MEDIA RELEASE 8-7-06 For immediate release
What: Class on writing for the media
When: Fall 2006
Where: Ventura College
Details: Class will be taught on site
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Ventura College to offer onsite journalism writing class
After a one-year hiatus, Ventura College is offering an onsite journalism class for the Fall 2006 semester. The beginning class in writing for the media will be taught by instructor Star Hunter from 11 a.m. to 1:20 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays starting Aug. 22.
“Communication Skills – Writing I” (JOUR V05A) is designed to develop the journalists of today and tomorrow. It is all about news content. It hones skills that are crucial to reporting and writing for print, broadcast and online media: gathering and prioritizing information in many formats, writing news stories, then using the tools of the various media to ready the story for public consumption.
The news-gathering phase will employ several tools, including research, interviewing, audio taping, videotaping, and photography. The writing phase will include work on leads, nut graphs, story structure, and accompanying elements such as sidebars and infographics. In the final phase, students will prepare stories for various media using such tools as simple web design, blogging and podcasting programs.
Format for this course is interactive discussion of basic topics in news writing; hands-on weekly coverage of events, activities and personalities; and in-class activities that include writing and producing complete stories for the media. Teamwork is emphasized. Field trips during class are required.
Students in this class will contribute news coverage to the Student Voice, the Ventura County Community College District’s print and online newspaper. They also will contribute to the class news project. The VC News Center computer lab in Room TR-4 will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays for students in this class and all other journalism classes connected to Ventura College.
During the 2005-2006 college term, all journalism classes in the Ventura County Community College District originated out of Moorpark College, with videoconferencing to Ventura and Oxnard colleges. Instructor Joanna Miller will continue to teach those videoconference classes: “Newspaper Staff” and “Newspaper Editorial Staff.” The “Newspaper Production” class will continue to be offered only at Moorpark College.
Miller will also continue as adviser to the Student Voice.
For more information on the Ventura College class, call instructor Star Hunter at 805.654.6400, ext. 1228.-30- |
