Course Description:

Three hours seminar and lecture per week, plus six hours TBA outside of class (homework). An introduction to skills and practices of news reporting as applied to the various communications media, including the internet, with emphasis on the newspaper. Stress is placed on demands of varying story types – news, editorial, column, sports, broadcast reports and blogging.

Course Objectives:

1)     Develop competence in news writing and gathering.

2)     2) Develop reporting skills sufficient for a starting position in mass media news departments.

3)     Prepare students for upper division course work in four-year journalism programs.

4)     Prepare editors and senior reporters for LACC publications, broadcast writing opportunities, or to write publicity for some campus and off-campus organizations.

5)     Prepare students for broadcast-writing opportunities.

6)     Prepare students to write publicity releases for campus and/or off-campus organizations.

Course requirements and grading:

Your grade will consist of three parts:

1)     Writing (50%) - Many writing assignments will take place during class time. Your final grade in this area will be cumulative, that is, you will be rated at the level you have obtained by the time the semester ends. Therefore, it is possible to raise your grade in this area as you improve as a reporter.

2)     Knowledge of subject matter (30%)– Includes quizzes and tests (final is comprehensive). This will include a master “style” test according to the Associated Press Stylebook, which will be covered in class.  Also included is a homework assignment: A personal interview with a person in the media.