This assignment is about listening to the community and getting ideas for stories that will resonate. Too often journalists rely on the same old sources and same old places for stories. Let’s go some place new.
You will do this assignment with a partner from class. Each of you will participate and write your own, individual report to submit in class via our class blog.
Showing posts with label assignment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label assignment. Show all posts
Monday, January 19, 2009
Listening Post: Make your choice
Here’s the set of criteria for your choice of listening post:
1. It must be a place you are not likely to go otherwise.
2. It should include a group of people who are poorly understood and/or poorly covered by the media.
3. It should offer a window onto a “community” of people that might provide information on the group beyond the people who come there.
1. It must be a place you are not likely to go otherwise.
2. It should include a group of people who are poorly understood and/or poorly covered by the media.
3. It should offer a window onto a “community” of people that might provide information on the group beyond the people who come there.
Listening Post: Answer these questions
You will write a report to submit to the class blog, so answer these questions while at the listening post:
1. Who comes here? How does this place and the people represent a segment of the community that receives little media attention.
2. What can I learn about the community from this place?
3. What stories might I do about this place, the people who come here, or the things I’ve learned from looking around?
4. How might the people I encounter here fit into my (and my organization’s – the media’s) everyday coverage of other beats?
1. Who comes here? How does this place and the people represent a segment of the community that receives little media attention.
2. What can I learn about the community from this place?
3. What stories might I do about this place, the people who come here, or the things I’ve learned from looking around?
4. How might the people I encounter here fit into my (and my organization’s – the media’s) everyday coverage of other beats?
Observe
While you are at your listening post, take note of what you see. Read the posters on the wall. Check the stack of reading materials. Capture a mental image of this place. (And take a few notes, too, so you don’t forget the good details.)
Images: Photos & Video
We are a visual people. We like to see the story as well as read about it and hear it. Take photos or a video at your listening post. Be respectful of the circumstance. For some listening posts, photography might be commonplace, such as a bingo parlor or a VFW hall, but other places may not be comfortable with photography or have prohibitions, such as a children’s shelter or the jail. Some places, it’s a matter of asking permission, explaining your purpose. Just about every place should at least permit an exterior shot, but most places will permit even more if you ask.
What to write?
Write a few paragraphs about your experience, incorporating the questions listed in the assignment. Include your observations. You may write it as more of a journal entry or more journalistic.
Images: Post your photos/video.
Links: You may add links to your blog entry if you think it would be appropriate and would help us better understand the subject.
Length: 200-300 words is plenty long. The Internet may be infinite, but we still prefer to read no more than a screenful of information.
Images: Post your photos/video.
Links: You may add links to your blog entry if you think it would be appropriate and would help us better understand the subject.
Length: 200-300 words is plenty long. The Internet may be infinite, but we still prefer to read no more than a screenful of information.
Writing on the blog or Who the Heck Are You?
Bylines: If you signed up for the blog using a name not easily recognizable as your name, please type your name at the top or bottom of your post, as a byline would be typed. Otherwise, I won’t know who the post is from and won’t be able to give you credit.
Headlines: Each post should have a headline. The headline should catch the readers' attention (much like this one...or at least I tried.) It should be accurate and something you would expect to see published in the Austin American-Statesman or across the screen of a local TV channel.
Listening Post location: In your post, list the place you visited and when you visited as part of your post.
Blog URL is http://txstateinfogathering.blogspot.com/
(Yes that may seem obvious since you are actually on the blog now, but should you decide to print this, it may be handy to have it written down.)
Headlines: Each post should have a headline. The headline should catch the readers' attention (much like this one...or at least I tried.) It should be accurate and something you would expect to see published in the Austin American-Statesman or across the screen of a local TV channel.
Listening Post location: In your post, list the place you visited and when you visited as part of your post.
Blog URL is http://txstateinfogathering.blogspot.com/
(Yes that may seem obvious since you are actually on the blog now, but should you decide to print this, it may be handy to have it written down.)
How to Blog
You will be invited to the blog via an email sent to your Texas State email account.
Click on the link in the email and accept the invitation. You must create a Google account to access the blog. If you already have a Google account (gmail, etc.), you may use that account. If you don’t, then use your TX State email to begin the process to get a Google account, following the steps outlined on the screen.
NOTE: Once you have the account set up, Blogger sends you to a screen to create your own blog. You do not want to create your own blog for purposes of this assignment. For this assignment, you want to post to the class blog that is already established. Navigate around Blogger and the class blog using the links in the top right of the screen. Dashboard takes you to the class blog.
This blog will be open to the public for viewing (ie: not a private blog). You may consider that when building a profile and setting a screen name.
Click on the link in the email and accept the invitation. You must create a Google account to access the blog. If you already have a Google account (gmail, etc.), you may use that account. If you don’t, then use your TX State email to begin the process to get a Google account, following the steps outlined on the screen.
NOTE: Once you have the account set up, Blogger sends you to a screen to create your own blog. You do not want to create your own blog for purposes of this assignment. For this assignment, you want to post to the class blog that is already established. Navigate around Blogger and the class blog using the links in the top right of the screen. Dashboard takes you to the class blog.
This blog will be open to the public for viewing (ie: not a private blog). You may consider that when building a profile and setting a screen name.
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