Journalism

In this class, we’re going behind the scenes of journalism. Students will learn about what makes an event or information ‘news.’ We’ll explore how journalists find ideas and what it takes for them to become a reported story. We’ll look at the difference between audio and print journalism, and the place of social media and podcasts. The class will work together and sometimes individually to report their own stories. We’re going to leave the classroom to interview people and witness events (press conferences, public meetings, etc.) Students will become responsible for finding ideas, pitching them, and doing what it takes to put together a publishable story. Along the way, we’ll be following current news together, analyzing what gets reported and what doesn’t. It’s a local election year so students will do their own reporting about the candidates and issues. Together the class will decide on a final project, which may be a series of articles, audio reports, or a limited series podcast.

Instructor: Celia Clarke

Celia Clarke was most recently the St. Lawrence Valley reporter/producer for North Country Public Radio an award-winning NPR affiliate for New York’s Adirondack region. Before NCPR, Clarke was a reporter/producer in Ithaca, New York where she established the Ithaca bureau for WSKG Public Radio. Public radio is her second career. She was a public-sector folklorist with an interest in material culture and the environment for 20 years.”

Required Materials: pencil; notebook and folder or looseleaf notebook; a tablet, laptop computer, or smartphone is not necessary but might be helpful