JMSC 0051

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JMSC 0051

• TV News and Broadcast Writing Journalism and
  Media Studies Centre
• Week One
• January 15, 2009
• 1400-1655

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Your Instructor

• Jim Laurie
• Director of Broadcasting Program
• JMSC
• Office Eliot Hall G-21
• Phone [phone]
• jlaurie_at_hku.hk
• Meetings
• by appointment only

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This Week

• An overview of this course
• A practical course
• Weekly writing exercises beginning after spring
  break AKA reading week.
• Purpose
• To analyze how TV news has evolved and how it is
  written and presented
• To develop writing skills particular to
  broadcasting

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Course Overview

• Assessment of your work
• 40 of grade based on results of writing
  exercises.
• The writing exercises will be on February 5, 19
  less weight and
• March 19, March 26, April 2, April 12
• Four key assignments

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Course Overview

• Writing will be assessed by three criteria
• English language usage (syntax and grammar)
• Structure
• Creativity
• In addition to writing
• Two exams
• A mid term on February 26 (30)
• A final on April 16 (30)

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Course Overview

• Essential requirements
• No required readings but
• Required TV News watching
• International News Channels
• In English
• CNN, BBC World News, Al Jazeera English, Channel
  News Asia

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Course Overview

• Our Perspective
• International TV English language
• Roots in America and Britain 1930s
• Developments in Asia in last 35 years
• Essential reading - our WEBLOG
• See http//jmsc.hku.hk/blogs/
• Interactivity, changes, readings, lecture notes,
  questions

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What is news?

• News the first draft of history
• News an assembly of new facts relevant to our
  lives
• Key questions when considering news
• Audience
• Worthiness
• Objectivity or fairness
• Currency

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What is News?

• In TV news beyond audience relevance,
  worthiness, currency, etc. One other
  consideration may determine news. What is it?
• Picture
• Above all Television is a visual and emotional
  medium

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What is News?

• In making the news six stages
• Finding
• Gathering
• Writing
• Assembling
• Ordering
• Broadcasting

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How do you get YOUR News?

• How many here are taking JMSC 0046?
• A student survey
• To be done this week
• To be discussed and analyzed next week. give
  out forms
• Give as honest and frank answers as possible

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Lets look at some TV News

• Local
• International
• What do all these samples of TV News have in
  common? watch
• Structure including music, graphics, headlines,
  news readers AKA presenters or anchors,
  reporters, interviews, breaks, teases, various
  components

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Next Week

• A history of broadcast news writing
• How TV News has evolved
• The BBC way
• The American way
• Remember to watch English language TV News on
  air or on line