Television History Questions

As we are moving closer to the Unit Test for Television, look over these questions, to answer, in your own words and plan your Television Show ideas as well as a news story to present for BROADCAST NEWS.  Other things that will be on the test will be your knowledge of the First 50 Years of T.V. and information about the major American Broadcast Companies.

Refer to the Beginning Television post for this information. 

1.       Explain what role Nipkow played in the beginning of television.

2.       What were picture transmissions sent through?

3.       Name and explain one show from the early programming of the 1940s.

4.       What was the result of the Quiz Show Scandals?

5.       Explain at least three different aspects of The Freeze at the end of the 1940s in Television.

Finishing Television: The First 50 Years- October 11

Continue the documentary The First 50 Years of Television.  Finish making a list of at least six of the shows that are shown today and yesterday.  Write about the most interesting ones  Then, summarize what each show was about and “behind the scenes” information as well.  This should be completed as a word document, attached to your email and sent to my e mail.

Beginning Television

Television History

Technology

Telephonoscope and the cathode ray (tube) that could send picture transmissions through cable wires.  Nipkow is attributed with the basis for this technology.

Early Programming for the 1940’s

This was broadly defined as family entertainment with shows like:  Howdy Dudey, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Break the Bank, Actor’s Studio and the Texaco Star Theatre

Quiz Show Scandals- 1950’s

Disgruntled contestants on the show exposed how the quiz shows were rigged, so that the people answering trivia questions were coached on the information beforehand.  After this event, rules for the format of a gameshow were established so that the viewing audience could not be fooled.

“Live Era”?

Color Television Development?

The Freeze 1948-1952

The FCC announced that they would stop granting new television licenses. During this time, the FCC would resolve issues confusing the administration and governing of TV transmissions, ranging from legal questions, rules of conduct, programming and organization of networks- even the introduction of color technology.  They held a hearing to arrive at a master blueprint for the television industry.

New Show Formats?

Take note of the information above and find the other information on the internet - both will be included on your unit test.  Send the information you find on the internet to me as a word file.

September 25 Assignment

Send these answers to my e mail as a word document.

A.  Questions 80%

1. Describe two of the inventions that made radio possible.

2. Besides digital technology, what was the other type of recording?

3. What was possible to do with analogue sound recordings?

4. Explain three rules to follow under the Radio Act of 1912 and the reason for the creation of this Act.

5. What were radios used for during World War I?

6. How did WWI help the radio industry?

7. What does RCA stand for?

8. Who are the two major contributors, “fathers of radio”, to the creation of the radio industry?

9. What do advertisements have to do with radio stations?

10. Ultimately, what two things did radio add to society?

Bonus- What date was the first radio advertisement aired?

B.  Poem or Perspective 20%

Write either a ten line poem or a narrative of a person living in the 1900s

about the topic of the invention of the radio.  Your work should demonstrate your understanding of the beginning of Radio.  Use the back of this sheet.

Final Project

The Final Project will be graded on the application of the fundamentals of Journalism in News Reporting and Writing, 5^th and 7^th editions.  You will complete a number of practical journalism tasks from newspapers that you find or on line newspapers.  As articles for The Griffin entail an extensive amount of practical application, each article is the equivalent of one of the questions below.  These tasks require that you examine newspapers closely, making connections to your text.  You must complete all five of the tasks below for me to accept this as your final exam. You are responsible for the chapters we’ve covered thus far.

You may use your notes, the text and Newspapers, actual or online (in class). 

Questions- * you may arrange these questions onto a word document that you may either print or send to my e mail.

1. Editing

You are to find a single article or a number of different articles with typos, information mistakes, poorly worded/awkward phrasing, and/or poor organization.  You are required to cite, at least, six mistakes.  The text (from the newspaper) should be underlined, cut out and pasted to a blank Xerox sheet of paper- on the free space you should have a written explanation of the errors.

 Chapters

Writing to Be Read

The Inverted Pyramid

The News Release

2. Framing

Select an article; analyze and explain how each article is “framed.”  Define the perspective of the writer of each article.  If you think that the article you’ve selected is being purely objective and even dealing, explain why.  It is of the utmost importance that you explain the picture that the journalist is painting of the subject in each article.  Once again, cut out the article, paste it to blank Xerox, and write your explanation below each article.

 Chapters

The Nature of News

  

3. Leads and Narration

Find three different articles and explain the lead: cite who, what, where, why, how, and when of each article.  Also, if they are present, cite the four following writing techniques- foreshadowing, vivid scenes, dialogue and anecdotes; you will most likely find articles with these writing elements.  This is in the same format of the prior tasks.

 Chapters

The Inverted Pyramid

Beyond The Inverted Pyramid

In Their Own Words

4. Gathering Information

Cut out a sizeable newspaper article of your choosing and explain the basic information and where it comes from.  Explain what sources the journalist used.  The article must be fairly lengthy and intricate- no less than ten paragraphs (dialogue shift paragraphs not included).

Chapters

Gathering Information

Interviewing

In Their Own Words

 5. Ethics

Select an article in which you think there is a journalistic ethical perspective at work.  Identify the ethical belief of the writer and possibly the paper as a whole.  Cite which ethical belief that the writer would be the most opposed to, as well.  It is imperative that you refer to the specific ethical rubrics in your text.  Also, explain which ethical belief, as detailed in the chapter, that you personally subscribe to and why.

Chapter

Ethics

  

Applying Ethics

A.  After reading Thom's "The Perfect Picture", explain how each of the following ethical standards in journalism would respond to the situation in the essay.  Be clear and complete about what action they would take and explain why they would take this action.

1.  Aristotle's Golden Mean
2.  Ayn Rand's Rational Self Interest
3.  Your choice of any one of the other ethical standards

B.  What philosophical/ ethical standard does the narrator follow- explain your response.

Journalistic Ethics

1.  Three Philosophies- define the following

Deontological

Teleological

Situational

2.  Categorize the following philosophies into either deontological or teleological.

John Merrill’s Deontelics

Utilitarianism

 Rand’s Rational Self Interest

 Rawl’s Veil of Ignorance

Aristotle’s Golden Mean

3.  Explain each of these ethical problems and how they relate to journalism.

Ethical Problems

                        Deceit

                        Conflict of Interest- friendship, payola, freebies

4.  Define the following and explain how this relates to the journalist.

Invasion of Privacy

Press Law

Use either the internet or the text to answer the following and send your responses to my e mail.

1. Define libel and slander.  What is the key difference between the two?

2. What is the Freedom of Information Act?

3. What are the “open record laws” and “sunshine laws”?

4. Explain absolute privilege and qualified privilege, and how these privileges relate to one another.

5. What is The Actual Malice Test?  Explain how it was applied to the Ariel Sharon case.

6. How is invasion of privacy defined in press law?

7. What is the Privacy Protection Act of 1980?

8. What is the difference between a search warrant and a subpoena?  Explain what each function as.

9.       Which defense for libel discussed in this chapter would you have used in     defending Time magazine in the lawsuit filed by Gen. Ariel Sharon?  Why?

10.   Scenario- You are on assignment with your photographer, who enters a house without permission and photographs the sale of illegal drugs.  Discuss the issues raised by the circumstances and explain why you would or would not publish the pictures.

Sports Event Coverage

Answer the questions below in complete sentences, as thoroughly as possible.  You must complete the questions by the end of the class.  Refer to your textbook.

1. How does the sports writer make a televised game more interesting?

2. What is helpful in avoiding a cliché in sports writing?

3. How does the sports writer specifically avoid the cliché of sports writing?

4. What 3 things add dimension to sports stories when digging for the ‘real’ story?

5. What 5 tasks should the sports writer always attend to when covering an event?

Crime and the Courts Fair Trial Free Press Controversy

After reading to the “The Free Press-Fair trial Controversy”, answer the following questions.

1. What initial case created this controversy?  What other cases are related to the controversy?

2. What is a gag order?

3. What is a closed courtroom?

4. What amendments were used to argue for a closed courtroom?

5. What ruling did the Supreme Court make in 1981?

6. What states ban cameras?

7. What is off limits to reporters?

8. Overall, what is the media’s obligation to the public?

9. What limitations should the media have in Crime and the Courtroom?

News Stories from Photographs

Investigative Reporting

The tip- the sniff- suspicion- idea

Form a hypothesis-statement of truth- help focus your investigation

3 considerations

                        What sources?  What are my obstacles?  Who should I go to first?

                        What records? Are they public or private?

                        What is the most I can prove?  How long will the investigation take?

Sources

            Human sources:  Enemies, Friends, Losers, Victims, Experts, Police, People in trouble.

            Written: 

Public- Property records, Corporation records, Court records, Campaign and conflict of interest reports, Loan rec, Minutes and Transcripts.

Non public- Investigative files, PaST  arrest and conviction, Bank records, Income tax rec, credit checks

Writing the story- Get people into the story, Keep it simple, Tell the reader what the research means, Organize and suggest solutions.

Accidents, Fires and Disasters-Notes and Activity

Accidents, Fires and Disasters

NOTES

Moral Obligation

Problematic- complexity with no clear cut solution

Gathering of news in these situations may be problematic due to safety issues.

The media performs a public service by getting the information to the public rapidly and accurately so that they might avoid further damage and loss.  Also, the media watches over these situations to insure that government agencies are doing their job in serving the public interest.

In most of these cases there is nothing you can do to help. 

Most beginning reporters will do this kind of coverage.

Secure information at the scene

Accident- Info- objective

Names, Ages, addresses and conditions of the victims

Accounts of witnesses and police

When?

Where?

Why or how it happened-who was at fault, determined by the officials 

Fire- info- objective

Location of fire

Names ages and addresses of those killed injured or missing

Name of the buildings owner, or landowner

Value of the building and its contents

Whether the building or land was insured

Time/

Cause of Fire

Disaster-info –objective

Given an individual task of information gathering

More complex than the fire or accident because of the continuing threat and expansiveness of the range of effects

Process

How?

Question the person in charge

Find and interview witnesses

Find friends and relatives of victims

Interview victims if possible

Interview bystanders

Be sensitive to victims and families

Completing the reporting

Checklist of sources:

            Victims of personal injury

People who were involved but escaped injury

Victims of property damage

Neighbors and passersby

Relatives and neighbors

Rescue workers

Government regulatory agencies- local state and federal

Reporting the effects on people- continue to follow up on the story to see the long range effects of the human tragedy

ACTIVITY

Finding Fire, Accidents, Disasters and Crime News Stories

Internet Research

Journalism

Mr. Buyce

Instructions: 

Today

1.  Find 2 news stories (total) on the internet about a fire, an accident, a disaster and /or crime.  You should select stories that no one else in class has selected.  All students need to communicate about what stories they have found to insure that we all have different stories.  Repeats of stories in tomorrow’s presentation will result in failing grades.  (See the evaluation details on bottom of post.)

* Visiting any internet locations that are unrelated to this assignment or instructions will result in a zero for today, which I will inform you of at the end of the period.  This includes, but is not limited to, e mail and You Tube.

2.  Write all the information you think are the key elements of each story. 

3.  Write your own lead for each story from the information you have gathered. 

4.  Organize the information for a 2 minute presentation for each story. 

5.      Write/plan 2 presentations for tomorrow’s class.  Below is space for your lead, information and plan.

Story 1                                                                         Story2

A. Information                                                                        A. Information

B. Lead-                                                                      B. Lead-

C. Presentation Plan                                                    C. Presentation Plan

Tomorrow

6.  Present 1 story in class tomorrow for a project grade.

The grade will depend on the length (lasting 2 minutes), clarity of information, presentation skills and the originality of your story.

            If there are 2 other repeats (2 other students with the same story), you will receive a 50 as well as the others with the same story.  If there is 1 other student with the same story, yourself and the other student will receive a maximum of a 65 for a grade.  If your story is not the same as any other student’s story, you may receive anywhere from an F to an A, depending upon the substance and skill of the presentation. 

* Today’s class will be graded as in class work on your progress, according to the above directions.  Good luck.

Obit Notes

Obituaries

News Obituaries- Obituaries of people who are well known

Standard obits- handled by the advertising department, paid notices- require a large amount of space.  Usually these are written by the family, sometimes written by reporters at the request of the family.  Either way they cost money, varying from paper to paper.

The lead-

Time and Place of Funeral Services

Time of Burial

Visitation Time

Survivors

Date and Place of Birth

Achievements

Occupation

Memberships

                        Confirm spellings

                        Check addresses

                        Check birth date against age

                        Verify obituaries with mortuary or family

Check newspaper library for other stories about the person-be sure that you have the            right       person

The story is one of life, not just death- celebrate the deceased’s life- examples of dry and characterless obits- give them character and grace

Do not:  “loved ones”  “passed away”  “the departed”  “remains”- euphemisms and clichés

            “as a result of an operation”

            “suddenly”

            “an apparent heart attack” or

injuries “received”

            Religious terms- Catholics “celebrate

                                                Reform Jews worship in “temples”

                                                Orthodox worship in “synagogues

                                                Episcopal priest- rector not pastor

                                               

            Men are survived by their wife, not widow

Does- “following an operation”

            “died unexpectedly”

            apparently of a heart attack

            injuries “suffered”

Unit Test 1

Answer these questions in your own word file or write your responses on a sheet of paper; send it to my email or turn it in to me personally.

A.  Quotes and Attribution

1.  What are the key differences between quotes and attribution?  15 points

2.  Explain at least three problems with direct quotations? 15 points

B.  Leads

3.  Make a complete list of all of the different types of leads. Explain what each type of lead is used for- what is its purpose in terms of the type of story it is used for or the way the reporter wishes to organize their information.  Be as thorough as possible.  20 points

4.  What should be present in a good lead and how long should it be?  Why would there be exceptions to these requirements, clearly outlined in your text and notes? 10 points

C.  Media

 5.  What are the major differences between Newspapers and Magazines?  5 points

6.  Make a list of the path of an article- from the reporter to the copy desk chief 2?          15 points

D.  Interviewing

7.  Write a proposal for an interview of the most interesting personality, living or dead.  In this proposal, you must include:  the open and closed ended questions you will ask, what you will wear, how you will address your subject, where you will meet, how you will record the information from the interview, and how you will accomplish an interview in the first place.  Be as thorough as possible, as your preparation is crucial.  You must have at least 12 questions- try to move the interview from less direct questions to increasing directness without offending or insulting your subject in any way; the object is to get them to divulge as much pertinent information as possible.  Be invasive without them knowing it.  20 points

Interviewing- February 15

A.  Interviewing- having conversations with sources

Preparation for an Interview

-          research both your subject and your source

-          appearance: know your source

Types of stories, involving interviews

1. News-more attention to subject matter (neutral)
2. Profile- more attention to personal (friendly)
3. Investigative- equal attention to information and subject (distrust)

Phrasing questions

Open ended- neutral, less direct and less threatening questions.  These are not so personal.  Ideally, the source often reveals more than they intend to.  Example from book.  A pro scout would not admit to which player he was interested in at a college game, so the reporter asked some general questions to pry by asking, “what kind of qualities does a pro scout look for in an athlete?”

Close ended- specific direct questions made to produce specific answers.

Ensuring Accuracy- take extensive notes, ask your source to explain their answers and use a sound recording device.

Understanding

Observation- watch your source for the non verbal clues.  What is their body language saying?  Are they nervous?

Comprehension- if a response is unclear.  Be sure that you know what they mean.  When a source is quiet, take note of that.

Asking follow up questions- ask questions in response to other questions they answer.  This you cannot usually prepare for.

B.  Research Task:  Find the most compelling and interesting living personality who is presently involved in some type of current event issue.  They must be involved in current event issue: do not just merely select a long time interest or hero. 

Here’s the process-  find current event news on the internet and select an actual person involved in this event.  The possibilities range from the election to the war.  After you have determined who this person is, do research on the current event issue and research the actual person as well.  Discover the details of the current event they are involved in and determine your individual’s background, personality, motivations and anything else which will help you conduct an interesting and productive interview. 

After these considerations have been determined, you will write a proposal for your interview.  In this proposal, you must include:  the open and closed ended questions you will ask, what you will wear, how you will address your subject, where you will meet, how you will record the information from the interview, and how you will accomplish an interview, in the first place.  Be as thorough as possible, as your preparation is crucial.  You must have at least 12 questions- try to move the interview from less direct questions to increasing directness without offending or insulting your subject in any way; the object is to get them to divulge as much pertinent information as possible.  Be invasive without them knowing it.

Below is space to think. Please complete what your current event issue is and the individual you have chosen to interview, as well as the information you will glean from your research.  Please type your proposal and save it onto your disk.

Current Event Issue

Sources:

Individual

Sources:

Proposal

February 10

Sources and Searches-notes

Computer Based Research

The news library at your own newspaper

Compuserve, AOL

The internet

Government Database

Special Interest Group databases

Computers at a Newspaper help with data analysis that would take weeks to retrieve-thet assist in background information, Organization and retrieval as well as polling and tabulation.

Traditional Sources

City Directories

Local and area telephone directories

Maps

State manuals-info about govt agencies

Congressional directory and Congressional Record- US House and Senate

Facts on File-weekly compilation of metropolitan newspapers

Guinness book of world records

Readers guide to periodic literature

Statistical Abstracts of the united states- data collected and published by all federal agencies.

World Almanac and Book of Facts

Finding the Story

Other People

Other Publications

News Releases

Social Services directory-

Government reports-statistics from cities and areas

Stories from your own newspaper

Advertisements- classifieds etc

Wire copy- national news

Local news

You

Assignment- Choose any story in your local newspaper, summarize the story and tell how that story could have been improved with a database search.  Also, what sources did the article use for the story.  And, find at least four quotes and attribution in the article, detailing each example.  

**Write this up as a word file and send it to my e mail- buyce@bishopmaginn.org by the end of the period.  Newspapers are located on the shelf next to the window.

Good luck.  See you Monday.

Quotes and Attribution

Quotes and Attribution

I. Quotes- writing exactly what has been said.   Use the text book to answer the questions below.

A. When to quote- define each

1. unique material
2. unique expression
3. important people

accuracy-explain        

            verification- explain

B. Problems in Direct Quotations?  Identify the problem.

1. paraphrasing-summarizing what has been said into your own words
2. using partial quotes
3. capturing dialect
4. mix-matching questions and answers
5. correcting quotes
6. removing redundancies
7. deleting obscenity, profanity and vulgarity- define each
8. avoiding made up quotes

II.    Attribution-giving source credit and responsibility

           

A.    When to Attribute- define each

1.direct quotes

2. indirect quotes

3. exceptions are:

   a

   b

   c

   d

   e

B.     How to attribute?

1.      what verb do you use?

2.      what other verbs might you use

3.      which verbs don’t you use because it might question the credibility of your source?

4.      where do you place the attribution if there is more than one sentence

5.      where do you place the attribution when there are direct quotes from 2 different speakers

6.      what do you use for the first attribution of a source? What do you use for the attributions following the first?

7.      True or False?  Never attribute in the plural.

C.    On Record/ Off Record

1.      Define the following distinctions.

               -off record

               -not for attribution

               -background

               -deep background

               -on record

2.  How do you use information from sources who wish not to be named?

               a.

               b.

               c.

February 6- Literary Leads

Writing Leads and Headlines- Objective:  Create a newspaper article about a celebrated literary text (something that you have read and explored analytically, at some point in high school), with a solid lead and headline. 

Instructions- Select 3 literary texts and answer the who, what, where, why, when and how of each text.  After you have completely answered these questions, construct the lead according to the rules of length for a standard lead.  Then, create a catchy headline.

Ultimately, you will write a news article on the best.  Be sure that the article sounds as if this literary text just happened.

Lit Text 1

            Who

            What

            Where

            When

            Why

            How

Lead and Headline

Lit Text 2

            Who

            What

            Where

            When

            Why

            How

Lead and Headline

Lit Text 3

            Who

            What

            Where

            When

            Why

            How

Lead and Headline

  

Headline and Lead

Select the link below; download the file to your computer: rename the file.

Write a lead for each photograph that tells the story of the photograph.  Create a headline above each photograph as well.  In your lead, be sure to answer all the questions of who, what, where, when, why and how in 16-25 words.

Save all of your work.  Attach this file to your e mail and send it to me at buyce@bishopmaginn.org.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/42543075/Key%20Events%202011-12.doc