This entry level course gives students extensive hands-on experience in operating still and video cameras; handling microphones; editing photos, video, and audio; and managing Websites. Through lectures, writing, and field experience, students develop skills that will serve as the foundation for subsequent, more advanced coursework. This course includes instruction in the use of social media and an overview of the ways new technologies are transforming communication industries.
Prerequisite(s): WRIT 105 or HONP 100. Writing news articles according to contemporary practices, for multiple platforms. Interviewing techniques are explored as well as a respect for facts, impartiality and fairness. Meets the Graduation Writing Requirement for majors in Journalism and Digital Media.
Evolution of the American press is examined through research and discussion of significant periods, individuals and issues from 1600 to the present.
Prerequisite(s): WRIT 106 or HONP 101. This seminar explores the central questions of what did the American public know of the Holocaust from 1933 to 1945, and when did it know it? More troubling still, if the public and thus the government knew of the assembly-line murder of 6 million Jews, and Sinti/Roma peoples, homosexuals, Communists, Jehovah's Witnesses and others, then why was nothing done? A thorough examination of radio, newsreel and especially newspaper coverage of the Holocaust - particularly from 1941-1945 - will be combined with a study of the historical events that made the Holocaust possible. The Holocaust and the free world's burden to "do something" also will be related to other genocides including Armenia, Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Darfur and others. Mutually Exclusive with JAST 219.
Prerequisite(s): CMST 110. Students will learn the components of podcast production including: developing and pitching their idea, techniques for booking guests, interviewing styles, audio recording, sound editing and mixing, podcast launch and distribution. The course includes a lecture component and in-class lab time where the instructor will guide students on their projects.
Prerequisite(s): WRIT 105 or HONP 100. This course takes a close look at key issues in story selection and presentation for contemporary publications and web sites. Students will participate in a hands-on manner in the content development process by creating their own writing and reporting projects, including video.
Prerequisite(s): CMST 110, WRIT 105 or HONP 100. Part classroom learning, part radio production workshop, this course is an introduction to the theory, practice, art and craft of radio production. Students learn production styles popular in commercial, public and college radio for news, music, talk, sports and hybrid formats. Equivalent course TVDM 233 effective through Summer 2021.
Prerequisite(s): CMST 110. Restriction(s): Journalism and Digital Media majors only. To develop fundamental announcing skills necessary for performance of commercials, news, and other scripted programming for electronic media. Examination, performance, and evaluation of specific skills ranging from simple commercial and public service announcements and news scripts to more complex acting and interpretative exercises. Equivalent course TVDM 245 effective through Summer 2021.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 102; and WRIT 106 or HONP 101 or JOUR 210. Reportando las Noticias, or Spanish-Language News Reporting, is a unique cross-platform bilingual reporting course with an emphasis on the Latinx experience, combining traditional and multimedia journalism training with bilingual instruction and reporting. While this course will be conducted primarily in English, students are expected to produce journalism content for emerging platforms in both Spanish and English. Open to all students who have some Spanish language proficiency.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 210. This course provides a survey and analysis of major legal and ethical issues in broadcasting and mass communication. Equivalent course TVDM 349 effective through Summer 2021.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 180. An intermediate workshop introducing students to EFP (electronic field production) and the non-linear post-production techniques in the editing facilities of the DuMont Television Center; continued emphasis upon program concept. Equivalent course TVDM 253 effective through Summer 2021.
Prerequisite(s): CMST 110. This course is designed to help students leverage their multimedia storytelling skills in the corporate world, where content is created to tell stories about brands as part of marketing strategies. Students will learn how to produce compelling content for specific audiences, explore how stories are told to communicate brand identity, and understand the professional expectations associated with the world of content marketing.
Prerequisite(s): CMST 110. Explore the fundamentals of web design for the most popular digital publishing platform: Wordpress. Students will experience a beginner to intermediate level study of coding and front-end design by transforming vibrant print and broadcast media content into dynamic web pages. The classes are engaging and are suitable for students with no prior experience in web design. For the final exam, students will be required to fully design a 5 to 10-page website on a subject of their choosing.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 180. Students will study the writing, reporting and producing skills required to create outstanding news programs. Students will participate in intensive writing to develop these skills. This class will review examples of top professional news production from major national and local news outlets.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 180. This course is designed to introduce students to the contemporary practices of photojournalism, and to explore the aesthetic, technical, cultural, and historical forces that have shaped its evolution as a form of visual communication. Students will learn the technical skills needed to operate a digital DSLR camera to create adept storytelling images. Secondly, they will interact with the campus community to develop and execute great stories and photographic images.
Prerequisite(s): CMDA 220 or JOUR 210. Restriction(s): School of Communication and Media majors or Journalism minors only. This class is designed to introduce mid-level students to the fundamentals of covering local news stories, including coverage of local government, schools, police, fire and business. In addition to the fundamentals of reporting, students will learn how to use multimedia and online tools to gather, produce and display information.
Prerequisite(s): CMST 101 or JOUR 210. This course introduces students to the challenges of covering the entertainment industry in the digital age.
Prerequisite(s): CMST 110 or JOUR 210. This course provides an umbrella to offer a variety of specialized introductory level topics pertaining to journalism and digital media. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.
Prerequisite(s): CMST 110. This class will be run like a professional newsroom. Students will produce a weekly, 15 - 30 minute News / Magazine show to be broadcast and streamed on multiple digital and social media channels. Most of the pre-production for the show will be done outside of regular class time. Students will be permitted to repeat the class to develop their skills and to foster and environment of student-to-student collaboration and apprenticeship. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits.
Prerequisite(s): CMST 110 or WRIT 105 or SPAN 135. News Lab en Espanol class members produce a series of newscasts in Spanish using both remote and studio production techniques and technology. The focus is on journalistic storytelling. Students report, produce, write, and edit news stories and interviews; and participate in the production of the full newscast, which will be streamed on multiple platforms including the University's streaming platform, Hawk Plus (hawkplus.tv). Competence in spoken and written Spanish is expected. May be repeated for a maximum of 15 credits.
Prerequisite(s): CMST 210 or JOUR 210. Study of issues and problems in modern journalism through lectures and writings of working journalists.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 210. Combines classroom instruction with extensive off-campus (often evening) fieldwork. Students will have their own reporter "beats" covering various municipalities near Montclair State University on a weekly basis. "Beats" will include town council, city boards and agencies, police, courts, etc. Breaking news stories written to tight deadlines, as well as major analytical pieces. Intense discussion of actual reporting problems encountered in the field: making contacts, using unnamed sources, dealing with officials, canvassing neighborhoods, etc. Emphasis on students' initiative working on their own, and relentless follow-through. Equivalent course JOUR 211 effective through Summer 2021.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 210. Copy editing, proofreading and basic editorial skills. Articles are analyzed for accuracy, libel, precise diction and tightening.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 313. Techniques learned in editing are reinforced. Layout, headlines and production are explored. Rewriting and fitting articles are worked on extensively.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 210 or permission of the instructor. Researching, writing and placing feature stories in mass circulation magazines.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 210. News articles on the activities of government at the local level, including writing reports on the proceedings of civil and criminal court and city/county executive councils.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 210. All aspects of writing personality profiles and of writing critical reviews, columns and/or sports features.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 210. The ability to find, collect, analyze and visualize data are indispensable tools in the modern digital news environment. This course will teach students how to access datasets, uncover newsworthy stories in the data and use data to enhance other storytelling methods.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 253 or FMTV 222. Advanced-level training in reporting, writing and producing multimedia news stories. Equivalent course TVDM 441 effective through Summer 2021.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 253. A survey of the history of political broadcasting beginning with radio and concentrating on television; analysis of the relationship between broadcasting and the political process, to include campaigning for office, the election and how broadcasting helps or hinders the art of governing. Equivalent course TVDM 315 effective through Summer 2021.
Prerequisite(s): FMTV 222 or JOUR 253. Restriction(s): Instructor permission required. This semester long, 3-credit course centers around taking a select group of SCM students to a particular location during spring break, to report on relevant topics of the region. During the semester's first half, the class will plan the trip by researching stories and booking interviews. During the spring break, the class will travel to the location where teams of students will use video and multi-media tools to gather material for their productions. During the remainder of the term, the class will edit and prepare their reports for distribution via outlets including the Montclarion, WMSC Radio, and Montclair NewsLab. This course requires a special fee to cover travel and accommodations.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 210. This course offers advanced journalism students the opportunity to experiment with the latest technological tools and applications and develop innovative newsgathering, storytelling, engagement, presentation, aggregation, and dissemination practices of news content across media platforms.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 317 or JOUR 341. Now more than ever, with communications professionals having to be savvy on every possible platform from Instagram and Twitter, to long-form features, to podcasts and video, a strong voice will help them stand out. In this course, students practice writing for different genres (magazine features, social media, podcasts, etc.), and contribute weekly to blogs and media sites that they establish. Course topics include hooks and intros; how to use (and not abuse) metaphors, similes and adjectives; and how to transpose one's voice for other media (podcasts, broadcast and social media). Emphasis is placed on opinion pieces.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 341. This capstone journalism class is a deep dive into reporting. We’ll read, view, and listen to excellent examples of reporting of all kinds: investigative, personality profiles, event coverage, feature reporting, and more. We will hear from top practitioners of the craft. Students will take their own in-depth immersion into reporting.
Prerequisite(s): JOUR 341. This course provides an introduction to entrepreneurship and evolving business models for media. Students identify emerging trends and opportunities for innovation in the media realm and pitch new media business ideas, research and develop a business plan, and build skills in digital technologies.