ACOM 215 - News Reporting and Writing

The course is run as a newswriting workshop, discussion and editorial conference, with lectures on topics such as newsworthiness, media analysis, modern trends in journalism and journalistic ethics. There will be a special emphasis on convergent media, including reporting for web-based sources, and discerning the reliability and role of new media, including blogs and social networking. The primary purpose is to assist students in writing accurate and engaging original reporting based on their own acquisition of information by way of on-the-scene observation, interviews and research, and to assess the ways that these techniques and skills can be applied in a flattening media landscape. Students will report on events and write profiles, trend pieces and reviews. They will also investigate and report on the significance and history of the media in the U.S., as well as reporters and business leaders who helped to shape the news industry. All articles will be posted on the class blog for everyone to read. (offered in Fall only)
3 credits
Prerequisite: ACOM 102, ACOM 111