Journalism 2501
American Journalism History
Spring 2007
Tuesdays, Thursdays 9:30-10:45
Humanities 484

 

Drew Digby
Cina Hall 104
Office Hours:   Mondays 2-3 p.m., Tuesdays 1:30-3 p.m.
Phone:           726-8657
Email:            ddigby@d.umn.edu
Webpage:      www.d.umn.edu/~ddigby
 

This course examines the cultural and social history of journalism in the United States, from Colonial times to the present, using both examples of journalistic work and secondary analysis of that work.  Students will explore the values, practices and social roles of journalism.  You should develop an understanding of the ways that American journalism has changed over time and the choices and forces that produced that change.   You should develop both journalistic and historical research skills in your assignments for this class.  In addition, you should gain an understanding of journalistic practice and academic theories relating to the public sphere.

 
Required Books
Stephens, A History of News
Fitzpatrick, Muckraking: Three Landmark Articles
Thompson, Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail
 

Grading
Group Project             50%
Assignments, Participation    30%
Final Exam                20%

Assignments
1.) Leading Group Discussions.  At least twice during the semester, in groups of 3 and 4 students, you must help lead the discussion of the reading for the day by preparing questions, general discussion outlines and by helping me lead the class.  You are welcome to schedule a meeting with me before the class session to go over your presentation for the day. Normally, I’ll let you start off the discussion and then continue the discussion making points and taking us in a variety of discussions.   (These groups do not have to be the same as for the group research project.)
2.) I will also require occasional short response papers for the readings. These will all be shorter than a page.
 
Participation
Class participation counts for a significant portion of your grade.  This means I will evaluate you for the contributions you make to class discussions and in-class critiques.  In addition, it means that attendance is mandatory.  This does not mean that your grade will improve based simply on the quantity of your participation. However, if you are extremely shy you should meet with me by the end of the second week of class to talk about other ways of participating in class.
 
Group Project
The largest share of your grade this semester will be to take part in a group project on journalism in Duluth and Superior. We will be working on the history of young adult culture in Duluth for an outside partner.  You will create a museum-like display on the topic. To get a good grade, your project will discuss the historical implications of the subject of your work.  The project will work like this:
 
1.) You’ll divide into groups of four or five students and choose one of the subtopics we jointly develop (topics will be chosen on a first-come, first-serve basis).
2.) We’ll do a group field trip to the library to learn about the Northeast Minnesota Historical Center and the microfilm readers.
3.) You’ll be able to do some preliminary research in the clippings files at the Northeast Center and perhaps at the Duluth Public Library.
4.) The bulk of your research will be spent going through microfilm looking for articles, pictures, and in some cases, advertisements related to your topic.  You will spend a substantial amount of time reading microfilm at either the UMD library or the Duluth Public Library.  You should plan your work schedule to allow yourself time to complete your research while the microfilm facilities are open.
5.) Your group will present your preliminary findings to the class on  Feb. 8.
6.) You will then do research to put your findings in context.
7.) You will present a draft of your work to the class on Mar. 6.
8.) Your final report will consist of the following:
a.) A notebook of stories, pictures, layouts, or advertising related to your topic.  You should plan on having at least 25 items in the notebook.  In addition, your notebook should consist of a short report from which your poster copy is a summary and an annotated bibliography talking about the most important primary sources and secondary sources for your project.
b.) A museum-quality poster board presentation that you will bring to class on  Mar. 27.
c.) A group presentation in which the group shows off their work and puts each part of the group’s work into a larger context.
9.) Your grade for the group project will be assessed as follows:
    Group presentation of preliminary findings:    15%
    Group presentation of draft:            15%
    Final group presentation:                10%
    Notebook and Poster                60%
10.) In order to receive credit for materials from microfilm or other sources, you MUST include complete citations (publications, date, page number, and any other important identifying information). If you don’t have this information, you will get no credit for the material.  All items in your notebook and on your poster should have citations. Be sure to get the information the first time you go through the microfilm because it usually takes much longer to find an article the second time.
 
Final Exam
The final exam will be similar, though probably not an exact replica, of last year’s final exam.  Here are the instructions from last year to give you an idea:
 
    Please answer one (1) of the questions below in essay form, using footnotes to cite your sources and examples.  You should try to use specific examples from as many periods and types of sources as possible.  Remember to include some examples from the readings
 
    There is no specific length requirement but I estimate that three pages is too short and 12 pages is too long.

1.) One of the continuing issues for journalism is place.  How much should a newspaper or other journalism organization focus coverage on the place where it is headquartered.  How have journalists and editors dealt with specifically local issues rather than big national issues?  How has this changed over time? Try to use examples from the ports project as well as the readings for the class.
 
2.) Considering that one of the goals of 20th Century American journalism was objectivity, or at least fairness, please discuss the importance of the author in journalism from the colonial beginnings to the present day.  Some, but not the only, questions to consider are: When do bylines become important?  Is the voice of the reporter different than that of the newspaper/magazine/broadcast outlet? When does the editor of the newspaper/magazine really show their voice?  Does hearing the voice/viewpoint of the author automatically mean that the piece is not objective or fair?
 
3.) The book, The Elements of Journalism, by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, argues that two important features of modern journalism are that it’s “first obligation is to the truth” and “it must serve as an independent monitor of power.”  While we didn’t read this book as part of the class, consider those two ideas against or complimentary to the idea that journalism should be objective and fair.  Write an essay about the evolution of these ideas of fairness/objectivity versus being a watchdog of power through the history of American journalism from the colonial times to the present.
 
Class Policies
1.) Journalism requires a very high level of ethical behavior.  Any violations of university rules on ethics will be treated very severely.  UMD’s academic integrity policies have been substantially updated; every student should be aware of the fairly dire consequences of violating the policies.    
2.) Group Project Behavior.  Because group projects are at the core of this class, members of a group may petition to expel a student from their group if they feel that person’s behavior is endangering the group’s project.  To file a petition, members of the group must write a statement why they want the person expelled and sign the statement.  I will then make a determination of what to do. A person expelled from a group may lose a significant number of points for the final project.
3.) Attendance.  You must treat this course like a job.  In order to get an excused absence, you must notify me in advance why you are not going to be absent.  Even a single unexcused absence will have severe consequences for your grade.  Two unexcused absences will result in a failing grade.  Absences will only be excused after the fact if you were unconscious.  (For example, a note from your doctor will not excuse an absence after the fact unless it explicitly states that you were medically unable to ask for an excused absence.)
4.) Special needs.  If you have a disability, either permanent or temporary, which might affect your performance in this class, please inform me at the start of the semester.  Methods, materials, or testing will be adapted as required for equitable participation.  
5.) Late assignments will not be accepted.
6.) Office Hours.  If you have any questions or problems, please use the office hours to talk with me.  I am also on campus for a substantial period of time outside of formal office hours, including frequently on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.  
 
Reading and Presentation Schedule
 
Jan. 16    Introduction
Jan. 18    The Public Sphere. Reading: Handout.
 
Jan. 23    The idea of news in historical perspective. Stephens, Chap. 1-2.
Jan. 25    Library Orientation, meet at 3rd floor Microfilm Readers.
 
Jan. 30    Group Work Time--Library
Feb. 1     Decline of Spoken News, Stephens, Chap. 3.
 
Feb. 6     Start of Written News, Stephens, Chap. 4-5.
Feb. 8     Group Project Preliminary Presentations.
 
Feb. 13   Stephens, Chap. 9-11
Feb. 15   Newspapers in the 1840s
 
Feb. 20   Stephens, Chap. 13
Feb. 22   Stephens, Chap. 14
 
Feb. 27   Newspapers in the 1880s
Mar. 1     Stephens, Chap. 7
 
Mar. 6     Group Project Draft Presentations
        Bring Notebooks, drafts of poster copy, draft layout of board
Mar. 8     Journalism in the 1920s and 1930s.
 
Spring Break
 
Mar. 20   Stephens, Chap. 8
Mar. 22   Muckrakers , 1-39
 
Mar. 27  Group Project Presentations
Mar. 29  Muckrakers , 41-80
 
Apr. 3    Muckrakers , 81-121.
Apr. 5    Newspapers in the 1950s
 
Apr. 10    Newspapers in the 1960s
Apr. 12    Stephens, Chap. 15    
 
Apr. 17    Journalism in the 1970s.   Fear and Loathing , 15-218.
Apr. 19    Journalism in the 1970s. Fear and Loathing , 219-392.
 
Apr. 24    Journalism in the 1980s. Handout.
Apr. 26    Information Explosion, Stephens, Chap. 16.
 
May 1    New Media Assignment Due and Presentations.
May 3    Review session for final exam.
 

Take-Home Final Exams are due on Tuesday, May 8 at 12 noon
in the Composition office, H 420