.
MLK Vigil at USU
USU pulls together to remember and honor the contributions of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Story here by Heidi Hansen 1/14/11
South Sudan
Ambassador from South Sudan—which may become the world’s newest nation—comes to USU.
Story here by Shirrel Cooper 1/15/11
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
HNC Staff Profiles Sp2011
.
Staffers Bring Varied Experiences to Hard News Café
Jessica Allen
Mending what’s broken–one journalist’s quest for distractions
LOGAN—Going into her final semester at Utah State University, one student tries to forget a failed relationship by putting her priorities in the right order: truck, dog, scatterball.
Jessica Allen, 24, a journalism major with an emphasis in print and a minor in English, said she is ambivalent about the future after having a relationship end, and is focusing more on some things she can accomplish and distract herself with.
“After last semester’s relationship with a guy and some of the aftershocks of it ending that followed me into this semester, I have figured out what to set my mind on other than graduating and a job,” Allen said.
One of those things Allen has set her mind on is selling her Jeep Liberty after she graduates and buying a half-ton pickup truck and a purebred canine.
“I’ve always wanted a truck, and my dad is selling me his horse trailer so I’m going to need something to pull it,” Allen said. “I also really want a dog—you know, the kind that gets fleas. I’m think German shepherd or a Rhodesian ridgeback. I want one that’s big and will protect me, but also a good running and outdoors buddy.”
But dreams of a big truck and dog are not the only things that Allen has decided to make her obsessions of the semester.
There is also scatterball.
“As one of my friends put it, it’s like dodgeball on steroids mixed with ultimate frisbee,” Allen explained.
Every Thursday night, a group of young adults gather together for about an hour-and-a-half to two hours and pelt each other with balls in endless rounds of scatterball.
Allen said it makes her feel alive again and helps her forget her problems as she focuses on only one thing–survival.
Gathering in a circle, everyone yells, “Scatter!” after a count of three, and either runs for the hills or after a ball, Allen said. Not allowed to move once holding a ball, players must either hit someone with it (without them catching it or they have to sit down) or bounce-pass it to someone who has been tagged out and is sitting on the ground.
Payers can re-enter the game if, while sitting, they get a rogue ball and hit a standing player out with it without them catching it.
“It’s an awesome game,” Allen said. “I’m addicted now.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready for the semester, but hopefully these things will help me get through it all.”
April Ashland
Rogue sorority girl keep people off-balance
LOGAN—A smile lights her face as she walks out of her sorority house in jeans and a t-shirt, her hair in a ponytail.
April Ashland, 20, is in her junior year as a print journalism major at Utah State. She is a member of Alpha Chi Omega and works hard on being an enigma.
“I love that it surprises people that I’m a sorority girl,” Ashalnd said, “because I don’t speak Prada, I love to sew and read, and I’m about as average as you can get.”
She joined Alpha Chi as a sophomore as a way to get connections in the world and to find a group of people she could be around and have new experiences with.
“I like the idea of a sisterhood—a group of people to spend time with,” she said. “Plus, getting ready [to go out] is like going shopping. There are so many clothes in that house that you can wear.”
Ashland isn’t only a sorority girl though. She is also a Unitarian universalist, an avid reader, a quilter, an animal lover, and a vegetarian of 15 years.
“Being a sorority girl is nowhere near the most interesting thing about me,” she said. “But I absolutely love to pop it on people, and watch as their minds are boggled.”
Cassidee J. Cline—European Correspondent
Journalism senior crosses the Atlantic to widen horizons
USU student decides seeing the world is more important than graduating on time.
FRANKFURT-ODER, Germany—Cassidee Cline, 21, is studying print journalism at USU and is working towards her bachelor’s degree, but her life at the moment, she says, seems to be on a different track.
“I was given a choice,” she said, “and I chose to study in Germany for six months.”
She said she always wanted to go to Germany and, after finding out USU funds semesters abroad, this was her chance to see the world.
She flew to Germany in September and is taking courses at the European-University Viadrina in Frankfurt-Oder, Germany, which lies on the border of Poland and Germany.
“Everyone wonders if the grass is greener on the other side,” she said. “I just decided to find out for myself.”
Cline started studying at Utah State in fall 2008 shortly after graduating from Cyprus High. Her “lust” for traveling, she said, gave her the idea to study journalism instead of business or theater.
“Don’t get me wrong,” she said, “I love being on stage, but it wouldn’t give me much of a chance to see the world, only to pretend I was somewhere else, and imagination is never as good as the real thing.”
Cline’s dream is to be able to travel as a part of her career. “It would be great to be a reporter like Walter Cronkite,” she said. “I think reporting overseas gives me the idea of what international journalists get to do.”
Her physical absence from the university, however, doesn’t go without consequence. Cline said even though she may be taking courses over seas, the courses in Germany don’t meet all the required credits she needs to graduate.
Viadrina is a very internationally based university, she said, but they don’t offer any courses in journalism.
Even though Viadrina’s lack of curriculum will set her back from graduating in the fall of 2012, she said being in Europe is more about the culture and the language.
“I may not earn all the credits I need for my major,” she said, “but at least I can improve my German and be less ignorant about European culture.”
Cline said the semester abroad isn’t just about traveling to Europe, but about gaining knowledge that you can’t get in the classroom.
“I might have to work twice as hard to catch up,” she said, “but it will be worth every minute.”
Shirrel Cooper
‘Accident-prone’ student survives mountain crash
LOGAN—The scar has all but vanished and the car survived with no lasting effects, but for Shirrel Cooper, a senior majoring in journalism at Utah State University, the night of November 19, 2010, will live in infamy.
“I have always been fairly accident prone,” Cooper said. “But I had no idea that accidents actually followed me.”
Cooper and a friend, Joshua Wagner, a USU sophomore biology major, had taken a drive that Friday night to Evanston, Wyo. A split-second decision to drive back to Logan through the Uintas over the Mirror Lake Highway almost proved fatal.
Cooper, who had previously suffered a concussion from falling on an icy sidewalk and severe bruising and bleeding from a slip in the shower, tends to get into trouble on a regular basis. But up to this point it had never had the potential to turn deadly.
“I love Mirror Lake because I love fishing. I thought it would be a fun drive. But I was stupid,” Cooper said.
Cooper and Wagner’s car slid off the side of the road on the deserted highway and became stuck in a snowdrift. With no cell phone service, and wearing pajamas, Cooper wondered how they would survive.
“We were on this deserted, closed road and I had no real way of leaving the car,” Cooper said. “I have always loved camping, but this was nothing like that. We waiting until the next day, but when nobody came, we realized we would have to walk out.”
Cooper and Wagner left the car early the next morning, and walked for three hours until they were able to meet up with a family chopping down their Christmas tree. Cooper was still in her pajamas and had only the protection of green slippers to keep her feet warm.
“I knew as we were walking that I was getting frostbite,” Cooper said. Later, she was surprised that the damage was not worse. It took her nearly 10 hours after leaving the car to get help, dig out the car, and return to her hometown of Layton to get help.
“It was really scary to think that we might not make it out alive,” said Cooper. “Suddenly I was thinking about my family and how much I loved them and wanted to see them again.”
Cooper, who had always preferred reading and writing and living adventures via proxy, was suddenly living her own adventure.
“The whole time it was happening I was wondering when they would find our frozen bodies and if it would be a good enough story to make the local news,” Cooper said. “I hoped that it would at least make the school paper.”
It was only recently that the last of the frostbite came off Cooper’s left heel, and though she vows never to go on long drive in the winter again, she is grateful for the experience.
“I learned a lot about myself—that I don’t handle crisis situations very well,” Cooper said. “Mostly, though, I realized that I would love to share my story with other people through fiction.”
Cooper has always loved writing and wants to turn her dream of writing a novel into reality through writing about this experience.
“I am accident-prone,” Cooper said. “And I know a lot about adventure stories through my love of reading. What better way to start my dream as a writer with a story I actually lived?”
Layton native is a news and politics junkie
LOGAN—A Utah State journalism student returning to campus for her senior year says she’s both excited and terrified about her future, which she hopes will be at an alternative weekly newspaper.
Heidi Hansen, 21, a double-major in print journalism and political science from Layton, has been a news junkie since early childhood, when she would wake up before school to watch her favorite morning news shows and with a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Her love for politics came a little later, in 5th grade, during the now-infamous Gore/Bush recount showdown.
“I could never have really thought of majoring in anything else, but times were tough in the journalism world before the recession, so I think my classmates would agree that it’s scary to be graduating now,” Hansen said. “No one knows if they will get a job, but that makes it a little more exciting, too.”
Hansen says that in an alternate universe she would have studied synchronized swimming or interior design. But her parents agree that in this universe journalism makes sense for their daughter, who they say used to begin all conversations like this: “Did you know…?” and, “I’ll tell you why….”
This isn’t to say that Hansen’s smart, she passed physics almost entirely on extra credit and flunked Spanish, but she is resourceful, loves to write and read, and would rather talk about current events (serious or scandalous) than feelings or anything personal.
When Hansen wants to let loose and forget about worrying about the future, she enjoys Gilmore Girls marathons, going to concerts, movies or dinner, yoga, antique shopping and playing board games with her nephews.
Staffers Bring Varied Experiences to Hard News Café
Jessica Allen
Mending what’s broken–one journalist’s quest for distractions
LOGAN—Going into her final semester at Utah State University, one student tries to forget a failed relationship by putting her priorities in the right order: truck, dog, scatterball.
Jessica Allen, 24, a journalism major with an emphasis in print and a minor in English, said she is ambivalent about the future after having a relationship end, and is focusing more on some things she can accomplish and distract herself with.“After last semester’s relationship with a guy and some of the aftershocks of it ending that followed me into this semester, I have figured out what to set my mind on other than graduating and a job,” Allen said.
One of those things Allen has set her mind on is selling her Jeep Liberty after she graduates and buying a half-ton pickup truck and a purebred canine.
“I’ve always wanted a truck, and my dad is selling me his horse trailer so I’m going to need something to pull it,” Allen said. “I also really want a dog—you know, the kind that gets fleas. I’m think German shepherd or a Rhodesian ridgeback. I want one that’s big and will protect me, but also a good running and outdoors buddy.”
But dreams of a big truck and dog are not the only things that Allen has decided to make her obsessions of the semester.
There is also scatterball.
“As one of my friends put it, it’s like dodgeball on steroids mixed with ultimate frisbee,” Allen explained.
Every Thursday night, a group of young adults gather together for about an hour-and-a-half to two hours and pelt each other with balls in endless rounds of scatterball.
Allen said it makes her feel alive again and helps her forget her problems as she focuses on only one thing–survival.
Gathering in a circle, everyone yells, “Scatter!” after a count of three, and either runs for the hills or after a ball, Allen said. Not allowed to move once holding a ball, players must either hit someone with it (without them catching it or they have to sit down) or bounce-pass it to someone who has been tagged out and is sitting on the ground.
Payers can re-enter the game if, while sitting, they get a rogue ball and hit a standing player out with it without them catching it.
“It’s an awesome game,” Allen said. “I’m addicted now.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready for the semester, but hopefully these things will help me get through it all.”
-30-
April Ashland
Rogue sorority girl keep people off-balance
LOGAN—A smile lights her face as she walks out of her sorority house in jeans and a t-shirt, her hair in a ponytail.
April Ashland, 20, is in her junior year as a print journalism major at Utah State. She is a member of Alpha Chi Omega and works hard on being an enigma.“I love that it surprises people that I’m a sorority girl,” Ashalnd said, “because I don’t speak Prada, I love to sew and read, and I’m about as average as you can get.”
She joined Alpha Chi as a sophomore as a way to get connections in the world and to find a group of people she could be around and have new experiences with.
“I like the idea of a sisterhood—a group of people to spend time with,” she said. “Plus, getting ready [to go out] is like going shopping. There are so many clothes in that house that you can wear.”
Ashland isn’t only a sorority girl though. She is also a Unitarian universalist, an avid reader, a quilter, an animal lover, and a vegetarian of 15 years.
“Being a sorority girl is nowhere near the most interesting thing about me,” she said. “But I absolutely love to pop it on people, and watch as their minds are boggled.”
-30-
Cassidee J. Cline—European Correspondent
Journalism senior crosses the Atlantic to widen horizons
USU student decides seeing the world is more important than graduating on time.
FRANKFURT-ODER, Germany—Cassidee Cline, 21, is studying print journalism at USU and is working towards her bachelor’s degree, but her life at the moment, she says, seems to be on a different track.
“I was given a choice,” she said, “and I chose to study in Germany for six months.”She said she always wanted to go to Germany and, after finding out USU funds semesters abroad, this was her chance to see the world.
She flew to Germany in September and is taking courses at the European-University Viadrina in Frankfurt-Oder, Germany, which lies on the border of Poland and Germany.
“Everyone wonders if the grass is greener on the other side,” she said. “I just decided to find out for myself.”
Cline started studying at Utah State in fall 2008 shortly after graduating from Cyprus High. Her “lust” for traveling, she said, gave her the idea to study journalism instead of business or theater.
“Don’t get me wrong,” she said, “I love being on stage, but it wouldn’t give me much of a chance to see the world, only to pretend I was somewhere else, and imagination is never as good as the real thing.”
Cline’s dream is to be able to travel as a part of her career. “It would be great to be a reporter like Walter Cronkite,” she said. “I think reporting overseas gives me the idea of what international journalists get to do.”
Her physical absence from the university, however, doesn’t go without consequence. Cline said even though she may be taking courses over seas, the courses in Germany don’t meet all the required credits she needs to graduate.
Viadrina is a very internationally based university, she said, but they don’t offer any courses in journalism.
Even though Viadrina’s lack of curriculum will set her back from graduating in the fall of 2012, she said being in Europe is more about the culture and the language.
“I may not earn all the credits I need for my major,” she said, “but at least I can improve my German and be less ignorant about European culture.”
Cline said the semester abroad isn’t just about traveling to Europe, but about gaining knowledge that you can’t get in the classroom.
“I might have to work twice as hard to catch up,” she said, “but it will be worth every minute.”
-30-
.Shirrel Cooper
‘Accident-prone’ student survives mountain crash
LOGAN—The scar has all but vanished and the car survived with no lasting effects, but for Shirrel Cooper, a senior majoring in journalism at Utah State University, the night of November 19, 2010, will live in infamy.
“I have always been fairly accident prone,” Cooper said. “But I had no idea that accidents actually followed me.”Cooper and a friend, Joshua Wagner, a USU sophomore biology major, had taken a drive that Friday night to Evanston, Wyo. A split-second decision to drive back to Logan through the Uintas over the Mirror Lake Highway almost proved fatal.
Cooper, who had previously suffered a concussion from falling on an icy sidewalk and severe bruising and bleeding from a slip in the shower, tends to get into trouble on a regular basis. But up to this point it had never had the potential to turn deadly.
“I love Mirror Lake because I love fishing. I thought it would be a fun drive. But I was stupid,” Cooper said.
Cooper and Wagner’s car slid off the side of the road on the deserted highway and became stuck in a snowdrift. With no cell phone service, and wearing pajamas, Cooper wondered how they would survive.
“We were on this deserted, closed road and I had no real way of leaving the car,” Cooper said. “I have always loved camping, but this was nothing like that. We waiting until the next day, but when nobody came, we realized we would have to walk out.”
Cooper and Wagner left the car early the next morning, and walked for three hours until they were able to meet up with a family chopping down their Christmas tree. Cooper was still in her pajamas and had only the protection of green slippers to keep her feet warm.
“I knew as we were walking that I was getting frostbite,” Cooper said. Later, she was surprised that the damage was not worse. It took her nearly 10 hours after leaving the car to get help, dig out the car, and return to her hometown of Layton to get help.
“It was really scary to think that we might not make it out alive,” said Cooper. “Suddenly I was thinking about my family and how much I loved them and wanted to see them again.”
Cooper, who had always preferred reading and writing and living adventures via proxy, was suddenly living her own adventure.
“The whole time it was happening I was wondering when they would find our frozen bodies and if it would be a good enough story to make the local news,” Cooper said. “I hoped that it would at least make the school paper.”
It was only recently that the last of the frostbite came off Cooper’s left heel, and though she vows never to go on long drive in the winter again, she is grateful for the experience.
“I learned a lot about myself—that I don’t handle crisis situations very well,” Cooper said. “Mostly, though, I realized that I would love to share my story with other people through fiction.”
Cooper has always loved writing and wants to turn her dream of writing a novel into reality through writing about this experience.
“I am accident-prone,” Cooper said. “And I know a lot about adventure stories through my love of reading. What better way to start my dream as a writer with a story I actually lived?”
-30-
-
Heidi HansenLayton native is a news and politics junkie
LOGAN—A Utah State journalism student returning to campus for her senior year says she’s both excited and terrified about her future, which she hopes will be at an alternative weekly newspaper.
Heidi Hansen, 21, a double-major in print journalism and political science from Layton, has been a news junkie since early childhood, when she would wake up before school to watch her favorite morning news shows and with a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Her love for politics came a little later, in 5th grade, during the now-infamous Gore/Bush recount showdown.
“I could never have really thought of majoring in anything else, but times were tough in the journalism world before the recession, so I think my classmates would agree that it’s scary to be graduating now,” Hansen said. “No one knows if they will get a job, but that makes it a little more exciting, too.”
Hansen says that in an alternate universe she would have studied synchronized swimming or interior design. But her parents agree that in this universe journalism makes sense for their daughter, who they say used to begin all conversations like this: “Did you know…?” and, “I’ll tell you why….”
This isn’t to say that Hansen’s smart, she passed physics almost entirely on extra credit and flunked Spanish, but she is resourceful, loves to write and read, and would rather talk about current events (serious or scandalous) than feelings or anything personal.
When Hansen wants to let loose and forget about worrying about the future, she enjoys Gilmore Girls marathons, going to concerts, movies or dinner, yoga, antique shopping and playing board games with her nephews.
-30-
Cathy Morgan
Writer harbors dreams of Paralympic goalball glory
LOGAN—As she nears the end of her career as a journalism major at Utah State University, Cathy Morgan aims to find her spot as a professional writer. But she’s holding onto another dream—to play the blind sport of goalball at the Paralympics.
“I’ve been playing the sport for more than half of my life” Morgan said. “I’ve played for USA at the youth level and within the next few years, I’m hoping to represent our country internationally.”
Morgan practices once a week on campus with other players in the area. She heads for a tournament next month in Kalamazoo, Mich., and will be playing with a girls’ team from Florida.
“I do love going to school here, but having others so close by to practice with gives me the motivation to get going every day,” she said. “I have a hard time talking myself into going to the gym sometimes.”
Goalball is aimed at those with any sort of vision loss. Everyone who participates is blindfolded to keep the playing field equal.
“I may be small and skinny but I can take hits with the best of them,” Morgan said.
TP
Cathy Morgan
Writer harbors dreams of Paralympic goalball glory
LOGAN—As she nears the end of her career as a journalism major at Utah State University, Cathy Morgan aims to find her spot as a professional writer. But she’s holding onto another dream—to play the blind sport of goalball at the Paralympics.
“I’ve been playing the sport for more than half of my life” Morgan said. “I’ve played for USA at the youth level and within the next few years, I’m hoping to represent our country internationally.”Morgan practices once a week on campus with other players in the area. She heads for a tournament next month in Kalamazoo, Mich., and will be playing with a girls’ team from Florida.
“I do love going to school here, but having others so close by to practice with gives me the motivation to get going every day,” she said. “I have a hard time talking myself into going to the gym sometimes.”
Goalball is aimed at those with any sort of vision loss. Everyone who participates is blindfolded to keep the playing field equal.
“I may be small and skinny but I can take hits with the best of them,” Morgan said.
TP
Story Idea: War & Media
.
Returned Iraq/Afghanistan Troops
Guys:
I met a new student the other day--a new freshman who's probably mid-20s--who had served as a Marine and then independent contract security guy in Iraq. He has interesting perspectives on the importance of news on people's lives in a war zone.
I'm wondering about a story on returned veterans and their perspectives on how American understands their experiences through the news media—it's a media smarts question....how do we know what we think we know about Iraq/Afghanistan?
Col. Paul Faletto, who's in charge of Army ROTC on campus, is also an Afghanistan vet (3 tours, I think), and he also has insights on the role of the media.
I'm just noodling here, but if we could find more veterans--Faletto and the Air Force ROTC guy could help--it might be an interesting story.
Thoughts, anyone?
Ted
Returned Iraq/Afghanistan Troops
Guys:
I met a new student the other day--a new freshman who's probably mid-20s--who had served as a Marine and then independent contract security guy in Iraq. He has interesting perspectives on the importance of news on people's lives in a war zone.
I'm wondering about a story on returned veterans and their perspectives on how American understands their experiences through the news media—it's a media smarts question....how do we know what we think we know about Iraq/Afghanistan?
Col. Paul Faletto, who's in charge of Army ROTC on campus, is also an Afghanistan vet (3 tours, I think), and he also has insights on the role of the media.
I'm just noodling here, but if we could find more veterans--Faletto and the Air Force ROTC guy could help--it might be an interesting story.
Thoughts, anyone?
Ted
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Readings—Week-by-Week
.
Suggested Readings
There are no tests on the readings (or anything else) in this class, but everyone benefits from review and refresher from time to time. In some class sessions, if you want, I can talk about interviewing skills or we can critique a Pulitzer-winning piece of writing to see how they wrote the story. But generally, these readings are intended as resources for you to remember stuff that may have become rusty. Frankly, I reread some of this stuff from time to time, too, just because it’s useful and interesting.
Wk1
Warm-up: • Colbert on Global Warming: Stephen Colbert examines student expectations.
Refreshers: • AP Style Starters: A listing of some of the most commonly used (and misused) entries in your AP Stylebook
• Inverted pyramid: A refresher on story structure
• Morbid Language: Why is so much of journalism terminology so grim?
Wk2 Refreshers:
• Leads, quotes & nut grafs: Some pointers on constructing leads, setting up quotes, and the essential but under-utilized nut graf.
• More on leads
• Story building blocks—Bill Blundell: A top reporter explains the questions he asks himself for every story.
• Journalistic Principles: Journalism is not just about breaking news—the press serves an essential function in a free society, and we have responsibilities to remember.
Fun:
• Accidental Language: Just for fun, examples of how imprecise use of language can get you in trouble.
Wk3
Refreshers:
• News Primer: Remembering what is news, and why.
• Chancellor & Mears on leads: Two newsmen at the top of their games discuss how the start a story—even veteran journalists are constantly refining their craft.
• More on nut grafs: Very useful information, discussion and details on creating effective nut grafs.
• SPJ Ethics Code: The rules of the road for responsible journalism.
Fun:
• News Quiz: The Pew Center asks you to compete with a nation to gauge your news IQ
Wk4
Refreshers:
• The Fred Rule: How to decide on a lead? Ask Fred.
• The Parable of Michelangelo’s David: How do you decide what to put in your story and what to leave out?
• Speeches—Michael Gartner: An excellent speech on journalism (and annotated example of a speech story) by one of the great newsmen of recent years.
• Interviewing (Pease’s lecture notes): An outline of the components of the interview.
Wk5
Refreshers:
• More on Interviewing: More info on getting good stuff out of your sources.
• Interviewing Skills from NPR: Great tips and insights into the interviewing process.
Resources:
• Pulitzers—Issues & Features: Discussion of the 2 Big Stories you’ll do.
• Story Ideas: Here”s an example of how to develop a story.
.
Suggested Readings
There are no tests on the readings (or anything else) in this class, but everyone benefits from review and refresher from time to time. In some class sessions, if you want, I can talk about interviewing skills or we can critique a Pulitzer-winning piece of writing to see how they wrote the story. But generally, these readings are intended as resources for you to remember stuff that may have become rusty. Frankly, I reread some of this stuff from time to time, too, just because it’s useful and interesting.
Wk1
Warm-up: • Colbert on Global Warming: Stephen Colbert examines student expectations.
Refreshers: • AP Style Starters: A listing of some of the most commonly used (and misused) entries in your AP Stylebook
• Inverted pyramid: A refresher on story structure
• Morbid Language: Why is so much of journalism terminology so grim?
Wk2 Refreshers:
• Leads, quotes & nut grafs: Some pointers on constructing leads, setting up quotes, and the essential but under-utilized nut graf.
• More on leads
• Story building blocks—Bill Blundell: A top reporter explains the questions he asks himself for every story.
• Journalistic Principles: Journalism is not just about breaking news—the press serves an essential function in a free society, and we have responsibilities to remember.
Fun:
• Accidental Language: Just for fun, examples of how imprecise use of language can get you in trouble.
Wk3
Refreshers:
• News Primer: Remembering what is news, and why.
• Chancellor & Mears on leads: Two newsmen at the top of their games discuss how the start a story—even veteran journalists are constantly refining their craft.
• More on nut grafs: Very useful information, discussion and details on creating effective nut grafs.
• SPJ Ethics Code: The rules of the road for responsible journalism.
Fun:
• News Quiz: The Pew Center asks you to compete with a nation to gauge your news IQ
Wk4
Refreshers:
• The Fred Rule: How to decide on a lead? Ask Fred.
• The Parable of Michelangelo’s David: How do you decide what to put in your story and what to leave out?
• Speeches—Michael Gartner: An excellent speech on journalism (and annotated example of a speech story) by one of the great newsmen of recent years.
• Interviewing (Pease’s lecture notes): An outline of the components of the interview.
Wk5
Refreshers:
• More on Interviewing: More info on getting good stuff out of your sources.
• Interviewing Skills from NPR: Great tips and insights into the interviewing process.
Resources:
• Pulitzers—Issues & Features: Discussion of the 2 Big Stories you’ll do.
• Story Ideas: Here”s an example of how to develop a story.
.
Syllabus: Summer 2011
.
JCOM 4100: Hard News Café
Summer 2011
Ted Pease, Grand PooBah, Department of Journalism & Communication
Pease Office: AnSci 310 (although the Editor is Away, and reachable only by email) Classroom: AnSci 312 (JCOM conference room)
Pease Phone: 435-797-3293 or 435-760-1707 (cell).
E-mail: ted.pease@usu.edu (preferred)
Website: Hard News Cafe and HNC 4100 class blog. (You have been invited to join the blog so you can post stuff there—please do it.)
Required Materials: • Brain • AP Stylebook. • Readings as assigned • Camera (iPhone, DSLR, point-and-shoot and/or video?)
Writing is more than reopening an old can of worms…
“A cliché, from French clicher, to stereotype, to cast from a mold, is an expression that is trite (from Latin terere to rub, hence worn-out by use), hackneyed (from hackney, a horse for hire, worn-out by service). . . . If you have heard it or read it before, it is a cliché. Remember, today's great writing is tomorrow’s clichés. Write tomorrow’s clichés.”
—John Bremner, journalism professor and writing coach
“Writing is a hellish task, best snuck up on, whacked on the head, robbed and left for dead.”
—Ann-Marie MacDonald, author
“You write and then you erase. You call that a profession?”
—Abram Bellow, exasperated father of future Nobel Prize-winning writer,
Saul Bellow, then in his 20s
“Our admiration of fine writing will always be in proportion to its real difficulty
and its apparent ease.”
—Charles Caleb Colton (1780-1832), author and clergyman
Course Objectives:
How It Works: The course is independent and self-directed (especially over the summer, when all interaction w/ Ted will be on email); staffers are invited to meet and collaborate in Logan if you want. Staffers will write a minimum of 10 stories (unless otherwise negotiated), and must pitch stories to the editor as news happens; also plan ahead for more long-range stories. STORIES MUST BE SENT TO THE EDITOR WHEN DUE—no later than 24 hours after events (or sooner). The editor will edit the stories and post them to the Hard News Café.
Deadlines: Generally, news stories are due NO LATER THAN 24 HOURS AFTER THE EVENT. Sooner if possible. In the case of breaking news, within hours of the event. In the case of longer term features, a longer target deadline can be negotiated with the editor. You will be killed if you miss deadline. That’s why we call ’em that.
Minimum Output: In order to achieve a C in the class, staffers are required to file no fewer than 10 substantial stories that are in the editor’s opinion adequate for publication. “Substantial” means at least 350 words or longer, with at least three substantial named sources; accompanying photos are required whenever possible (shoot mugshots w/ your cell if you have to). The editor may assign stories as they occur, and may ask for quick turn-around on breaking news. But coming up with your own story ideas is part of the requirement. In the real world, professionals work on multiple projects but are often interrupted by events.
• Staff Meetings: Because we will be conducting this class via email this summer, we don’t meet, but it is your responsibility to confer with the editor via email weekly to pitch story ideas. A pitch includes a) general topic, b) angle/focus and larger context (so what?), c) central source/character, d) at least two additional quoted sources, e) deadline date. (See below.) Once story ideas are OK’d, it’s up to the staffer to keep the Editor Ted informed about the story‘s progress.
• Pitch Story Ideas: As you come up with story ideas, write them down! Each reporter should maintain a file of story ideas, stories completed, and final clips from HNC (for your portfolio). This file is handed in at the end for final grading.
Outline of Required Assignments for Writers: (subject to change) • Create and maintain a story idea file. Pitch your best story idea(s) at news huddle every week, or to Ted-Ed outside of staff meeting times. Story pitch requires: 1. General Topic (e.g., pollution, death, babies) 2. Focus/Angle/News Hook (so what?) 3. Potential Sources (minimum three sources; why are they good sources?) 4. Who can shoot pix?
EXAMPLE:
“Yo, Mr. Editor, sir. I want to do a story about the Demolition Derby at the Fairgrounds on Friday.” (Topic)
“I think I’ll focus on first-time demo drivers—how scared are they (diapers?), why they’re doing it (inspiration/insanity), are they big fans? what do they love about seeing junkers slam into each other.” (Angle)
“There’s this guy named Kurt Bumpercrap who I talked to at the Owl. He’s been working on a Chevy he bought at the junkyard for $100. He’s going to Demo this week. I’ll talk to him, his girlfriend (she has a bone in her nose!), his uncle Jake, who got him into this, and maybe his mom, who thinks he’s nuts.” Who else??? (sources)
“I’ll shoot some photos, and my roommate wants to shoot some, too.”
Other stuff: Think about the larger context: Did you know there’s an international Demolition Derby Assn., with chapters all over the country? They say that more than 87,000 junked cars took part in demo derbies in the United States in 2010. They also say that no drivers were killed in 2010, but that five were killed in a big crash in 2009 in Oklahoma. The national spokesman for the DDA is Bob Bondo….
Rules:
• Write minimum of 10 stories during semester, including at least one in-depth feature and one issue story sometime during the semester. (Start thinking about these now!)
• All writers also shoot photos. Please!
• Blow us off and you’re fired. No incompletes in this class.
• Audio/Video? If you have the expertise, we want HNC to go multimedia. Can you edit audio or video? Even cheap pix/video from your smart phone. Get video clips and post them to YouTube; we’ll link them. Example: See Jess Allen’s nice story (May 11) on hand bells at http://hardnewscafe.usu.edu/?p=5244 with video in the story linked to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PII152oaRT4. If you can get decent audio, we can work with Utah Public Radio to get them on radio. Let me know if you’re interested in this.
• Webmaster = Tom Broschinsky
• When sending stories: Plus HNC in the email subject line, and call your attached story (in Word) YourNameSlug (Ex: PeaseDemoDerby). Put your byline on the story (Ex: By Ted Pease).
Types of stories: Stories may be simple breaking news, but staffers should have in-depth stories in the works all the time
1. Breaking news/events (even speeches need multiple sources: audience, organizers, etc.)
2. Features: events, descriptives seasonal stuff/holidays (how to do something for July 4th?)
3. Profiles/People
4. Issues
5. Localize nat’l news (earthquakes, tornadoes, Israel)
6. Interviews (Who? Why? So what?)
7. Everyone does at least one HSS faculty profile (more…?)
Grades: This class is not an easy-A. This is a senior-level writing class, in which professional standards are expected. That means complete stories, well written and edited, with polished grammar and accurate AP style. The basic expectation is 10 stories, as outlined above. If done well, that will earn a C. For higher grades, go above and beyond. Individual stories will not be handed back with grades, but the editor will email or send back stories that need revision before publication. The Hard News Café is a news site, and the editor will rewrite and fix stories that are close in order to get them published in a timely way. It is your responsibility to compare your original version with the published version, and ask the editor if you want feedback or have questions about editorial changes. Please also read your published stories closely when they are posted and let the editor know if any errors have slipped through, which happens.
Penalties: You will lose points for errors of spelling, grammar, fact and AP style. Deadlines count (hence the term…!). Attendance/preparation/participation/contributions to the class all count.
Final Portfolio: By AUGUST 1, you must file a report on your production with the editor. This report will include:
Final grades will be awarded based on 1) your output, 2) the quality of your reporting and writing, 3) your reliability/drive/initiative.
Housekeeping & Heads-Ups:
Students with Disabilities Statement: The Americans with Disabilities act states: “Reasonable accommodation will be provided for all persons with disabilities in order to ensure equal participation within the program.” If a student has a disability that will likely require some accommodation by the instructor, the student must contact the instructor and document the disability through the Disability Resource Center (797-2444), preferably during the first week of the course. Any request for special consideration relating to attendance, pedagogy, taking of examinations, etc., must be discussed with and approved by the instructor. In cooperation with the Disability Resource Center, course materials can be provided in alternative format, large print, audio, diskette or Braille.
Finally . . . Although writing is a solitary craft, eventually every writer must connect with his/her editor, who is the first gatekeeper for the writer’s work and, hence, God. Please consult God early and often—to discuss your assignment ideas, to discuss your work, for general advice and wise counsel, for course advising or career help. Don’t be a stranger.
Questions? ASK! That’s what reporters do...
JCOM 4100: Hard News Café
Summer 2011
Ted Pease, Grand PooBah, Department of Journalism & CommunicationPease Office: AnSci 310 (although the Editor is Away, and reachable only by email) Classroom: AnSci 312 (JCOM conference room)
Pease Phone: 435-797-3293 or 435-760-1707 (cell).
E-mail: ted.pease@usu.edu (preferred)
Website: Hard News Cafe and HNC 4100 class blog. (You have been invited to join the blog so you can post stuff there—please do it.)
Required Materials: • Brain • AP Stylebook. • Readings as assigned • Camera (iPhone, DSLR, point-and-shoot and/or video?)
Inspiration . . .
“Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order,
you can nudge the world a little.”
—Tom Stoppard, playwright
“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.”
—Elmore Leonard, novelist
you can nudge the world a little.”
—Tom Stoppard, playwright
“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.”
—Elmore Leonard, novelist
“Always grab the reader by the throat in the first paragraph,
sink your thumbs into his windpipe in the second
and hold him against the wall until the tag line.”
—Paul O’Neil, writer
sink your thumbs into his windpipe in the second
and hold him against the wall until the tag line.”
—Paul O’Neil, writer
Writing is more than reopening an old can of worms…
“A cliché, from French clicher, to stereotype, to cast from a mold, is an expression that is trite (from Latin terere to rub, hence worn-out by use), hackneyed (from hackney, a horse for hire, worn-out by service). . . . If you have heard it or read it before, it is a cliché. Remember, today's great writing is tomorrow’s clichés. Write tomorrow’s clichés.”
—John Bremner, journalism professor and writing coach
“Writing is a hellish task, best snuck up on, whacked on the head, robbed and left for dead.”
—Ann-Marie MacDonald, author
“You write and then you erase. You call that a profession?”
—Abram Bellow, exasperated father of future Nobel Prize-winning writer,
Saul Bellow, then in his 20s
“Our admiration of fine writing will always be in proportion to its real difficulty
and its apparent ease.”
—Charles Caleb Colton (1780-1832), author and clergyman
Course Objectives:
This is an advanced reporting and writing course designed to fulfill two coexisting objectives: 1) To feed the yawning maw that is the Hard News Café with a constant and changing diet of news, features and great writing/reporting and art. And 2) To provide a vehicle for advanced students to work on their writing, and to create high-quality clips for their professional portfolios. The instructor, Ted Pease, will act as your editor. You are the HNC staff. We all treat this as a professional engagement, and work independently on regular deadlines.
How It Works: The course is independent and self-directed (especially over the summer, when all interaction w/ Ted will be on email); staffers are invited to meet and collaborate in Logan if you want. Staffers will write a minimum of 10 stories (unless otherwise negotiated), and must pitch stories to the editor as news happens; also plan ahead for more long-range stories. STORIES MUST BE SENT TO THE EDITOR WHEN DUE—no later than 24 hours after events (or sooner). The editor will edit the stories and post them to the Hard News Café.
Deadlines: Generally, news stories are due NO LATER THAN 24 HOURS AFTER THE EVENT. Sooner if possible. In the case of breaking news, within hours of the event. In the case of longer term features, a longer target deadline can be negotiated with the editor. You will be killed if you miss deadline. That’s why we call ’em that.
Minimum Output: In order to achieve a C in the class, staffers are required to file no fewer than 10 substantial stories that are in the editor’s opinion adequate for publication. “Substantial” means at least 350 words or longer, with at least three substantial named sources; accompanying photos are required whenever possible (shoot mugshots w/ your cell if you have to). The editor may assign stories as they occur, and may ask for quick turn-around on breaking news. But coming up with your own story ideas is part of the requirement. In the real world, professionals work on multiple projects but are often interrupted by events.
• Staff Meetings: Because we will be conducting this class via email this summer, we don’t meet, but it is your responsibility to confer with the editor via email weekly to pitch story ideas. A pitch includes a) general topic, b) angle/focus and larger context (so what?), c) central source/character, d) at least two additional quoted sources, e) deadline date. (See below.) Once story ideas are OK’d, it’s up to the staffer to keep the Editor Ted informed about the story‘s progress.
• Pitch Story Ideas: As you come up with story ideas, write them down! Each reporter should maintain a file of story ideas, stories completed, and final clips from HNC (for your portfolio). This file is handed in at the end for final grading.
Where to get ideas?
• Read the newspaper for small briefs or continuing issues!
• Check bulletin boards at Smith’s or across campus.
• Read the Yellow Pages in the bathroom for weird businesses.
• Talk to your friends and neighbors and coworkers.
• Pay attention as you drive/walk around town—what strikes your attention? Might be a lot of trash on 1000 West or a lot of elderly people on the bus.
• Think about issues and how they affect people.
• Summer is also about festivals, concerts, outdoor activities, family time.
• Why is there a yak on Main Street?
• THINK!
• Remember that we cover ALL of Cache Valley and beyond, so stories should not be only about USU.
• Pay attention to global events and think about how to localize them: For example, when the earthquake hit Japan, it had impacts here—talk to people with connections there, talk to foreign policy experts, nuclear experts….
• GRAMA—a decision is supposed to come over the summer about how Utah will rewrite its open meeting law: Watch for that and think about how to cover it.
• If Russia invades Sweden, Jake will cover it, but we’ll need other reporting from here about U.S. response.
• Get it? THINK!
• Many stories also will need context—numbers in the state/county/city/world; governing national bodies have websites;/opinions; USU has faculty experts on just about everything. THINK!!!
Outline of Required Assignments for Writers: (subject to change) • Create and maintain a story idea file. Pitch your best story idea(s) at news huddle every week, or to Ted-Ed outside of staff meeting times. Story pitch requires: 1. General Topic (e.g., pollution, death, babies) 2. Focus/Angle/News Hook (so what?) 3. Potential Sources (minimum three sources; why are they good sources?) 4. Who can shoot pix?
EXAMPLE:
“Yo, Mr. Editor, sir. I want to do a story about the Demolition Derby at the Fairgrounds on Friday.” (Topic)
“I think I’ll focus on first-time demo drivers—how scared are they (diapers?), why they’re doing it (inspiration/insanity), are they big fans? what do they love about seeing junkers slam into each other.” (Angle)
“There’s this guy named Kurt Bumpercrap who I talked to at the Owl. He’s been working on a Chevy he bought at the junkyard for $100. He’s going to Demo this week. I’ll talk to him, his girlfriend (she has a bone in her nose!), his uncle Jake, who got him into this, and maybe his mom, who thinks he’s nuts.” Who else??? (sources)
“I’ll shoot some photos, and my roommate wants to shoot some, too.”
Other stuff: Think about the larger context: Did you know there’s an international Demolition Derby Assn., with chapters all over the country? They say that more than 87,000 junked cars took part in demo derbies in the United States in 2010. They also say that no drivers were killed in 2010, but that five were killed in a big crash in 2009 in Oklahoma. The national spokesman for the DDA is Bob Bondo….
Rules:
• Write minimum of 10 stories during semester, including at least one in-depth feature and one issue story sometime during the semester. (Start thinking about these now!)
• All writers also shoot photos. Please!
• Blow us off and you’re fired. No incompletes in this class.
• Audio/Video? If you have the expertise, we want HNC to go multimedia. Can you edit audio or video? Even cheap pix/video from your smart phone. Get video clips and post them to YouTube; we’ll link them. Example: See Jess Allen’s nice story (May 11) on hand bells at http://hardnewscafe.usu.edu/?p=5244 with video in the story linked to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PII152oaRT4. If you can get decent audio, we can work with Utah Public Radio to get them on radio. Let me know if you’re interested in this.
• Webmaster = Tom Broschinsky
• When sending stories: Plus HNC in the email subject line, and call your attached story (in Word) YourNameSlug (Ex: PeaseDemoDerby). Put your byline on the story (Ex: By Ted Pease).
Types of stories: Stories may be simple breaking news, but staffers should have in-depth stories in the works all the time
1. Breaking news/events (even speeches need multiple sources: audience, organizers, etc.)
2. Features: events, descriptives seasonal stuff/holidays (how to do something for July 4th?)
3. Profiles/People
4. Issues
5. Localize nat’l news (earthquakes, tornadoes, Israel)
6. Interviews (Who? Why? So what?)
7. Everyone does at least one HSS faculty profile (more…?)
Grades: This class is not an easy-A. This is a senior-level writing class, in which professional standards are expected. That means complete stories, well written and edited, with polished grammar and accurate AP style. The basic expectation is 10 stories, as outlined above. If done well, that will earn a C. For higher grades, go above and beyond. Individual stories will not be handed back with grades, but the editor will email or send back stories that need revision before publication. The Hard News Café is a news site, and the editor will rewrite and fix stories that are close in order to get them published in a timely way. It is your responsibility to compare your original version with the published version, and ask the editor if you want feedback or have questions about editorial changes. Please also read your published stories closely when they are posted and let the editor know if any errors have slipped through, which happens.
Penalties: You will lose points for errors of spelling, grammar, fact and AP style. Deadlines count (hence the term…!). Attendance/preparation/participation/contributions to the class all count.
Final Portfolio: By AUGUST 1, you must file a report on your production with the editor. This report will include:
1. A typed list and dates of all the stories you wrote.
2. A copy of your original story and a printout (link) of the story as it appeared on the website.
3. With each story, a brief discussion on any problems you had with the story and, especially, how the editor changed your story—why? what errors were there in your original? How was the edited version different? How was it improved (if it was)?
Final grades will be awarded based on 1) your output, 2) the quality of your reporting and writing, 3) your reliability/drive/initiative.
Housekeeping & Heads-Ups:
“There is one sacred rule of journalism. The writer must not invent. The legend
on the [journalist’s] license must read: NONE OF THIS WAS MADE UP.”
on the [journalist’s] license must read: NONE OF THIS WAS MADE UP.”
–John Hersey, author of Hiroshima (1946)
Academic and Professional Honesty: We conform to the SPJ Code of Ethics, and the USU Student Code. Plagiarism includes knowingly “representing, by paraphrase or direct quotation, the published or unpublished work of another person as one’s own in any academic exercise or activity without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials” (USU Code of Policies and Procedures for Students, Article V, Section 3A.1). The university’s penalties for plagiarism are severe. They include “#1) warning or reprimand and #2) grade adjustment” (see: Article VI, Section 1A). Other penalties may also be imposed at the Dean’s discretion. These include probation, suspension, expulsion, withholding of transcripts, denial or revocation of degrees, referral to psychological counseling, and other appropriate disciplinary actions. Because public trust and personal credibility are essential to journalists and other professional communicators, the JCOM department observes a zero-tolerance policy regarding academic dishonesty: Any documented form of academic dishonesty—including plagiarism—will result in an automatic F in the course and expulsion from the major, plus a report to the dean of the college and the USU vice president for student services. No double-dipping. Students who hand in work from other classes will receive an “F.” If you have any questions about what’s acceptable work under strict codes of academic honesty, see the USU Code of Policies and Procedures for Students, or consult your professor. Any suspicious work may be submitted to a database that compares student papers to other student and published work in a web database.Students with Disabilities Statement: The Americans with Disabilities act states: “Reasonable accommodation will be provided for all persons with disabilities in order to ensure equal participation within the program.” If a student has a disability that will likely require some accommodation by the instructor, the student must contact the instructor and document the disability through the Disability Resource Center (797-2444), preferably during the first week of the course. Any request for special consideration relating to attendance, pedagogy, taking of examinations, etc., must be discussed with and approved by the instructor. In cooperation with the Disability Resource Center, course materials can be provided in alternative format, large print, audio, diskette or Braille.
Finally . . . Although writing is a solitary craft, eventually every writer must connect with his/her editor, who is the first gatekeeper for the writer’s work and, hence, God. Please consult God early and often—to discuss your assignment ideas, to discuss your work, for general advice and wise counsel, for course advising or career help. Don’t be a stranger.
Questions? ASK! That’s what reporters do...
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