---

Journalism 50
Navigating the News
Fall 2022

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 → Apple Software Update Example: * Twitter -- Scott Budman  * Apple News Update  * Associated Press Item   * HavanaCrypt Example  What Is News?  Gestation of a News Story  Different Kinds of News Stories  Photo Ethics Example: * Front Page  * Photo Comparison  For Wednesday 8/31: * Conflicting reports of Giffords’ death were understandable, but not excusable (Poynter)  * How Times Reporters Use the Freedom of Information Act (NY Times)   * Fear of Screwing Up (Columbia Journalism Reviews)   * White, and in the minority (Washington Post)  * Audio interviews from book sources  10 Commandments of News  Snopes | Politifact  Interactive Media Bias Chart (Ad Fontes Media) QEII Coverage: Positive | Critical | Bizarre  How To Spot Fake News (IFLA)  Assessing News Stories  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  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 Monday 9/26: * 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 Trolling and News  Anatomy of an Internet Troll  Spartan Daily 2020 Election Issue  Identity Article Search   Journalism and Institutions  Government, Business and Media  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)  Environmental News Exercise  Science Journalism  Science Journalism II  Blood pressure study | News article  Right/wrong sounds study | News article  Bumblebee study | News article  Investigative Journalism  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 11-14 Class Exercise: 1: Local Indigenous tribe condemns SJSU anthropology professor  2: Outside investigators scope out SJSU IT  3: Investigation uncovered: Former SJSU baseball coach violated Title IX 4: SJSU faculty left unheard: Professors claim grievance process is unjust  5: Documents suggest investigation failed to follow up on prior claims  6: Out of nine faculty members who alleged broken policies, seven were women of color International News Coverage in U.S.  International News Coverage II  Audio interviews from book sources  Special Guest: Brad Schreiber  Navigating the News: Final Concepts  Final Exam Study Guide  These materials will be updated throughout the semester.

---

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.

---

For More Information

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