Broadcast Journalism

"Work for the Week" 2006-2007 

Last updated on Thursday September 10, 2009

 Do not "go ahead a week or two" in the work on this page! 

Students are responsible for all assignments even when legitimately absent and should not expect to be brought up to date during class as this results in a loss of instructional time for everyone. See your teacher for the appropriate time to make up missed work.  Assignments are expected on the due date. There may be penalties for work that is turned in late.

Please note, as the work for the week is updated frequently you may need to refresh your browser to obtain the most up to date content (right click on this page and select refresh).

FIRST QUARTER:   WEEK ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN (ALT)*

Second Quarter:  WEEK ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN Regents Exam (ALT)*

Third Quarter:   WEEK ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE,  (ALT)*

Fourth Quarter:    WEEK ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE   (ALT)*

Accommodation for Special Education

      Alternative assignments (signified by an "Alt" in the work for the week) are only provided for students who legitimately do not have access to the media under study or through direct collaboration with resource teachers: they will be accepted in lieu of other work only when a student, parent, or resource teacher has arranged the substitution with the instructor prior to the due date.

WEEK ONE

Work for the Week

Copy "Work for the Week" into your notebook (Check as done r); Notes on setting Smart Goals; Create 3 Smart Goals for yourself (one for this quarter, one for the year, and one for after graduation) and explain how they are S.M.A.R.T. [Specific, Measurable, Action Oriented, Realistic, and Timely] (Check as done r)

Homework:   Watch an evening news program and use it as the basis for your evaluation for this week:  DUE FRIDAY.  For this first one, you should answer the question "How does this program effectively communicate the news?" 

View Film:   Good Night and Good Luck   Begin a "Media Log" in your notebook for each film we view... remember, it is your obligation to see any films you may be absent for or to see me immediately for an alternative assignment.  Respond in your notebooks to the question: As presented in the film, what is the job of the news media in a democracy? Remember, responses should be thoughtful and original (not copied from friends) using proper English and will be collected randomly as part of your notebook grade.

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Remember, responses should be thoughtful and original (not copied from friends) using proper English and will be collected randomly as part of your notebook grade.

Evaluation of Evening News Program Due r.      Remember--  HW Parent and Guardian Information Sheet or their e-mail and Goals Collected Monday 11th

Copy "Work for the Week" into your notebook (Check as done r); Turn in Parent and Guardian Information Sheet and Smart Goals Assignments Collected.

Programming in remembrance of September 11th.

PACKET ONE DISTRIBUTED keep it in your notebook and bring it every day. Due date is October 26th.  Follow Directions for Vocabulary/ Terminology List #1

Copy wfw into notes-- 1^st quarter project introduced   (OPED “Editorials” project Due:  October 11^th).   Reminder Mini-dv must be your own production dates are non negotiable. 

Complete the Today Show questions (Check as done r). 

In your notebook answer the following questions: What are editorials? (Check as done r)   See NY Times Opinion “OPED” Section  What makes good content for your Broadcast Editorials?(Check as done r)   Vocabulary List Two

HW-- Study three words a night for Test Friday (Check as done r). Prepare for Surprise Notebook Check.

Topic selection “first come first serve” you must sign up and be approved. No duplicate topics.

Read Google News,  AP and Reuters websites or other online sources  for you to get topic ideas.  Work on Packet.  Study for test.  Prepare for Notebook Check

This weeks Media logs “Elements of News” are due   (Surprise Notebook Check/Test).  

Test Two Vocabulary and on Weeks 1-4.

Note*** Talking, distraction, and rudeness are not appropriate on a "set" or in a "studio" and will cause your grade to be lowered in both rehearsal and final production categories.

• Topic selection and rough draft: 25%
• Rehearsal/ run-throughs ("professionalism" & participation)25%
• Production ("professionalism" & participation) 25%
• Typed Final copy submitted with RD following the editorial notes distributed Friday 25%

HW- Study four words a night all this week.  Reminder-- each student needs their own Mini DV tape in order to complete the production of the 1^st qtr. project.   Sharing of tapes is not acceptable -- Reminder -- Parent Teacher open school night  

After you go, give me a copy of your rough draft and final draft following the editorial notes distributed Friday October 6th.(Production Days are limited and can not be "made up")

All students are to keep a class "editorial media log" identifying a minimum of 20 students, their editorial topic, and an example of an advertising technique or specific "call to action" (see editorial notes) used in the editorials being taped due Friday 13th.

About Fact Checking   More Fact Check  Still More  

BLOGS View Report online: Internet Neutrality?  What is at risk?

Credible or just for fun?   Conservative / Liberal blogs:  Pro Bush   http://www.blogsforbush.com/   Anti Bush:  http://www.bushvchoice.com/ 

In class assignment:   Using what you know write your own blog Due Monday 30th:      NPR    GOP  DEM   PBS

1st quarter ends-- Grades will be mailed home-- Don't ask me as I every time you ask or e-mail I have to stop grading and it actually takes longer: besides, you can figure it out as easily as me-- after all you are required to keep all work in your notebook-- right? Average it out.  FYI-- as soon as I am done I will give the grades to guidance try here: but note, in the past we have been directed not to give grades out ahead of time.

More Information about

• Grading of HW --
• Quarter Grades-- 
• Weighted Quarter Grades--

“Chicken Little” journalism.   What is it? A style of Journalism that “alarms” the audience -- intended to get ratings (i.e. money) with minimal cost to the media it may cause panic, or at the very least, apathy.  Consider--   Coverage of the bird flu...terrorism...global warming…WMDs-- while these are “real” issues, the media can and does impact the way these “warnings” impact their audience.  

"Ostrich" Journalism:   quite the opposite.    Bury your head in the sand and repeat the same “Things are not that bad” message.  What are some issues that have been dealt with by the media in this way?  What is the effect of NOT covering a topic?

For your Media Log this week -- Media Log assignment due Thursday:  Compare Chicken Little Journalism to “Ostrich” Journalism in a Venn Diagram (provide at least one example from outside news sources for each-- cite the source). Start film:  Chicken Little --  One example we have explored already through  Good Night and Good Luck can be found in this article HERE

Film:  Bowling For Columbine    Michael Moore:   Is he a “chicken little”?  In your Media Log, complete the Movie Guide HERE  and then as culmination of this  weeks Media Log-- Explain your answer in a fully developed essay (50% of grade, turn in rough draft with final draft)-- consider that in the news recently our lawmakers have proposed arming teachers (seriously--LOOK--  HERE  HERE).  Extra Credit-- Explain in your essay---Who is Rachel Scott? (Check as done r)   Packet was  Distributed due 12 /13 questions are in packet.

Media Log: In your notebook for Wednesday, respond to the following:
From sensationalism in the news to cameras in every courtroom……How does the public (mass audience participation) impact the media’s coverage of the justice system? Consider OJ  (Check as done r)  

Consider Trial By Television A & E Documentary   and  Evidence of Guilt   CBS News Video
 

Read BBC ARTICLE AND ANSWER QUESTIONS AT END OF ARTICLE Due Wed 29th (Check as done r)  

*Definition of Minority Report: A minority report is a committee report written by at least two committee members who are in the minority on the issue in question on a particular bill (NOT necessarily in the political minority party) for the purposes of officially stating their position on the issue. 

Packet distributed in week TWO is due at start of class.  Second Quarter Project -- The Peabody Awards
Grades for project will be calculated as follows--
Rough Draft and Research Notes Due Dec. 1st --50% of project grade this quarter.  Final copy according to MLA format with Parenthetical Citation as well as your Works Cited Due Jan 5, 2007 --50% of project grade this quarter.  The Final Paper will be evaluated using the following Rubric Here     Additional --  Notes on Peabody Awards   

You have been assigned the job of writing a feature news report for broadcast about the phenomenon of The Prairie Home Companion.  As part of your research, you will attend the 30^th anniversary live performance of this radio show.  You will take notes.  You will turn in both the final news report as well as your notes.

An Inconvenient Truth Global climate change, if it's not addressed, will cause all life on the planet to be devastated, regardless of geography, class, race, or creed. The Inconvenient Truth is the gripping story of former Vice President Al Gore, who became interested in this startling issue while at college 30 years ago, and now devotes his life to reversing global warming. Traveling the world, he has built a visually mesmerizing presentation designed to disabuse doubters of the notion that climate change is debatable.   Notes and Reports Due Today for The Prairie Home Companion and letters to Santa.

For this week’s Media Log (due Friday):    Does this documentary present the facts in a clear and balanced manner?  Identify any "liberal bias" that may exist within the film….Consider Gore’s political past…..

HW-- Rough drafts of projects due at start of class (returned at end of class) FRIDAY.  As of today, five people have selected a topic.  Be sure to see me for topic approval (sorry, no duplicates and be sure it relates to journalism).

FRIDAY 12^th is the last day to turn in late or missing work for credit. Rough drafts of projects that were originally due Friday checked at start of class (returned at end of class).

You’re The Reporter:   Roger & Me is a 1989 American documentary film directed and reported by independent filmmaker/journalist Michael Moore. With black humor, Moore illustrates the negative economic impact of General Motors CEO Roger Smith's summary action of closing several auto plants in Flint, Michigan, costing 40,000 people their jobs and economically devastating the city. How have things changed in the past 10 years due to cases like the one shown in Roger & Me?

Use the documentary to write an article on Corporate Responsibility.

Research topic as needed to complete this assignment for your Media Log.  Study the 'Inverted Pyramid" in your packets for a notebook test Friday.

Roger & Me   HW -- Bring your notebook for test FRIDAY last day to turn in late or missing work for credit

3rd Quarter Packets Distributed (3.1.2 counts as 4 HW assignments--Check as done Due Monday 2 26)

Intro to Peabody PowerPoint Presentation Project (3.4.3 due Monday March 26):  For the first time in American history, "the old old" -- those over 85 -- are now the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population. Medical advances have enabled an unprecedented number of Americans to live longer, healthier lives.  View Living Old Please complete a Media Log sheet for this topic 3.4.1.  due Friday March 2nd

Media Log sheet and written response due Monday 12th (3.5.1).    End John Q

Spring Break Next Week through April 11  END OF MARKING PERIOD 3

Longwood Senior High School

L.S.H.S. 100 Longwood Road,

Middle Island, NY 11953

 Media log sheet and response due  (4.1 .1   Due) First  Notebook check?

"The battle between the White House and the national media is the battle over who controls the national agenda," says commentator Patrick Buchanan.  Mark McKinnon, former media adviser to President George W. Bush, agrees: "The Washington press corps for years thought that unless you talked to The New York Times and CBS, that you weren't talking to the American public. Well, that's just not the case anymore.... Frontline:  NEWS WARS   Reminder, you are free to visit the website for transcripts or to view the material again:  Read the Student Handout  and consider PART I  of this documentary as you respond in paragraph format to the following questions:

1. How would you characterize the relationship between the current president and the press (provide examples and cite your sources)? 

2. In reflection of Jefferson, Franklin ,or Madison  (Student Handout) what do you believe to be true about anonymous sources, and a journalist’s right to protect them in a democracy (respond directly to one minimum)? 

Brief one page minimum reflective response due Friday 4.2.1

An introduction to the 4^th quarter project

Due May 29^th (The planning and production of individual student-produced 15 minute news program)  LINK WITH DETAILS  IS HERE  Of course, with the production-based nature of the project, late projects can not be accepted [ e.g. consider-- the six o’clock news goes on at six o’clock].

4.3.2. Investigative Reports:  How do they work?  How does a journalist plan and research in order to ensure that their report is credible?  We will look at several examples of investigative reports and compare the methods of the journalists---Take notes in preparation for following assignments about the methods of specific journalists.

NBC Jiffy Lube clip:  NBC Investigates Jiffy Lube

Today, Preparation for 4^th quarter projects-- As distributed in week three of this quarter -- LINK WITH DETAILS  IS HERE  Of course, with the production-based nature of the project, late projects can not be accepted [ e.g. consider-- the six o’clock news goes on at six o’clock]. 

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