Presentations

Agenda:

View and discuss presentations

Review advertising techniques for quiz Wednesday.

AGENDA:

• Review Advertising techniques.  Go to flashcard website to review
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• Be sure to use at least two advertising techniques in your commercial
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• Continue to work on your commercials for next week's presentations
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• Discuss with Ms. Gamzon any difficulties you are having, script concerns, etc.

Commercial

Continue to work on your commercial script and visuals.

Study the following advertising terms and test yourself using the fashcards

http://quizlet.com/4441080/persuasion-advertising-unit-test-flash-cards/

Storyboarding ad planning your commercial

Watch the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YXBPBNhMBk

http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Commercial-Storyboard

Finish PSA Presentations

we will finis up the PSA presentations today and begin to think about our commercials.

Finish up Public Relations project

1. Make sure you have a PSA
2. Make sure your have a press release
3. Make sure you have written up the back page of the handout ocmplete with a budget

WORK HARD AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED!

Turn in missing work!  Check with Ms. Gamzon...

iMovie Instructions

Hollins contest--poetry

COFFEEHOUSE TONIGHT!!!!!! 7 pm  "be there or be square"--EXTRA CREDIT

Work on PSA and Public Relations project:

http://classweb.gmu.edu/tec/video/imovie/imovie.html

Making a PSA/Logical Fallacies

1. Go to Ad Council website to look over sample PSAs:

http://www.adcouncil.org/Our-Work

2. Use the Persuasion Map Handout to design your message using a strong thesis and reasons with facts and examples to support your argument.

3. Then work on your PSA outline handout.

4. When your group is ready, begin working in iMovie to make your PSA.

Logical Fallacies:


Handout #5: Techniques of Persuasion and Logical Fallacies
Student Name______________________________ Date_______________
Appeal to Authority
    cites an authority who is not qualified to have an expert opinion.     cites an expert when other experts disagree on the issue.    cites an expert by hearsay only.
"Firemen support Jones as the best choice for our town's future."
(Firemen would be experts only on the town's fire safety.)
Your example____________________________________________________________
Appeal to Force
   predicts dangerous outcomes if you follow a course other than the speaker's. "This kind of economic policy will lose you your job - and hurt your children's future."
(Is there evidence that it might actually build prosperity and bring additional jobs?)
Your example____________________________________________________________
Appeal to Popularity (“Bandwagon”)
•    holds an opinion to be valuable because large numbers of people support it. "Polls show that Americans prefer their current health care system."
(Are there options? Could a majority be missing the boat?) Your example____________________________________________________________ Attacking the Person (“Ad hominem”)
• • •
attacks the person making the argument instead of the argument. attacks the person making the argument because of those with whom he associates. insinuates that the person making the argument would stand to gain by it.
"Certainly he's in favor of a single tax - he's rich!"
(But could it be that a single tax might benefit others too?) Your example____________________________________________________________
False Dilemma
•    offers a limited number of options - usually two - when there are really more choices.
"Either we continue the failed war against drugs and lose another generation or make marijuana legal.” (Are there other ways to deal with the drug issue?)
Your example____________________________________________________________
Hasty Generalization
•    uses a sample too small to support the conclusion. "We've seen here in Smallville's widget factory that free trade doesn't help the American worker." (How about the millions of American workers elsewhere?)
Your example____________________________________________________________ Name Calling
•    uses negative labels or comparison to stigmatize opponent.
“That’s the kind of political planning Hitler did.”
(Is it fair to associate the candidate with a mass murderer?) Your example____________________________________________________________
Slippery Slope
•    threatens a series of increasingly dire consequences from taking a simpler course of action.
"First its gun show laws, and then they'll come to confiscate all guns, and then we lose Democracy altogether." (Do gun laws imply eventual confiscation?)
Your example____________________________________________________________ Techniques of Persuasion and Logical Fallacies:
Practice with Presidents’ Debate Quotes
1. Hasty Generalization
JOHN F. KENNEDY: I'm not satisfied when the United States had last year the lowest rate of economic growth of any major industrialized society in the world... (from opening statement)
RICHARD NIXON: We heard tonight, for example, the statement made that our growth in national product last year was the lowest of any industrial nation in the world. Now last year, of course, was 1958. That happened to be a recession year. But when we look at the growth of G.N.P. this year, a year of recovery, we find that it's six and nine-tenths per cent and one of the
highest in the world today... (from opening statement) September 26, 1960 Chicago, Illinois
Why was Kennedy’s statement a Hasty Generalization? (Check your list of Logical Fallacies.) ______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Appeal to Force
MARVIN STONE: You suggest that we scrap the SALT II treaty already negotiated, and intensify the build-up of American power to induce the Soviets to sign a new treaty - one more favorable to us. President Carter, on the other hand, says he will again try to convince a reluctant Congress to ratify the present treaty on the grounds it's the best we can hope to get. Now, both of you cannot be right. Will you tell us why you think you are?
RONALD REAGAN: Yes. I think I'm right because I believe that we must have a consistent foreign policy, a strong America, and a strong economy. And then, as we build up our national security, to restore our margin of safety, we at the same time try to restrain the Soviet build-up, which has been going forward at a rapid pace, and for quite some time.
October 28, 1980 Cleveland, Ohio
How did Reagan’s response illustrate the use of Appeal to Force? ______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Name Calling
BILL CLINTON: But when Joe McCarthy went around this country attacking people’s patriotism, he was wrong. He was wrong. And a senator from Connecticut stood up to him named Prescott Bush. Your father was right to stand up to Joe McCarthy, you were wrong to attack my patriotism. I was opposed to the war but I loved my country...
Debate 1, October 11, 1992 St. Louis, Missouri
How did Clinton’s statement employ Name Calling? ______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

50 Story Ideas/Press Releases

Handout:  50 Story Ideas
This marking period, in addition to your public relations project, you will write one article for the newspaper

1.  Put your name on your handout and read over the handout.  Circle or star the ideas you might like to write for your article this month.
2. Add 10 more ideas on your handout and discuss them with a partner (Think, Pair, Share)
3. Put your finished handout in the box by the end of class

Mini-lesson:

How to write a press release.

Go to:

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Press-Release

Write a press release for an event your team will sponsor for your client.


Save your press release in your team's folder.

Work on developing your teams press packet and PSA.

Finish Shattered Glass/Public Relations

Finish Shattered Glass--Turn in handout for classwork credit!


Sample Press Release:

http://www.publicityinsider.com/release.asp

Sample PSAs:

https://sites.google.com/site/teacherquality/psa

History of Journalism Quiz/Shattered Glass

Here are the websites to study for History of Journalism quiz:

http://www.flashcardmachine.com/history-of-journalism1.html

http://www.flashcardmachine.com/history-of-journalism2.html

http://www.flashcardmachine.com/history-of-journalism3.html

Review Prezis/Media Ethics

Review of last week's Prezi presentations on the History of Journalism.

Quiz on Wednesday.

Media Ethics

Summary: These resources provide an overview of journalistic writing with explanations of the most important and most often used elements of journalism and the Associated Press style. This resource, revised according to The Assocatied Press Stylebook 2011, offers examples for the general format of AP style. For more information, please consult The Associated Press Stylebook 2011, 46th edition.
Contributors:Christopher Arnold, Tony Cook, Elizabeth Angeli
Last Edited: 2010-04-25 08:48:03

Introduction

The same First Amendment freedoms that allow U.S. media outlets to publish without fear of government interference also make it nearly impossible to impose a standard of ethics or professional protocol for journalists. No organization exists to certify journalists, and likewise, no uniform system exists for penalizing unethical behavior.
Nonetheless, professionals in the field generally take great pride and responsibility in their roles, and organizations such as the Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists offer thorough and useful guidelines for ethical conduct.
Generally, ethical concerns in the media can be grouped into a few broad categories. The following points synthesize and summarize some important ethical concerns proposed by the Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists.

Accuracy

• Check the accuracy of information from all sources to avoid error.
• Subjects of news stories should always have the opportunity to respond to any allegations of wrongdoing.
• When mistakes are made, they must be corrected – fully and quickly.
• Headlines, news teases and promotional material, including photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations, should never misrepresent, oversimplify, or highlight incidents out of context.

Treatment of Sources

• Identify sources whenever possible so that the public has as much information possible to determine the sources’ reliability.
• Always keep any promises made in return for the source’s cooperation.
• Only guarantee a source’s anonymity when the source insists upon it, when he or she provides vital information, when there is no other way to obtain that information, and when the source is knowledgeable and reliable.
• Strive to quote sources accurately and in the proper context.

Avoiding Bias

• Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled, and not misrepresent fact or context.
• Distinguish news from advertising and avoid hybrids that blur the two.
• Examine your own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.
• Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.
• Support the open exchange of views, even views you might find repugnant.

Avoiding Distortions

• Never knowingly introduce false information into material intended for publication or broadcast.
• Never alter photo, video, or image content.

Gathering Information

• Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information, except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public.
• Use of any non-traditional methods of gathering information should be explained as part of the story.
• Rely on the most up-to-date and accurate research when gathering facts for a story.
• Never plagiarize.

Minimizing Harm

• Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage, especially children and inexperienced sources or subjects.
• Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief.
• Understand that private people have a greater expectation of privacy than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention.
• Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes.
• Be cautious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges.

Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

• Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
• Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.
• Always refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment.
• Avoid secondary employment, political involvement, public office, or service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.
• Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
• Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests.
• Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money.

Conclusion

There is no standard for ethical journalistic practice, but two widely regarded organizations, The Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists, offer useful and time-tested guidelines. When in doubt, always confer with a trusted colleague or supervisor.

Sources

“The Associated Press Statement of News Values and Principles.” www.ap.org 16 Feb 2006. http://www.ap.org/newsvalues/index.html.
“Society of Professional Journalists: Code of Ethics.” www.spj.org 18 Dec 2008. http://spj.org/ethicscode.asp.

Presidential Debate

Discussion of Presidential Debate and Media Punditry

What did you think?

Turn in handout.

Turn in missing work!

Continue to work on your Prezis!

Presidential Debate

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/topic/politics/

Background:Many Americans have not made up their minds about whom to vote for and the upcoming presidential and vice presidential debates will help them decide. Explain to your students that often viewers react to a candidate's performance-- how they look and act instead of what they say. This activity is designed to help them focus on what the candidates say and then look at how the media covers the debate and the consequent effect on public opinion.

Procedure:BEFORE THE DEBATE
1. Pass out the ballot based on the National Forensic League's public forum debates, and explain that this will help them focus on the substance of the debate instead of just the style. 

2. Encourage them to take notes-- writing down each question and how the candidates answer it. These notes will be useful when the students are asked to defend the scores they give to the debaters. Remind them that the entire debate will be on the NewsHour's Election site the day after the debate, so they can replay key exchanges.

3. Suggest that the students refrain from watching "analysts" or "experts" on TV-- or read any post-debate analysis until after they have filled out their own ballot.

AFTER THE DEBATE
1. The day after the debate, go over the ballots in class. Are the ratings consistent or not? Students can discuss their ratings and use the RealAudio or a transcript on the Web to defend their arguments. 

2. If you want, the class can write a critique of the debate and e-mail suggestions to the candidate's Web sites. (Also to NewsHour Extra for possible publication on the Web site.)
Media Coverage of the Debates

1. Ask students to pick a newspaper article or television show and fill out the following worksheet: How the Media Covers the Debates Students are asked to look for the criteria they used when rating the debaters' performances (analysis, evidence, reasoning, cross-fire, rebuttal, delivery) and then analyze what the media portrays as the most important part of the debate.
2. Students can then present their article and discuss the media coverage of the debates. (Examples of questions to foster discussion: Do you think the coverage is fair and accurate? Is it slanted one way or the other? Why might that be? How might you have done it differently?)

History of Journalism Prezi Project

Look over handout.  Begin doing research with a partner.

A Brief History of Journalism in America

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America's news media in 1776 barely resembled those of today and it's a safe bet the news media of 2076 will barely resemble those of today.

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Publick Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestick

1690 America's first newspaper, Publick Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestick, is published in Boston. It lasts for just one issue.

1769 In Connecticut, Isaac Doolittle builds the first printing press made in American.

1791 The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution forbids Congress from making any law "abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press."

1823 A steam driven printing press is invented by Jonas Booth.

1833 America's first penny press newspaper is Benjamin Day's New York Sun. It attracts a wide audience.

1835 James Gordon Bennett's New York Herald becomes the most widely read newspaper in the United States.

1841 Horace Greeley publishes New York Tribune.

1844 A telegraph line stretches from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore, Maryland, makes it possible for newspapers to offer timely coverage of distant events.

1846 The U.S. Congress awards printing contracts to the lowest bidder. Previously, contracts had been given to loyal partisan printers.

1847 Robert Hoe's four-cylinder rotary press is capable of printing 8,000 pages per hour.

1849 A group of publishers start an organization to bring news from Europe. It will become the Associated Press (AP).

1859 The New York Clipper publishes the first baseball box score by Henry Chadwick. It lets newspapers standardize their game summaries.

1883 Joseph Pulitzer buys the New York World from Jay Gould for $346,000.

1887 George Hearst appoints his son William Randolph Hearst editor of the San Francisco Examiner.

1895 William Randolph Hearst buys the New York Morning Journal, renams it the New York Journal and converts it to a penny paper like James Gordon Bennett's New York Herald.

The Yellow Kid cartoon in 1898 click image to enlarge

1897 The New York Journal publishes the first color Sunday comic pages.

1898 The New York Journal blames Spain for a mysterious explosion that sank the USS Maine in Havana Harbor, Cuba. That helps push the United States into war with Spain. The sensational coverage is an example of yellow journalism.

1904 William Randolph Hearst stars the Los Angeles Examiner and the Boston American. He will eventually starts and buys papers in many American cities. By 1930, his holdings will include 28 newspapers.

1911 Joseph Pulitzer's will leaves $2 million to Columbia University to establish a graduate school of journalism and the Pulitzer Prize. The prizes have been awarded since 1917 recognizing achievements in journalism, literature and music.

1920 Radio station KDKA begins broadcasting regularly scheduled programs at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Radio Station KDKA in Pittsburgh in 1920

1926 The U.S. begins regulating broadcasting with the Federal Radio Commission (FRC).

1934 The U.S. increases regulation of broadcasting with founding of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

1941 Orson Welles's movie about William Randolph Hearst, Citizen Kane, premieres in New York City.

1941 The FCC lets 18 television stations begin commercial broadcasting. CBS and NBC begin immediately. Hardly anybody watches. Station WCBW demonstrates the news potential with its bulletins on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

1948 More television stations begin broadcasting after the end of World War II and people begin to buy receivers and watch programs. Radio stations begin to switch from network entertainment programs to local DJ music shows.

1955 Compatible color television begins to catch on.

1969 The Pentagon invents a communication system that will become the Internet.

1971 The New York Times publishes Daniel Ellsberg's Pentagon Papers, series of classified government Vietnam War documents. President Richard Nixon gets a court injunction ordering The Times to stop publication of the document, but the U.S. Supreme Court finds the injunction is unconstitutional prior restraint.

1971 Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein cover a burglary at the offices of the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C.'s Watergate Hotel. They eventually link the break-in to a dirty tricks campaign led by advisers to President Richard Nixon whose attempts to cover up the misdeeds lead to his own resignation in 1974.

1973 Australian Rupert Murdoch acquires his first American property, the San Antonio Express-News.

1980 Ted Turner starts the Cable News Network (CNN).

1988 The Internet opens to commercial users.

Time magazine cover April 12, 1993

1989 Tim Berners-Lee begins to invent the World Wide Web on the Internet.

1993 Mosaic, the first World Wide Web browser, is relased.

1994 Public awareness of the World Wide Web – the information superhighway on the Internet – awakens with news coverage of its potential. Yahoo! opens.

1995 The wiki is invented.

1996 Rupert Murdoch starts Fox News Channel on cable TV.

1997 Blogging starts.

1998 Internet search engine Google starts up.

2000 Y2K is relatively uneventful. However, free online classified ads at Craigslist will grow to serve 500 cities with 30 million postings a month. This depletes newspaper classified ad sales, an important source of revenue.

2001 Wikipedia is created. Apple starts selling iPods.

2003 The virtual world Second Life is created on the Internet. MySpace starts.

2004 Facebook begins collecting friends. Flickr shares its first photographs. Podcasting starts. An Internet news aggregator, Digg.com, lets users determine which news stories are most important.

2005 The Huffington Post internet news site mixes professional news gathering, opinion reporting and user-generated content. YouTube begins sharing videos.

2006 Twitter begins to tweet.

The Wall Street Journal

2007 Rupert Murdoch purchases Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal.

2010 The Internet is well established as part of most Americans' news consumption. Two-thirds get some news online each day. Most also get news from other media. On the other hand, there are questions about print and local media and even whether there is a future for the mass-market magazine anymore.

2011 Advertising in local newspapers and on local television stations is down, while advertising on the Internet is up. Some newspapers have ceased publication of their print versions in recent years in favor of developing their online editions. Examples include the Pulitzer Prize winning Rocky Mountain News and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

News Judgment

1: Terms to Know (Examples would clarify understanding here)

News Judgment- a journalist uses their judgment to decide if a story will be good enough to put in the news

Advance- promoting the time in which the story accured

Timeliness- relates to the newness of facts -> how current are the facts

Proximity-refers to the nearness of the story-> meaning where the story took place in location

Prominence- refers to the “newsworthiness” of the story (names-some create more news then others)

Consequence- simply refers to the importance of the story--events

Localization-defines where something is going on/taking place

Human-Interest Story- deals with other human interactions and it is one of the most popular types of story

Conflict-an element of news that deals with conflict

Brainstorming- helps a writer figure out what type of story to write about

Random Sample- samples that are taken at random from the public

Filter Question- Questions that require a yes or no answer in order to narrow down facts to gain the most important information.

2: Key Concepts

News Judgment: Using ones sense of judgment by deciding what is more important in the mass media. This is something that is learned from experience.

Example: A journalist has a list of 12 articles, They decide what needs to be heard first.

The “Who cares method”: The journalists ask themselves “who cares bout this topic? Whom does this relate to?” If it is something that there is genuine interest then it is news.

The Element of News: Timeliness, Proximity, Prominence, Consequence, Human interest, Conflict, Other

Generating News Story Ideas: Come up with possible newsworthy stories and who would be interested in them.

Work on news stories , edit and upload

Test on Friday

Work on History of Rochester stories and new assignments

Journalism Vocabulary

Handout 4: Newspaper Vocabulary
(Adapted from TAJE Journalism Curriculum Guide & Newspaper Curriculum Guide )

• 5W'S & H The essentials of any story: who, what, when, where, why, and how
• ADVERTSING Space in a publication sold to other businesses; display ads usually contain headlines, illustrations, copy, a call for action and information to identify the business
• ALIGNMENT Refers to the justification of text at its margins; left, right, centered, justified
• BEAT A specific area assigned to a reporter for regular coverage
• BOLD Type which appears darker than surrounding type of the same family; used for emphasis
• BY-LINE Indicates who wrote the story; often includes the writer's title
• CAPTION The portion of the layout which explains what is happening in a photograph. Also called cutlines. Often includes a photo credit.
• COLUMN A vertical division of layout which aids in giving structure to a page
• DOMINANT The largest photograph on a layout
• EDITOR Has overall responsibility for the publication
• EDITORIAL A type of story which serves to express an opinion and encourage the reader to take some action
• ETHICS A standard of conduct based on moral beliefs
• FACT A statement that can be proven. Not an opinion
• FEATURE A story written with some interpretation that goes beyond just reporting the facts
• FLAG The name of the paper that usually appears at the top of page one
• GRAPHICS The use of lines, screens, boxes, large initial letters etc. to enhance a design by breaking up areas
• GRID SYSTEM A system of layout in which the page is divided into small units which are filled in
• HAMMER A form of headline consisting of a few very large words over a smaller subheadline
• HEADLINE Large type designed to summarize a story and grab the reader's attention
• HUMAN INTEREST An element of news that includes people or events with which the audience can identify; stories that are just interesting
• INTERVIEW A question and answer session between a reporter and source to get information for a story
• INVERTED PYRAMID A style of writing most commonly applied to news stories in which the most important facts appear early in the story and less important facts later in the story
• KICKER A short (one or two word) statement at the beginning of a caption that serves to grab the reader's attention
• LEAD The beginning of the story which serves to summarize the story and/or grab the reader's attention
• LIBEL Written defamation; damaging false statements against another person or institution that are in writing or are spoken from a written script
• NEWS Information delivered about an event shortly after it has occurred
• OP-ED Opinion/Editorial; refers to the pages in a publication that express the opinion of the writer
• OPINION A statement which cannot be proven.
• QUOTATION A statement make by another person included in a published story. A direct quotation is exactly what the person said and appears inside quotation marks. An indirect quote is a paraphrase of what a person said and does not appear in quotes.
• REPORTER Person who researches and generally writes stories assigned by editors
• REVIEW A form of editorial written to comment on a play, movie, piece of music or some other creative work
• SANS SERIF Type with no extension at the letters which is easier to read at large sizes
• SERIF An extension at the end of certain letters which make the type easier to read at text sizes
• SLANDER Spoken defamation; damaging false statements against another person or institution that are spoken
• SPREAD Two facing pages that are designed as one unit
• STAFF BOX A box containing the names of the staff members
• STORY A block of text on a single topic beginning with some form of a lead followed by the body that contains quotations and transitions
• TEXT WRAP Adjusting the appearance of text to follow the shape of a graphic
• TRANSITION The portion of the story which helps the reader move from one point to the next: helps a story flow, adds information, and explains other items in the story
• UNDERLINE A smaller headline set under the main headline that is approximately the same length as the main headline
• WHITE SPACE The portion of a page with nothing on it used to draw a viewer into the other elements on the page

School Newspapers: Content and Staffing Questions

Here are a list of basic ingredients that will make for a well-rounded newspaper:

* News - This is the obvious. What is going on around school? Are there new construction projects or rules? What big events are happening in the different grades?
* Features - What human interest stories would appeal to the class body? They can be school-related but they can also be general stories that simply are important to students.
* Sports - Report the scores and stories. Don't try to give a play by play, just relate the highlights and mention the names of those who made the outstanding plays.
* Editorial - Have the newspaper's editor write about whatever is being talked about in school the most that week. Don't be afraid to give opinions but be clear that it is strictly one person's viewpoint.
* Reviews - What is the hit new movie, TV, or best-selling book and what does the reporting student think about it? Thumbs up or thumbs down plus explain why.
* Polls - From "What do you plan to do after graduation?" to "What is the worst food in the cafeteria?"
* Puzzle Corner - Students love to do word puzzles: either mini crosswords, word searches, or even trivia questions.
* Comic Strip - Let the artist on the staff create their own cartoon. Possibly "The Life of a Student" or something the kids can relate to.
* Poem - Run a poem each issue - either something made up by the staff or a poem submitted by a reader.
* Advice Column - Let readers ask questions (anonymously) and call upon the school counselor to help answer them. Or have a range of answers given by a counselor, a student, a teacher, and a parent.
* Spotlight On - Highlight one person a week by putting their photo in the paper and giving basic info about them, such as likes and dislikes, hobbies, etc. And don't forget a quote! The person can be a student, teacher, janitor, cafeteria worker, etc.
* Letters to the Editor - A good newspaper generates feedback. Print letters that come in to the staff and let other readers know what people are thinking.
* Photos - Make the newspaper more personal by showing pictures of what you are discussing, shots of the athletes in action, and so forth.

the inverted pyramid

The inverted pyramid is a metaphor used by journalists and other writers to illustrate the placing of the most important information first within a text. It is a common method for writing news stories and is widely taught to journalism students.The "inverted" or upside-down "pyramid" can be thought of as a simple triangle with one side drawn horizontally at the top and the body pointing down. The widest part at the top represents the most substantial, interesting, and important information the writer means to convey, illustrating that this kind of material should head the article, while the tapering lower portion illustrates that other material should follow in order of diminishing importance. It is sometimes called a "summary news lead" style,^[1] or "Bottom Line Up Front" or BLUF.^[2]
The format is valued because readers can leave the story at any point and understand it, even if they don't have all the details. It also allows less important information at the end, where it can be removed by editors so the article can fit a fixed size - that is, it can be "cut from the bottom".^[3]
Other styles are also used in news writing, including the "anecdotal lead," which begins the story with an eye-catching tale or anecdote rather than the central facts; and the Q&A, or question-and-answer format.

Staffing /History of Rochester articles

This class, we'll try to build our staff. So, start thinking about what role you want to play on our SOTA school newspaper online. We'll talk about staff positions and the different sections of the newspaper and what they do.  Then try to form a staff for this year's Sotacrat and Chronicle online.


The Ideal High School Newspaper Staff

Some positions are obvious. Every high school newspaper needs an editor. One, and in some cases, two people must be responsible for the overall newspaper. Beyond the editor, each staff has a great deal of flexibility in how it shapes itself. Common positions are:

Managing editor – The managing editor helps the editor make content decisions for the newspaper. The managing editor also takes the leading role with the design and appearance of the newspaper.

Opinion or Editorial Editor – The opinion or editorial page editor writes the editorials and edits letters to the editor. This person is also responsible for setting the agendas at editorial board meetings and leading the discussions to help the staff come to an agreement about what position it will take on key issues. The opinion or editorial page editor can also be responsible for designing and building the editorial page or pages of the newspaper.

Sports Editor – The sports editor is responsible for all sports news. Depending on the size of the staff, the sports editor may write these stories himself or herself, or he or she may assign others to write them. The sports editor can also be responsible for designing and building the sports page or pages of the newspaper.

News Editor – Depending upon the size of a staff, some newspapers designate a person to be the news editor. At some daily newspapers, this position serves the same function as the metro or city editor. This person is the point person for all news at the school, making assignments for coverage and then giving a first read to all copy.

Copy Editor – Again, depending upon the size of a staff, some newspapers have one person who serves as the copy editor for the paper. This person reads all stories, helps write headlines, cutlines and proofs all pages before they are printed.

Photo/Graphics Editor – One person must serve the same function for photos as the news editor or editor serves for copy. The photo editor is in charge of all graphics and photographs for the newspaper. Depending upon the size of the staff, this person may be able to assign people to shoot photos or design graphics, or he or she may have to do it by himself or herself.

Reporters – The lifeblood of any newspaper is the people who go out, gather the news and come back and write it. School newspapers should have as many reporters as possible on staff. Assigning them beats and coverage areas is a great way to ensure that school news is being covered adequately.

Advertising manager – One or more people must be designated to sell and produce advertisements for your newspaper.

Critical Thinking About Journalism: A High School Student’s View

By Lucy Chen

Lucy Chen created a quiz to test critical thinking skills learned in the News Literacy Project. Click to enlarge »

In the spring of 2009, as I was daydreaming about warm weather and the smacking of flip-flops on the boardwalk, I was jolted back into reality by the RELATED ARTICLE
"News Literacy Project: Students Figure Out What News and Information to Trust"
- Alan C. Millerstart of a new unit in my Advanced Placement U.S. government class—the News Literacy Project. My teacher promised that it would be interesting and entertaining. I doubted him.

I was wrong; it was fun and fascinating. We learned a lot about topics such as the importance of accurate news reporting, the implications of the First Amendment’s protection of free speech for journalists and ordinary citizens, guidelines for finding trustworthy information, and the challenges of living in a digital world. It was almost easy to pay attention because the lessons directly related to my life, my decisions, and my observations of the world around me.

Journalists came to speak with us, and they reinforced our learning by relating what we were studying to their own careers. Instead of reading a worksheet, we heard from Mark Halperin, a book author and political analyst for Time, who gave us examples of how the First Amendment has protected his work. Pierre Thomas from ABC News responded to our questions about the daily responsibilities and tasks of journalists. Thomas Frank of USA Today showed us how he uses primary source documents in reporting.

Interacting with these journalists changed how I view the process of gathering information. Now I appreciate a lot more the hard work that goes into digging for news. These speakers described the responsibility they have to report the facts accurately and objectively, a task that is much more difficult than I thought it was. Sometimes people won’t talk to reporters. At other times, figuring out exactly what happened turns out to be quite complicated. But a journalist’s job is to find the information they need, decipher it, and convey a story coherently.

Occasionally, I had watched the evening news with my parents and read the newspaper, but I never fully realized the impact that news had on my daily life. And studying news literacy taught me how to gather and assess my own stream of information, whether it comes from a newspaper, a TV show, or the Internet.

Throughout this process, I grew more skeptical about the facts I read or hear, especially those I find online, where anyone can post information about anything. The guidelines presented in the unit helped me determine whether a source was accurate and reliable—and knowing this made me better at selecting information in an ever-widening sea of sources. More student projects from the News Literacy Project are showcased in the video “Students as Teachers.”

For my final project, I created a fun quiz that asked several questions based on critical thinking skills I had learned. The questions I used are ones I felt would help to judge a person’s ability to select credible sources and reliable information, especially on popular Web sites that my peers visit frequently. One key aspect of my project is using common sense and not taking every fact online for granted. If something sounds too good to be true or if it sounds fake—it probably is. Based on the answers chosen, the quiz taker would be described as either a “silly” or “savvy” news consumer.
For further resources on this topic, see "News Literacy" in our Digital Library »
In addition to expanding my interest in journalism, the News Literacy Project taught me lessons that are proving to be useful in my English class, my interactions with people, and my daily newsgathering. And I knew they would be helpful in my first job. In fact, they already are. This spring I joined the staff of our high school paper.

Lucy Chen will be a junior at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland. She works on the school paper, The Black & White. Videos about her project and those of other students are online at YouTube.

The Sources of News/ Rochester history Article

Goals for Understanding:

• What are sources of news?
• What is news?
• What are the elements of news?
• What is the language of the journalism profession?
• Why is it important to use newspaper terminology?
• What factors determine how articles are placed on the front page?
• Does the placement of a story affect the reader's response to it?
• In addition to news stories, what other information is included on the front page?
• What is the significance of placement?

Activites

Day 1: Definitions and Sources of News

• Motivational Activity: Each day people throughout the world depend on newspapers, television, radio news, and personal interactions to keep up with global, national, regional, and local events. Consider your own news sources. How do you learn about what is happening? Complete Handout 1: My Personal News Sources.

• Partner share of results followed by class discussion about various sources of news used by students. Additional questions to consider:
  • Which of the sources is most accurate/reliable?
  • Which is most entertaining?
  • Why are people interested in getting news?
• Pose question: What is news? Create a definition. Brainstorm and chart ideas on board.
• Read and discuss
  
  • Handout 2: What is News? Reinforce/expandstudent suggested definitions. Continue discussion with News Elements: Concepts that Make News News (adapted from ForJournalism Teachers Only)
  •  
  •  
• For homework, complete Handout 3: What is News?Assignment adapted from Making News: An Introduction to Journalism by John R. Harrold and Lois A. Stanciak

50 Objects

Welcome back, Creative Writing sophomores!

Today, we're going to explore some basic elements of a news story by doing a web search.

Go to http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/category/6-qs-about-the-news/

Post your own comment about an object that represents Rochester and a picture on this blog.

Read through the NY Times 50 objects article and see if you can answer all the questions.  You can work with a partner.

Good luck!

POST THE URL TO YOUR BLOG HERE!!!!!

POST THE URL TO YOUR BLOG HERE!!!!!

Final Journalist Portfolio--Due Mon. 6/10

www.mediabistro.com/10000words/7-journalists-beautifully-designed_b310

Journalists' Portfolio

Writing to Video

Objectives
(This plan assumes either one long class period (approx. 2 or 2-1/2 hours) in which both the discussion and exercise could be done – or instructors with shorter class periods could do the lecture and discussion portion in class and assign the exercise outside of class. Either way, there is an additional "show and tell" and discussion follow-up for the next class.)

1. To get students to think about their stories and the video they’ll need to tell them before they go out in the field.
2. To get students to take the time to review their video before they start writing their stories.
3. To help students recognize when the "eyes and ears" are competing in stories.

Teaching Materials

• A handout describing why writing to video is so important.
• A fact sheet for students to write a VO using the video and information provided.
• Raw video of samples being taken at a lake. (right click and save video file)

You will need to tape a local or national newscast.
Instructor’s Guide In television, we obviously have the advantage of telling our stories with video and sound as well as words. But the best video in the world won’t have much impact if the words don’t match or the two don’t complement each other. Why is that? (Elicit responses from students.)
In fact, researchers have found that "when the eyes and the ears compete, the eyes win." That means even the best writing in the world won’t work if the video doesn’t support what was written. A great story that has video that doesn’t make sense – and doesn’t match – won’t be a great story after all.
(Using the newscast you taped, watch several stories and discuss whether or not the video and script match. If they don’t match elicit ways the story could have been improved.)
What can we do to help ensure we’re gathering the right video in the field and that we use it in the best way possible when we’re editing? (The following is included as a handout to help guide the discussion.)

• Know Your Story Before You Go. Do as much research as possible about your story before you go out into the field. With that research you can start to sketch out your story before you leave the newsroom. If you have a good idea of how you’re going to tell the story, you know what video to get.
• Communicate with Your Photographer. If you’re working with a photojournalist, he or she should know everything you know about the story. That means sharing your research and your preliminary thoughts about how you’ll tell the story.
• Be Open to Input from the Photojournalist. The best stories are told by reporters and photojournalists who work together as a team. The photojournalists may capture some compelling footage or sound and suggest that’s a strong way to open your story. For example, if you’re doing a story about new recruiting restrictions for college sports teams, your photographer may suggest using a shot of the coach packing team t-shirts while saying "Everyone loves a t-shirt, I always take lots to give away."
• Watch and Log Your Video. It’s impossible to write to video if you don’t know what the video is! Even if you’re on a tight deadline, you should be able to take a quick look at the video to get a sense of what you have. Or, if you did work with a photojournalist, ask what video he or she shot before you begin writing.
• Test Your Script. You should show your script not only to your producer but also to your photographer to make certain he or she has all the necessary video. If not, you need to adjust your script!

Let’s try this out with an assignment. You (and a classmate) should use the attached fact sheet and the raw video being provided to write a :30 voiceover about a fish kill and potential pollution problem in a local lake.
Before you begin, let’s look at the fact sheet and figure out what video we would like to shoot for this story. (Elicit list from students.)
But sometimes, you don’t get all the video you’d like for one reason or another, so be sure to write to what you have instead of what you’d like to have. And remember, you should watch and log the video first, then write your script. Edit the voiceover video only after you’ve printed a script out.
Follow-up Discussion
In the following class period you should have each student or team play the voiceover, while reading the script to accompany it. Classmates should answer the following questions:

• Does the video match the script in all instances?
• Are there facts used in voiceover script for which there isn’t appropriate video?
• How can you avoid that problem?
• If you simply don’t have the video and have an important fact you need to include?

© RTNDF Educator in the Newsroom Lesson Plans

TV Broadcast

TV broadcast scripts

Check out these websites for scripts:

http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/showscripts/6fri.shtml#1

CNN:


http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/studentnews/05/23/transcript.tue/index.html

High School Broadcast Journalism

What should your broadcast look and sound like?

Visit hsbj.org to see examples of television broadcasts by high school students.

www.hsbj.org




Script Writing guidelines


http://www.cybercollege.com/tvp006.htm

More about Podcasting and GarageBand

  http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=462522&seqNum=3

Here is a great article on using GarageBand for your podcast!

Podcast scripts

Creating a Podcast Script

There are three basic parts to a successful podcast: opening, content and closing.
Opening
The opening bumper should state the title, give a brief overview, and include background music. Recording the bumpers in a voice opposite the gender of the content offers a professional touch. If the podcast will include images or video, be sure that it has a branded appearance. For official templates, visit NMSU's Branding site.
Content
It is smart to always write a script before trying to record your audio. Have the script proofread and practice it at least once. Another helpful hint is to add cues to remind you where to pause, add emphasis, etc. Don't be afraid to make mistakes in your recording, just say "cut" and try again, the file can always be edited later. Be sure to save your Audacity project file as well as the MP3 export.
Closing
As with the opening, the closing bumper should be recorded in a gender opposite that of the content and should include background music. It should also point the audience to a source for more information related to the podcast. A podcast must use references, funding information, and copyrights where necessary.

Editing Bumpers

Writing Your Podcast Script

1. Provide an overview, then give specifics
In your Podcast, give a short overview on what your listeners can expect. This is especially important if you will be covering a couple different topics, as it allows your users to scroll forward and skip anything that doesn't interest them.
Sample overview: "In the first half of today's Podcast, we'll talk about the important roles parents play in building their child's vocabulary. Then, we'll talk with a child nutritionist on simple changes you can make to your child's snacks."
2. Write tight
In audio, you need to get to the point. Read and re-read your copy, eliminating redundancy. Find shorter ways to say just about anything. Readers can skim the written article, but must listen to the entire Podcast. Write succinctly to keep their attention. Write your script, then read it out loud to yourself and time it. Imagine you have to trim 10 seconds off the final narration. Keep editing, trimming 10 seconds, repeatedly, until you can't possibly trim any more without losing important content.
3. Write for the ear and your tongue
The ear is much less forgiving of extra-long sentences and sentences that don't flow well. When writing, read it out loud; if it isn't easy to say, re-write it. You'll want to use shorter sentences and conversational vocabulary. Remember that you'll be reading this, possibly when you are a bit nervous about your voice. Write out numbers and addresses. Be especially careful with dollar amounts. Avoid numbers and dollar signs: "$4,567,555" Write out numbers: "over four and half million dollars."
4. Be active, positive and present-tense
Avoid passive voice descriptions in which the action is done unto something, instead of something doing the action. Avoid negative words such as "not", "no", "don't", "doesn't", "won't", etc. Phrase things in the present tense as much as possible.
Avoid passive voice: "The charge was denied by the President" Use active voice: "The President denies the charges." Avoid the negative: "The dairy producers don't believe the rates will increase before next year. Re-write in the positive: "Dairy producers believe rates will stay low throughout the rest of the fiscal year." Use present tense: "The University supports the initiative." It is easier for the listener to understand than other tenses: Avoid: "The University is supporting the initiative." And "The University has supported the initiative."
5. Make it personal
Imagine you are writing for one person, a friend who trusts your information and opinions. How would you make your topic of interest to them? How would you make sure you would keep their attention during the 5 minutes you have with them at a dinner party? Ultimately, a Podcast is a one-to-one relationship between the listener and you. Make a connection with them by making them feel you have them in mind.

Writing Checklist

1. Is there a short overview?
2. Have you removed as much text as possible?
3. Have long or awkward sentences been removed?
4. Are numbers re-written as words?
5. Have passive verbs been replaced with active tense?
6. Have negative words like "don't", "can't" and "won't" been removed?
7. Is present tense used throughout?
8. Would a listener feel you are talking directly to them?

Podcasting--Lesson for 4/27

 A useful podcast from High School Broadcast Journalism:

http://www.hsbj.org/uploads/Lesson%20Plans/Audio/The%20D.C.%20Download2_%20Christopher%20Lydon%20on%20Podcasting.mp3


Before we go into television broadcasting next marking period, let's work on developing a podcast.
For this assignment, you will work in small groups to develop a podcast on a subject that the group finds interesting to develop and record.   Yes, RECORD!  Podcasts are audio files uploaded to the internet.

Using Garageband, you will be able to edit music and voices to make your podcasts.  You also have other
sound recording and editing tools on your computer.

But first, here are some questions to consider.  Post your response to these questions on the blog.

Part 1: Podcasting 101

1.

• Do you own or have access to an IPod or other MP3 device or a home computer?
• Are you are familiar with the term podcast and what it means?
• Have you ever listened to a podcast?
• Do you currently listen to/subscribe to at least one podcast on a regular basis? 

2.  Read the NewsHour article from 2005.  How has the world of podcasting changed since then? 


3.  Next, listen to a podcast by linking to the PBS or NPRwebsite below!  Pick a podcast from these sites that interests you!  There are so many choices...but look for podcasts that reflect your interests.

Take notes about the podcast you listen to on the graphic organizer (MAP) and turn it in at the end of class.

PBS and NPR podcasts:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rss/media/index.html

//nprpods.habilis.net/ 


4. Finally, form a group to work on creating a podcast.  Brainstorm ideas with your group.  Look over the podcast planning sheet and fill out what you can.

Photojournalist Prezi Day

Please use two periods today to finish your Prezi presentation on a photojournalist.

Be sure to:

1. Include a bio and picture (if available) of your photojournalist.

2. Then include six photos for analysis.  In paragraph one, describe the photo in terms of composition, line, color, framing, etc.   In paragraph two, describe the significance of the photo.  What would the viewer get from this photo?  What was the photographer trying to convey as a possible "THEME"?

Debra Dean workshop

This morning--Debra Dean workshop in the Ensemble Theatre--8:30-9:45. Please bring a notebook and pen to take notes. You will be writing a response piece to the workshop, focusing on what you learned from the workshop--so taking notes is a good idea!

10 top Rules of Photographic Composition

You will want to be aware of these rules as you prepare your Prezi about a photojournalist, as well as your own project!

www.photographymad.com/pages/view/10-top-photography-composition-rules

10 Top Photography Composition Rules

It may sound clichéd, but the only rule in photography is that there are no rules. However, there are are number of established composition guidelines which can be applied in almost any situation, to enhance the impact of a scene.
These guidelines will help you take more compelling photographs, lending them a natural balance, drawing attention to the important parts of the scene, or leading the viewer's eye through the image.
Once you are familiar with these composition tips, you'll be surprised at just how universal most of them are. You'll spot them everywhere, and you'll find it easy to see why some photos "work" while others feel like simple snapshots.

Rule of Thirds

Imagine that your image is divided into 9 equal segments by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines. The rule of thirds says that you should position the most important elements in your scene along these lines, or at the points where they intersect.
Doing so will add balance and interest to your photo. Some cameras even offer an option to superimpose a rule of thirds grid over the LCD screen, making it even easier to use.

Notice how the building and horizon are aligned along rule-of-thirds lines. Image by Trey Ratcliff.

Balancing Elements

Placing your main subject off-centre, as with the rule of thirds, creates a more interesting photo, but it can leave a void in the scene which can make it feel empty. You should balance the "weight" of your subject by including another object of lesser importance to fill the space.

Here, the visual "weight" of the road sign is balanced by the building on the other side of the shot. Image by Shannon Kokoska.

Leading Lines

When we look at a photo our eye is naturally drawn along lines. By thinking about how you place lines in your composition, you can affect the way we view the image, pulling us into the picture, towards the subject, or on a journey "through" the scene. There are many different types of line - straight, diagonal, curvy, zigzag, radial etc - and each can be used to enhance our photo's composition.

The road in this photo draws your eye through the scene. Image by Pierre Metivier.

Symmetry and Patterns

We are surrounded by symmetry and patterns, both natural and man-made., They can make for very eye-catching compositions, particularly in situations where they are not expected. Another great way to use them is to break the symmetry or pattern in some way, introducing tension and a focal point to the scene.

The symmetry of this chapel is broken by the bucket in the bottom right corner. Image by Fabio Montalto.

Viewpoint

Before photographing your subject, take time to think about where you will shoot it from. Our viewpoint has a massive impact on the composition of our photo, and as a result it can greatly affect the message that the shot conveys. Rather than just shooting from eye level, consider photographing from high above, down at ground level, from the side, from the back, from a long way away, from very close up, and so on.

The unusual viewpoint chosen here creates an intriguing and slightly abstract photo. Image by ronsho.

Background

How many times have you taken what you thought would be a great shot, only to find that the final image lacks impact because the subject blends into a busy background? The human eye is excellent at distinguishing between different elements in a scene, whereas a camera has a tendency to flatten the foreground and background, and this can often ruin an otherwise great photo. Thankfully this problem is usually easy to overcome at the time of shooting - look around for a plain and unobtrusive background and compose your shot so that it doesn't distract or detract from the subject.

The plain background in this composition ensures nothing distracts from the subject. Image by Philipp Naderer.

Depth

Because photography is a two-dimensional medium, we have to choose our composition carefully to conveys the sense of depth that was present in the actual scene. You can create depth in a photo by including objects in the foreground, middle ground and background. Another useful composition technique is overlapping, where you deliberately partially obscure one object with another. The human eye naturally recognises these layers and mentally separates them out, creating an image with more depth.

Emphasise your scene's depth by including interesting subjects at varying distances from the camera. Image by Jule Berlin.

Framing

The world is full of objects which make perfect natural frames, such as trees, archways and holes. By placing these around the edge of the composition you help to isolate the main subject from the outside world. The result is a more focused image which draws your eye naturally to the main point of interest.

Here, the surrounding hills form a natural frame, and the piece of wood provides a focal point. Image by Sally Crossthwaite.

Cropping

Often a photo will lack impact because the main subject is so small it becomes lost among the clutter of its surroundings. By cropping tight around the subject you eliminate the background "noise", ensuring the subject gets the viewer's undivided attention.

Cut out all unnecessary details to keep keep the viewer's attention focused on the subject. Image by Hien Nguyen.

Experimentation

With the dawn of the digital age in photography we no longer have to worry about film processing costs or running out of shots. As a result, experimenting with our photos' composition has become a real possibility; we can fire off tons of shots and delete the unwanted ones later at absolutely no extra cost. Take advantage of this fact and experiment with your composition - you never know whether an idea will work until you try it.

Digital photography allows us to experiment with different compositions until we find the perfect one. Image by Jule Berlin.

Composition in photography is far from a science, and as a result all of the "rules" above should be taken with a pinch of salt. If they don't work in your scene, ignore them; if you find a great composition that contradicts them, then go ahead and shoot it anyway. But they can often prove to be spot on, and are worth at least considering whenever you are out and about with your camera.

Again,  more advice for you to follow.

The Rules of Photographic Composition

By Dave Johnson, PCWorld    Apr 18, 2011 5:20 PM

Take Better Photos With Your Digital Camera

Follow the Rule of Thirds

Most people are at least somewhat familiar with the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is utterly ubiquitous: Every movie and TV show makes almost constant use of it, and professional photographers avoid putting the subject in the center of the frame almost without exception. To understand it, draw two lines through a photo, dividing it into thirds. This turns it into something like a tic-tac-toe board, as you see here.
At its essence, the rule of thirds says that you'll get the most interesting photos when your subject isn't in the center of the frame, but rather is positioned off-center, to the left, right, up, or down. You can position your subject at any of the four intersection points of the third lines, or along one of the four lines, like the birds in this example.

Use Diagonals to Your Advantage

Here's another trick using lines: If you want to add a sense of drama to your photograph, look for ways to incorporate a diagonal. Draw a mental line from one corner of the scene to the other; if you can find some element in the situation that more or less follows this line, it can make your shot more dynamic and add some energy to the scene, almost as if it's pulling the viewer through the scene. The diagonal can run the entire length of the photo, as it does in this photo.
But it's not critical for your diagonal to span the entire photo. You can get essentially the same effect even with a partial diagonal, such as this.

Break the Monotony

This is a fun one. No doubt you've seen photos in which most of the frame is filled with more or less the same thing: a field of grass, a pile of pennies, rocks, fish, stars in the night sky. Such photos truly would be monotonous if that's all they offered, but often, the photographer will incorporate one out-of-place element that attracts your eye like a magnet. With that in mind, this rule says that you should look for photos that are mostly uniform and then break the pattern with an element that disturbs the natural flow or organization of the scene.

Make it Symmetric (and Then Disturb Your Symmetry)

Rules, of course, are meant to be broken. The rule of symmetry is all about capturing the natural symmetry in nature. There are a few ways to do this. You might shoot a scene in which both sides of your photo are essentially the same, for example. Or you might shoot a photo of something that is itself quite symmetrical, like a flower.
Even better, though, is when you incorporate a lesson from the rule about monotonous content and shake things up with a little variation. Surprise the viewer, either by making one side of the photo nonsymmetrical, or, in this example, defeat the symmetry of the flower by shooting only part of it in the frame.

Position Movement Into the Frame

One of my favorite photo subjects is motion. I like capturing the essence of speed and energy in what's by its very definition a static art form. But how you introduce that motion into your photo is really important. Whether you're shooting a speeding car, an airplane, a flock of birds, or a running dog, be sure that the motion leads into the frame, not out of it. By that, I mean you should give the leading edge of your moving subject plenty of room; it should be positioned on a third line (see the rule of thirds) and pointed at the center of the frame, not at the closest edge, as you see in this shot.

Photojournalism Project/ Dan Eldon Video

Dying to Tell the Story/ Dan Eldon

 Dan Eldon and Photojournalism

Please write a personal response to the Dan Eldon video, "Dying to Tell a Story," with  at least a page of thoughtful, double-spaced prose that you will print out. Also post your comments for blogging and responding to one another. Try to answer the follow questions:

1. After seeing the video, how has your view of the function of journalism in the world changed, broadened, evolved? Are the journalists/photojournalists who work in conflict zones and report for news agencies simply crazy for risking their lives, or do they perform an important service for us all? Why is it imperative that stories of what is happening in places like Somalia, Sarajevo, and Darfur be told?

2. Do a little research. Find out how many journalists have been killed in the world in the past year? How many reporters have been killed in Iraq? Afghanistan? Just recently, Egypt?

Read:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1353344/One-journalist-killed-dozens-attacked-detained-military-finally-intervenes-try-stem-violence-Egypt.html

and:
http://www.cpj.org/killed/2010/





Suggested Activities

Responses to War

Conflict zones are filled simultaneously with humanity’s most brutal treatment of itself and its most compassionate responses. Photojournalists interviewed in Dying to Tell the Story, along with the film clips and photographs found in the documentary, develop the theme of men and women responding with courage and compassion in the most dangerous places on earth.


WRITING SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDENTS:

* What traits does it take to be a good photojournalist or war correspondent? Explain your answer.

* Describe a time in which you have been in a frightening situation that required immediate attention (such as a fight or a bad injury requiring emergency room attention). How did you respond and feel?

* Think and write about a time in which you responded compassionately to someone who

treated you unfairly or unkindly.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

* Do you have preconceived ideas about people involved in wars: terrorists, soldiers, relief workers, journalists? About war in general? What are they, and how do you think you arrived at your opinion?

* Do you tend to stereotype the traits of courage and compassion by gender? Give examples, then look for examples in Dying to Tell the Story that override the stereotypes.




After Viewing: Suggested Activities and Discussion Questions

1. COURAGE

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

* Carlos Mavroleon and Des Wright discuss the image of the "cowboy photographer." What is meant by this term? How does one draw the line between true courage and foolhardy bravery? In what ways do the many journalists interviewed dispel the cowboy image? Consider BBC war correspondent Martin Bell’s refusal to wear his protective flak jacket when interviewing civilians caught in the Bosnian crisis. Defend his contention that he is courageous and not foolhardy in this action.

* Acts of courage are discussed and portrayed throughout Dying to Tell the Story. Who is courageous in conflict zones? What does it take to be brave? Can anyone be courageous? When have you been especially brave? How does it feel? Does courage involve fear? In what ways?

* What in the documentary illustrates Dan Eldon’s courage? Amy Eldon’s?

2. COMPASSION

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

* Consider the negative stereotype that photojournalists must be cold to film victims of war rather than reaching out to help them. In what ways does Dying to Tell the Story dispel that stereotype? Discuss clips of Dan Eldon, Peter Magubane, and Mohamed Shafi that illustrate their compassion.



ASSIGNMENT:


For this assignment, the students are to create a Prezi presentation for the class that introduces the biography and background of the photographer, shows and describes 6 photographs the photographer has taken and explains the significance of the photos and their impact on the viewer. Students will present their finished projects to the class .

In addition, the students are to put together 10 pictures of their own for a personal photographic journalism essay.
The photos should make a statement in themselves about a topic of interest to the individual student and will also be presented to the class.