via Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJNierenberg/status/1326897276569194498?s=20
Amelia Nierenberg
@AJNierenberg
https://amelianierenberg.com/College journalists: We always feature updates from local news in the @nytimes
Coronavirus Schools Briefing. I want to regularly link to student journalism.So! If you write a story that I should read — now or whenever — please send it my way: amelia.nierenberg@nytimes.com. Thx!
Flash Active Writing and Punctuation Quiz
Flash Active Writing and Punctuation Quiz
November 12, 2020
Your name:
- Most trainers at the gym like to use free weights. Alex Herrera said I’m afraid that I am going to get hurt because the weights are too heavy
- Student journalists can’t find internships due to the coronavirus.
- Currently my boss won’t give me the extra money he promised and I really need the money and the job due to the wide spread layoffs.
- However, I told my supervisor that prior to coming to work at this job I felt happier.
- Bars, restaurants and gyms must close at 10 p.m. due to the coronavirus. Governor Cuomo issued the order and also put a cap on private gatherings due to rising cases of coronavirus.
- We’re seeing a global COVID surge and New York is a ship on the COVID tide the governor said.
- Rudy Giuliani tweeted to his million followers and thanked them. Put his tweet in the active voice. “Thank you to 1M that are following me here.”
- Gregory Scarpa a former Columbo crime family boss currently serving time at a half-way house in Kansas City will get early leave due to the fact that he is seriously ill.
- Both are facing charges of wide-spread fraud.
- President Trump is of the opinion that the election was rigged.
- How do you write a dateline?
Journalism Minor Curriculum
JOURNALISM MINOR CURRICULUM
The minor in journalism consists of four required 3-credit courses and two electives for a total of 18 credits. Most students also participate in campus student media and intern at local news organizations.
REQUIRED
MCA 101: Introduction to Media Studies
MCA 233: Introduction to Journalism
MCA 333: Reporting and Writing
(Note, students can take either Radio or Television Journalism as the fourth required course. Or take both and apply one as an elective.
MCA 341: Radio Journalism
MCA 343: Television Journalism
ELECTIVES
Select two from the following list.
MCA 105: Introduction to Media Production
MCA 365: Social Media Strategies
MCA 31013: Supervised Radio Station Study (by permission)
MCA 401: Ethics and Values in Communication
BLST 31136: Race & Media
English 230: Writing Workshop in Prose
English 342: Advanced Grammar
Soc 250: Theory of Mass Culture and Mass Communications
Art 24020 Photojournalism
Media Internship or Independent Study for Academic Credit (by permission of program director)
Spring 2021
Journalism Minor Courses
MCA 233 M Introduction to Journalism – Linda Villarosa teaches
Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:15 a.m. to 12:15
MCA 233 4PR Introduction to Journalism – Barbara Nevins Taylor teaches
Thursdays 2:00 p.m. to 4:45
MCA 333 2PR Reporting & Writing – Garry Pierre-Pierre teaches
Tuesdays 2:00 p.m. to 4:45
MCA 333 4PR Reporting & Writing – Michele Chen teaches
Thursdays 2:00 p.m. to 4:45
MCA 343 TV/Video Reporting — Barbara Nevins Taylor teaches
Mondays 3:30 p.m. to 6:00
MCA 31139 Podcasting – Camille Peterson teaches
Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:00 a.m. to 11:40
MCA 31006 Race & Media – Linda Villarosa teaches
Tuesdays 2 p.m. to 4:45
Independent Study 3 credits to work on HarlemView.
How to Write A Pitch
A pitch describes the story you want to tell. You need to write a short paragraph that gets attention and explains what you plan to do. So avoid writing, “I want to do a story about outdoor dining in New York City,” because that’s not a story. It’s a general idea. You want to look for an angle.
Your outdoor dining pitch might read like this:
Outdoor dining changed the look of many New York streets and saved over 10,000 restaurants, but what happens when it gets colder and winter sets in? I’ll visit a neighborhood with a number of outdoor restaurants and talk to two owners about their plans. I’ll also talk to customers to find out whether they will feel comfortable eating outside in frigid weather.
Or
Outdoor dining changed the look of many New York streets and saved a lot of restaurants, but what happens when the pandemic ends? Danny Meyer of the Union Square Hospitality Group agreed to talk us. He is a spokesman for the industry and can give us insight into what may happen. He said we can talk to his customers, if they want to talk to us.
I’ll also talk to the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs to find out what the city plans to do and I’ll talk to Nevah Assang, New York and Company’s senior V.P. for community relations, about how the tourism industry sees the future.
I’ll shoot restaurants in a variety of neighborhoods and talk to customers.
Assignment October 29, 2020
Election Coverage
On election day, go to a polling place or a ballot drop off center. Report about what’s going on there. Choose an angle for the story based on what people tell you.
You could report that people stayed to vote even though they had to wait a long time. But tell us Who, What, Where, Why, When and maybe How.
Interview at least three people and maybe more.
Get first and last names.
You could report about multi-generational voters.
You could report about immigrants voting for the first time.
You could report about a young person voting for the first time.
You choose the angle.
Write 350 to 500 words. Keep your focus and make sure that one idea follows the next.
Start with a lede in the inverted pyramid or pyramid style. Remember to tell us what the story is about in the nut graf.
Make sure your story has a beginning, middle and end.
Assignment Thursday, October 22, 2020
Watch the Presidential Debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.
- Pick one topic that you, members of your family or community care about.. Report about how they discuss that subject and include quotes.
The story must include: Who, What, When, Why, Where and maybe How
It is due on Monday October 26, at 5 p.m.
Remember to write in the active voice . You can check the website for tips.
Remember to care to capitalize words correctly. Here’s a guide on our website: https://ccnyintroductiontojournalism.com/category/basics/
Assignment October 15, 2020 Cover the Town Halls
Please watch either the Biden or Trump town hall tonight and report and write about it. You can find information about the time and the possibility to watch online later here.
Write 300 to 500 words about the event. Take an angle and remember that you can use either the inverted pyramid style, or start with an interesting detail. You also want to put your nut graf close to the top of the story. The nut graf explains what the story is about.
You can look at examples of how news organizations covered previous town halls here.
The assignment is due Monday at 5 p.m
Please ask if you have questions.
Photo Assignment
Due: October 8, 2020
Shoot 16 photos with your mobile showcasing the elements of photography we covered in class: composition, color, layering and action. Do the assignment as follows:
4 photos showing effective composition
4 photos showing a command of color (and lighting)
4 photos showing good use of layering (depth of field)
4 photos giving priority to action (catching the moment)
Download the photos from your phone to your computer and rename them color1, color2, color3, color4; composition1, composition2, etc… and be ready to show them in class next week.
Writing A News Conference Story
Think about the atmosphere, what you heard and how other people reacted.
What was the most important point made. Lead with that.
Make sure to give us the basics. You want to avoid giving us a list of items, but you want to cover all the bases and answer the questions:
Who
What
Where
When
Why
How
Make sure you spell names correctly and that you use titles. Titles are only capitalized when they precede the name of a person.
Here’s what the AP Stylebook says about titles:
titles In general, confine capitalization to formal titles used directly before an individual’s name. The basic guidelines: LOWERCASE: Lowercase and spell out titles when they are not used with an [more…]
Chapter T ; Updated on Aug 27, 2018
capitalization In general, avoid unnecessary capitals. Use a capital letter only if you can justify it by one of the principles listed here. Many words and phrases, including special cases, are listed [more…]
Chapter C ; Updated on May 21, 2002
titles Capitalize or use lowercase according to guidelines in titles in Stylebook’s main section. Job descriptions, field positions and informal titles are lowercase: coach John Calipari; forward Alex [more…]
Chapter Sports Guidelines ; Created on Feb 03, 2015
legislative titles FIRST-REFERENCE FORM: Use Rep., Reps., Sen. and Sens. as formal titles before one or more names. Spell out and lowercase representative and senator in other uses. Spell out other [more…]
Chapter L ; Updated on May 01, 2020
nobility References to members of the nobility in nations that have a system of rank present special problems because nobles frequently are known by their titles rather than their given or family [more…]
Chapter N
religious titles The first reference to a clergyman or clergywoman normally should include a capitalized title before the individual’s name. In many cases, the Rev. is the designation that applies [more…]
Chapter R
religious titles The first reference to a clergyman or clergywoman normally should include a capitalized title before the individual’s name. In many cases, the Rev. is the designation that applies [more…]
Chapter Religion Guidelines
academic titles Capitalize and spell out formal titles such as chancellor, chair, etc., when they precede a name. Lowercase elsewhere. Lowercase modifiers such as department in department Chair Jerome [more…]
Chapter A ; Updated on May 01, 2020
preacher A job description, not a formal religious title. Do not capitalize. See titles and religious titles.
Chapter Religion Guidelines
military titles Capitalize a military rank when used as a formal title before an individual’s name. See the lists that follow to determine whether the title should be spelled out or abbreviated in [more…]
Chapter M
minister It is not a formal title in most religions, with exceptions such as the Nation of Islam, and is not capitalized. Where it is a formal title, it should be capitalized before the name: Minister [more…]
Chapter M ; Updated on May 29, 2002
minister It is not a formal title in most religions, with exceptions such as the Nation of Islam, and is not capitalized. Where it is a formal title, it should be capitalized before the name: [more…]
Chapter Religion Guidelines ; Updated on May 29, 2002
fire department See the governmental bodies entry for the basic rules on capitalization. See titles and military titles for guidelines on titles.
Chapter F
recipe titles Recipe titles that appear in stories or regular text are not capitalized (unless the recipe title includes proper nouns). Recipe titles at the top of actual recipes are written in all [more…]
Chapter Food Guidelines ; Created on Jan 15, 2016
priest A vocational description, not a formal title. Do not capitalize. See religious titles and the entries for the Roman Catholic Church and Episcopal Church in the Religion chapter.
Chapter P
priest A vocational description, not a formal title. Do not capitalize. See religious titles and the entries for the Roman Catholic Church and Episcopal Church.
Chapter Religion Guidelines
editor Capitalize editor before a name only when it is an official corporate or organizational title. Do not capitalize as a job description. See titles.
Chapter E
composition titles Apply these guidelines to the titles of books, movies, plays, poems, albums, songs, operas, radio and television programs, lectures, speeches, and works of art: — Capitalize all [more…]
Chapter C ; Updated on Feb 02, 2018
Roman Catholic Church The church teaches that its bishops have been established as the successors of the apostles through generations of ceremonies in which authority was passed down by a laying-on of [more…]
Chapter Religion Guidelines ; Updated on May 01, 2002
shah Capitalize when used as a title before a name: Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran. The Shah of Iran commonly is known only by this title, which is, in effect, an alternate name. Capitalize Shah of [more…]
Chapter S Load More
Assignment September 10, 2020
Coronavirus and Your Community
Assignment due Tuesday, September 15 at 5 p.m.
Write 300 to 500 words about the way coronavirus affects your community. Interview at least two people. Please try to interview people outside of your own family.
Use the active voice.
The subject does the action.
- Write in a Word document or put it in the Google Drive folder.
- The copy goes flush left.
- If you include a photo put it at the top of the piece.
- Remember that this is a news story and not a term paper.
a. You want to write a lead, or lede.
1. You can choose to write in the traditional inverted pyramid style. That means you give us the most important facts first. https://ccnyintroductiontojournalism.com/2020/09/03/reporting-basics-2/
2. Or you can choose the pyramid style where you begin with a small detail, or quote.
If you need examples of these, look on our website under Stories To Read: https://ccnyintroductiontojournalism.com/category/news/
If it is still confusing, get in touch with me.
b. After the lede, you write the nut graf. Tell us what the story is about.
c. Then continue to tell the story.
d. Remember that one idea should logically lead to the next.
e. When you finish what you have to say don’t try to wrap it up neatly. Just finish. You can finish with a quote. But don’t tell us what you have told us. You can move the story forward. So if you are doing a story about people unable to pay their rent, you might give information about where people can go to get help in a situation like that.