COM 210 - Introduction to WRITING FOR THE MEDIA
BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE – Spring 2006
Tu-Thur 10:15AM-12:05PM / Bishop 36

Professor: Dr. Michael I. Niman
Office Hours: Tue/Thur 1:00PM-2:45PM, W 3:00-4:20 PM And by appt.
Office: 230 Bishop Hall
Website: http://mediastudy.com
Email: nimanmi@buffalostate.edu

Welcome to Com 210! This is the first course in a professional training sequence designed to prepare students for positions in the print journalism, publishing, broadcasting, public relations or advertising industries. Students will learn the fundamentals of clear, concise media writing, and how professional news and information organizations operate. Students will also learn the fundamental responsibilities of a free press in a pluralistic democratic society and the ethical responsibilities of information industry practitioners.

PREREQUISITES : This is an advanced professional writing course, not an introductory writing course. Before enrolling in this course, students should have basic writing (English), keyboarding and computer skills. Students should have mastered ENG 101 and 102 (or equivalent – must be BSC level equivalent), be able to keyboard at 25 words per minute, and have basic word processing and web researching skills. Students should also have a basic understanding of the concepts of "media literacy."

REQUIRED TEXTS :

*Kessler, L. and D. McDonald, When Words Collide (6th Edition), Wadsworth Publishers (2003).

*Ramsey, Smith and Whitaker, Media Writing: Print, Broadcast and Public Relations (2 nd Edition), Erlbaum (2004).

Students should also own a comprehensive thesaurus and an unabridged dictionary (You wouldn’t enter the Tour de France without a bike. Right?). I recommend The Original Roget’s International Thesaurus 6 th Edition, and The Oxford Concise Dictionary 10 th Edition.

Required texts are available at the Main Street Talking Leaves Bookstore, 3158 Main St.(between Hertel and Winspear - 837-8554). While at Talking Leaves, explore their media and social sciences sections as they are the most comprehensive and eclectic in upstate New York. Treat this as a small field trip. Independent bookstores are a rare animal in today’s big box culture.

ATTENDANCE, WORK EXPECTATIONS, ETC. : Congratulations – you have enrolled in a difficult section of a difficult course. In this class, you will have the opportunity to hone your professional writing skills so that you will be successful both during your ensuing four semesters here as a Communication major at BSC (if that is your goal) and in your professional development.

Once again, this is a professional training course! It is preparing students to compete in an extremely competitive job market. In an effort to both prepare our students for professional placement and to enhance the value of their degrees in the job market, the Buffalo State College Communication Department has endeavored to maintain high standards for our graduates. By enrolling in this course, students agree to live up to these standards. This is a work intensive course designed to prepare students for a demanding career. Nothing less than a 100% effort is acceptable. Taking this course is your first step as a media professional - respect this classroom as you would your workplace! Students are expected to show up for every class on time and prepared to work. You will be allowed one personal absence. "Leave" due to sickness will require documentation. Unexcused absences will debit against your final grade. Please remember - you are paying money to take this class - get the most out of it!

GRADING :

25% "Semester Story." This is a feature length article based on comprehensive research and/or interviews. The student will propose a topic, which must be approved by the professor. Together the student and professor will decide the appropriate length for the article. Student will discuss progress throughout the semester in class. Completed publication quality story will be due December 10th or before. This story should be publication-quality. Together we will work to get it published.

15% Current Events Quizzes. A journalist/media professional is supposed to have a comprehensive understanding of current world events. This is necessary to place news stories within a greater context. Students should keep abreast of local, national and international news. A Subscription to truthout.org’s daily clipping service should give students a good overview of national and world news. The online Buffalo Report (http://buffaloreport.com) will keep you abreast of local news. Students should also regularly read journals of news analysis such as The Nation or journals of media criticism such as Extra! which are available in the Library. Subscribe easily via mediastudy.com/subscribe.html. Spend free time reading. See what journalists are writing about. Also listen to Democracy Now! (WHLD-AM M-F 8-9AM or http://democracynow.org), National Public Radio, BBC (available via WNED 970 AM ) and the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) while driving in your car, preparing dinner, etc. Remember, a good journalist must both write well and think critically. Good writing and poor thinking skills comprise the most lethal combination for a journalist since such a person will most likely be both hired, and manipulated (passive voice intentional!).

10% News Story Analysis/Deconstruction. A good journalist is also a media critic. Students will learn basic media criticism skills. Each student, over the course of the semester, will analyze a news story in class and will be graded on the quality and depth of their analysis.

50% Class Participation/In-Class Assignments. Students will write in class each and every day class meets. The professor will regularly assign small writing exercises to students who will learn to perform under newsroom pressures. Students will also write articles based on assigned research conducted out of the classroom. Writing and research will be critiqued by the professor and by a group process in the class. Since you are learning how to write for public consumption, be prepared to present your work to the class. Good writing submitted early in the semester can and will be published in this year’s BSC yearbook, putting students well on their way toward assembling a portfolio.

A Note About Writing

Barring unexcused absences, writing assignments will compose 75% (50% In-Class, 25% Semester Story) of your grade. You will be graded both on the quality of your writing, and on the improvement you have demonstrated in your writing over the course of the semester. Please note that sloppiness will not be tolerated (passive voice intentional!). Given the fact that you will be using a computer, spelling errors indicate shoddy work and will not be forgiven. Also, since it is the aim of this course to train responsible media writers, factual errors and misquotes are NOT excusable. Such mistakes, in the real world, could hurt real people. In this class, they will only hurt you. Get the story straight before you turn it in! Also, please note, passing off someone else's writing as if it were your own, is plagiarism, which is theft. Acts of Plagairism will result in automatic class failure and referral for department and college disciplinary action. Be sure to attribute all quotes or ideas to their sources. Likewise, fabricating quotes or events constitutes a serious ethical transgression. The Communication Department takes the plagiarizing or fabricating of information very seriously and will deal with infractions accordingly.

Please Note: Grading of student papers will reflect Standard American English usage.

Plagiarism will result in automatic course failure and departmental or college disciplinary action. Ask around – I firmly enforce this policy w/o exceptions. Plagiarism means passing off someone else’s ideas, work or writing (intellectual property) as if it is your own. Quotes must be inside of quotation marks and clearly cited. Any other use of a sequence of words, no matter how few, not written by you constitutes plagiarism. Likewise, any series of ideas presented by someone else, or any analytical structure written by someone else, must be properly cited even if you present their work in your own words. Professor reserves the right to upload all papers, minus student names, into an anti-plagiarism database.

Students entering this course must possess literacy skills (reading comprehension and writing) appropriate to a college sophmore.

Cellies must be in silent mode. Ringing cell phones = lowered semester grade and/or public torment and humiliation.

The use of electronic recording devices is prohibited in this class except with specific permission of the professor, or except, after notification of the professor, as provided for under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

By registering for and remaining in this class, students are agreeing to abide by these guidelines.

BSC Disabilities Policy: “Any student who requires accommodations to complete the requirements and expectations of this course because of a disability is invited to make his or her needs known to the professor and to Marianne Savino, the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities, 120 South Wing, 878-4500” (BSC Office of Disabilities Services Syllabus Statement).

CLASS DISCUSSION TOPICS : Class time will be spent writing, discussing and criticizing written assignments, and in seminar style discussions of topics pertinent to media writing. Readings will be discussed during the week after they are assigned. The following topics will be explored in class:

WEEK 1 (1/17, 1/19)

*News Writing Basics> Identifying an audience; organizing ideas; avoiding passive voice, etc.

Assignment: read MediaWriting Chapters 1 and 6, When Words Collide Chapter 8

WEEK 2 (1/24, 1/26)

*Styles of Writing> Editorial; News(AP,NYT); Feature; New Journalism/Gonzo; Ethnographic; Fiction; Advocacy, Advertising and PR Copy, etc.

*Basic Mass Communication Theory and the role of the Press. What is news?

Assignment: read Mediawriting Chapter 4, When Words Collide Chapers 1,2 and 11

WEEK 3 (1/31, 2/2)

*Using Language> How words convey bias. Euphemistic language; jargon. Using native language (slang) as normative (when to and when not to).

Assignment: read Mediawriting Chapter 2

WEEK 4 (2/7, 2/9)

*Objectivity and Bias> Identifying biases; confronting biases; Does objectivity exist?

*Ethics> Examples of ethical and unethical behavior of journalists and public relations writers; the responsibilities of a free press.

Assignment: read Mediawriting Chapter 8, When Words Collide Chapter 13

WEEK 5 (2/14, 2/16)

*Different News "Beats"> City, State and Federal Government; International Affairs; Education; Science; Environment; Sports; etc. Feature Writing.

*Rewriting stories for various venues or editions. Obituaries and other seemingly mundane assignments.

*Cultural Baggage – confronting your inner demons vis-à-vis sexism, racism etc.

Assignment: read Mediawriting Chapter 3

WEEK 6 (2/23) No class on Lanetagayu Day 2/21

*Polling and Statistics> Understanding statistics; understanding polling; when are polls misleading; how statistics "lie," etc.

*Research Skills> Using the library; using the Internet; using on-line services and CD ROMs; field research; qualitative vs. quantitative research, etc.

Assignment: visit Dr. Niman’s web site and explore on-line research tools - visit library and explore cd rom databases. Read Mediawriting Chapter 6

WEEK 7 (2/28, 3/2)

*Interview Skills> Interview techniques; transcription; recording; the open ended interview; creating questions; accuracy of quotations, etc.

Assignment: read Mediawriting Chapter 7

WEEK 8 (3/7, 3/9)

Other people’s words are sacred – accuracy in quotations. On the record vs. off the record.

WEEK 9 (3/14, 3/16)

*Ownership> A look at the latest trends in media ownership.

Assignment: visit Dr. Niman’s web site and explore linked sites focusing on corporate control of the media. Read Mediawriting Chapters 12 and 13 and read Public Relations Society of America Code of Ethics – available from link at http://mediastudy.com/media.html (PR section).

Spring Break – No Class 3/21, 3/23

WEEK 10 (3/28, 3/30) S/U and W Deadline

*The history of Public Relations in the U.S. and Europe. The role of Public Relations in contemporary American society. Ethics in Public Relations. PR strategy and writing.

Assignment: read Mediawriting Chapter 14

WEEK 11 (4/4, 4/6)

*Freelance Writing> Many professional writers break into the market as freelancers. How do you market stories?

*Writing honest non-deceptive advertising copy.

Assignment: read Mediawriting Chapter 10

WEEK 12 (4/11, 4/13)

*Different Venues> Alternative Press; Business Press; Special Interest Press; Ethnic Press; Small Town Weeklies; Arts and Entertainment Weeklies; Political Journals, etc. Broadcast copywriting.

Assignment: read Mediawriting Chapter 11

WEEK 13 (4/16, 4/18)

Reporting for Visual and/or audio media.

Assignment: read Mediawriting Chapter 3

WEEK 14 (4/25, 4/27)

*Publicity writing.

*Accuracy and Libel> How to verify information, sources, etc.

*Landing Your First Job> The job search begins today; how; what; where.

*Working with editors> How to work with editors instead of against them; how to survive in the newsroom; the editor as mentor; responsibilities of editors.

A FINAL NOTE : This class has a 16:1 student to professor ratio. It is one of the lowest in the college. Hence, I will be available to answer your questions, read your work closely and give you constructive criticism. There will be ample time to discuss your work and your professional development. I am a nationally published journalist and researcher. Take advantage of this opportunity by making an extra effort to come to class prepared and by handing in quality work.