality

· Microphone Usage

Camera Use and Overall Shot Composition

· Pan/Tilt

· Zoom