J397 - Sundial Practicum
News Practicum, Tuesday & Thursday, 8:30-9:20 a.m., MZ 112
Melissa Lalum, Instructor/Daily Sundial Publisher
Office Hours: MZ 140, Tuesday, 9-10 a.m.; (818) 677-2243/melissa.lalum@csun.edu
About the class
The Daily Sundial gives students the opportunity to hone their news gathering and producing skills in a 24/7 newsroom environment. You will experience real assignments and deadlines while working at the Sundial. Your work will appear online and in print (circ. 6,500, Monday-Thursday) and it will be accessible to a diverse university community and beyond.
The mandatory classes will focus on understanding the current digital newsroom — including its challenges and areas of growth — in addition to balancing the print product. The class will concentrate on producing compelling content for dailysundial.com and the print product. Expect to work hard as an individual and on a team -- you have an amazing opportunity to create a dynamic product.
The Daily Sundial editors are responsible for assigning content/beats (e.g. ,photos, stories, multimedia, etc.) and setting deadlines. Staff members are also expected to generate their own ideas for producing original content. You must spend at least two hours a week in the newsroom reporting/producing content for online and print. You will be required to sign up for a time and sign in. During this time you are available for any assignment or breaking news or updating the Web site. Remember: This is a 24/7 newscycle and dailysundial.com needs to be updated throughout the day. It should not mirror the print product. When in the newsroom, be ready to answer phones and generally help out
Fall 2009 - Class schedule & readings
(Lineup and elements of syllabus and class subject to change. Check the blog often for supplemental readings and changes.)
Aug. 25: Introduction
(Reading: Pages 3-8, The Student Newspaper Survival Guide)
Aug. 27: Tour/presentation of CSUN Police Department, meet the chief
Sept. 1: Sundial history
Sept. 3: The new newsroom
Reading: Pages 47-75, 78, 85-86, The Student Newspaper Survival Guide
• "Fresh Air with Terry Gross," Christian Science Monitor goes to online model
• "Newspapers Thinking the Unthinkable," By Clay Shirky
• Jay Rosen's Flying Seminar on the Future of News
• Brian Storm's speech at Fall 2008 commencement, University of Missouri
Sept. 8/10: What is newsworthy; developing a beat/sources
Reading: Page 30, The Student Newspaper Survival Guide
Reading: Pages 19-26, The Student Newspaper Survival Guide
Reading: Pages 95-102, The Student Newspaper Survival Guide
•Link to "Fresh Air" interview with Bob Woodward regarding anonymous sources.
•Interview with Ira Glass on finding decent stories.
Sept. 15/17: Technology and changing media
Reading: Pages 161-168, The Student Newspaper Survival Guide
Reading: Pages 25-33, Journalism 2.0
• Video: 1981 Primitive Internet Report on KRON
• Video: Did You Know 3.0
• Farewell, Rocky Mountain News
• Report: The State of the News Media
Sept. 22/24: Alternative storytelling - overview
• "This American Life: Break-up" by Starlee Kine
• "Keep Flu At Bay With A Song," NPR, by Allison Aubrey
Sept. 29/Oct. 1, Oct.6/8: Multimedia/interactive storytelling – video, slideshows, Flash
Reading: "Journalism 2.0," Pages 89-99, 100-114
Reading: "Journalism 2.0," Pages 69-79, 80-88
• Kirk Mastin - Flip video vlog: A tale of two formats
• Tips on gathering audio, Mediastorm
• Telling stories with sound, Elise Malmberg
• "Marlboro Marine" by Luis Sinco, Los Angeles Times
- L.A. Times stories, galleries, video
- NPR interview with Luis Sinco, June 2005
- Rolling Stone story, April 2008
• "Closer to Home," Taylor Hayden
•"Mauro's Shift," Eric Zassenhaus and Amy Jeffries
Oct. 13/15: Mid-semester evaluation, staff meetings
Oct. 20/22: Art of the interview
Reading: Pages 39-43, The Student Newspaper Survival Guide
• Reading: Pages 115-120, Journalism 2.0
• Terry Gross/Fresh Air interview with Lynne Cheney
• Terry Gross speech at Columbia University Journalism School
Oct. 27: Perfecting a lede
Reading: Pages 39-43, The Student Newspaper Survival Guide
Oct. 29: Self-editing
Reading: Page 43, The Student Newspaper Survival Guide
• Common errors
Nov. 3/5: Ethics & ownership
"Citizen McCaw" movie, discussion
Reading: "Santa Barbara Smackdown" By Susan Paterno, American Journalism Review•
•"Judgment against News-Press" By Barney Brantingham, Santa Barbara Independent
•"Santa Barbara News-Press Body Slammed in NLRB Decision," By Nick Welsh, Santa Barbara Independent
Nov. 10/12: Online ethics
Reading: Pages 119-137, The Student Newspaper Survival Guide
• Whose Rules? Poynter Kent State Media Ethics Workshop
• Online Ethics Wiki
• SPJ Code of Ethics
• Student Press Law Center
Nov. 17/19: Portfolios, job/internship prospects
• "The Future of Work," Time Magazine
• "America's Newest Profession: Bloggers for Hire," Wall Street Journal
• "The Future of Journalism," Here & Now, wbur.org
• "Job seekers find news rules of recruitment," Morning Edition, NPR
• "Multimedia Resumes Add Pizazz To Job Search," NPR
• Simple resume template
• Links to job resources on my Delicious feed
search "jobs"
• Lecture notes
Nov. 24: Portfolio workshop (in newsroom)
Nov. 26: No class, Thanksgiving
Dec. 1: Portfolio workshop (in newsroom)
Dec. 3: Class photo
Dec. 8: Awards, last day of class
Dec. 10: Portfolio due, beat report due
Prerequisites
Reporters: Completed Journalism 310 with C or better.
Photographers: Completed J350 with C or better.
Enroll in J397B (two units) if you are taking Sundial for the first time.
Enroll in J397A (one unit) If you have already taken Sundial or another practicum (KCSN News, PR).
Students must get a permission number from Melissa Lalum to enroll in the class.
Textbooks, materials
The Student Newspaper Survival Guide, Rachel Kanigel; available at the Matador Bookstore, used/new through Amazon.com or other online bookstores. (Required)
"Journalism 2.0: How to Survive and Thrive," Reported by Mark Briggs, Edited by Jan Schaffer
Download it here for FREE. (Required)
Attendance & deadlines
Class attendance and newsroom shifts are mandatory. Each student is responsible for signing the attendance sheet at the start of class or the shift sheet (on Melissa's window). You drop 15 points for every three unexcused absences and you drop 15 points for every two missed deadlines. If you need to reschedule a shift, talk to your editor.
Editors will set deadlines for all assignments and inform the publisher if a deadline is missed. Turn your work into the publisher (see course requirement for weekly deadlines). When in doubt, ask.
Course requirements
Your goal is to complete as many assignments that are publishable as possible to gain maximum experience and develop your portfolio.
J397B (2 units):
Assignments
Staff members must complete a minimum of 20 assignments, at least five must be made up of TWO components: one element that is published in the print edition of the Daily Sundial and another that is interactive (e.g., video, timeline, map, audio slideshow, etc) for dailysundial.com.
Example: A story that is published both places does not count as two, nor does a photo in both places. However, a story might appear in print and a video could be the multimedia element online and paired with the story. A photo in print can refer online to a photo gallery with multiple pictures/gallery or an audio slide show.
At least ONE assignment is due each week (editors set the deadlines). The more work you do, the more I will grade so the better chance you have of improving your grade. You are all considered to be all-format journalists, so photographers will cover beats and write stories and reporters will take photos and video, etc. Each assignment is worth 5 points, the five assignments that have an online and print component are worth 10 points each, 5 points for the print element and 5 points for the online element. If you choose to contribute to a blog, this can count as an interactive/multimedia element.
Example: If you cover a sports team and you write a game story for print, you can include the blog posts or Tweets as your interactive element.
Projects or longer, in-depth stories, etc., can be counted for more than one assignments. A note must accompany the assignment with an explanation of your extra effort. If you team up on an assignment, you can both get credit. Not all work will be published in print/online. You can still turn it in to the publisher for a grade as long as you make your deadline set by the editor.
How to turn in assignments
Email your completed assignment to Melissa (melissa.lalum@csun.edu) each week with the appropriate attachment
Example: Attach photo with the full caption that was intended for print, include link to photo gallery online.
Example: Paste your story into the email window and include a link to the multimedia element on the Sundial's site, etc.
You must include what day the assignment was published in the Sundial/dailysundial.com. (See Melissa if it does not get published.) And you must include the section the assignment appeared.
In the SUBJECT line of the email, write what number assignment it is and a brief description.
Example:
Subject: Assignment 2 - Women's soccer preview, blog posts
Subject: Assignment 4 - A.S. meeting, video of campus voice
This will help you keep track of your work and always let you know where you stand with your assignments.
You must spend at least two hours a week in the newsroom reporting/producing content for online and print. You will be required to sign up for a time and sign in. During this time you are available for any assignment or breaking news or updating the Web site. This is counted as attendance, if you have three unexcused absences (either in class or shift) you will lose 15 points.
Beats
Every staff member will be assigned a beat at the beginning of the semester. You will receive a "Beat Sheet" to get started. At the end of the semester you are required to turn your Beat Report back in with updated contacts, story ideas, etc., along with relevant clips and links to other sources.
Portfolio
You will also be required to create an online resume and portfolio at the end of the semester. This will highlight your published work (and can include other publications). At the end of the semester, you will email Melissa a link to your Web site.
397A
Editors and senior staff positions are graded on their ability to plan and issue all types of assignments (photos, stories, multimedia, etc.), work with staff members, ability to communicate, produce work for online and print in a timely manner, the quality of their sections/content, presence in the newsroom and attendance, ability to meet deadlines, uphold journalistic values and set/achieve goals.
Senior staff writers are expected to contribute at least one assignment per week.
Grades
397B
Completed assignments must be submitted to the publisher at the same time they are turned in for publication or they will not be graded.
Staff members are graded on the quality of their completed assignments, coverage of their beat, ability to meet deadlines and class participation. As a general policy, gross factual errors and repeated mistakes, including a misspelling, will result in a 0.
A total of 200 points are possible during the semester:
Assignments - 125 points
Beat report - 25 points
Portfolio - 25 points
Participation - 25 points
Attendance - Drop 15 points for every 3 missed class and/or newsroom shift
Deadlines - Drop 15 points for every 2 missed deadlines
Grade breakdown
186-200 = A
180-185 = A-
175-179 = B+
166-174 = B
160-165= B-
155-159= C+
146-154 = C
140-145 = C-
139 and below = D
119 and below = F
Extra credit opportunities
At least three extra credit opportunities will be offered this semester. Each is worth 5 points and you must sign in for credit. The Sundial and SPJ chapter will be co-sponsoring monthly Sundial Sessions in which journalists come to campus and share their insight and experience.
Sept. 9 - Writing dynamic headlines for online and print with George Foulsham (Former ME-SB News-Press, AME-LA Daily News & Ventura County Star, News ed - LA Times) 12-1:30, MZ213
Oct. 14 - Arts and entertainment criticism and anecdotes about covering Hollywood with Stuart Levine (AME - features, Daily Variety and 1986 CSUN grad), 12-1:30, MZ213
Nov. 18 - Watch how an idea takes shape when editorial cartoonist Patrick O'Connor (LA Times freelance and former Daily News staff cartoonist) puts his pencil to paper, 12-1:30, MZ 213
Minimum requirements
Students must fulfill the quotas for assignments (see course requirements), and you must cover your beat. Final grades depend on quality of work, meeting deadlines, attendance and participation. Doing the minimum allows you to pass — nothing more. Students who fail to complete the minimum will get an F and will have to repeat the course to fulfill the requirement.
Note: If you submit more than the minimum requirement, I will base your final grade on your best work, taking into account missed deadlines and absences. The publisher is the one who grades your papers and records missed deadlines and absences. If you have any questions about grades, deadlines or absences, ask the publisher.
397A
Editors and senior staff positions are graded on their ability to plan and issue all types of assignments (photos, stories, multimedia, etc.), work with staff members, ability to communicate, produce work for online and print in a timely manner, the quality of their sections/content, presence in the newsroom and attendance, ability to meet deadlines, uphold journalistic values and set/achieve goals.
Repeated failure to meet deadlines will result in your final grade being dropped.
Senior staff writers are expected to contribute at least one assignment per week.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism and other forms of cheating will not be tolerated, and anyone caught cheating will be reported to the dean of students and will receive a failing grade in the course. Remember that much of the information posted on the Internet is protected by U.S. copyright law. Passing this information off as your own is a violation of CSUN’s plagiarism policy, and carries the penalties outlined above.
For a further explanation of the behavior defined as cheating, and a more detailed discussion of disciplinary procedures, consult pages 588-589 of the 2008-2010 CSUN catalog.
Student conduct
In addition to university policy on student conduct (pages 586-589 of the CSUN catalog), students working for the Sundial are expected to follow the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics, available at www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp Violations can result in a failing grade for the course.
Diversity
In addition to adhering to the university’s nondiscrimination and sexual harassment policies (pp. 534-535 of the CSUN catalog), students in this course are strongly encouraged to make every effort, with the instructor’s help, to include people and subjects in their assignments who traditionally have been overlooked by the mainstream media. (Such people include ethnic, racial and religious minorities; the elderly, disabled and poor; gay men and lesbians; and other similar groups.) The intent is to ensure that student work reflects the diversity of the community.
Copyright
Students enrolled in the Sundial practicum are considered employees for the purpose of copyright. Therefore, copyright of articles and photographs produced on behalf of the Sundial, whether published or not, are owned by the Sundial. (Contributors should sign an employment agreement.) Permission to reprint or repurpose material obtained and/or published on behalf of the Sundial must be obtained in writing from the publisher. Violations of this policy can result in failure for the course.
About the professor
Melissa Lalum joined CSUN in 2008 after 12 years at the Los Angeles Daily News, the last three as managing editor. She has worked as a reporter and editor at the Ventura County Star, Tahoe World and Santa Barbara News-Press. She also taught journalism at Moorpark College. She has a B.A. in communications from U.C. Santa Barbara.