Syllabus


This is an advanced class in television production for Broadcast Journalism majors. Having laid the production foundation in studio production (COMM 1380), live remote production (COMM 2370), field production (COMM 3650/3655), and audio production (COMM 3790), students will now integrate these elements by producing and directing a television program after choosing among various options.
Prerequisite: COMM 3650/3655. Lab required. 2 lecture hours per week.

Required Technology: Your own or access to a Mac or PC and a personal blog established through blogger.com.

Required Texts
Roll! Shooting TV News: Views From Behind the Lens, Rich Underwood
The Investigative Reporter's Handbook:A Guide to Documents, Databases and Techniques, Brant Houston



Qualification
As a core class for the Bachelor of Communication degree, you need to achieve a C+ or higher as the grade outcome of this class for it to count towards your degree requirements.

Final Exam
The final exam time for this class is Friday, April 3oth at noon.

Missing Class
Class attendance goes without question. Two absences and your evaluation drops one whole grade. Four absences results in administrative withdrawal or if after the withdraw deadline, failing the course. There is no such thing as an excused absence. You show up or you don’t. The drop date this semester is March 5.

Plagiarism and Cheating
Plagiarism is the use of another source’s words, ideas or statistics without their permission and/or proper citation. Anyone who plagiarizes material in my class will receive a grade of zero on that assignment. Anyone found cheating on term assessments will fail the test, though I also reserve the right to assign you an “F” for the course and/or refer you to our chair for further sanctions. If you submit a falsified electronic document that I cannot open, you will fail the assignment. Please keep in mind that one can be expelled from the college for academic dishonesty.

Also see Academic dishonesty / Academic integrity policy.

Electronic Devices
Cell phones will not be tolerated in class. Turn them off while you’re here. First interruption infraction and you're buying everyone pizza and sodas the next meeting. Second infraction and you're buying everyone lunch at Cafe Rio. Lap tops are encouraged for use in class discussion and research. Facebook on your own time. If I find you engaged in an online activity that is not related to class activity you will owe me a full Cafe Rio card for each infraction.

Email Communication
Important class and college information will be sent to your D-mail account. All DSC students are automatically assigned a D-mail email account. Click and select D-mail for complete instructions. You will be held accountable for information sent to your D-mail, so please check it often.

Hostility
I reserve the right to remove any student from this class and/or program based on documentable breech of citizenship such as sexual harassment, hostile environment, discrimination based on race, religion, gender and/or sexual preference, plagiarism, misrepresentation, and/or malicious gossip.

Withdrawal and Drop Deadlines
Please consult the semester schedule for withdrawal and reimbursement deadlines. You will be charged a $10 fee for dropping this class.

Late Work and Missing Tests

Should you miss an assessment due to medical reasons, you must provide documentation that states you were otherwise occupied at the time or in the general vicinity of class time. All excused absences must be presented right after the absence, and will be verified. I will determine what is excused. Any missed exams will only be made up with appropriate excused documentation.

Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a medical, psychological or a learning difference and requesting reasonable academic accommodations due to this disability, you must provide an official request of accommodation to your professor(s) from the Disability Resource Center within the first two weeks of the beginning of classes. Students are to contact the center on the main campus to follow through with, and receive assistance in the documentation process to determine the appropriate accommodations related to their disability.

You may call (435) 652-7516 for an appointment and further information regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 per Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The office is located in the Student Services Center, Room #201 of the Edith Whitehead Building.

Library and Literacy Contacts
Dianne Hirning is the librarian over Communication resources. She is your resource and guide for research within this discipline. You can reach her at hirning@dixie.edu and by phone at 652-7720.

Resources:

Goal and Outcomes


Course Goal: Ameliorate your acquired skills in broadcast production.

Outcomes: Through regular attendance and active participation you will be able to:
  • Improve your on-camera delivery
  • self-assess delivery aspects such as tone, rate, speed, interpretation and charisma,
  • differentiate investigative reporting techniques,
  • anchor a live newscast,
  • direct live news production for web and cable distribution,
  • produce a live newscast,
  • publish an online site for self-promotion.

This is it – your opportunity to hone your on-camera delivery and practice your producing and directing skills.

Item Pool


These activities are designed to get you discovering and applying different aspects of the television news process.

Items
1. Produce – Skill Development (100 points)
Produce one package for dscDisclosure.

2. Investigate - Skill Development (600 points)
Research, write and report an in-depth investigative journalism story. Following the eleven steps Paul Williams method, establish the grounds and feasibility of the story and research using primary sources ans documents, secondary sources and computer assisted reporting. Reach the eleventh step in a converged publication/airing of the story.

3. Website – Self Promotion (100 points)
Develop a blog/website promoting yourself in your chosen specialty in broadcast production. The blog should include a headshot, reel, and biography.

4. Assessments on reading (200 points)

Investigative Rubric

Point Value: 600
Activity Description
Research, write and report an in-depth investigative journalism story. Following the eleven steps Paul Williams method, establish the grounds and feasibility of the story and research using primary sources and documents, secondary sources and computer assisted reporting. Reach the eleventh step in a converged publication/airing of the story.


Rubric
1. The reporter researches and feasibly establishes the veracity and relevancy of their story in editorial, reaching the first three steps of Williams' model.

Beginner (0-25) Developing (26-35) Accomplished (36-50)

2. The reporter establishes base building and research planning and then executes original research using primary and secondary sources and documents, phone and live interviews, and computer-assisted reporting methods.

Beginner (0-75) Developing (76-149) Accomplished (149-200)


3. The reporter discusses their findings and angles in editorial to flush out gaps and get final approval for finishing the story.

Beginner (0-25) Developing (26-35) Accomplished (36-50)

4. The reporter writes the story using transcriptions of interviews, stand-ups and transitions, sound bites and descriptions of b-roll and submits the story to editorial for re-write and approval.

Beginner (0-75) Developing (76-149) Accomplished (150-200)

5. The reporter converges the outcome for web distribution, print and broadcast.

Beginner (0-33) Developing (34-75) Accomplished (76-100)