SYLLABUSMultimedia Journalism

MMC 6936-901Fall 2006

"Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones,    in the right order, you can nudge the world a little."     -- Tom Stoppard

“Computer games alter the idea of the relationship between audiences and the media, and point towards a future of active users and new demands on the media.” --Torill Mortensen

Class: T 6:00-8:50p Instructor: Dr. Marie Curkan-Flanagan CIS 1020, CIS 3083 E-mail: mflanaga@cas.usf.eduOffice Hours: T/TR 9:30-1p, Home Page: http://www.cas.usf.edu/~flanagan (or by appointment) Office Location: CIS 3082 Office Phone: 974-6789

COURSE OBJECTIVE: Multimedia Journalism emerged from the fusion of different media, namely, print, broadcast, audio, image and film. The fusion of these separate media, combined with the power of the World Wide Web, has posed new challenges for professionals in mass communication. This course explores and evaluates convergence and its current impact on established media values and characteristics. Because New Media needs the producer who manages, the director with the creative vision, and the writer who documents the development process, student will produce their own multimedia works using many of the tools of the industry. This is an advanced writing course designed to provide a method for developing and understanding the cross-platform environment. The challenge for a new generation of journalists, broadcasters, advertising and public relations professionals will be to build a system that provides more than just a quick way to receive the same old information products.

COURSE OUTLINE: The course is a series of lectures, demonstrations, professional and computer lab exercises. Assignments will explore various concepts for interactive design that are needed for effective web and multimedia project development particularly as it is applied to the news industry. Attention is placed on balancing technical skills with individual content and experimental approaches. The course will serve as an in-depth foundation to any student interested in the creative possibilities of multimedia writing. Upon completion, students will be prepared for further study and possible career paths in the field.

PREREQUISITES: Basic familiarity with Macintosh or Windows operating system (word processing, Internet browsing, digital imaging). No programming experience required.

Your attendance in the computer labs is required. Even if you work at home, you are expected to allow a chunk of time bi-monthly to come to the computer lab to develop your skills.

Purchase and read:

Elin, L. (2002) Designing and Developing Multimedia: A Practical Guide for the Producer, Director, and writer. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon

Associated Press Stylebook( 2004) New York, NY: Basic Books.

Recommended (not required)

Papper, R.A. (2006) Broadcast News and Writing Stylebook, 3rd . Boston, MA: Pearson.

Hand-outs: Taking individual economic needs into consideration I did not require that you purchase textbooks on print, broadcast, and web journalism. However, you will be given a very long list of hand-outs or web addresses where material can be found on various subjects. It is your responsibility to read, pull, or get copies of any hand-outs you miss in class. If you are not in class the day material are handed out, it’s up to you to copy material from someone else in class.

***ZIP-The computers in the CIS lab are set-up to accommodate zip disc or jump drives only. You will need to purchase one of these pieces of technology for all of your scripts and information I send you if you want to save the material.

****PLEASE GET A WORKING EMAIL ADDRESS TO ME IMMEDIATELY AS I WILL CREATE A LISTSERVE AND ROUTINELY WILL SEND INFORMATION TO THE CLASS. THIS WILL ALSO BE THE WAY YOU CAN SHARE INFORMATION AMONG YOU. ADDITIONALLY, IF CLASS SHOULD BE CANCELLED THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I WILL BE ABLE TO CONTACT YOU.

The USF School of Mass Communications complies with national accrediting standards designed to help prepare students to understand and relate to issues of interest to women and minorities in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-racial and otherwise diverse society.

ATTENDANCE:·Class and computer lab attendance is mandatory in (MMC) 6936. No absences are excused. ·You are allowed two (2) acceptably documented excused absences for illness or transportation reasons, not for other class conflicts. Understand that even with acceptably documented excused absences NO consideration will be given for the third cut and will result in the lowering of your grade by one letter. Hence, if you’ve earned an “A” you will receive a “B.” A fourth cut will result in automatically FAILING THE COURSE. This is a standard work policy in media

·Students who anticipate the necessity of being absent from class due to the observation of a major religious observance must provide written notice of the date(s) and event (s) to the instructor by the second class meeting.

·Any student with a disability is encouraged to meet with me privately during the first week of class to discuss accommodations. Each student MUST bring a current MEMORANDUM OF ACCOMMODATIONS from the Office of Student Disability Services, which is prerequisite for receiving accommodations. Accommodated examinations through the Office of Student Disability Services require two weeks notice.

GRADING POLICY

Each of you comes with a different set of skills, expertise, and potentials. As a result, the process of grading creative works is full of contradiction and difficulty because students learn at different rates and have different levels of frustration in accomplishing various tasks. While some of you will work many hours to produce work that may not represent those hours—others among you will spend very little time and get lucky on some projects. Additionally, effectively communicating with digital media is a mix of new ideas, visual language, technical talent, endless amounts of patience, and a willingness to fail. Learning and experimenting is a risky business and we want you to dive in, and learn. We also want you to have something to look at and share after the course is complete. As a result, I will carefully balance your learning experience with the demands and result of the work you produce to determine your final grade.

GRADE SCALE: Add your grade totals for a final grade A = 970-1000 C- =700A-= 930 B-= 810 D+ =660B+ =890 C+=800 D = 620B = 850 C =740 D- = 600

F = 550

Script & Project Grading: 97-100.....A The information is well done, carefully researched, designed and can be

printed/aired/put on the website as is.93-97…...A- The information can be distributed (as stated) with a minor flaw.89-92.......B+ The information could be distributed with a minor rewrite.85-88.......B Could be distributed with grammatical corrections81-84…...B- Could be distributed with grammar and minor rewrite.75-80…...C+ Information cannot be distributed without major corrections for platform.70-74…...C- Information cannot be distributed without major grammar changes.60-69…...D Start all over again.0- ……F The information cannot be distributed because it has factual errors.

***Please note: You may produce a wonderfully designed, well researched, well written, grammatically correct product, but if it contains factual errors you’ve wasted your time and in a professional environment you’ll have caused the media operation a lawsuit which is considered a firing offense. Hence, a “firing offense” equals an “F”

CLASS ASSIGNMENT

INDIVIDUAL CLASS ASSIGNMENT/ breakdownFinal Group project 325 pts (group)Mid-term Project 100 pts (tied to script 4) Home Page/Web 125 ptsActive Voice Exercise 50 ptsCompare print/web 50 pts Script 1 25 pts Script 2 25 ptsScript 3 50 pts (Active voice/Broadcast Rules/Oral Interpretation) Script 4 75 pts (Mid-Term Project-see notes) Script 5 50 pts (leads) TOTAL 1000Script 6 125 pts (Final effort-see notes)

****NOTE: Web page and final group/journalism exercise make-up more than 50% of grade. Mid-Term Project and Script 4The midterm project consists of two related exercises and involves developing (1) a substantial story that you have researched and written for print, broadcast, and the web (two simple links). (2) You may choose to complete this assignment any way you wish. However, you will be required to attend a public meeting (council, commission, or school board), public event (professional sport, concert, etc.), court hearing or trial. You must:

1. Prepare for the event by researching the agenda's and/or dockets.2. Contact key participants to collect background2. Stay/ attend the event for at least two hours.3. Take careful notes.4. Conduct follow-up interviews.

****Write one version of the same story using appropriate platform style: one for print, one for broadcast, and one for the Internet.

Web Design:This class includes one; two and a half hour session or mini course for web design presentations. This single class will be conducted during class time. Our visit to Academic Computing is designed to familiarize you with all of the tools available, free of charge, to help you with your projects. As I cannot sit with each of you individually and because you all have various levels of web skills and available time I have arranged to have you work at your own skills level and at your convenience. It is highly recommended that you spend some time outside of classroom hours to further develop your skills given that a large portion of your grade is based on your design of a Homepage and a media web page. The university’s Academic Computing group provides a very long list of training sessions that you can also practice from home. If you have no web design skills begin with basic xhtml classes. If you currently have moderate web skills you should participate in the advanced web design training classes so that you and your web partners can better develop your group term project. If you have advanced skills there are several Flash classes and a Gaming class available. As always, I will be available to answer your questions and help you. All the programs available will be discussed in class. You may also review what Academic Computing has available at http://www.acomp.usf.edu/

Journalism Defined (broadcast OR print)

A discipline of collecting, analyzing, verifying, and presenting information ON current events, trends, issues and people. Those who practice journalism are known as journalists.News-oriented journalism is sometimes described as the "first rough draft of history" (attributed to Phil Graham), because journalists often record important events, producing news articles OR video on short deadlines. While under pressure to be first with their stories, news media organizations usually edit and produce reports prior to broadcast and publication, adhering to each organization's standards of accuracy, quality and style. Many news organizations claim proud traditions of holding government officials and institutions accountable to the public. Multimedia journalism involves the marriage of various technology for print, broadcast, and internet platforms. However, the definition for journalism does not change...the changes come with the platform and its function.

WEB PAGES TO EXAMINE-Well developed and designed Internet story:

http://www.toxiclegacy.com

-J Lab (many examples of interactive news stories)http://www.j-lab.org/ba06interactive.shtml

-Advergames: http://www.orbitzgames.com/

http://www.blockdot.com/portfolio/advergames/game.html?gid=2&startrow=1 http://www.eprize.com/company/slideshow/index.html http://www.adverblog.com/archives/cat_advergames.htm http://www.kewlbox.com/ http://www.blockdot.com/portfolio/advergames.html http://www.advergame.com/

Script 6 This is your final multimedia journalism assignment where all of your new skills should come into play. I will hold a news conference. You will be given details of a news story. You may ask questions. Once the news conference is complete you will write the story for all three platforms; for print, television, and the web. All of your stories will be emailed to me immediately and you will put them up on your site prior to the next class.

FINAL PRESENTATIONS: Developing successful media projects depends on an extensive amount of showing your work to others and getting feedback. You will have about 30 minutes to present your term project and 5 minutes to answer questions. This live presentation is an important part of the learning process and-sharing your opinions, observations and ideas will help the presenters with future projects.

No exercises, scripts, or projects can be made-up. Working in media means meeting deadlines. Each assignment posted past deadline will result in a zero 0 for a grade.

*Assignments turned in to other venues will not be graded (This means in class only).All assignments are due on day and time stated on this syllabus unless changes are made IN class prior to assignment.

*Other than the assignments, and exams you do not have the option to submit extra work to gain bonus credit.

*Any class you miss will NOT be offered or summarized afterwards at a one-on-one basis-you are entirely responsible for any class you miss. I am assuming that you can grasp the material covered on the day (s) you miss. Therefore, you are strongly advised to follow the schedule and the handouts distributed in each class.

*All scripts and papers left with the instructor at the end of the semester will be discarded one week after the grades are posted.

WRITE UP: A few assignments will include a write-up, which you will email me before the start of the next class. This should allow me to understand if some of you are experiencing problem areas and it will allow you to share your learning experiences. Some of the material and issues you address may be shared with the class. The write-up should include a critique of the experience looking at the production, writing, and potential design process, and a description of your role in relation to the experience. For example; describe what you enjoyed about the PROCESS, perhaps what didn’t go very well, what you would do next if you had more time, would you do it again, etc. As this class is newly re-designed and experimental in nature the write-up will also give faculty the opportunity to streamline the course syllabus as it evolves. Email to: mflanaga@cas.usf.eduScript and Web Page Deadlines: see syllabus

PLAGARISM: In the communication industry anyone found to be stealing, fabricating or misusing information looses his or her job. Since this course lays the foundation for a potential career within the industry the rules will be the same. Any student found plagiarizing or misusing information will not only loose their job but they will…fail this course. Cheating on examinations will result in the same loss of class standing as reported above. Students, who don't do their own work, don't deserve a break. Please refer to the academic handbook, which clearly specifies how the university views this type of behavior. http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalalogs/0203/adadap.htm

SALE OF NOTES / TAPING OF CLASS LECTURES: Lectures given in this class are the property of Dr. Marie Curkan-Flanagan and notes may not be sold, nor taped, nor used for purposes other than the academic (non-commercial) needs of each registered student. Taping class lectures is allowed only by the individual permission of the instructor, and only if the student formally agrees to all the following conditions:

(1) Tapes are for the sole use of the individual student to whom permission is given in order to allow that student to enhance traditional note taking in class.

(2) Tapes may not be transcribed, nor may they be sold nor loaned to any other person or organization.

(3) Tapes may not be kept indefinitely ( use the same cassette and tape over each lecture with the next one)

Please see the professor outside of class time to secure formal permission for taping class lectures.

●Unless you specifically advise the professor that you object, material submitted for this course may be used at the discretion of the USF School of Mass Communication web site as an example of student work.

YOU ARE NOT TO BRING FOOD INTO THE CLASSROOM, LAB NOR THE STATION. Unfortunately, trash pickup in our building is sporadic and some of our classrooms smell terrible. Let’s help keep our learning environment clean and our computers problem free. Should you have food and trash outside of class please place your leftovers in a rubbish receptacle.

SYLLABUS Multimedia Journalism, MMC 6936

(Will vary as needed)

Week TuesdayClass Schedule MMC 6936Fall 2006

Next Week Assignments

Wk 1 August 29 -Introductions-Review of Syllabus-What is Multimedia-Diffusion (theory)-Basic Communication Model (theory)-Assumption/perceptions-Primary Sources-AP Stylebook-Local news sources-Complete Student Info form

Please read ALL material by next formal class. -Read Elin, Preface, Chapter 1, 2, & 3.-APA StylebookReview/ read HANDOUTS-Yates, Applying Diffusion-McGuire, Avoiding Presumption -6pm/ am rundown-Rosenberg, Psst- Meyers, 80%-Papper, TV Websites-Lewis, Studio 55 (Vodcasting)

Wk 2 September 5 WFTS/ Primary ElectionsCh.28,ABC, Scripps Corp.4045 N. Himes Ave., Tampa, FL 33607

Assistant Web CoordinatorsWorking with Jen McVanStation Election Coordinator

Meet at Station

Read Handout-catch-up on last week’s material-Interactive Vocabulary-Basic Structure of Media Writing-Web Page DesignWrite-up One: newsroom experience/ email it to me by 9/8

Wk 3 September 12 Meet in LibraryRoom 618-Interactive VocabularyReview-Hand-out Creating A web page/can be found on A/C site.

Read Handout-Elin, Chapter 4 & 5-Fact Finding-Class Web Page Development-Winger, Convergence: Where-Romano, The paper-Begin Building Your Homepage

Wk 4 September 19 Gil Thelan /Guest-Sleuthing Skills-Basic News Values-Narrative Storytelling-Review Basic structure of media writing-Inverted Pyramid-Multimedia as a system-Writing for on-line media-components of the system

For next week:Pull a newspaper story using any local paper. Review the print and the web version making certain you get the data from the same source. In other words if you pull a Tampa Tribune news story you must pull the TBO.com version. Compare and contrast based on your readings. Hand-In-ReadRamirez, the New Ad GameRogers: Game TheoryOptional: What Can computers

Syllabus 6936 continuedWk 5 September 26 -Anchoring

-Active Voice-GamingGuest: Jessica MacDonald-Review of web site.

-Catch-up on Reading-Complete Active Voice assignment-Stevens, Storyboarding (News)-Write Up II/ on air

Wk 6 October 3 -Print Strength-Differences between Printand broadcast-Shifting from Print to Broadcast writing-Characteristics of broadcast news writing.-grammar and punctuation for oral Interpretation.-Storyboarding a newsstory-Write Script I

Read:Block, More Foibles and Follies

Begin to prepare for mid-term project

Wk 7 October 10 -What is a lead-Difference between Broadcast and Print-Difference between Print & web.-Difference between Broadcast & web-Writing for the Web-Script II write/Active Voice

***Complete Homepage Email status before next Monday.

Wk 8 October 17 -Quotes and Attribution-How to detect Bias in storyWriting News Plan B-Review of homepages-Script III

*Mid-term project dueBegin development of Group Project

Read:Elin, Chapter 7 & 8

Wk 9 October 24 -Who is your client-Educate your client/viewer-Learn from your client-Establish deal points withclient, viewer-Broadcast Audience Analysis-Web Audience Analysis-The interactive design process

*We will review your concept documents and select two for project development

FOR TODAYS CLASS. Each of you will bring-in at least one potential idea for a news game project or web-based investigation news story. Prepare to present it to the class. You will be divided into two groups and each group will select an idea you “collectively” believe can develop into a major term project.FOR NEXT WEEK:●Write, as describe in Ch 5, a “Concept Document” AND a “competitive analysis” bring enough for each member of the class.Read: Elin, Ch. 6

Syllabus 6936 continued

Wk 10 October 31 -Identify Categories and subcategories of subject (as described on page 32)- Title Summary-Copyright Issues-Producing TV News

Catch-up on reading and research for final project.

Wk 11 November 7 Election Night/WFTS,Ch.28, ABC,Scripps Corp.4045 N. Himes Ave., Tampa, FL 33607Assistant Web CoordinatorsWorking with Jen McVanElection Coordinator

Prepare Title Summary and begin design of project.

WRITE-UP: now that you have studied multimedia journalism how have your views changed?Read: Elin, Ch. 9

Wk 12 November 14 -Effective Web Page-design phase, graphic, sound, video deliverables?-Color effectiveness-Crimes against usability-review of website

Read: Elin, 10 & 11

Wk 13 November 21 -Professional & ethicalstandards

Wk 14 November 28 -You Are the ProducerWk 15 December 5 Present Homepage and

Group ProjectsWrite Up III. What have you learned?

Wk 16 December 12 Exam week TBA

HAND OUTS, REFERENCES AND ADDITIONAL READING

(All of the material used in this class are referenced below. If I don’t distribute reading material in class you are to pull it yourself from the web site provided)

***Items listed as “hand out” must be read when assigned, the rest are optional reading.

Blake, K. (2003) “Understanding News Values” (hand-out)

Block, M (2003,March) “More Foibles and Follies from Network Scripts.” Communicator Magazine (hand-out)

Cappon, R.J. (2002) The Associated Press Guide to News Writing 3rd. Larenceville, NJ:Arco

“Crimes Against Usability” Global Development Network’s OnlineCommunity Retrieved from the World Wide Web 1/6/2003. Availablehttp:www.ids.ac.uk/gdn/tools/crimes.htm (hand-out)

Blake, K. (2003) “Six Rules for writing straight news leads” Available:http://www.mtsu.edu/~kblacke

Heaton, T. (2003) TV News in a Postmodern World, Next Generation TVhttp://www.tvspy.com

Hewitt, J. (2001) Air Words: Writing for Broadcast News, 3rd. Boston, MA:McGraw Hill.

Kovarik, B. (2001) Web Design For the Mass Media, Boston, MA:Allyn and Bacon

Kauder, R. (2002, April) “Web Workout” Communicator ( hand-out)

Larocque, P. (2002) “Use Large Words Sparingly.” Quill Magazine (hand-out)

Lewis, P. (2006, April 3) “Studio 55 Debut” Naples Daily News (hand-out)

McGuire, P.A. (2002, Dec.) “Avoiding the Presumption trap.” Quill Magazine (hand-out)

McQuail, D. (1997) Mass Communication Theory 3rd, London: Sage

Meyers, J (2006, Aug 22) “80% of Adults Visit TV Program & Networks Sites. Media Business Report (hand-out)

Nielsen, J. (1999) “Differences Between Print Design and Web Design”Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox (hand-out)

Orlick, P.B.(1998) Broadcast/Cable Copywriting 6th. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon

Papper, B. (2006, May) “TV Websites Helping the Bottom Line: One in four television Stations Making a Profit.” Communicator Magazine (hand-out)

Ramirez, J. (2006, July 31) “The New Ad Game, Newsweek. P 42-43. (hand-out)

Rodgers, A. (2002, Jan) “Game Theory” FastCompany. Available: World Wide WebHttppf.fastcompany.comarticles/2002/01yaya.html (hand-out)

Rogers, E. M. (1995). Diffusion of innovations (4th ed.). New York: Free Press.

Romano, A. (2006, Aug.14) The Paper Chase. Broadcasting & CableAvailable: World Wide Web http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6361915 (hand-out)

Rosenberg,A. (2002, Nov.) “Psst: Bookmark These Sites Today” Communicator Magazine(hand-out)

Sammons, M.C. (1999) The Internet Writer’s Handbook. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon

Stevens, J. (2006, Aug) “Storyboarding”: Why do a Storyboard for newsAvailable: World Wide Web: http://journalism.berkeley.edu/multimedia/course/storyboarding/

Utterback, A.S. (2000) Broadcast Voice Handbook. Chicago, IL: Bonus Books

What Can Computer Games Teach Journalists? Doing Civic Journalism.Pew Center for Civic Journalism Available: World Wide Web: http:www.pewcenter.org/doingcj/speeches/s_aejmcglennthomas.htmlPulled 11/07/02 (If you cannot find this speech-see me.

Winger, D.H. & Vanslyke-Turk, J.(2005) “Convergence: Where are We?”Journal of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication(hand-out)

Wilber, R. and Miller, R. (2003) Modern Media Writing, Belmont, CA: Wadsworth

Williams, J.M. (2003) Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, New York:Longman

Yates, B.L. (2003) “Applying Diffusion Theory” Retrieved from the World Wide Web 1/07/2003 Available at http://www.westga.edu/~byates/applying.htm(hand out)

Nielsen, J. (1999) “Differences Between Print Design and Web Design”Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox (hand-out)

Fall 2006/Flanagan

Multimedia Journalism, MMC 6936-002STUDENT INFORMATION

Name: ____________________________________

Local Phone: ____________________________________

Cell Phone ____________________________________

E-Mail Address: ____________________________________

Degree/Certificate Pgm.____________________________________

Web Address ____________________________________

Web Experience Level ____________________________________

Related _________________________________________________________Experience:

_________________________________________________________

BA/BS in what discipline_________________________________________________________

Career Interest: _________________________________________________________

Are you currently a media professional? Where?____________________________________________

To what Professional or Industry related groups do you work/belong? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What do you expect to get out of this class?-________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________