History of Journalism Project

Project timeline......Tuesday, October 2......topic choices and partners. Lots of folks have chosen to work independently in the past. NO GROUPS OF THREE!
                               Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Tuesday (October 3, 4, 5, 9)- in class time to work on the project. 
1. You should begin with research. 
2. Put your notes- some of which will be copied and pasted- into a word document. If there are two people in your group, explore different sites. Make sure to copy your site info into your notes. You need to be able to say where you acquired your knowledge. 
3. Next, coordinate your notes. Share what you learned and come to a consensus as to how it is to be presented.
4. Divide up the work as to visual and written. Who is writing the outline and who is putting together the Prezi or Power Point. Keep in mind that you will be both recieve the same grade. If one person does less that quality work, the outcome will reflect on both people.  Note: individual projects will not be expected to be as comprehensive in terms of the outline and presentation length. However, the quality will be the same.
5. Organize how you will do the actual presentation. Make sure it is on your thumb drive. If your partner does not show- and has the thumb drive- you two will have to come after school; as well, it is considered late.  Know who is speaking when. Both of you should have a copy of the outline when presenting. 
On Wednesday, October 10 - at the beginning of class-EVERY GROUP WILL TURN IN AN OUTLINE. Make sure you have kept a copy for yourself.
Beginning Wednesday, October 10: presentations

History of Journalism Project -Directions (read carefully):Pick a partner in your class (or work independently) and select one of the topics listed below to complete the History of Journalism Unit. Proposals are due at the end of class on Tuesday. The presentation should be 10 minutes, neither less, nor more. (7 minutes, if working without a partner.)
You must have a power point or prezi. Include video clips, if needed.  The objective is to give an insightful and educational overview of one aspect of journalistic history. No more than two groups are to work on the same project in the same class.PROJECT GRADING: research 50%-this is a detailed outline of your presentation; 50 % presentation (oral presentation skills: audibility/ eye contact/ body language; communication of knowledge, as well as engaging and well-organized visuals. In addition there will be a separate- and private grading- of your partner's work, as to effort, communication and cooperation.
.TOPIC CHOICES: Let me know, when you have made your selection. (First come, first serve)

1. Printers: Find out about famous journalists (at least 3) that devoted themselves to improving the print industry. Show and discuss the progression of printing through the years. How have techniques changed and what impact did each change have on the newspaper industry? Tips – Johannes Gutenberg, Ben Franklin, Letterpress, Offset Printing.

2. Reporters were sometimes found to be “radical” in different periods of history.Look at people like Martin Luther, Horace Greeley, John Upton Sinclair, Sam Adams and others who used their journalistic skills to fight for people’s rights. See“Muckraking.”

3. Coverage of politicians’ private affairs – How does the media handle cover personal situations in politicians’ lives? How have they done this in the past and what has the development has occurred?

4. Examine the history of the papers owned and run by Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hurst during the period from 1895 to 1905. How sensational can reporters write without becoming a “yellow journalist”?

5. Beginning with the area of the “Penny Press,” going through today, discuss the cost of newspaper subscriptions and the evolution of advertising. How does advertising help finance production costs? How much revenue is generated today vs. years ago? How does the industry decide on the price of the ads?

6. Stunt Journalism – Does it take reporters engaging in “dangerous” acts to get stories and to make it in the field? Ideas: look at someone like Nellie Bly and compare her to the people and type of reporting today which is similar. How has it made a difference in society?

7. Compare coverage of the Civil War vs. Vietnam War and Desert Storm. Show how reporting and photography has played a major role in shaping the public’s opinions of U.S. involvement. How has reporting changed over the last 100 years? Where do reporters, called correspondents, get their information?

8. Trace the course of the woman’s involvement in journalism from the colonial days to the present time. Use the Anne Catherine Green story as a basis as well as others Fanny Fern, Margaret Fuller, Middy Morgan, Jane Grey Swisshelm, Winifred Black (Annie Laurie), Bessie Bramble, Margherita Arlina Hamm, Julie Hayes Percy, etc. Find some current successes and compare stories. What has made them so successful?

9. Since “The Yellow Kid” began in 1896, trace the changes an evolution of the nature of comic strips. Why are some humorous, some adventurous; why are some self-contained in one day, and some continuing stories? What purposes do comic strips serve?

10. Trace the lines of communication that went up across America from the telegraph to the telephone and radio stations. Show how the discovery of waves in the air led to broadcast journalism where sound could come into homes and eventually into cars. What was impact of Samuel Morse’s invention? How did each new invention or discovery change the way we communicate? Discuss AM and FM frequencies. How have Bill Clinton’s radio broadcasts affected the public in comparison to Roosevelt’s “fireside chats” when he was in office?

11. Music and music videos have made a huge impact on the youth of America. Show how forms of music have changed over the past 50 years in equipment, as well as the variety of content available. What change in the music industry took place when MTV aired? How has MTV changed from the original format? Trace the history. Don’t forget to touch on ratings and censorship within the music industry.

12. Minorities have often had difficulties breaking into the media industry historically. Research and discuss historically minorities who have made it in the industry.What challenges did they face? How were they able to break into the industry when so many tried to shove them out? What was it about the people who were successful that helped them to made it? Did they have any advantages?

13. How and why does the media work as a “watch dog” or society? How has investigative reporting helped the “betterment” of America? Discuss what influence the book, “The Jungle,” and stories such as “Watergate” have done to impact and better society. Include examples of current journalists doing similar things .

THE PRESENTATION SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED WEDNESDAY NOTE THAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PREZI PROJECTS, EVERYTHING ELSE SHOULD EITHER BE FILMED OR PUT ON YOUR JUMP DRIVE. IF YOU PARTNER IS ABSENT ON THE DAY OF YOUR ASSIGNED PRESENTATION, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO FILL IN. ANY STUDENTS NOT READY TO GO, WILL BE DEDUCTED BEGINNING AT 10 POINTS PER DAY. MAKE-UPS WILL ONLY BE HELD AFTER SCHOOL, not during classtime.

Remember that power points are to augment your knowledge. They should be almost exclusively images- very, very few words. Please do not read off of them. Use your outline as an organizational tool. If you know your material, you should be able to speak fluidly. 
Make sure that both people have a part in the presentation.  PLAN...PLAN...PLAN