2014 - Fall

Advanced Reporting: Advanced TV Reporting

Course Number: JOUR-UA 301, Section 004

Day & Time: Thursday 10:00am-1:40pm

Location: 20 Cooper Square, room 750

Prerequisites: Foundations, The Beat

This is the Capstone course. Subject matter varies from section to section, but the basic skeleton of the course is the same across sections: the emphasis is on development of the ability to produce writing and reporting within a sophisticated longform story structure. The course involves query writing, topic research and reading, interviewing, and repeated drafts and rewrites, leading to a full-length piece of writing aimed at a publishable level and the ability of the student to present the reporting orally.

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In previous classes, students have learned the rudiments of story selection, writing and shooting. This class advances those skills, with the added pressure of meeting real deadlines; i.e., producing pieces that air on a live, weekly news broadcast. Stories will gradually grow in complexity over the semester.

Class one. Explanation of what the students will be expected to do during the semester, including how grades will be determined. Discussion of types of stories to be done and how they should be researched and presented to the professor for approval. Students are instructed to bring in story ideas by the next session. There will be attention to interviewing skills. All story ideas must be accompanied by a list of questions to be asked.

Students are required to do 4 stories of normal length and one more complicated, longer final piece.