College of Communication College of Communication The University of Texas at Austin School of Journalism School of Journalism

J 321C Fundamentals of Multimedia Journalism

Fall 2009

TTH 3:30-5 p.m., BUR 212

School of Journalism

The University of Texas at Austin

Instructor: Hsiang Iris Chyi, Ph.D.

Office: CMA A5.108

Phone: (512) 471-0553

Email: chyi@mail.utexas.edu

Office hours: TTH 2-3:15 p.m. or by appointment

Lab Group 1 (07385): TTH 7-10 p.m., CMA A4.312

TA: Mengchieh Jacie Yang

Email: jacieyang@gmail.com

Lab Group 2 (07380): MW 2-5 p.m., CMA A4.316

TA: Sun Ho Jeong

Email: sunho.jeong1@gmail.com

Lab Group 3 (07390): WM 4-7 p.m., CMA A4.316

TA: Eva Menezes

Email: evamenezes@gmail.com

Lab Group 4 (07379): TTH 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., CMA A4.308

TA: Nan Zheng

Email: nan_zheng@mail.utexas.edu

Prerequisites

J 310 and J 315 with a grade of at least C in each, a score of 45 or better on the Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation (GSP) test, a score of 29 or better on the Word Processing (WP) test, and acceptance to a Journalism Upper Division sequence.

Course Description and Goals

The purpose of this course is to give journalism students a broad perspective and practical experience in the emergence of new forms of journalism based on the Internet and other digital platforms. As news companies adapt their operations from single distribution channels to a converged multiplatform and multichannel delivery systems, the new generation of journalists must reflect on these ongoing transformative processes and prepare to work in the new media environment.

The course is divided into two tracks. The first is dedicated to the study of multimedia journalism through readings, lectures and class discussions. The second track of the course is dedicated to the hands-on experience of producing journalistic pieces using multimedia elements, such as a combination of text, photos, video and animation.

Our main focus is on the understanding of the Internet phenomenon and its impact on journalism with special attention to the search for a new style of narrative - one that could take advantage of the simultaneous use of text, hypertext, photos, images in motion, audio and databases. We will produce multimedia projects that reflect this new genre of journalism.

The three main goals of this course are:

1. To prepare journalism students to work for news enterprises that use the Internet to reach the audiences through this new genre of journalism, and to understand its repercussions in society;

2. To apply critical thinking on the analysis of this new journalistic genre, and to experiment with innovative storytelling techniques and writing styles that take advantage of the multimedia presentation capabilities of the World Wide Web;

3. To create conditions for the students to master or at least have a good knowledge of the software and other tools used to produce news for the Web.

Required Readings

Briggs, Mark. (2007). Journalism2.0: How to Survive and Thrive, J-Lab and the Knight Citizen News Network. PDF version at: http://www.kcnn.org/resources/journalism_20/

Readings from different sources will be made available on the course’s Blackboard site at http://courses.utexas.edu.

Create a Daily Me which incorporates multiple online news sources so that you can keep up with the latest development in the industry. (Instructions will be provided.) Being a critical user of online news is the first step toward becoming a good online journalist/online journalism researcher.

Participate actively in various online activities.

Recommended Books

Castro, Elizabeth. (2006). HTML, XHTML, and CSS, 6th edition. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press. (HTML reference).

Foust, James C. (2008). Online Journalism: Principles and Practices of News for the Web, 2nd edition. Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway. (Overview of online journalism).

Course Requirements

Computer Skills and Supplies Needed

Access to a computer and the Internet and the ability to operate both are required for participation in this course. Students are required to check the class Web site regularly, to blog, and to create multimedia projects. Students may need to spend extra time outside class to familiarize themselves with Web production applications.

We will have equipment available from IMC on the 5th floor of the CMA building for you to use throughout the semester as you work on your projects.

You will need to purchase a few Mini-DV tapes while working on video projects. You may need a USB drive (or Flash drive) to save a backup of your files. You may also want to consider purchasing an external portable hard drive or borrowing one from the IMC during the semester to hold larger multimedia files. You will receive access to a class folder on the College server, but you should always back up your own files.

Attendance

This class is taught through lectures and lab training, making it difficult for absent students to make up later. Therefore, attendance to lectures and lab sessions is essential and will affect the final grade.

Excused absences are granted only for valid, documented reasons (serious illness, jury duty, religious observance, and military reserve obligation) and only if the reason makes your presence at the scheduled time impossible. If you have a reason for missing class that you think is legitimate, ask your instructor ahead of time if at all possible.

Absence excuses are subject to verification. Presenting a false excuse will be considered a violation of the academic integrity rules.

Assignments

Participation (20%): The instructor/TA will give in-class exercises from time to time. No make-ups for such exercises will be granted. You are expected to actively participate in class activities and discussions. We will also set up a blog as a platform for everyone to share information with one another. The URL is ___________________________________________________

Mid-term Exam (20%): The mid-term exam will cover materials discussed in class and readings. The exam may combine multiple-choice, short answer and analytical questions.

Hand-on Exercises (30%): A series of hands-on exercises (Photoshop, HTML, Audio slideshow, CSS, video, content management systems, etc.) will help you apply production/reporting/editing skills acquired in class.

Proposal (10%): You are expected to propose a multimedia project and present the proposal in class.

Final Project (20%): You will produce a multimedia package. The purpose of this assignment is for you to apply the multimedia journalism skills acquired in class to online news publishing.

Course Policy

Missed Classes/Exams and Late Assignments

Students are responsible for the content of all class sessions, whether it is included in the text or not. If you miss a class/lab, please arrange with a classmate to find out before you return to class/lab what you missed while you were gone. Please write down the contact information of two classmates here:

1.

2.

If an emergency prevents a student from taking a scheduled exam or meeting the deadline of a presentation, the student must notify the instructor/TA prior to the exam or presentation. Otherwise, the student will not be eligible for a make-up. Make-up exams/presentations will be granted only for a limited time and only for valid, documented reasons, such as serious illness, family emergency, jury duty or military reserve obligation.

If the deadline of an assignment is missed because of non-emergency reasons, all late work must be turned in within one week after it is due and will be downgraded for one letter grade no matter it is 1 or 7 days late. No late work beyond the one-week period will be accepted. Missed assignments will receive a zero.

Disruptive Behavior

Mutual respect is essential in this class. Therefore, please do not read newspapers or use your laptop computer in class, unless the instructor/TA has requested that you do so. In accordance with university policy, disruptive behavior will be documented and may lead to sanctions. Examples of disruptive behaviors in the classroom include arriving late to class, chatting, etc.

Academic Integrity

Be academically honest in every aspect of class work. All students are subject to the student code of conduct, including the University Code of Academic Integrity. For this course, academic dishonesty includes (but is not limited to) the following: fabrication (i.e., making up data, sources or information), plagiarism (using someone else’s work in your work without giving proper credit), duplication (doing an assignment for this course and for any other course in this or any prior semester without the express consent of the instructor), and cheating (exchanging information with another individual during an exam). Violations of the academic integrity code will result in penalties in this course and all violations will be reported to the University. It is your responsibility to be aware of the rules of academic dishonesty -- ignorance is not a defense. When in doubt, consult the instructor before doing anything about which you are uncertain.

The University of Texas Honor Code

The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the University is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.

University Electronic Mail Notification Policy

All students should become familiar with the University's official e-mail student notification policy. It is the student's responsibility to keep the University informed as to changes in his or her e-mail address. Students are expected to check e-mail on a frequent and regular basis in order to stay current with University-related communications, recognizing that certain communications may be time-critical. It is recommended that e-mail be checked daily, but at a minimum, twice per week. The complete text of this policy and instructions for updating your e-mail address are available at http://www.utexas.edu/its/policies/emailnotify.html.

In this course, e-mail will be used as a means of communication with students. You will be responsible for checking your e-mail regularly for class work and announcements. We will use your e-mail address in Blackboard.

Use of Blackboard

This course uses Blackboard, a Web-based course management system in which a password-protected site is created for each course. Student enrollments in each course are updated each evening. Blackboard can be used to distribute course materials, to communicate and collaborate online, to post grades, to submit assignments, and to take online quizzes and surveys.

You will be responsible for checking the Blackboard course site regularly for class work and announcements. As with all computer systems, there are occasional scheduled downtimes as well as unanticipated disruptions. Notification of these disruptions will be posted on the Blackboard login page. Scheduled downtimes are not an excuse for late work. Blackboard is available at http://courses.utexas.edu. Support is provided by the ITS Help Desk at 475-9400 Monday through Friday 8 am to 6 pm, so plan accordingly.

Student Feedback

During the semester, I will be asking you to give me feedback on your learning in informal as well as formal ways. It’s very important for me to know your reaction to what we’re doing in class. Come see me during office hours if you have any questions/suggestions.

Documented Disability Statement

The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or 232-2937 (video phone).

Religious Holy Days

By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence.

Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL)

If you are worried about someone who is acting differently, you may use the Behavior Concerns Advice Line to discuss by phone your concerns about another individual’s behavior. This service is provided through a partnership among the Office of the Dean of Students, the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC), the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and The University of Texas Police Department (UTPD). Call 512-232-5050 or visit http://www.utexas.edu/safety/bcal.

Q Drop Policy

The State of Texas has enacted a law that limits the number of course drops for academic reasons to six (6). As stated in Senate Bill 1231: “Beginning with the fall 2007 academic term, an institution of higher education may not permit an undergraduate student a total of more than six dropped courses, including any course a transfer student has dropped at another institution of higher education, unless the student shows good cause for dropping more than that number.”

Important Dates

Last day of the official add/drop period: Sept. 11

Last day to drop a class without possible academic penalty: Sept. 23

Course Calendar & Readings (Subject to Change)

You are expected to complete the assigned readings before class.

1.

Week of Aug. 27:

Overview of the course; class survey; introduction

Lab: No sessions

2.

Week of Aug. 31:

Introducing Web 2.0 technologies; back to the basics: Understanding the Web as a publishing medium

Read: Introduction, Ch1-3 (textbook)

Lab: Web 2.0 technologies - blog (text, image and video); RSS with Firefox; creating the Daily Me using Google Reader; Twitter

3.

Week of Sept. 7:

Digital photography; image processing

Read: Ch 8 (textbook)

Lab: Photo retouching with Photoshop

4.

Week of Sept. 14:

Evolution of online journalism: the past and the future;

challenges facing today’s news industry

Read:

Carlson, D. (2003). The history of online journalism. Digital Journalism (edited by Kevin Kawamoto). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Mindich, David. (2005). Ch 3 in Tuned Out: Why Americans Under 40 Don't Follow the News. Oxford University Press.

Lab: Photoshop/Webspace/Audacity/Soundslides

5.

Week of Sept. 21:

Audio processing

Lab: Slideshow production

6.

Week of Sept. 28:

Usability; information architecture

Read: Foust, J. (2005). Chapter 6: Web page design

Lab: HTML

  

7.

Week of Oct. 5:

Design principles; writing for the Web

Read: Ch 4 and Ch 6 (textbook)

Lab: HTML

8.

Week of Oct. 12:

Web development

Lab: Dreamweaver

9.

Week of Oct. 19:

Internet audience measurement

Read: Lacy, Sarah. (2006, Oct. 23). Web Numbers: What's Real? Business Week, available at: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_43/b4006095.htm (see also the related items).

Proposal due (Oct. 20)

Lab: Dreamweaver

10.

Week of Oct. 26:

Video shooting and editing

Read: Ch 9 and Ch 11 (textbook);

Satter, A. (2007). Video production principles.

Lab: Video shooting and editing - Final Cut Pro

11.

Week of Nov. 2:

Mid-term Exam (Nov. 3)

Lab: Video editing - Final Cut Pro

12.

Week of Nov. 9:

Web 2.0 and implications for journalism

Read: Ch 10 (textbook);

Weinberger, David. (2007). The new order of order. Everything is Miscellaneous.

Lab: Content management system – Wordpress/Final project production

13.

Week of Nov. 16:

Revenue sources and business models

Lab: Final project production

14.

Week of Nov. 23:

Citizen Journalism; the future of the news

Read: Ch 5 (textbook);

Jeff Jarvis. (2009). “If Google ruled the world: Media” in What would Google do?

Lab: Final project production

Thanksgiving (Nov. 26)

15.

Week of Nov. 30:

Conclusion

Lab: Final project presentation

     

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