MASS COMMUNICTION 402
BROADCAST JOURNALISM
SPRING 2005
Instructor: Lance Arnold (lance.arnold@nicholls.edu)
107 Talbot Hall—448-4613
Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 12-3
Course description: Theory, research, concepts, skills and tools basic to radio and television journalism, including news department operation and news program production.
Course content: The first half of the semester the students will produce a weekly news program and learn techniques associated with producing this television news program. The second half the students will produce the NTW news programs twice a week. While doing this the students will work on special assignments designed to enhance their broadcast journalism skills.
Course Goals: You will leave this course with the hands-on experience necessary to work in real-world television news studios, and to perform fieldwork for these organizations. The skills learned will include but not be limited to ENG, EFP, studio productions, lighting, audio, camera (photojournalism and videography), linear editing, non-linear editing, teleprompter, audio board, multiple deck formats, video switchers, computer graphics, computer graphics aesthetics, shot aesthetics, writing for television, interviewing techniques, script layout, rundown layout, research, teamwork, above the line and below the line duties, and how to produce packages, vos, wo/sots, and psas.
Required Text: Shook, Fredrick (2000) Television Field Production and Reporting (third edition, New York: Longman.
Materials: Three mini-DV tapes.
Incomplete work policy: In this class you will be working under real world deadlines and all projects must be completed on time. If your project is deemed not to be air worthy you will receive a failing grade for it. If you do not turn in an assigned project by the producers deadline you will receive negative half the value of the project.
Attendance policy: Attendance is mandatory, in this class you are part of a team and your absence will inhibit the work of the entire team. If you miss a show you will loose a letter grade. Excused absences must have documentation.
Make-up procedure: Without a documented absence make-up work will not be allowed. With documented absences make-up work that is equal to the assigned work will be allowed.
Plagiarism and cheating policy: Either will result in a minimum penalty of ÒFÓ for the final semester. By taking this course, students agree that all assignments are subject to submission to Turnitin.com, an online plagiarism prevention and detection service. All work submitted to Turnitin.com will be added to its database of papers. Turnitin's privacy policy and a description of the service are available at http://www.turnitin.com. Specifically, this service compares your paper with Internet webpages, articles in databases, and all papers previously submitted from this university or any other. Turnitin then either confirms the originality of your work or gives the source of plagiarism. In cases of detected plagiarism, the paper and supporting evidence will be handled in compliance with the Student Code of Conduct (http://www.nicholls.edu/life/policy/code_of_conduct.pdf).
Grading Policy: Student s will be graded on class projects as well as mid-term and final exams.
READERS,PACKAGES, PSAÕS,
FEATURES AND VOs 50%
STUDIO POSITIONS 40%
CLASS PARTICIPATION 10%
We will be using a 10-point grading scale in this class.
Disabilities: If you have a documented disability that requires assistance, you will need to register with the Office of Disability Services for coordination of your academic accommodations. The Office of Disability Services is located in Peltier Hall, Room 100-A. The phone number is (985) 448-4430 (TDD 449-7002).
Syllabus Requirements: This syllabus is subject to change upon notification at the instructorÕs discretion and is not a contract. It is the studentÕs responsibility to be familiar with the syllabusÕs content and keep abreast of any changes that may be made.