The need for accurate, fair, clear and succinct news presentation, both verbally and visually, has become even more critical as the press itself struggles to maintain its credibility as an institution. Although the sequence is primarily newspaper based, the curriculum also makes room for other forms of expression such as magazines, newsletters and the paperless world of cyberspace. The print sequence comes together at the end with a capstone course in journalism ethics to reinforce the fundamental humanness of this professional endeavor. The broadcast sequence is designed to prepare students to become professionals in the broadcast news media. Courses are designed to improve student skills in writing radio and television news copy.
Special emphasis is given to broadcast style and preparation of scripts.
Courses also cover interviewing, field reporting and editing. Students are taught to gather, analyze and organize information in order to communicate effectively. A broadcast lab is available for student use to prepare audio and video stories. Beyond the skills necessary to report a story for television and radio, students will be introduced to ethical and legal considerations that are specific to the electronic media. Simply put, it's influencing public opinion.