MASS COMMUNICTION 402

BROADCAST JOURNALISM

Spring 2006

Instructor: Lance Arnold

107 Talbot Hall

Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 12-1; Tuesday and Thursday 10-2

Phone: 985.448.4613

 

 

Course description: Theory, research, concepts, skills and tools basic to radio and television journalism, including news department operation and news program production.

 

Course content: Students will prepare features and PSAs and learn techniques associated with producing a television news program. Students will also produce the NTW news program once a week. While doing this the students will work on special assignments designed to enhance their broadcast journalism skills. Each student will perform each studio position at least once. Students will be required to make every effort to have the diversity of Nicholls State University shown in their work when applicable.

 

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.

 

Required Text: Kobler, Helmut (2004) Final Cut Pro HD for Dummies, Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley Publishing Inc..

 

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 “F” 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, PSA’S,

                        FEATURES AND VOs            50%

                        STUDIO POSITIONS                       30%

                        CLASS ASSIGNMENTS                  10%

                        CLASS PARTICIPATION                10%

 

Portfolios: A portfolio is required of every mass communication student. The student’s portfolio well be presented and graded in the capstone course of the student’s emphasis. Further details on the portfolio may be found in the MACO Student Handbook. All work in MACO courses should be corrected and archived on disc and in hard copy for possible inclusion in the portfolio.

 

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 instructor’s discretion and is not a contract. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with the syllabus’s content and keep abreast of any changes that may be made.

 

*BONUS POINTS WILL BE AWARDED TO THOSE SHOWING TEAM WORK OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM*

*Bonus points also awarded for approved extra projects