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Journalism 50
Navigating the News
Spring 2023

JOUR 050, Sec. 1; 3 credit units
Monday & Wednesday, 10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
DBH133

About This Course: Course Description JOUR50 At-A-Glance About Instructor For More Information

Current Course Materials: Course Syllabus: PDF Syllabus Supplement     Textbook -- Navigating the News  First Half of Semester → Onion Twitter example  What Is News? (PDF)  Job of the Journalist (PDF)  Example: White, and in the minority (Washington Post) Photo Ethics Example: * Front Page * Photo Comparison  A news site used AI to write articles. It was a journalistic disaster. (Washington Post) Factors in Coverage of a News Story (PDF)  Different Kinds of News Stories  Audio interviews from book sources  For Wednesday 2/8: * News Ethics (PDF)  * 10 Commandments of News  * Conflicting reports of Giffords’ death were understandable, but not excusable (Poynter) * Snopes | Politifact  * Millions Misused (Spartan Daily)  * Penn State sex scandal investigation  * Interactive Media Bias Chart (Ad Fontes Media) Credibility (PDF)  In-Class Exercise 1  Flying Object Stories  QEII Coverage: Positive | Critical | Bizarre  How To Spot Fake News (IFLA)  Elements of Newsworthiness  For Local News, Americans Embrace Digital but Still Want Strong Community Connection (Pew Center)  San Jose "Little Saigon" Controversy: * San Jose Mercury News  * San Francisco Chronicle  * Los Angeles Times   * New York Times  San Diego Fire Example (KFMB CBS8)  Chapter 3 Interview Clips  Elizabeth Holmes Example  Broderick Examples: * "Dirty John"  * Till Murder Do Us Part (LA Times) * Oakland rocked by 4 shooting deaths in less than 24 hours (Yahoo News) * Murder victim Kathy Anderson was former town arborist (Palo Alto Daily Post) Hill Examples: * Questions surround honor student's death in Detroit (USA Today) * Family, friends mourn Grosse Pointe Farms teen (Detroit Free Press) * College student shot, killed talking in car in Detroit (Detroit News) * In Detroit, a tale of two homicides (Detroit Free Press) Scandalous Stories  For Wednesday 3/1: * Types of News Story Audiences * News Outlets for In-Class Exercise: Spartan Daily | Mercury News | SF Gate KRON | KTVU | New York Times USA Today | NBC News | CBS News For Monday 3/6: * Education Reporting (PDF)  * The Ongoing Debate Over School Choice   * School boards get death threats amid rage over race, gender, mask policies  * What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack?  * Arizona 'biased teaching' bill would fine teachers for discussion of controversial issues  * How DeSantis built a conservative following on education  * University of Missouri Fires Melissa Click, Who Tried to Block Journalist at Protest  * Local indigenous tribe condemns SJSU anthropology professor  Trolling and News (PDF)  Spartan Daily 2020 Election Issue  Identity Article Search  Journalism and Institutions (PDF)  Journalism and Institutions --  In-Class Assignment (PDF)  Government and Politics (PDF)  Midterm Study Guide  Midterm Grading Scale  Second Half of Semester → Audiences and Diversions  Funny Pages (Spokesman-Review) Even before the Internet, we forged virtual relationships — through advice columns (Washington Post) A time before Wordle: The New York Times hated crossword puzzles before it embraced them (BigThink) NY Times Games Page  Sports and Entertainment  Environmental Journalism  America's Sewage System and the Price of Optimism (Time, 1969)  Foxconn's pollutional activities in Taiyuan, Shanxi, China (Environmental Justice Atlas) Maverick: Chronicles of a Death Foretold (Spartan Daily)  Inside the town that’s been on fire since 1962 (All That's Interesting)  Science Journalism  Science Journalism II  Spurious Correlations  More people have died from selfies than shark attacks this year (Mashable)   Blood pressure study | News article  Right/wrong sounds study | News article  Bumblebee study | News article  Investigative Journalism I  Las Vegas case:  * Investigations * Aftermath  First Woodward/Bernstein Watergate story Investigative Journalism II  Penn State sex scandal investigation   * Anniversary follow-up (Poynter)  L.A. Times FDA investigation  S.F. Chronicle: Homeless in Oakland  Spartan Daily: Millions Misused  Spokane Mayor Scandal  Investigative Journalism III  For 4-26 Class Exercise: 1: SJSU faculty left unheard: Professors claim grievance process is unjust  2: Documents suggest investigation failed to follow up on prior claims  3: Out of nine faculty members who alleged broken policies, seven were women of color 4: Local Indigenous tribe condemns SJSU anthropology professor  5: Outside investigators scope out SJSU IT  6: Investigation uncovered: Former SJSU baseball coach violated Title IX International News Coverage in U.S. I  City Photo 1 | City Photo 2  International News Coverage II  Audio interviews from book sources  International News Coverage III  Navigating the News  Final Exam Study Guide  Final Exam and Course Grades  These materials will be updated throughout the semester.

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Course Description

Introduction to different forms of news media we consume to become informed and engaged citizens, and how media shape our world. Development of skills to critically evaluate the credibility of news sources, distinguish between real and fake news, and examine contemporary news events and news media coverage in cultural, historical, environmental, and spatial contexts. This class is for students who aspire to be informed citizens and want to understand how media shape the world around them. Students will learn how different kinds of media work to make them better and smarter news consumers.

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For More Information

Please contact Prof. Craig, either by phone at 924-3287, or by e-mail at profcraig@profcraig.com.