Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Instructor:
Images of News
Michelle Johnson
Spring 2009
Office #615, Walker
JR 200 A, B, C
617‐824‐8964
4 Credits
Michelle_Johnson@emerson.edu
Tuesday: Lecture, 4‐5:45, T503
Office Hours:
Thursday: Lab, 4‐5:45 (Location,
Monday, Wednesday 4‐6, Thursday 2‐4,
instructors vary. See section on labs
or by appointment
for details.)
Course Description
As the concept of “convergence” continues to take root in journalism more
reporters are finding themselves working on teams alongside editors, visual
journalists and online producers to craft multimedia packages.
This course is designed to give you an understanding of how visual elements can
add depth to news coverage. It will focus on issues such as ethical use of images,
symbolism, stereotypes and proper application of editorial standards in the
selection of images for news.
Course Objectives
Through lectures, discussion and reading students will gain an understanding of
the impact of powerful images and the role that they can play in delivering news.
Labs will give students opportunities to learn the basics of producing images and
effectively using them to tell stories in print, broadcast and online.
Note: This IS NOT a photography or web production course. While students will
learn to shoot photos and video and produce multimedia in lab sessions, this
exposure will not result in advanced technical expertise in these areas.
This course is meant to expose students to the basics of using current multimedia
technologies and to explore how they are being used in journalism.
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Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course students should understand how to:
• Apply professional ethical standards and exercise news judgment in
selection of images.
• Work effectively with a team that includes editorial and visual journalists
to produce multimedia.
How this Course is Organized
Images of News consists of a weekly lecture/discussion and a lab. The entire class
will meet on Tuesdays in the Ansin building, Room 503, for lecture/discussion.
On Thursday the class will divide up by section (A, B, C) and meet in different
classrooms in the Walker building for lab. The labs are taught by:
Michelle Johnson, Brendan Lynch and Bridget Driscoll‐Tendler.
Students will rotate between a photo/web lab and a video lab. The video lab
meets for four weeks. The photo/web labs meet for a total of eight weeks.
The labs will give each student a chance to learn the fundamentals of how to
shoot and edit still images and video and how to use various software programs
to produce a multimedia story for the web.
Lectures will focus on history, technology and ethical issues related to the use of
still, moving and graphical images in news.
Required Texts and Materials
Textbook: Ethics in the Digital Age, Larry Gross, John Katz, Jay Ruby.
eBook: Photojournalism, Technology, and Ethics: What’s Right and Wrong Today,
Black Star Rising
Other readings, material for discussion and assignments will be made available
by the instructor online.
Please make sure that you have a valid, working EC mail account so that you can
access assigned material and complete assigned lab work.
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You will also need access to a computer and the Internet to complete
assignments. You will be assigned online exercises to complete.
You will need to purchase the following for use in lab:
A 1GB Compact Flash Memory Card (CF) for the
web/photo lab. Pick one up at the bookstore, CVS
or online.
For more on buying CF cards:
http://journalism.emerson.edu/resources/cfcard.htm
Ethics Briefings
In an age of terrorist attacks, large‐scale disasters and camera‐phone wielding
“citizen journalists,” professional journalists are sometimes called upon to make
quick decisions about using controversial images. And, they’re required to make
those calls under tremendous deadline pressure.
It’s not uncommon for discussions to focus on the impact of running an image on
all parties involved, from the readers/viewers to the subjects shown in the
images. To prepare you to participate in those types of discussions someday in
the newsroom, we will engage in a series of “ethics briefings” throughout the
semester.
You will be assigned to a team that will evaluate and discuss images related to a
controversial case. Members of each group will be selected to play the roles of
“stakeholders” in the case and present their arguments to the class.
Each individual in the group will be assigned to write a short discussion briefing
memo that identifies all of the stakeholders and their assigned stakeholder’s
perspective on the use of the image(s).
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This will be graded as a team AND individual assignment. You will receive
additional details about the ethics briefings in a separate handout.
Final Project
Each student will produce a multimedia project that demonstrates what you
have learned in this class. This piece will be a news or feature story of your
choice, however, the topic and focus will be subject to the approval of the
instructor.
You will be required to write a focus statement and complete a worksheet that
will help you to clarify your choice of interactive elements to include in the piece.
Your piece will be a hard news or feature story, presented in a web format. It
should be thoroughly researched, well‐written, well‐photographed or filmed and
utilize appropriate images and graphics. Topics that are not journalistic will be
rejected.
Your piece should include at least two of the interactive elements that you will
learn to produce in lab: a slideshow, video, audio, timeline, data map or
interactive game/quiz.
You will also be required to do a five‐minute presentation outlining how you
produced your project. You should discuss:
• How you came up with your story.
• Why you chose the medium (video, slideshow, web site)
• Who you interviewed and resources that you used to do research.
• What you learned from the project.
We’ll try to leave time for questions after each presentation.
You will receive a separate handout with detailed guidelines for the final project.
Midterm
There will be a mid‐term exam based on the reading and lectures. However,
material presented by guest speakers will also be fair game.
Quiz
There will be one unannounced quiz in the second half of the semester.
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Grading
Your final grade will be based on the following:
Lab – 30%
Quiz, assignments ‐ Ethics briefings, homework ‐ 20%
Midterm – 20%
Final Project – 20%
Class participation, attendance – 10%
Grading Policy
A (90‐100) – Excellent work that met or exceeded the requirements of the
assignment. Reflects solid research, news judgment, accuracy, attribution, critical
thinking. Assignment could be published or aired with minor editing.
B (80‐85) – Good work with one or two minor grammatical or style errors. Well‐
documented but may contain problem with news judgment, attribution, balance
or organization. Assignment could be published or aired with editing.
C (65‐70) – Average work. Failed to meet most of the requirements of the
assignment. Shows lack of news judgment, accuracy, balance, etc. Assignment
not good enough to be published or aired.
D (55‐60), F (0‐55) – Below average work that shows little or no understanding of
the requirements of the assignment, numerous grammatical, style errors, major
factual errors.
Course Policies
• No laptop use during class. No internet browsing, e‐mailing, text
messaging or other unassigned online activity during lecture or labs.
• Please turn off your cell phone before class.
• Spelling, style and grammar count! When you submit a written
assignment points will be deducted for spelling and grammatical errors.
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• All assignments should be typed, double spaced and formatted as follows:
JR 200
Johnson
Name of Assignment (Example: Ethics Briefing)
Your Name
Text double spaced.
From time to time you will be called on to critique the work of your classmates or
debate issues. There may be times when you disagree. Rudeness and
disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated.
Late Assignments
Deadlines are a key concept in journalism. If you miss a deadline in the real
world you might lose your job. If you miss a deadline in this class it will affect
your final grade. Homework and other assignments are due when I collect them
in class. If you turn in an assignment after class, your assignment will drop one
letter grade if it is turned in within 2 hours; two letter grades within 4 hours or
more. Assignments later than 24 hours will not be accepted unless I am aware
of your absence in advance.
Attendance
Attendance for this course is simply not optional. You are expected to be in class
each week, on time. Roll will be taken in both lectures and lab.
A very strict attendance policy has been set for the labs. The material covered in
the labs is key to completion of the final project and makeups are nearly
impossible. If you have an unexcused absence from lab points will be deducted
from your final grade.
Multiple unexcused absences will affect your final grade. If you miss more
than three classes you will not receive credit for this course.
If you have an illness or emergency which can be documented, your absence will
be excused. However, you will be expected to complete any assignments that
you missed. Missed assignments are due by the next class.
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Weather‐related Cancellations
If class is cancelled due to inclement weather, assignments are due the next class.
Lab Rotation Schedule Sections A‐C
Friday, 2‐3:45
Instructor 1: Michelle Johnson, web, Walker, 638
Instructor 2: Bridget Driscoll‐Tendler, video, Walker, 628
Instructor 3: Brendan Lynch, web, Walker, 634
Week Date Section A Section B Section C
1 1/22 Video
2 1/29 Web (Johnson) (Driscoll-Tendler) Web (Lynch)
3 2/5 W638 W628 W634
4 2/12
Sections B, C Rotate
5 2/19
6 2/26 Web (Lynch) Video (Driscoll-Tendler)
W634 W628
7 3/5
8 3/12 No class. Spring break
9 3/19
Sections A, C Rotate
10 3/26
11 4/2 Video
Web (Johnson)
(Driscoll-Tendler)
W638
W628
12 4/9
13 4/16
14 4/23 Work on final projects Work on final projects Work on final projects
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Lecture/Lab Schedule
Week 1
Jan. 20 ‐ Course Introduction & Overview
Expectations, preview of upcoming lectures, labs and course
requirements.
Jan. 22 ‐ Labs Begin
Note: Students taking the photo/web lab, please bring your Compact
Flash card.
Week 2
Jan. 27 ‐ A Brief History of Visual Communication
An overview of the earliest forms of visual communication, early
photography, symbolism and theory. Discuss Ethics Briefings, team
assignments.
Homework
1. Reading: Visual Journalism, Paul Lester, Chapters 1‐2
(Note: Handouts and online reading assignment will be posted on
the course web site: blog.emerson.edu/JR200)
2. Photojournalism, Technology, and Ethics: What’s Right and
Wrong Today, Black Star Rising, Chapters 1‐2 (Download from
course web site)
3. Online Interactive Assignment: Go to newsu.org and sign up for
an account. (It’s free!) Enroll in and complete the course: “The
Language of the Image” When you have completed the course, fill
out the course report form and email it to:
michelle_johnson@emerson.edu. (See NewsU handout for details.)
Jan. 29 ‐ Lab
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Week 3
Feb. 3 ‐ News Judgment & Photojournalism
How to select photos to tell stories visually, journalistically.
Ethics Briefing I
Homework:
Log on to Newsu.org. Enroll in and complete the courses: “Community
Service Photojournalism: Lessons from a Contest (2005 AND 2006).” Send
“Course Reports” for both courses when you finish AND select one
photo, and write a 400‐word analysis of the photo. Discuss usage of light,
perspective, lens, etc. Explain what drew you to the photograph and what
makes it successful. Print out a copy of the photo and your essay and turn
them in.
Reading:
1. “Telling Stories with Pictures,” by Kenneth Kobre.
(Handout, posted online: blog.emerson.edu/JR200)
2. Ethics in the Digital Age: Introduction, Chapter I
Feb. 5 ‐ Lab
Week 4
Feb. 10 ‐ Handling Gruesome Images
How do you make decisions about running a particularly graphic video
clip or photograph? Is once enough, or is it OK to run a clip/photo
multiple times? Guidelines for handling sensitive images.
Ethics Briefing II
Reading:
(Note: these links will be posted on the course web site:
blog.emerson.edu/JR200)
1. The Importance of Disturbing Images by Pat Blue
http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=6254
2. The Violence Network
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/01/18/the_
violence_network/
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3. RTNDA Guidelines on Graphic Images
http://www.rtnda.org/pages/media_items/guidelines‐for‐graphic‐
content155.php?g=37?id=155
4. Ethics in the Digital Age, chapters 3,4
Feb. 12 ‐ Lab
Week 5
Feb. 17 – NO CLASS DUE TO HOLIDAY
Feb. 19 – Lab (NOTE: SOME LAB SECTIONS ROTATE. See schedule
above.)
Week 6
Feb. 24 ‐ Ethics and Privacy
Is it OK to photograph someone in their backyard? Is it OK to lie to get a
photo? How far can or should you go to get the shot?
Ethics Briefing III
Discuss final project worksheet.
Reading:
1. Photojournalism: An Ethical Approach by Paul Lester, ch. 5
(Download pdf from course web site.)
2. Respecting Privacy Guidelines by Bob Steele
http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=5645
(Note: Links are posted on course web site.)
3. Ask These 10 Questions to Make Good Ethical Decisions,
by Bob Steele
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=36&aid=4346
4. Complete the Final Project Worksheet. List your focus statement
and other required information on this form. (Note: Form will be
posted online.) Due March 3.
Midterm Exam Review (posted online)
Feb. 26 – Lab
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Week 7
March 3 ‐ MIDTERM EXAM
Homework due: Final Project Worksheet
March 5 ‐ Lab
Week 8
March 10, 12 – NO CLASSES SPRING BREAK
Week 9
March 17 – Symbolism & Stereotypes
How to steer clear of running images that hurt, defame or can lead to a
lawsuit. What are the laws? What can you be sued for?
Ethics Briefing IV
Reading:
1. Talking Race over a Slice of Watermelon
http://poynteronline.org/column.asp?id=58&aid=42722
2. “Images & Stereotypes” (download Word doc)
http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/abacon/pjdis.html
March 19 – Lab
Week 10
March 24 ‐ Seeing and Believing
Fakery and photo manipulation in the digital age.
Ethics Briefing V
Reading:
1. Photojournalism, Technology, and Ethics: What’s Right and
Wrong Today, Black Star Rising, Chapters 3‐4.
2. RTNDA/NPPA Guidelines for Digital Manipulation
http://www.rtnda.org/pages/media_items/guidelines‐for‐digital‐
manipulation150.php
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3. Phototruth or Photofiction? by Thomas Wheeler, Chapters 1, 2
(Download pdf online.)
March 26 – Lab (LAST LAB ROTATION)
Week 11
March 31 – Multimedia News, Informational Graphics
Graphics can be a story themselves or serve as substitutes for
photographic images or video. Guidelines for proper usage, trends in
infographics. How to select elements for an online news story.
Ethics briefing VI
April 2 ‐ Lab
Week 12
April 7 – Copyright and captioning
Is it OK to use photos from the Internet? Is it OK to use part of an image
without credit? Avoiding legal pitfalls, understanding copyright law.
Ethics briefing VII
Reading:
1. Copyright FAQ (Sections A, B, C)
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/cha
pter0/index.html
2. 10 Big Myths About Copyright Explained by Brad Templeton
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html
3. Linking Rights by Brad Templeton
http://www.templetons.com/brad/linkright.html
4. Hot Tips for Writing Photo Captions by Kenneth Irby
http://poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=4355
5. Ethics in the Digital Age, Chapter 7
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April 9 – Lab
Week 13
April 21 ‐ Guest Speaker, TBA
April 23 – Last Lab (Work on Final Projects
Week 14
April 28 – Final Project Presentations I (Last Class)
The remainder of the presentations will take place during our scheduled
final exam time on May 5.
Final Exam Day
May 5 ‐ Final project presentations II.
Scheduled exam time, Monday, May 5.
Plagiarism and Fabrication
(Excerpted from the Academic Policy Committee and approved by the Faculty
Assembly May, 1983, and updated and approved by Faculty Assembly, October
2005.)
“Plagiarism is the use of the words and ideas of another as if they were oneʹs
own and without acknowledgment of their source. Plagiarism is stealing, and
constitutes a serious offense against any ethical code, be it scholastic, artistic, or
professional. Plagiarism can be committed intentionally, or it can happen
inadvertently, due to careless note‐taking, or to a lack of knowledge of the
conventions by which sources are credited, or even because of a
misunderstanding on what constitutes original thinking. Plagiarism is unethical
in any context.”
(Excerpted from the Department of Journalism’s statement.)
There is nothing more central to the credibility of journalism and to the trust of
readers, listeners and viewers than the implicit promise that every journalist
makes to the public that the information provided is accurate, original and
truthful. Journalists who fabricate stories or portions of them, or who steal the
work of others and pass it off as their own, undermine not only their careers, but
the careers of other journalists, the public’s trust in the Fourth Estate and the
credibility of the entire profession. This department will not tolerate plagiarism
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or fabrication — any student caught doing either will automatically fail and will
face possible suspension from the college. Ignorance is not a defense when it
comes to plagiarism, fabrication and/or cheating. If you have a question about
attribution, ask.
Disability Statement
If you have a disability that may impact your performance in this class, please
register with the Disability Services Coordinator so that you can work together to
develop methods of addressing needed accommodations.
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