JOUR 4410: Reporting of Public Affairs
Semester: Fall 2009
Class sessions: Thursday, 3:30pm – 6:20pm GAB 337
Instructor: Neil Foote
Phone: Office: (940) 369-8088; Cell: (214) 448-3765
E-mail: foote@unt.edu
Office hours: By appointment

Course objectives:  Read the newspaper, look at television … go online. Public affairs reporting is all around you.  As a reporter, one of your early assignments will be covering cops, courts, governments, civil servants and politicians.  It’s what makes villages, towns, cities, states and federal governments tick.  Public affairs stories address the most mundane issues, but in the long run the subjects of these stories are directly impacting the lives of every reader and viewer.  Many of the most coveted awards in journalism are won by journalists who have gone beyond the ordinary, and dug deep to reveal tremendous inconsistencies, illegal behavior and wrongdoings by those in the centerpiece of public affairs.

This course will help you gain a further appreciation of the importance of public affairs reporting.  You will be learning more about how some of these institutions work, then developing story ideas, researching, reporting and writing stories.  There’s a huge opportunity for you to get stories published in campus and/or local newspapers or websites.  You will be challenged to become a more thorough, careful and alert reporter – and editor. You become a more analytical reader of public affairs stories understanding the source and sources behind stories. Classes will integrate and reinforce the basic fundamentals, but also be conducted as a functioning newsroom.

Reading and Textbook Requirements:  Daily print or online editions of The Dallas Morning News, The Washington Post or The New York Times. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. You will receive additional handouts of articles from textbooks and other publications.  You are encouraged to bring examples of articles to class on relevant subjects to discuss.  You must bring and use your AP Stylebook. The Freedom of Information Act Handbook is optional. You can order it from the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas.

Required: “The Elements of Journalism, What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect,” by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosentiel, (Three Rivers Press, 2007, 288 pages) (Revised updated edition)

Attendance:  You are required – and expected to attend every class.  Your participation is absolutely essential to your personal success, and to completely engage the class in the learning experience. You can not make up missed assignments if you have an unexcused absence.  The goal is to treat this class as if it were a newsroom.  If you’re going to be absent, call me/email me and bring to class the next class meeting immediately following your absence a signed note or letter that supports your absence.  Please do not use cell phones and text during class.

Class assignments:

You will be doing extensive reporting and writing in this class.  All of your assignments must have your byline, your email, the date, and must be typewritten, double-spaced and must include a source list. Some assignments may require you to post them online.  The following assignments should be written as if they were being published in print or online.  If some of the stories are strong enough, they will be offered to the editors of the NT Daily and NTNewsNet.com.

Guest speakers:  To help make the class more relevant and interesting, we will have guest speakers – journalists, county officials, attorneys – and others to help you get an up close, in person opportunity to talk to people.   You will be required to write a one-page summary of each speaker that must be posted on the class blog by the beginning of the next class.

Grading:
Meeting article                        10%
Civic Leader article                10%
Court case article                    15%
Education article                    15%
Public records research         10%
Diversity & Media essay        10%
Final Small Group/Public Records Project          25%
In-class exercises, participation, attendance        5%

Grades:  You will be graded on your ability to turn in your assignments on deadline.  They’ve got to be accurate, clear, use AP style correctly and must be fairly reported. All of the above components will be part of determining your grade.

Semester grades:
A = 90 to 100
B  = 80 to 89.9
C = 70 to 79.9
D =  60 to 69.9
F =  59 and below

Academic dishonesty: Plagiarism, fabrication and resubmission or double submission of work performed for another class all are considered to be acts of academic dishonesty under the UNT Code of Student Conduct. You should never quote friends or family members in news stories unless you have advance permission from the instructor.

Any of the above violations will result in an automatic failing grade on the assignment and a referral to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities. The stories you pursue independently outside of class should rely entirely on YOUR OWN reporting. If you must include information reported by another journalistic outlet (and I suggest you do this rarely, because there is almost always a way to find the information yourself), cite the publication. The instructor reserves the right to contact sources listed on your source sheet and will perform spot checks throughout the semester.

Department of Journalism statement on plagiarism
Plagiarism, in a nutshell, is using other people’s written words as your own. Some people consider the use of 7-10 words in a row, copied from another source, as plagiarism. Be sure to include citations when using other people’s writing, because plagiarism is a serious offense in any discipline, especially in journalism. It’s a firing offense in the professional world. In the School of Journalism and Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism at UNT, students face a range of penalties for plagiarism (depending on the importance of the assignment):
•    a grade of “F” on a minor assignment;
•    a request that the student drop the class;
•    withdrawal of the student from the class, initiated by the professor;
•    an “F” in the course
•    a referral to the UNT Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities;
•    a notation on the student’s transcript;
•    and expulsion from the university.

A combination of these penalties may also be used. If you need more information or have questions about plagiarism, ask your nearest journalism professor or visit the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Saving your work: You are responsible for making copies of all of your work on CD-RW or thumb drives or by e-mailing finished assignments to yourself. You cannot save material on the computers in the lab. Save all graded copies of your work that have been returned to you, since this is the only way to resolve any potential discrepancy between the grade you are assigned and your own calculation of your grade.

Disabilities: The School of Journalism , in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, makes reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. If you require any such accommodation, please contact the instructor within the first three weeks of class.

Credit: Some information in this syllabus was compiled with help from Dr. Tracy Everbach and former UNT instructors Karen Thomas, Jake Batsell and Laura Griffin.

Tentative Class Schedule  (subject to change)

Week One: Aug. 27
Introduction to class. What is public affairs? How much do you know about your government?

Homework Assignment Due Sept. 3rd: Read “The Elements of Journalism,” Chapters 1 – 5. Based on your readings, write a 300-word essay, type-written, double-spaced on your definition of the role of the journalist. Be prepared to discuss your key points.

Week Two: Sept. 3
What makes a journalist? What is civic journalism? Why it matters? Covering meetings / Covering local government.
ASSIGNMENT: Due Sept. 10.

•    Cover a local city council meeting. Max. 500 words. Typed. Double-spaced.   Include source list. A copy of the city council agenda and any other related documents that are relevant to the story.
•    Also, please review the following website: http://www.pewcenter.org/doingcj/pubs/tcl/index.html

Week Three: Sept. 10
Covering Local Government continued. Mapping your beat. Developing sources. Seven Knowledge keys.  Engaging sources.  What do you know about the First Amendment?  In-class exercise.

•    ASSIGNMENT Due Sept. 17:  Based on “Step 3” in the Pew Center for Civic Journalism (http://www.pewcenter.org/doingcj/pubs/tcl/step3.html), find a civic leader, interview him or her about what they do, what has changed and how the media cover them? WRITE a 300 – 500 word, double-spaced, type-written story based on your interview.  Be prepared to discuss.

Week Four: Sept. 17
Role of civic leaders. Covering law enforcement.  Crime beat basics. Key terms. Understanding the arrest process. What makes a good cop story? Understanding crime stats. In-class exercise.

ASSIGNMENT Due Sept. 24:
•    Read the following chapter on the “Covering Crime and Justice” website, http://www.justicejournalism.org/crimeguide/chapter01/chapter01_pg02.html#crimebeatbasics
•    Be prepared for in-class exercise on key crime terms.
•     Write a 500-word story police story.  The story must include original reporting, interviews and quotes.  Include a source list, and if it is based on an actual crime, include a print out of the police report.   Be prepared to discuss.

Week Five: Sept. 24
Covering law enforcement. Key terms. Types of courts. Developing sources. Writing compelling cop stories. Guest speaker. In-class exercise.
•    ASSIGNMENT Due Oct. 1:  Read: “Covering Courts: The Associated Press Manual for Reporters,” http://www.ncpress.com/LegalFiles/intro.html Be prepared for in-class exercise, challenging your knowledge of legal terms and court procedures.

Week Six: Oct. 1
Covering courts cont. In-class exercise.
•    ASSIGNMENT Due Oct. 8: Go to the courthouse. Sit in on a trial. Write a 500-word story on the trial.  Include the citation for the court case and a source list.

Week Seven: Oct. 8
Covering education. Understanding the core issues. Covering school boards.  Brainstorm story ideas.
•    ASSIGNMENT Due Oct. 15:  Write an education story. 500-words. You may cover a local school board meeting, a current issue or trend.
•    Here are some examples: http://www.coveringeducation.org/schoolstories/
•    Additional resources:
o    The Educational Writers Association: http://www.ewa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=resources
o    Read the following report on No Child Left Behind (http://www.cep-dc.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=document_ext.showDocumentByID&nodeID=1&DocumentID=227)

Week Eight: Oct. 15
Covering agencies.  Cutting through bureaucracies. Business reporting. In-class exercise.
•    ASSIGNMENT – DUE Oct. 22: Read the following article from Columbia Journalism Review:  “Power Problem,” By Dean Starkman, http://www.cjr.org/cover_story/power_problem.php?page=all
•    Pull a current story about the state of the economy, the banking industry or some major business story. Based on the CJR article, how well does this article explain the key issues? Inform the public?
•    Additional resources: http://www.businessjournalism.org/

Week Nine: Oct. 22
Investigative reporting. Following the paper trail – using documents (print & online) to uncover stories. Discussion of public records. FOIA. Discuss final project. Assign groups.

•    ASSIGNMENT Due Oct. 29:  Familiarize yourself with the website of the Investigative Reporters and Editors (http://ire.org)
•    Read the following stories:
o    “Making Firm a Newspaper’s Focus on Investigative Reporting,” By David Boardman, http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reportsitem.aspx?id=100377
o    “Investigative Reporting: Keeping It Relevant, Keeping It Local,” By Paul D’Ambrosio, http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reportsitem.aspx?id=100448
o    “The Benefits of Computer-Assisted Reporting,” By Jason Method, http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reportsitem.aspx?id=100454
o    “Investigative Teem, New nonprofit journalism centers aim to fill the gap in state and local investigations.” By Will Skowronski, http://www.ajr.org/article.asp?id=4693
o    WRITE a one-page overview of your final project.

Week Ten: Oct. 29
The role and value of investigative reporting. Campaigns & the Press /Elections. In-class exercise.
•    ASSIGNMENT DUE NOV. 5:  Visit OpenSecrets.org, http://www.opensecrets.org/. You will assigned a member of Congress and asked to provide a full report on his or her campaign finances.
•    Here are several additional sites that you might find helpful:
o    Federal Elections Commission, http://fec.gov
o    Congressional Quarterly Moneyline, http://moneyline.cq.com/pml/home.do?MBF=NAME
o    The Cook Political Report, http://www.cookpolitical.com/

Week Eleven: Nov.  5
Follow the money trail. Politicans, lobbyists and special interests.  Public v. Private lives.
•    ASSIGNMENT- DUE Nov. 12:
•    Familiarize yourself with the IRE database: IRE Net Tour: http://www.ire.org/resourcecenter/nettour/index.html
•    Write a 300 word article based on what you find out about yourself using the links on the following website or any others that you find. http://www.nreisner.com/FindingAlmostAnybody.htm
•    Read the following articles/essays:
o    The Washington Post “Salon” Faux Pas
•    “Washington Post cancels lobbyist event amid uproar,” By MIKE ALLEN & MICHAEL CALDERONE | 7/2/09, http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24441.html
•    “David Bradley defends Atlantic Media’s exclusive ’salons’,” By Michael Calderone, http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24618.html
•     “Veteran editors offer advice to the Post,” by Andrew Alexander, http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ombudsman-blog/2009/07/post-salons_advice_for_the_pos.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
•    “City Desk, Washington Post “Salon” Scandal: The Memo Trail,” Posted by Erik Wemple, http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/07/02/washington-post-salon-scandal-the-memo-trail/
•    “A Publisher Stumbles Publicly at The Post,” by David Carr, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/04/business/media/04post.html

Week Twelve: Nov. 12
Ethical considerations. Understanding computer assisted reporting. Using Databases.
•    ASSIGNMENT- DUE Nov. 19: Log onto Poynter Institute’s NewsU.org (http://newsu.org), and take the “Handling Race & Ethnicity” online course.

Week Thirteen:  Nov. 19
•    Role of ethnic media  / Covering Multicultural Issues
•    ASSIGNMENT- DUE Dec. 3rd :  Read “The Elements of Journalism,” Chapters 6 – 11.  Write a 300-500 word essay discussing the role of diversity in the media, and provide some current examples.

Week Fourteen: Nov. 26 – NO CLASS – Happy Thanksgiving!

Week Fifteen: DEC. 3
FINAL PROJECT WORKSHOP

Week Sixteen:  DEC. 10  –
FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS.