Journalism 322D

Broadcast News Writing and Reporting for Radio

Fall, 2009

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The ultimate goal is to produce a radio show. Before you do that, you'll need to learn to write for broadcast. That means writing short, meaningful sentences that are easily understood. Broadcast news writing is a craft. So expect to write a lot. We'll also go over how to conduct interviews and how to use and edit sound.

We'll spend the first half of the semester on the basics: broadcast writing and technology training. For the remainder of the course, you will produce four half-hour radio shows (called Dispatch 40/27 minutes with music) that will air on KVRX. Each week you'll work on stories for the show. Each show will have a producer and assistant producers who will decide which stories will be used and which will not. You'll also produce: In the Know (serious, no music, three 9 minute segments). Throughout the semester we will consider and discuss the legal, moral and ethical issues that broadcast journalists face each day.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Perform as if this is the beginning of your career in broadcast news, of course, without the paycheck. Show up for the lecture and lab on time and ready to work. Since broadcast news is a team effort, if you don't do your part, it will not only affect your grade but your classmates' grades. Expect the lecture or the lab to begin with a reading quiz or a lead-writing exercise.

You will not be able to make up in-class work, quizzes, or Dispatch 40 assignments even if the absence is not your fault. However, I will throw out each student's worst in-class or homework assignment and worst quiz grade and replace it with the average of your remaining grades. Please complete assigned readings prior to class. Your participation in discussion is expected.

You will need the following for this class:

Broadcast News Writing Stylebook, edition 3 (Robert Papper)

A way to listen to NPR (90.5) and KLBJ (590 AM)

CD/RWs (optional if you'd like copies of your wraps at the end of the semester)

All writing assignments should be submitted double-spaced. You are required to provide us with a list of sources you use in your stories, including the phone numbers or e-mail addresses of people who were interviewed. Periodic checks are done to ensure the validity and accuracy of your fact gathering. Missing deadlines will result in your grade being lowered by 10 points.

GRADES:

Dispatch 40 stories: 50%

Midterm exam: 20%

Lab and Homework Assignments: 10%

Participation in class: 10%

KVRX News Update: 10%

Total: 100%

100%-95%= A

94%-90%= A-

89%-86%= B+

85%-83%= B

82%-80%= B-

79%-76%= C+

Plagiarizing the work of others (including past students of this course) or fabricating elements of stories will result in a failing grade and possible disciplinary action by the university including expulsion. For details, see the university's policies.

http://www.utexas.edu/depts/dos/sjs/academicintegrity.html

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.

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).