J4974/7974 Fall 2009: ADVANCED INTERNET

APPLICATIONS FOR RADIO-TV JOURNALISM

Instructor: Jennifer Reeves

New Media Director, KOMU
Associate Professor, University of Missouri
Email: reevesj(at)missouri(dot)edu
jenleereeves(at)gmail(dot)edu
AIM and Skype: mizzoureeves
Class Hashtag: #jenclass
Twitter: @jenleereeves
Nerd Blog: http://www.jenleereeves.com
Cell: 424-7083 KOMU: 884-6397 x215
Lecture: Monday 9:30-11:30
Gannett 182

Online office hours: 8:30pm-10pm

Tuesdays and Thursdays

(The instructor reserves the right to change or alter any part of this
syllabus during the semester)

Requirements:
Absences: You must work all of your shifts unless Jen approves your
absence. You must find your own replacement with someone in this
class when you cannot work a newsroom shift.

Missing class is a big problem. If you are sick, email Jen in advance:
reevesj (at) missouri (dot) edu or call her cell phone. Missing a class
without a good reason will probably result in the loss of a letter grade.

Reading: 1) Class handouts and links 2) One national newspaper and

one local paper online daily 3) Weekly newsmagazine online 4) Stay
current in breaking developments in online media, new web
technologies, convergence and other media business deals.

Viewing: Following the news is as important for web producers and

reporters. 1) Watch a newscast on KOMU once a day or keep up with
KOMU.com each day 2) Watch the competition on air and online at
least once a week (KRCG and KMIZ along with the Columbia
Missourian and the Columbia Tribune)

Weekly work: Each reporter or editor taking this class will have
weekly shifts at KOMU. These shifts will include time to work on
indepth or daily pieces for on air and online.

Projects: Each student taking this class will take part in a project that
will help boost your resume. In the end, you should take the work you
have completed to present in an e-portfolio as the final class
assignment. Grad students must participate in a project, but they can
either conduct research on that project or complete a research
component that is included on the grading page)

Course Description

The purpose of this three-hour capstone/elective course is to learn

advanced techniques for reporting, producing and managing online
news and information as a successful addition to a local broadcast
newsroom.

Students in Advanced Internet Applications for Radio-TV News will

create and package content for KOMU.com or KBIA.org as well as
research and analyze how best to use the web site to extend the
reach and value of our news operation and the station’s other assets.

You’ll examine the web efforts of other commercial broadcasters and

critique them in terms of eye-appeal, content and support for the
station’s mission and strategy. You’ll also build upon the computer-
aided graphic design, digital audio and video production skills
incorporated in Broadcast News II and Convergence Editing classes.
While you’re learning these online skills, we’ll also discuss some of
the ethical, professional, legal and financial issues arising from
current developments involving online and broadcast media.

Outside of the standard shifts: Half of a newsroom shift will give you
an opportunity to be the editor of KOMU.com/KBIA.org daily content.
The other half of a newsroom shift each week is spent working on:
• Project work
• Flash-training
• Case study
• E-Portfolio work

*Work does not have to be based solely at KOMU or KBIA. Shifts can
vary between the two newsrooms. Individual plans can be arranged
between Jen Reeves and Janet Saidi.

Weekly class discussions

Week 1: May 17: Introducing KOMU.com and ePortfolios - The

basics needed to get the news on the web. Meet Travas Townsend,
KOMU.com's webmaster (we'll drop by his office at the station).
Navigate your role in the newsroom and in the dot-com area. Learn
about the projects for the summer. We'll also talk about your options
for building an online portfolio.
News From the 'Net: Jen Reeves
Assignments:
* Start looking at websites you can use for your News From the 'Net
presentations. (You can find a ton of links here)
* Create your blog and start using it!
* Join Twitter and follow http://www.twitter.com/jenleereeves so she
can follow you
* Start making sure you have a collection of all of your journalistic
work in a digital form. (For example, upload your video toVimeo, post
.pdf's to Scribd and embed photo slideshows from Flickr.)

Week 2: May 24 – RJI Research, Social Networks - Also

meet Michele McClellan to learn about your case study for the
summer. Learn the basics on why social networks are a way to
connect with news consumers and help your career.
News From the 'Net: Paige Hansen
Assignments:
* Pick the way you want to build an eportfoilo
* Continue posting blog posts AND linking them from Twitter
* Go online and look for examples of broadcast resumes online. Your
first version eporfolio should be completed by May 31.

Week 3: May 31: The Job Hunt – Learn a few basics on how to build
an eportfolio and the elements you need. How to present the best
you. How to handle the interviews: phone and in person. Contracts
and negotiations. Also, meet Zack Luye and see how he uses social
media in his career.
News From the 'Net: Christine Slusser
Assignment: Your first version of your online portfolio should be
ready by next week!

Week 4: June 7: Reynolds Journalism Institute – Get a chance to

hear from an RJI fellow and hear what they are working on during
their fellowship year. Schedule time this week to meet with Jen one-
on-one this week so you have focus for your open week of eportfolio
building.
News From the 'Net: Katie Steiner
Assignment: Go online and find an interactive website. Blog about
why you think it holds attention and offers good information. Post it by
midnight Saturday. Be ready to talk about it in class.

Week 5: June 16: Interactive Journalism – Reschedule class due to

Jen's prosthetic trip to Chicago. Get an introduction to interactive
journalism. Why do we care and why it could benefit you to
understand its uses in a newsroom. Also, why images are a big deal.
We'll also use class time to learn the basics of Flash.
News From the 'Net: Chrissie Fillmore
Assignment:
Week 6: June 21: Web Ethics – What kind of considerations do we
need to take when we are delivering news content for the web? What
type of new challenges are headed to newsrooms as news delivery
gets viewers more involved?.
News From the 'Net: Everyone brings in their favorite link to share!
Assignment: Think about the future of KOMU.com and KBIA.org for
next week's class. Write a brief commentary on how you want to use
your online skills. What do you still want to know? We’ll try to go over
some of those issues before the end of the semester. Email your
thoughts to Jen by June 24.

Week 7: June 25: Looking Ahead for KOMU.com – Reschedule

final class due to Jen's trip to Camp No Limits.Brainstorming session
on what we can do to improve KOMU.com. Also, we'll go over
everyone's eportfolio structure.
News From the 'Net: Jen Reeves

Capstone Projects

Undergraduate students using J-4974 to fulfill their capstone

requirement will lead the research and analysis portion of the class, a
function that is critical to the success of the station web site.

Capstone students will work as a team to conduct and evaluate

original research and present recommendations based on the data. In
many cases the research analyzes an element of the KOMU or KBIA
websites to understand what its online users want or need. Capstone
students are expected to research answers to a question affiliated with
the project. That research and its conclusions should be presented at
the end of the semester.

All students in the class will participate in a project. Students taking

this class as an elective do not need to conduct research.
(1) Covering a green economy

Synopsis: As the economy changes, there is a bigger focus on saving

money and paying attention to the environment. This is your chance
to cover some of those stories for KOMU.com with its 8 Goes Green
project.
Research questions: What kind of "green" stories interest the
general public of mid-Missouri? Is there a difference between
covering business news and green business news?
[???]
(2) How can the journalism school better communicate
with freshman?

Synopsis: As the journalism school's population grows, many of the

incoming freshmen are getting lost in the hustle and bustle of a large
school. The journalism school would like to take advantage of its
Apple computer bundles to reach students. This past year all
freshmen journalism students got an iPod Touch for free with the
purchase of a computer. The Spring 2010 class created the J-Fresh
Tour on Foursquare. What other ways can technology help connect
freshmen to their Mizzou experience?

Here's what some schools are doing with iPods/iTouches:

*Abilene Christian University
*Duke researched what they did right and wrong with iPods in 2005
*A report on emerging technologies in higher ed
Research questions: How are freshmen using the iPod Touch and
what are ways the journalism school can take advantage of the
technology?
[???]

(3) How can KOMU and KBIA use social networking to

connect with mid-Missouri community face-to-face?
Synopsis: Your task will be to find the best tools for the station and
the best ways to make this a long-term expectation for reporters,
producers and web employees. You will also be expected to help
advance the use of tools that exist but aren't being put to a lot of use
like CoverItLive and Livestream.

KOMU has a facebook page, a twitter account and you can find it in
other various places.

There are three possible opportunities to collaborate: (meaning there

could be as many as three teams working under this theme but with
three separate end goals)

One idea: Help launch face-to-face training new media sessions. Take
a look at the Public Media Camp project NPR and PBS is working on.
We could do something similar in mid-MO.
Research questions: How can KOMU keep up with community
connections? What are the long term implications of social networks?
[???]

(4) Can the sports department extend a high school

basketball blog?

Synopsis: A team of sports reporters from this class will work on an

ongoing project called "Opening Drive." It is a weekly online program
that features the best of high school football in mid-Missouri.
There has been talk for awhile on figuring out ways to extend the
Opening Drive program into a weekly online show about local sports
instead of just focused on the football season. We got things rolling in
Fall 2009 and Spring 2010, you can help it really take off.
Research questions: What to KOMU sports viewers want when it
comes to high school sports? Are there ways mid-Missouri sports fans
want to interact with KOMU Sports?
[???]
(5) Can you attract younger kids to a news site created for
their age group?
Synopsis: Is it possible to create a site that attracts youth to learning
and sharing the news. You would be challenged with launching a site
that takes KOMU content and original content while encouraging the
site's audience to participate in collecting and sharing information.
Erin Stevenson and her team got things rolling in Spring 2010 but she
hopes to continue to experiment with it through the summer.

Research questions: What age group is interested niche news

sites? Are there any niche news sites that focus on youth? How do
those succeed?
[Katie Steiner?]
-------------------------------
The capstone team will then make a detailed oral presentation of its
research to Jen and other management of KOMU, KBIA, Columbia
Missourian and/or the Missouri School of Journalism. Graduate
students in the class may also choose to assist with this
research presentation in lieu of their graduate assignment.
Students taking this class as an elective must choose a project, but do
not have to participate in the research component.

News from the Net Presentations

News on the 'Net Presentations(If you do not present in class, please post in discussion group on Google Docs)

May 17 Jen Reeves

May 24 Paige Hansen

May 31 Christine Slusser

June 7 Katie Steiner

 June 16? Chrissie Fillmore

June 21 Everyone's Top Web Pick!

June 25? Jen Reeves

Academic honesty

Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities and principles of a

university. All members of the academic community must be
confident that each person's work has been responsibly and
honorably acquired, developed and presented. Any effort to gain an
advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the
effort is successful. Academic misconduct includes but is not limited
to the following:
• Use of materials from another author without citation or attribution.
• Use of verbatim materials from another author without citation or
attribution.
• Extensive use of materials from past assignments without
permission of your instructor.
• Extensive use of materials from assignments in other classes
without permission of your instructor.
• Fabricating information in news or feature stories, whether for
publication or not.
• Fabricating sources in news or feature stories, whether for
publication or not.
• Fabricating quotes in news or feature stories, whether for
publication or not.
• Lack of full disclosure or permission from editors when
controversial reportorial techniques, such as going undercover to get
news, are used.

When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting or

collaboration, consult with your instructor. For closed-book exams
and exercises, academic misconduct includes conferring with other
class members, copying or reading someone else's test and using
notes and materials without prior permission of the instructor. For
open-book exams and exercises, academic misconduct includes
copying or reading someone else's work.

Classroom Misconduct
Classroom misconduct includes forgery of class attendance;
obstruction or disruption of teaching, including late arrival or early
departure; failure to turn off cellular telephones leading to disruption
of teaching; playing games or surfing the Internet on laptop
computers unless instructed to do so; physical abuse or safety threats;
theft; property damage; disruptive, lewd or obscene conduct; abuse of
computer time; repeated failure to attend class when attendance is
required; and repeated failure to participate or respond in class when
class participation is required.

IMPORTANT: Entering a classroom late or leaving a classroom

before the end of the period can be extremely disruptive behavior.
Students are asked to arrive for class on time and to avoid early
departures. This is particularly true of large lectures, where late
arrivals and early departures can be most disruptive. Instructors have
the right to deny students access to the classroom if they arrive late
and have the right to dismiss a student from the class for early
departures that result in disruptions.

Under MU policy, your instructor has the right to ask for your
removal from the course for misconduct, disruptive behavior or
excessive absences. The instructor then has the right to issue a grade
of withdraw, withdraw failing or F. The instructor alone is responsible
for assigning the grade in such circumstances.

Dishonesty and Misconduct Reporting Procedures

MU faculty are required to report all instances of academic or
classroom misconduct to the appropriate campus officials.
Allegations of classroom misconduct will be forwarded immediately
to MU's Vice Chancellor for Student Services. Allegations of academic
misconduct will be forwarded immediately to MU's Office of the
Provost.
In cases of academic misconduct, the student will receive at least a
zero for the assignment in question.

Professional Standards and Ethics

The School of Journalism is committed to the highest standards of
academic and professional ethics and expects its students to adhere to
those standards. Students should be familiar with the Code of Ethics
of the Society of Professional Journalists and adhere to its
restrictions. Students are expected to observe strict honesty in
academic programs and as representatives of school-related media.
Should any student be guilty of plagiarism, falsification,
misrepresentation or other forms of dishonesty in any assigned work,
that student may be subject to a failing grade from the instructor and
such disciplinary action as may be necessary under University
regulations.
University of Missouri-Columbia Notice of
Nondiscrimination
The University of Missouri System is an Equal Opportunity/
Affirmative Action institution and is nondiscriminatory relative to
race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age,
disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran. Any person having
inquiries concerning the University of Missouri-Columbia's
compliance with implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans With Disabilities Act of
1990, or other civil rights laws should contact the Assistant Vice
Chancellor, Human Resource Services, University of Missouri-
Columbia, 130 Heinkel Building, Columbia, Mo. 65211, (573) 882-
4256, or the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of
Education.

Accommodations
If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with
Disabilities Act and need assistance, please notify me immediately.
The school will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your special
needs. Students are excused for recognized religious holidays. Please
let me know in advance if you have a conflict. ADA Compliance If you
have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) and need assistance, please notify the Office of Disability
Services, S5 Memorial Union, 882-4696, or the course instructor
immediately.
Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate your special needs.

Religious Holidays
Students are automatically excused for recognized religious holidays.
Let your instructor know in advance if you have a conflict. Intellectual
Pluralism The University community welcomes intellectual diversity
and respects student rights. Students who have questions concerning
the quality of instruction in this class may address concerns to either
the Departmental Chair or Divisional leader or Director of the Office
of Students Rights and Responsibilities (http://osrr.missouri.edu/).
All students will have the opportunity to submit an anonymous
evaluation of the instructor(s) at the end of the course.

Intellectual Pluralism
The University community welcomes intellectual diversity and
respects student rights. Students who have questions concerning the
quality of instruction in this class may address concerns to either the
Departmental Chair or Divisional leader or Director of the Office of
Students Rights and Responsibilities (http://osrr.missouri.edu/). All
students will have the opportunity to submit an anonymous
evaluation of the instructor(s) at the end of the course.

Class Netiquette
Your instructor and fellow students wish to foster a safe on-line
learning environment. All opinions and experiences, no matter how
different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in
the tolerant spirit of academic discourse. You are encouraged to
comment, question, or critique an idea but you are not to attack an
individual.

Our differences, some of which are outlined in the University's

nondiscrimination statement, will add richness to this learning
experience. Please consider that sarcasm and humor can be
misconstrued in online interactions and generate unintended
disruptions. Working as a community of learners, we can build a
polite and respectful course ambience.