JRN 200: Class Announcement For 2/27

Since the latest forecasts have Wednesday morning in East Lansing looking like this, we will NOT be meeting as a class that day, and will instead be working from our homes. So DO NOT ATTEMPT TO COME TO CLASS, BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE HAVING CLASS IN CLASS ON WEDNESDAY!

Notice I didn't say class was canceled. We are having class, sorta-kinda. Just not in the classroom, sparing you a horrible frozen death somewhere along the Red Cedar River.

So, this is what you need to do on or by Wednesday:

First, make sure you have read Chapter 18 (p. 458-503) of Reporting For The Media before Wednesday morning.

Second, please turn in your second out-of-class story tip sheet via email to omars@msu.edu. Just take the tip sheet format, replicate it in a Word doc, and email it to me. Your deadline for this is 10 a.m. Wednesday.

I will approve or deny your tip sheet proposals by email before 6 p.m. Wednesday; after that, please get started on your out-of-class story research and interviews ASAP. The deadline for out-of-class #2 is Monday, Mar. 18 by 9:10 a.m.


Third, read all the blog posts from the "meeting" and "speech" assignments. Carefully consider the points made and apply those going forward. If you have any questions or are in need of further clarification, please contact me. And PLEASE GO OVER EACH BLOG POST CAREFULLY -- DO NOT JUST SKIM THEM! Each post contains things we need to start getting right, pronto.

Fourth, please do the following practice story:

Slug: 911
Ch. 18, Ex. 1, p. 476-7.
Deadline: 10 a.m. Thursday, to omars@msu.edu

The city and police department is East Lansing
Proper attribution is, according to a transcript of the 911 call (in first reference), according to the transcript (in subsequent references).

Also, this assignment includes an ethical question for you to consider and formulate a plan of action: In general, we do not identify rape victims by name. We also have to be on guard for virtual identifications, where we give up so much specific information that someone can figure out who the victim is. Then again, we have to provide enough information so that readers can make sense of a story.

So, what will you do when it comes to the victim's name? Or using her daughter's name? Or the suspect's name? Or the relationship between the subject and victim? Or the location of the incident?

In your writing of the story, show me how you'll handle protecting the victim's privacy AND  the public's need to know, simultaneously.

This assignment is a bit complex, so PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU REVIEW IT AND ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE PRIOR TO 5 P.M. WEDNESDAY!

Fifth, read Ch. 19 (p. 504-534) in RFTM before the next class on Monday, Mar. 11 (the first day back from spring break).

Sixth, work on your rewrites of out-of-class story #1, which will be due Monday, Mar. 11 at 9:10 a.m.

Seventh, newspaper readings are suspended until Monday, Mar. 11.

If you have any questions or concerns -- especially about the practice story -- I plan to be having my usual Wednesday office hours between at least 12 noon and 5 p.m. Please call, email or come visit me via dog sled or plow or whatever gets you through the blizztastrophe.

Good luck, safe spring break travels to all, and I'll see you all soon.