Office hours are by appointment only. I am located out-of-state and am unable to meet with you in person; however, I am always happy to meet with you through a voice call, text or Zoom meeting. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.
Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.
If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.
As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc
The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.
Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016
Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.
NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.
The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students. If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .
COMM-2332-001 Digital & Broadcast News
Gather, edit, present and analyze news for broadcast stations; examine news department organization and philosophy. Presentation of regularly scheduled newscast on KACV-FM and/or development of television package news stories.
Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website
Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:
Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:
Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me
You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.
(3 sem hrs; 3 lec, 2 lab)
On Campus Course
Reading will be assigned through Blackboard but there is no required textbook. The following textbooks are recommended:
Dobbs, G. (2004). Better broadcast writing, better broadcast news. Allyn & Bacon.ISBN: 0-205-35994-9 https://www.amazon.com/Better-Broadcast-Writing-News/dp/0205359949
Recommended:
LABS: Mass Media computer labs are located on the second floor of Parcells Hall. Labs are open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students must sign up in advance to use the radio production studio in the Gilvin Broadcast Center.
EQUIPMENT: Digital recorders, video cameras, tripods and microphones are available for check-out from Mass Media faculty. Equipment is limited and students must reserve their equipment in advance and return it in a timely manner. The gear is to be used for Mass Media class assignments ONLY. Personal use is strictly forbidden. Students who abuse or neglect gear for any reason, may lose the privilege of using AC Mass Media equipment and will be held responsible for repair or replacement. Students should make sure all gear is in proper working order when it is checked out and must report any malfunctions as soon as possible.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: After completing the required course activities, students will be able to:
In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .
If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".
PROFESSIONALISM: Students will be expected to behave professionally at all times. Professionalism includes:
CLASS POLICIES:
Students will arrive for class on time. Consistent late arrival and/or early departure will impact class participation grade.
No substance or equipment in violation of the AC Student Code of Life will be permitted in communications courses.
Turn off cell phones or put them on silent ring during class. No text messaging will be permitted during class.
Plagiarism is considered serious academic misconduct. All written assignments presented in this class must be original work by the student. Any student caught plagiarizing or cheating will receive a failing grade. Students must abide by high standards of journalistic integrity. Faking quotations, faking facts or reporting things that did not happen will be treated as plagiarism and dealt with in the same manner as other scholastic dishonesty.
No form of scholastic dishonesty will be tolerated. Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.
“Cheating on a test” shall include:
--Copying from another student’s test paper.
--Using test materials not authorized by the person administering the test. -------Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test without permission from the test administrator.
--Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, or soliciting, in whole or in part, the contents of an unadministered test.
--The unauthorized transporting or removal, in whole or in part, of the contents of the unadministered test.
--Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for one’s self, to take a test.
--Bribing another person to obtain an unadministered test or information about an unadministered test.
“Plagiarism”shall be defined as the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own written work.
“Collusion”shall be defined as the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work for fulfillment of course requirements.
A complete statement regarding scholastic dishonesty can be found in the Student Code of Conduct in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.
Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services, located in the Student Services Center 119, phone number: 371 5436 as soon as possible.
No administrative withdrawals will be initiated by the instructor. It is each student’s responsibility to drop a class or withdraw from school in the event he/she decides to quit attending class.
Every student is required to comply with the policies published in the “Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook”
ASSIGNMENTS:
Reading: Students will be assigned online reading and may be given handouts.
Daily Homework: Students must immerse themselves in both local and national news. Students are expected to watch at least one local and national television newscast daily, listen to radio news on local stations and National Public Radio and read a daily newspaper or news website. Unannounced quizzes on assigned reading and current events will be given.
Quizzes: Weekly 10-point quizzes will be given. Quizzes will cover local and national current events, reading assignments and material from course lectures. Missed quizzes cannot be made up and will be counted as a zero. The two lowest quiz grades will be dropped.
Radio Newscast: During the first half of the semester, lab time will be used to produce and record radio newscasts that will air on the college radio station, FM-90. All students will participate in the production and recording process. Two students will be chosen to anchor each newscast. Students must sign up to anchor the newscast at least once during the semester and must assist with producing the newscast at least once during the semester.
Radio Writing: Each student will complete a minimum of six radio news stories. Students who complete more than six stories will be able to drop their lowest grade(s). Stories turned in after deadline may receive an automatic zero.
Video News Cut-ins: Each student must assist with and anchor the video news cut ins at least once during the semester.
Television Packages: Each student will write, shoot and edit two television news packages that include a minimum of two sound bites from two sources and an on-camera stand-up. Students will work in pairs to assist one another with shooting video. Students will turn in edited videos and final scripts.
Broadcast News: Moving Forward
Here is how the rest of this semester will work.
Every Monday, we will meet at our regular class time (9 a.m.) through online video conferencing. I will send instructions on how you will join the conferences. Attending the video conferences will count toward your attendance/participation grade. If you have to miss a video conference, the recordings will be uploaded to Blackboard for you to watch. These meetings will serve as a place for us to visit with each other, discuss your projects, answer questions and go over assignments.
Every Wednesday, during our regular class time, I will be available to meet with you for one-on-one assistance over phone/text/video/email etc. You can also schedule meetings at other times.
Most weeks, you will watch recorded video lectures that you will access through Blackboard and answer a couple of embedded questions in the video lectures. Your answers to these questions will count toward your attendance/participation grade. You watch these videos during our regular class time or another time, just get each one done by the end of the day Sunday of each week to receive your attendance credit. Watching these videos at the assigned times and taking notes and fully understanding the material will allow you to complete your assignments correctly.
Most weeks you will have a 10 question multiple choice online quiz just like the ones we were taking in class but now they’re online. The quizzes will open Monday morning and close Wednesday night. They may have a few current events questions but they will focus primarily on the material that we have covered so far this semester and will cover in the upcoming recorded lectures.
I am eliminating the final exam.
Here is how your assignments will change
We will not be able to produce a 30-minute newscast together. In place of the newscast grade, I will substitute the average of your grades on the in-class homework you would have done anyway. If you are returning to AC in the fall, and we are back on campus, I would love to work with you guys to produce a newscast then; however, I think it is too difficult for us to carry out this project during these current conditions.
Unless you personally own a home video camera or DSLR, you will be using your smartphone and video conferencing software (Zoom, Skype, Facetime) etc. to capture video and your own computer or phone app to edit the video. You do not need to purchase any software or apps. You can have access to Adobe Creative Cloud for free for the rest of the semester (if your computer will run it) and there are several free editing apps for smartphones and online. I will be emailing you a comprehensive list of choices. We will figure this out, one day at a time, but we will have to be resourceful.
The following homework assignments will be required. Once again, please note, you would have done all of these things during class and lab time even if the outbreak had not occurred.
Choose a 15-25 second Sequencsoundbite from each person you interview. Edit the three bites together into a single video file. I will share an example of this with you. The entire piece should be about one minute long. Start the piece with a graphic that explains what the viewer is about to see. Name the file Yourname_COVIDimpact and upload it to the Google Drive folder labeled COVID_Impact_Interviews. Be sure to set the permissions so that anyone with the link can edit the file.
Homework will be worth 20% of your final grade.
Video News Package Assignments: You will create two complete minute and a half long news packages on the topic of your choice. (I must approve all topics and I will provide you with a list of suggested topics. Most will relate to the COVID crisis.) Each package will contain narration, at least two sources with on-camera bites, reporter stand-up, nat sound and sign off (This is your name for The Ranger Online.) Pieces will be 1:30-2:00 minutes long and will demonstrate effective broadcast reporting, writing and production. Video packages will be worth 30% of your final grade
GRADING CRITERIA:
· Class participation/attendance/in-class exercises/anchoring radio newscast/video news updates: 10%
· Quizzes: 10%
· Radio Writing: 30%
· TV packages: 30% (2 stories worth 15% each)
· Homework: 20%
·
TRACKING CLASS PROGRESS: Each student is responsible for keeping track of his or her progress in the class. Students must save all graded assignments until the end of the semester. Students are encouraged to schedule meetings with the instructor outside of class time to discuss their progress and grades in the course.
ATTENDANCE: Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement; therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class. Daily attendance will be recorded. Points will be deducted from final course grade for more than two absences--regardless of the reason for the absence--from lecture class and for more than one absence—regardless of the reason for the absence—from lab. No official warnings will be given to students when excessive absences jeopardize their successful completion of the course. Students who miss classes are responsible for contacting their classmates to obtain notes and assignments covered during the missed class period. Consistent late arrival to class or early departure will be recorded as absences.
Broadcast News Course Calendar REVISED Spring 2020 (tentative calendar, subject to change)
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10 |
March 30 (M) |
Participate in Video Conference Discussion https://zoom.us/j/294741991 Read over revised syllabus and moving forward instructions. |
Email me the answers to these questions: What are you going to use to shoot? What are you going to use to edit? If you don’t know the answers, get in touch after class and we will discuss it. |
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April 1 (W) |
Watch Intro to TV News and Intro to Shooting News Video and answer embedded questions One-on-one consultations and assistance over phone/text/video/email as needed. |
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Lab |
Use this time to complete the TV vocabulary work sheet. You may look up answers online if necessary. Some possible resources are https://people.uwec.edu/kapferja/02-Fall08/335/GlossaryofBroadcastNewsTerms.htm https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/the-ultimate-list-of-broadcast-journalism-terms/ |
TV vocabulary work sheet due by end of the day in BB dropbox. |
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11 |
April 6 (M) |
Participate in Video Conference Discussion Watch Smartphone Videography and answer embedded questions |
Quiz |
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April 8 (W) |
One-on-one consultations and assistance over phone/text/video/email as needed Watch More About Shooting and Editing and answer embedded questions |
Package one topic due by end of the day |
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Lab |
Use this time to record and edit Three Soundbites |
Three Soundbites due by end of the day |
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12 |
April 13 (M) |
Participate in Video Conference Discussion Watch Editing News Video and answer embedded questions |
Quiz |
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April 15(W) |
Watch Tips and Techniques and answer embedded questions One-on-one consultations and assistance over phone/text/video/email as needed |
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Lab |
Use this time to record and edit Sequence Exercise |
Sequence Exercise due by end of the day |
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13 |
April 20 (M) |
Participate in Video Conference Discussion Watch Award-winning Packages and answer embedded questions |
Quiz |
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April 22 (W) |
Watch Successful Standups and answer embedded questions Work on news package analysis work sheet One-on-one consultations and assistance over phone/text/video/email as needed |
News Package Analysis work sheet due by the end of the day in BB dropbox |
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Lab |
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Editing a Package Exercise due by end of the day |
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14 |
April 27 (M) |
Participate in Video Conference Discussion
Work on video package |
Package Two topic due by the end of the day |
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April 29 (W) |
Work on video package One-on-one consultations and assistance over phone/text/video/email as needed |
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Lab |
Work on video package |
Package One due by end of day |
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15 |
May 4 (M) |
Participate in Video Conference Discussion Watch Producing a TV Newscast and answer embedded questions |
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May 6 (W) |
Watch TV News Anchoring and answer embedded questions One-on-one consultations and assistance over phone/text/video/email as needed |
Quiz |
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Lab |
Work on Newscast Analysis Work Sheet and video package |
Newscast Analysis Work Sheet due by end of the day |
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16 |
May 11 (M) |
Participate in Video Conference Discussion Work on video package |
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May 13 (W) |
Work on video package One-on-one consultations and assistance over phone/text/video/email as needed |
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Lab |
Work on video package |
Package Two due by end of day |
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17 |
May 18 (M) |
What? A day off? |
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May 20 (W) |
Video conference showcase |
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BLACKBOARD AND AC CONNECT: To access Blackboard, you must log into AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu/students/Pages/default.aspx. You can also access AC Connect by clicking on the AC Connect link on the AC Website home page: www.actx.edu. If this is the first time you have used AC Connect, click on the “First Time Users” link at the bottom of the page and follow the instructions to activate your electronic accounts.
You should get into the habit of logging into AC Connect every day to check email and
announcements. The college and your individual instructors will use AC Connect to send important messages. Once you log into AC Connect, you will see your Blackboard classes listed in the center of the page.
For assistance using AC Connect and Blackboard, visit AC Connect Student Resources at http://www.actx.edu/ctl/index.php?module=article&id=222. If you have further questions, you can contact the Center for Teaching and Learning Student Help Center. The purpose of the Student Help Center is to introduce and/or instruct students in the proper procedures to interact confidently with Blackboard and AC Connect components or other software required for course assignments. The services below are available to students who are currently enrolled in academic or continuing education courses on a walk-in/appointment basis or by phone:
Hours and Location:
Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (Library 205)
Monday – Thursday: 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (Library Research Desk on 4th floor)
Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (Library 205)
Phone: (806) 371-5992 or (806) 371-5932
Students may use the computers located in the Mass Media labs in Parcells Hall (214 and 220) or in the Lynn Library on the fourth floor of Ware Student Center to access AC Connect.
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
STAYING CONNECTED: Students are encouraged to follow the Matney Mass Media department and The Ranger on social media and read the college newspaper, The Ranger, at www.acranger.com.
AC offers many opportunities to explore the mass media. Ask your instructor how you can become a D.J. on FM-90, can write for the College newspaper and can join the crew shooting live football video this fall. Don’t miss your chance to take photos for the College magazine or work as a videographer, graphic artist or web designer for the College’s news website. In addition, AC mass media faculty can help you find paid positions in the local media industry. Don’t just sit there—get involved!
01/12/20 7:55 PM
03/29/20 11:37 PM