Cambridge landmark store struggles

Very soon, I'll be posting the final projects from this semester - our "This Economic Life" series.   They were very well reported, and interesting glimpses of how the economic downturn is affecting all walks of life.  

A perfect example of this type of reporting today on Morning Edition from Boston reporter Tovia Smith.  Bowl & Board is a Cambridge institution, and I've done my share of shopping there.  Smith's story tells of the downward cycle of fewer customers meaning less revenue, leading to late payments to vendors, resulting in less stock on the shelves, concluding with unsatisfied customers.  

A very real portrait of what a recession does to small businessmen.

Final project "This Economic Life"

This week, we start work on our final project, to be included in the WNPR series "This Economic Life." Some stories (especially if the sound quality of the recordings is very good) could end up in part, or in their entirety, on our air. All pieces will be included in a podcast version for wnpr.org. As we've discussed already, here's the project:

Find a story about how the economic downturn is forcing people to make changes in their lives. Maybe it's second jobs, or workforce training...maybe it's small businessmen finding new ways to attract customers...maybe there's an unintended positive consequence of this downturn. An example of this kind of story in print form was in today's Hartford Courant.

The story should include these elements:

1. 4 to 4:30 minutes long

2. At least 3 voices (or sources) in the story, to provide different viewpoints

3. At least one scene - where action, or an interview is happening in a place that helps to tell the story.

Some more examples of "campaign trail" reporting

WNPR's Nancy Cohen profiled 4th district Democrat Jim Himes, as he tries to upset incumbent Chris Shays.

Diane Orson takes the other side, exploring Shays' fight to keep his seat, in a bad year for Republicans.

More news on economy and election

Today, Tribune papers report on...well, what we've been talking about.  John McCain needs to focus on the economy if he wants to win.  

Lisa Burns on Economy, Education; Greene talks to voters

Here is the audio from our in-class interview with Quinnipiac Media Studies professor Lisa Burns.  She talked to us about the economy, and how it's playing out in the presidential race...and gave us some great soundbites for our election stories. 

I also wanted to draw your attention to a story by David Greene, NPR White House Correspondent, who's been traveling America, doing just this sort of reporting during the election.  Here, he talks to voters in Northeast Pa.  

Election Assignment #1 - The Spot

The latest polls are showing a lead for Barack Obama over John McCain that is just outside the margain of error - about 5.5 points - heading into tonight's debate. While that number has come down a bit in recent days, it shows considerable support for the Democrat as the financial crisis worsens.

This isn't too surprising...we've been hearing for weeks about how angry people are over the economy, and any attempt to link it's problems to McCain and the Bush administration have worked.



So, that's where we are just before tonight's class - and we've got to formulate a story out of this. It's a pretty typical assignment that an editor would give you:



1. We see a trend, either in the news or in polls.


2. We ask a reporter to go talk to people to get their reaction.


3. We bring in an analyst (or "expert") to put this news into context for us.

Last week, you gathered at least three "vox" interviews from people, getting their feelings about the economy and the Presidential race. We'll start by going over those, and finding some trends in the reporting that we can focus on.

Then, we'll talk with Quinnipiac Communications Professor Lisa Burns. She's an expert on how the media covers politicians, and we'll ask her questions in an informal "press conference" format. We'll see if she's able to comment on some of the trends we see - and some of the voices we've gathered. We'll record her, and post the audio to this space.

Then, you'll need to pick some "sound bites" or "actualities" from the interview with Burns, and from your "vox." You'll write a 1:30 story, complete with host "lead" - as though you were doing it for tonight's newscast, before the debate.

In a perfect world, the story would be formatted something like this:

1. Host Lead...this includes the "news" of the story. What's the "peg?" Why are we telling this story now?

Example: Barack Obama leads John McCain by more than 5 points in national polls heading into tonight's "town-hall" style debate. Polls also show that the economy is the major issue on people's minds, and as ________ reports, that's been good news for Obama.

2. Your story should include two pieces of "vox" tape - either from opposing points of view - or from different types of constituents giving the same point of view. You're not doing scientific work here...you're giving a sense of how people on the street feel, but this is backed up with the numbers you already have from the polls. For instance, if the news is that Obama is leading because people trust him with the economy, your tape should probably reflect that. But, what if it doesn't? Well, it could be a story to highlight some voters who are breaking with the trends.

3. Finally, your story should include one "actuality" from Professor Burns, our "expert" voice. She's here to put this in some sort of context - to explain why she thinks voters are thinking this way, or how the media might be influencing their thoughts.

4. Your conclusion - as with any story - should move things forward. What's next? Well, since your story is written to air before tonight's debate, you can peg it to that. But, another interesting way to end a radio story is to save something interesting for the finish. What's the one thing that you heard on the street that really sums this all up? What's the thing that Prof. Burns said that wraps this story up? Listen for these things - not to use as soundbites, necessarily, but to put into your own words at the end of a story.

Heading toward election time...and the issues

As we head into our first election assignment, it's kinda funny... I was going to have you ask people what issues are most important as they make their voting decisions for November - but from the polling info we have today, it's pretty clear that people really, really care about the economy.

To this end, we want to find out how people are feeling, and what they want to hear from their lawmakers as they head to the polls. Some sample questions:

"What issues are important to you during this Presidential Election year?"
"Are the candidates addressing these concerns?"
"Is the media talking about economic issues enough?"
"Do you think one candidate or the other has a better plan to help fix the economy?"
"Does the state of the economy influence how you'll vote in November?"

What other questions do we want to ask?

For next week, you'll need at least 3 vox (or "man on the street" interviews) fully transcribed, with first and last names, and the town where the subject lives. You should get enough vox to make sure you have at least two "contrasting" points of view.

Then, next week (October 7th) - Professor Lisa Burns will be here to talk about media coverage of issues, and how she views the messages about the economy coming out of both camps - and Congress. We'll interview her - press conference style - basing our questions on the issues that our interview subjects raise.

We'll write our stories for the following week - and produce them in class on Pro Tools.

"It's the price of living in paradise..."

Some people just know how to "get tape."  John Burnett is one of them.  Listen to this story, as people try to clean up from Hurricane Ike in Galveston, Texas.  It's clear Burnett is trying to paint a picture of people's lives - and what it's really like after the TV crews have left.  His choices for "actualities" are startling, funny, gross, and above all ear-catching.  

Where We Live in the news...twice

We'll go through periods in our business where other media seems to pick up quickly on what you're doing.  We had one of those weeks.   The New Haven Advocate was doing a story about Governor Rell's radio appearances, and asked how often she'd been on to take calls.  "Never," I said.  So, they wrote about it.

And, the New London Day picked up on our interview with 2nd district congressional candidate Sean Sullivan.

Keeping up with speeding particles

David Kestenbaum is the NPR science reporter I talk about often in class. He's always cited by public radio people as an example of a great storyteller, who often works with less than compelling source material. As we debated whether to include the story about the Hadron particle accelerator in our mock newscast, I got to thinking that if Kestenbaum was telling the story, I'd definitely want to hear it. Here's a story he did back in April, as the project was just getting revved up.

Compact Flash Cards and Olympus Recorders

Tonight, QU tech wizard Nancy Hall gives our class a tutorial on how to record sound using the Marantz digital recorders, and how to get that sound on ProTools for editing. We'll need to learn how to use ProTools to produce our projects in class, and the Marantz is one of two approved ways to gather sound.

If you want to use the Marantz in class - remember that Quinnipiac has 48 hour sign out rules. You'll also need to purchase a compact flash card to keep your sound on. Newegg.com is a great place to find cheap computer stuff. You can get compact flash cards for as little as $8 on the site right now. By using the Marantz, you'll be able to use the audio you've gathered directly on ProTools.

There are more steps involved if you want to use your own machine. Newegg.com also has the preferred Olympus recorder for about as little as you're likely to pay (if you look hard, you might save $5). If you decide to buy the Olympus, you'll need to download a file converter onto your home computer, to turn the WMA file you've recorded into a WAV file to use in ProTools. You can easily download dozens of these, but Download.com always works. You'll then need to get that file into ProTools, by thumb drive, cd or some other means.

"Sound Reporting" and an intro to AP

Tonight, we really get to tear into this great new Jonathan Kern book about radio news called "Sound Reporting." I want to focus on the first few chapters...an overview called "Sound and Stories," a pretty important chapter on "Fairness" and an introduction to "Writing for Broadcast." I'd like to concentrate on just a few key ideas from each.

In the first chapter, Kern writes that "Radio is intimate." That's probably the best thing to remember about your audience...they're not "all out there." Instead you're talking to one person...telling him (or her) a story you'd like them to hear.

His idea that there "are no headlines" (p. 4) in radio is obvious...so we always try to make sure our "important stories come first and get more airtime." (p.5) (Exercise: Pick out five stories for our newscast, and put them in the right order...it's not aways obvious, and is usually good for some healthy newsroom debate.) How do we figure out what the "important" stories are? See Kern's chapter 10 description in a discussion of "Newscasts" - but better yet, reference Jay Kernis' "Four Tiers of News Coverage."

Despite our best efforts to put the best stories first, some listeners might miss an important story or two along the way. And, when that happens, they "can't re-listen to a story the way they can a newspaper article." (p. 6) As I've said in class - radio is a linear medium. It keeps going, even if a listener is left behind. It's your job to make sure they don't get left behind.

"Fairness" is an important issue that starts coming up in people's lives in about...well, preschool, and remains important throughout. Although I was often told as a child that "life isn't fair" - that doesn't mean whe shouldn't be trying at all times to be fair in our reporting. In this class, I'll present a few "Codes of Ethics." NPR's talks about "fair, unbiased, accurate, complete and honest" reporting. (p. 9) This very high-minded ideal can be torpedoed by what Kern calls "The Echo Chamber" (p. 10) - the tendency of like-minded journalists to talk amongst themselves, and talk themselves into stories they maybe shouldn't cover...a concept explained on the show On The Media.

Kern gives examples of "getting both sides" (p. 21) of a story...something easier said than done, and often at odds with our need to get news on right now. And, he takes on "loaded language" (p. 23) that is often the result of lazy writing, or reporting or both.

Finally, Kern's chapter on radio writing is far more expansive than my simplified "Basic Rules of Broadcast Writing," but serves the same purpose: To give you tips and hints to keep where you work...and to refer back to again and again.

New listening from the campaign trail

Political campaigns make for great news stories...even if there's not all that much news to report. Like it or not, it's "newsworthy" to hear what the Presidential contenders are doing, day-to-day, and sometimes it really makes a difference in the overall campaign. Remember Hillary's Clinton's otherwise unremarkable pre-primary event with about 16 New Hampshire voters?

This also give us a chance to hear how different reporters cover different candidates, all on the same day. It's a chance to listen for writing style, use of "tape," tone and fairness. NPR did what we call a "pinwheel" this morning - three stories from different reporters, back-to-back-to back. Don Gonyea, who normally covers the White House, was with the McCain campaign...or, perhaps the Sarah Palin campaign (with special guest John McCain).

Debbie Elliot, who has covered Washington, the Southeast, and been a show host, got the Obama assignment.

And, Greg Allen got in on the third candidate in the race. No, not Ralph Nader, but Obama surrogate and Palin antidote Hillary Clinton.

What works in these three stories? What doesn't? Do they paint a complete picture as individual segments...or only as a whole?

News when there's no news (or at least less than we thought)

For discussion: What happens when a reporter gets an assignment to cover a story that turns out to be...well, not really a story at all? Or, when the plot of the story has changed significantly? How does the reporter approach the reporting and writing process. There was a lot of this reporting everywhere after Hurricane Gustave hit Louisiana with less force than expected. Let's listen to this story about the "aftermath" of Gustave from this morning's Morning Edition by legal affairs reporter Ari Shapiro for some idea. Now, let's hear another story from the same show, by John Burnett - he was one of the stars of NPR's coverage of Katrina.

(image courtesy GISuser.com)

Pre- "Sound Reporting" - some basics...

This week, we're getting our books - a really informative text from NPR called "Sound Reporting." We'll be delving into some of the tips and hints in the form of actual "lessons" starting next week. But for now, I wanted to draw your attention to some of my old-school blog posts with tips and hints...

• The Basic Rules of Broadcast Writing are pretty simple and straightforward.
• Let's Get the Terminology Straight helps me talk to you in some "radio language" so we'll understand each other. I also give you some examples of what different kinds of stories sound like.
• The Geller Checklist is something handy to keep by your desk...or wherever you work.

Welcome to a new semester!!!

Today's class #1 for JRN 521B - otherwise known as "Writing for the Ear." We'll be handing out the syllabus, talking about the assignments, getting to know each other - and planning for a great semester.

As an example of the kind of stories we'll be producing, listen to this story by Harriet Jones from our series "This Economic Life" - looking at hard choices people are making in this tough economy.

Here's another one from the series about burials at sea from Diane Orson.

Just a few things to listen to...to give you an idea of what we'll be doing.

Where We Live wins national award

Where We Live, WNPR's daily news/talk show was honored with a national award by Public Radio News Directors Inc. (PRNDI) at the organization's annual conference in Washington DC. The PRNDI awards are the only national awards for public radio journalists - and one of the few national awards to feature categories for talk shows.

The first place award was given for a show produced in 2007 about the issue of gender identity. The program brought together a performance artist, who told stories about his misguided attempt to "cure" himself of his homosexuality, and a transgendered woman, who told stories of her lifelong desire to change herself from a man into a woman. The program was edgy and insightful, and presented to our audience the voices of people we often don't hear - both of them dealing with the issue of personal change and acceptance.

It also centered on pending legislation at the state capitol, providing stronger civil rights for gay and lesbian citizens, but excluding those in the transgendered community. The discussion prompted powerful listener calls....including one from a state lawmaker, who learned of this legal loophole by listening to our show.

This program, as with all of the episodes of Where We Live, was the result of the collaboration of supremely talented and curious journalists.

Congratulations to the team that works so hard each day on Where We Live - it's founding producers George Goodrich and Diane Orson, producer Melissa Blanksteen, senior producer Catie Talarski, all of our amazing interns, and the rest of the news staff which supports their efforts, and contributes to this success. Special thanks to Chion Wolf, who sold this difficult show idea to me (it wasn't easy) and made us all believe it could work. Finally, thank you to Kim Grehn for allowing us to tell these stories.

These people all prove - and the award validates - that a commitment to open minded, thoughtful journalism is our organization's greatest currency.
jd

NPR Election Map

The election map that's on our page from NPR is pretty cool...but we don't have as much stuff up there as I'd like. We haven't been doing very much reporting on the Presidential race in CT (there's not much going on) but I want to make sure we get up our WWL interviews with all the Congressional candidates...and the stuff about voter registration drives. I'm sending Michael Olson an email right now with a bunch of recent stuff. Pretty soon, he says, the map will reflect more on the House races.

Right now, he's talking about how much traffic got driven to KGOU in Oklahoma through the map when they featured a live stream of a Mike Bloomberg event.

Live from PRNDI conference in DC

Okay, so I haven't touched the blog since the middle of the Spring semester, but I decided to use it to report back on the PRNDI conference in Washington. I know that I will have at least one person watching it, Where We Live Producer Catie Talarski. I'm here in part because we're expected to pick up an award for "Best Call-in" talk show...the first national award for Where We Live.

Right now, Ken Rudin and Ron Elving from NPR are talking about the 2008 election. If anything interesting happens, I'll let you know...

Constructing the story

One of the biggest issues faced by reporters trying to write a news story completely from scratch, is..."How do I structure it so that it makes sense?" In a four-minute news story, it may seem like a lot of time - but you'll quickly run out - if you don't follow a very simple rule: Make the story about ONE THING! Now, obviously, every story is going to have multiple facets - different voices, different points of view...but essentially, you want to keep to the main point of the story.

The next thing is: What order do I put my elements in to make them work? Now, story structure is a very personal thing - and some reporters seem to have a knack for it. One rule that I think makes sense is...don't do it the same way every time. So here are some options for you (realizing that an earlier rule also still applies...Lead with the news. Give us a reason why we're telling this story now. Preferably in the host intro):

1. Chronological. The story unfolds as a narrative, told from the beginning...and ends at either the end, or with the newest possible information.

2. Lead with the personal. This could be the story of the guy who's fighting the system...the emotional tale of the wronged individual...the citizen who's voice isn't being heard. Following this, you fave to find a way to bring in the voices of others who can bolster this story...and balance it from the other side.

3. Lead with the facts. If you give a factual basis for a story up front, it can help to explain its importance. But this can also be a boring lead. If our goal is to invite people in to listen, you'll want to lead with something compelling - so if you go with the facts first, it'd better be pretty interesting.

Throughout the course of the storytelling, you have to balance some concerns....don't lose the listener, don't present too much information at once, don't "ping-pong" back and forth between sources or ideas, don't open up a "can of worms" that you can't pay off later in the story.

The best structure is one that you can read aloud to someone (a friend or editor) and not feel like you're doing any of these things.

The Final Project - May 2008

For our final project, we're really looking to tell a "newsy" news story. What defines a real piece of news? Well, one thing we're always looking for is...tension. Are there two (or more) sides to this story...and are they at odds? What are the main issues causing the tension?

Another way to tell a news story is to find a trend. Is something happening in your life, town, community or world, that's part of a larger trend? How is this trend really affecting people?

Within these types of stories, we want to hear some of the following things:

1. The voice of a "real person" - meant to illustrate a trend or idea
2. The voice of a "stakeholder" - an official person whose work affects us all
3. The voice of an "expert" - meant to uncover truths, point to trends, debunk myths

Not all stories will have all of these characters - but a rich mix of the three gives us different insights into the story. Here's a recent story by WNPR's Diane Orson that has a lot of tension...it's about Yale's battle for ancient artifacts with the government of Peru.

Before you start writing a story like this, take a look at a few of these ideas about how to get started, and construct a good story. One is from reporter Melanie Peeples. She talks about "story visioning."

Another is taken from a manifesto by reporter Nancy Updike. She has some unusual methods, but they might help you break through to get a good idea.

Writing the profile, questions for listening...and more

By next week, we want to have our scripts ready for our "profile piece." Here's another listening example that might help give you ideas. It's from the oldest and most common type of profile: The obit. British science fiction novelist Arthur C. Clarke died Tuesday in Sri Lanka, where he lived for more than 50 years. He was 90 years old. NPR's Neda Ulaby reports on his life and career.

As you're listening to this piece - apply this series of listening practices. It's meant not only for editors, but reporters who want to give a self-critical listen as well.

One of the things we want our profile to have is a "scene" - a part of the script where sound can help to tell the story. A place where you're "showing" and not telling. Here's some information on how to "set the scene" in a radio piece.

Lastly, I want to draw your attention to this "statement of ethics" for broadcast reporting. It's important to keep rules like this in mind, when you're doing any story - especially one about an individual. You should always be concerned that your reporting meets some basic guidelines, even when the story isn't thought to be "controversial."

"Profile" Example...

Here's a good example of a "profile" piece.

All Things Considered, December 11, 2007 · Yale University law student Isra Bhatty recently won a prestigious Rhodes scholarship.
When she's not hitting the books, Bhatty works as an English-Urdu translator for detainees at Guantanamo Bay. She's also a hip-hop artist and can be seen intercepting passes on a woman's football team — wearing her tye-dyed hijab.
Diane Orson of member station WNPR reports.

A story like this - about a person, or a group of people - includes a few key things:

1. A compelling story. It's not enough for someone just to be nice, or interesting. It's not enough for them to just be doing something "nice." We want to tell an important story that could affect a listener's life. Does someone have a unique experience? How is what they do "different?"

2. A good talker. Your key "stakeholder" in this story is the person you're profiling. What are they likely to talk about? What will they say? What would you like to GET them to say?

3. A thoughtful observer or "expert." A profile story falls apart if all we hear is the person we're profiling talking. We want someone from their life - or someone who knows their work - to give us an outsider's view.

4. A scene. Show this person at work, play or whatever they do. Show them in a setting that's not just a straight interview. The listener will take more away from you "showing" them than you "telling" them...

Write a focus statement for your piece that addresses these issues. Sell me on why it's a good story that listeners will care about. Tell me about the person you're profiling, and what they're likely to say, explain who else will be part of the story, and describe a scene you hope to capture.

In-class writing assignment...Rosa DeLauro Scripter

In class, we're going to be compiling a local newscast - 5 minutes - that will include a few different types of news writing: Wrap, Scripter, Reader. The Wrap is the 1:30 story you did for this week on Chris Shays and the steroid hearings. Yeah, I know, it's not really happening this week...but we'll let that pass.

The Scripter is based on an interview with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro about problems with the USDA and beef safety. Use this link to hear the audio of the interview, to pull soundbites.

The Readers will fill out the newscast, and will include some of the most recent stories on the wire.

The same rules apply for all of the stories: News on top/background and context/finish by moving the story forward.

For next week, click this link to hear an example of a "profile" story. It doesn't really have any of the "tension" that we're used to hearing in a news story - and it can even be light and "feature-y."

Remote Class on an icy night...Part 2

Hopefully, you're all having fun composing a VOX out of the best election soundbites from the class. Take until 7:30 to put that together...and submit your script as a comment to that blog posting. After that, you're free to go...This second assignment is for next week. It's a "wrap" or "spot" about the Roger Clemens steroid hearings on Capitol Hill today.

Below is the print version of an AP story about the proceedings. Here is a section of the questioning of Brian McNamee by Connecticut Congressman Christopher Shays.

Here's what I want you to do:

1. Write a 1:30 "wrap", using the copy below as the basis for the story, and the tape from the hearing as the soundbite. This story must include a "host introduction" or "host lead." The last line of this lead should be "WNPR's ___________ reports." This lead should include the NEWS of this story...what happened today that was important. Then, your copy should include more news, background, one soundbite (maximum :30) chosen from the tape provided and a close. Your close should move the story forward in some way...what's happening next?

2. You're writing it from the standpoint of a Connecticut radio reporter - for a Connecticut radio audience. So, you'll want to focus on Shays being part of the hearing, as well as Clemens connection to the two local baseball teams, the Yankees and Red Sox.

3. The script format should be like this:

Intro: Blah Blah Blah. WNPR's ________ reports:

Copy: Blah Blah Blah. Some words to identify the speaker in the soundbite.

Cut (Shays): Blah Blah Blah.

Copy: Blah Blah Blah. A fantastic close. For WNPR, I'm ___________.

Sound good?? Bring a hard copy next week...and a digital version to edit.

This story is from the Associated Press:

Under oath and sometimes blistering questioning, Roger Clemens stuck to his story Wednesday. So did his chief accuser and former personal trainer, Brian McNamee. And after a 4 1/2-hour hearing, Congress settled for a draw in the he-said, he-said between the two men over whether the seven-time Cy Young Award winner used performance-enhancing drugs.Ultimately, the matter may be referred to the Justice Department for a resolution -- and, possibly, criminal charges."I haven't reached any conclusions at this point," said California Democrat Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.But, as ranking Republican Tom Davis of Virginia, put it: "Both can't be telling the truth."

Clemens and McNamee, once employer and employee, and by all accounts once friends, sat at the same witness table and rarely, if ever, looked at the other.His reputation and legacy on the line, Clemens gestured toward McNamee with his right arm and said, "I have strong disagreements with what this man says about me."At times, Clemens struggled to find the right words as he was pressed by lawmakers about McNamee's allegations -- told to federal prosecutors and then baseball investigator George Mitchell -- that he injected the pitcher with steroids and human growth hormone from 1998 to 2001. Clemens also was asked about new accounts of drug use made against him by former teammate and pal Andy Pettitte.Using words like "misremembered" and even mispronouncing McNamee's name at one point, Clemens raised his voice toward the end to interrupt Waxman's closing remarks. Waxman pounded his gavel and said, "Excuse me, but this is not your time to argue with me."

It seemed clear nearly from the start that the committee would not treat Clemens with kid gloves, despite all the face-to-face sit-downs he did with representatives in recent days -- sometimes posing for photos or signing autographs for staff members.Later, the committee appeared split along party lines, with the Democrats reserving their most pointed queries for Clemens, and the Republicans giving McNamee a rougher time. Chris Shays, a Connecticut Republican, likened the hearing to a "Roman Circus" featuring gladiators."I have never taken steroids or HGH," Clemens said after rising with McNamee to swear to tell the truth. "No matter what we discuss here today, I am never going to have my name restored."

For many, his denials rang hollow."It's hard to believe you, sir," said Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat. "I hate to say that. You're one of my heroes. But it's hard to believe."McNamee's answers were generally quick and concise. His credibility also came under scrutiny."You're here under oath, and yet we have lie after lie after lie after lie," said Rep. Dan Burton, an Indiana Republican.When it was over, Clemens left the hearing room through a back door. Just before exiting, he paused to shake hands with Davis. Clemens later spoke briefly to reporters, saying: "I'm very thankful and very grateful for this day to come. I'm glad for the opportunity finally. And, you know, I hope I get -- and I know I will have -- the opportunity to come here to Washington again under different terms."Exactly two months after the Mitchell Report was released, Clemens and McNamee were separated by one seat in the same wood-paneled room where Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro saw their careers tarnished during a hearing in March 2005. In a reference to McGwire's evasions that day, Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., admonished Wednesday's witnesses by saying: "It's better not to talk about the past than to lie about the past."

Clemens briefly stared at McNamee, his former employee, during his accuser's opening statement, in which the trainer said he injected Clemens more times than he previously had said.Members of Congress questioned the credibility of both.Waxman -- who opened the proceedings by saying he thought this would be the last hearing his committee holds on baseball -- pointed out inconsistencies in Clemens' comments. Waxman also accused Clemens of possibly attempting to influence statements to the committee by the pitcher's former nanny.Burton repeatedly read remarks McNamee had made, and each time the former trainer was forced to admit they were untrue."This is really disgusting. You're here as a sworn witness. You're here to tell the truth," he said. "I don't know what to believe. I know one thing I don't believe and that's you."Cummings set the tone within minutes of the start, repeatedly reminding Clemens he was under oath and admonishing the pitcher to "keep your voice up."

McNamee was asked to pull his microphone closer.Debbie Clemens, the pitcher's wife, sat behind her husband and listened as Waxman implicated her in HGH use, citing statements by Pettitte. Later, Clemens read a statement from his wife and said she "has been broken up over this."IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky, a key member of the federal prosecution team against Barry Bonds, watched from a second-row seat. Asked why he was there, Novitzky declined comment.Bonds, baseball's home run king, was indicted in November on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice stemming from his 2003 testimony to a grand jury in which he denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. Because of his denials under oath, Clemens could be subjected to a similar criminal probe. McNamee also could be referred to the Justice Department.

Pettitte, who was excused from testifying, said in a statement to the committee that Clemens admitted to him as long as 10 years ago that he used HGH. Waxman read from affidavits by Pettitte and Pettitte's wife, Laura, supporting the accusations."Andy Pettitte is my friend. He was my friend before this. He will be my friend after this and again. I think Andy has misheard," Clemens said. "I think he misremembers."McNamee told Mitchell that he injected Clemens 16 to 21 times with steroids and human growth hormone from 1998-01, and that Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch used HGH. In his opening statement, McNamee said he might have injected Clemens and Knoblauch more than that."I have helped taint our national pastime," McNamee said. "Make no mistake: When I told Sen. Mitchell that I injected Roger Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs, I told the truth."Waxman said McNamee, a former New York City police officer, lied to police seven years ago during an investigation of a possible rape. He also was tough on Clemens."We have found conflicts and inconsistencies in Mr. Clemens' account.

During his deposition, he made statements that we know are untrue," Waxman said.In the affidavit, Pettitte said Clemens backtracked when the subject of HGH came up again in conversation in 2005, before the same House committee held the first hearing on steroids in baseball.Pettitte said in the affidavit that he asked Clemens in 2005 what he would do if asked about performance-enhancing substances. Pettitte said Clemens responded by saying Pettitte misunderstood the previous exchange in 1999 or 2000 and that, in fact, Clemens had been talking about HGH use by his wife in the original conversation.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Remote Class on an icy night...

Well, I never got both of our cars out of the driveway today. Serves me right for living in Winsted. But, at least we can all gather here around the warm computer screen for a while. I'm actually glad this worked out...because, as Gina mentioned, this is all turning to ice again soon.

I know some of you are going to be logging in a bit after 6:30. Please post a comment to this entry whenever you're around - so that I know we're all here. I'll give a brief outline of what we're doing first:

I'm posting the transcripts of the VOX interviews you guys did this past week. They'll be posted in their entirety. Now, I'm usually not one to do "fake" stories - those not grounded in reality. But, we'll make an exception. Treat these interviews as though they were done last Tuesday, as Connecticut voted in the primary. Clearly, not all of your interviewees voted...

Find 5 pertinent soundbites that you can shape into a VOX - running 1:00. Now, I know we don't have the timers that we do on the AP/ENPS system, but you can read the bites aloud to get an idea. So, what do we want in this VOX? Well, a variety of voices, opinions and ideas. We want it to be as balanced as possible (Not all pro-Ron Paul voters) and we want interesting responses. Once you have a script, post it in a "comment" to this blog post. Listen back to this VOX by Catie Talarski to get an idea of what we mean.

Please take about 30 minutes to do this...I'll post another assignment in a bit. Any questions? Post a comment, or email me at jkdankosky@quinnipiac.edu.

Transcripts are coming in one minute....

VOX Transcriptions

Broadcast Journalism Student, who supports Ron Paul but didn’t register to vote.
Didn’t get his name on tape.
:10
Gina: Did you vote in the primary?
Journalism student: I’m actually not registered yet to vote. :15
Gina: Tell me about that.
Journalism student: :20 I’m just, I’m here usually so when I’m home, I’m working and I usually don’t have time to do that. :26
Gina: Are you registered to vote back home?
Journalism student: :28 Yes, I, I didn’t go home to vote, but if I did, I would have voted for Ron Paul. :31
Gina: Why is that?
Journalism student: :36
I just like what he has to say … all his ideas, he like, knows what he’s talking about. He doesn’t seem to just say it to make people like him. :42 He is just doing it because he knows, he thinks it’s right.”:45
:45
Gina: What year are you?
Journalism student: A sophomore.
Gina: And have you voted in past elections?
Journalism student: Not presidential, obviously, but in other ones.
Gina: What are you going to do in November?
Journalism student: Ah… I’m going to go home and vote, definitely, if I’m not, we’re probably not on break so I’ll go home and vote.1:02 I’m not sure who yet because Ron Paul won’t be around at that time. 1:06
Gina: Are you going to vote for McCain? 1:08
Journalism student: [[Ah…, maybe, I’ve got to see who he is running against. I’d vote for Obama over him, but not Clinton. I don’t like Clinton. 1:06]]
Gina: That’s kind of interesting, ideologically… so Obama or Ron Paul?
Journalism student: Yeah, those are my two.
Gina: Why those two sort of anti-establishment candidates?
Journalism student: [[1:26 I just sort of like what they have to say. They seem to know what they’re talking about. I like what their policies are on certain things. 1:34]]


Track 5: with Nicole, a Junior studying Occupational Therapy who voted for Hilary Clinton
Gina: So did you vote in the primary?
Nicole: Yes.
Gina: Do you mind if I ask, who did you vote for?
Nicole: :21 I voted for Hilary Clinton. :23
Gina: And why is that?
Nicole: :25 [[I just, I don’t know, (laugh) I liked what she stood for and I just felt like she was the most qualified.]] :32
Gina: Have you voted much in past elections?
Nicole: I didn’t vote because I wasn’t 18.
Gina: How did it feel voting in this election?
Nicole: Umn… it felt pretty good.
Gina: How did you feel about the outcome?
Nicole: :46 I don’t care, really. :50
Gina: Where are you from?
Nicole: I’m from Massachusetts. :54

Track 6: Dan Mackey, a freshman studying accounting
Gina: Did you vote in the Primary?
Dan: No I didn’t actually.
Gina: Why not?
Dan: :18 I didn’t really have enough time to get registered… just turned 18. :22
Gina: if you had… who do you think you might have voted for?
Dan: Probably McCain.
Gina: Why is that?
Dan: :31 ah… Republican reasons… laugh.:32
Gina: Like what sort of reasons are important? There are a lot of Republican candidates?
Dan: :37 [[Uh, I don’t know, mainly about the war I guess. I don’t agree with Obama, and especially not Hillary about their issues on the war. So, that’s basically….]] :46
Gina: How do you feel about Hillary?
Dan: :48 [[I don’t really know, I don’t, personally I don’t like her, mainly because of Bill Clinton and I know that he’s going to have a lot of influence on her so that’s basically how I feel about it.]] 1:00
Gina: How do you feel about McCain doing well now?
Dan: 1:03 [[I’m very happy actually. I’m happy that Hillary’s not ahead anyway. So hopefully it works out for the best. I guess…]] 1:11
Gina: So do you think you’ll be registered by November?
Dan: Yeah, definitely, when I go home, I’m going to. 1:17
Gina: Are you going to vote here?
Dan: I think I’m going to vote at home.
Gina: Where is that?
Dan: Long Island.




1. What is your name and where do or did you work?
My name is Barbara Sendroff and I worked at the law firm of Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. as a legal secretary.

2. Did you vote in the primary?
Yes.

3. Who did you vote for?
I voted for Barack Obama.

4. Why did you vote for Barack Obama?
I voted for Barack Obama because he is intelligent, enthusiastic and has a quiet strength about him. To me he represents hope and a new beginning for us. He is inclusive of all races, religions, ages, classes and ethnicities, bringing us together so that we can all work toward uniting our country together and moving our country forward to achieve healthcare, ending the war in Iraq, erasing poverty and becoming a positive role not only for ourselves, but for the world. I believe he is the best candidate to achieve these goals.

5. What is different in the primary this year in comparison with other years?
Two firsts – a woman running for President and an African American man running for President.

6. What is the surprise of 2008 Primary Presidential Election?
That so many people have become involved and got out to vote.

The second interview

1. What is your name and where do or did you work?
My name is Marc Allen and I worked for the Town of Hamden as the Bach Tax Collector.

2. Did you vote in the primary?
Yes, I voted.

3. Who did you vote for?
I voted for Barack Obama

4. Why did you vote for Barack Obama?
I voted for Obama because he has ignited a vision of hope and promise that has not existed for so long, and with his inclusiveness, and personality, may be able to translate those attributes into the change we so desperately need. Billary is old school, had their chance, and come with too much baggage.

5. What is different in the primary this year in comparison with other years?
That a woman and a black man are the candidates for the presidency. As a septuagenarian white male, I never in my life time imagined that this could occur.

6. What is the surprise of 2008 Primary Presidential Election?
The excitement, the enthusiasm, young people being brought into the process, the anticipation of how the remaining states will vote and decide the contest. Some of my cynicism is waning.




#1: Rick Coppola (GRAD)
MG: Did you vote in the Primary?
RC: I did not.
MG: Why not?
RC: I just got caught up in the day, I was intending on voting, but I didn’t have time, coming to work and school.
MG: If you had time, who would you have voted for?
RC: I don’t know. I don’t really identify with any political party, but I’m still undecided, still feeling my way out.
MG: Is there anybody you like in particular?
RC: I think I’m leaning more toward McCain at this point, but I still want to listen to some of the debates. We’ll see.
MG: Do you get the feeling that this year’s election is any more important than the last? Is there anything that makes it different to you?
RC: Well, I think your Democratic candidates, you know, one being a woman, the other being a black man, I think that’s particular of interest to the American people. And on the other side, you have a war veteran. There’s a lot of interesting personalities in the mix, and it’s starting to get heated now.

#2: Brittany Roy ’08
MG: Did you vote in the Primary?
BR: I did not.
MG: Why not?
BR: I’m out-of-state, and I didn’t register.
MG: If you could have voted, who would you have voted for?
BR: Oh man, I haven’t done my homework that well, but probably, right now, probably Hillary.
MG: Why?
BR: I like the idea of the medical [?]. I don’t know enough about the other candidates. I only know the most about her, and I think the media has definitely helped with that.
MG: Do you feel there’s anything different about this year’s election?
BR: I think it’s going to be the biggest election yet. It’s obviously the most important. We have a black president, we have a war veteran and a woman. I don’t think it gets any more controversial than that.


Joyce Chase, Meriden
Cory Peck: Who did you vote for?
JC: John McCain.
CP: I’m going to ask you why, but feel free not to answer.
JC: It’s more or less a gut reaction, uh, I agree with his politics, um. He is a war hero. I’m very conservative, he is conservative, although that is somewhat questionable. That’s probably about it.
CP: This year it kinda seems like there is more enthusiasm with this election, have you noticed anything different for yourself with this year’s presidential primary?
JC: It’s way too long. There’s too much fuss now where most of the emphasis really should be closer to November instead of now. But I suppose for those that are going to vote in the primary elections or head towards the conventions to decide who the delegate will be, I suppose that now is also an important time, but it’s very long and very tedious.

George Alexopoulos, Wallingford:
Cory Peck: So who did you vote for on Tuesday?
GA: Hillary
CP: Why?
GA: I like her. I’m a democrat and I just like her policy on healthcare and that whole thing.
CP: What feels different this year? Do you think the primary and the hype is different this year?
GA: I don’t know. People are very unhappy with what’s going on and the administration. It seems like people want change and that’s what it really feels like. I don’t think McCain is the answer or Huckabee. I don’t know it just seems like Hillary or Obama I think people would just like to see a change and why not just take a chance and see what happens? What do you have to lose? Look at what Bush did.



Interviewee 1: Greg Muccilli, Law school student
Did you vote in the primary?
Yes I did.
Who did you vote for and why?
I voted for John McCain. I voted for John McCain because I supported him back in 2000 and I think he’s probably one of the more honorable individuals running for president.
Have you voted in previous elections?
Yes.


Interviewee 2: Jonathon Kalsh, QU Campus Priest
Did you vote in the primary?
I did.
Who did you vote for and why?
I voted for, in the Republican primary, for John McCain. And um, I voted for him primarilyboth because of his pro life stance but also I think he’s the strongest candidate on the war on terror that we’re involved in right now, and I think he will continue to lead us to defend our nation and to protect us against radical Islam.
Did you vote in the last primary?
I believe so.

NPR v. The New York Times

NPR has been called (right or wrong) the "New York Times" of the radio...for many reasons, including the depth of the coverage, and the quality of the writing. For a sense of how two journalistic organizations - with very similar styles and missions - approach things from a print and broadcast point of view, here are some examples. They use a sad current story - the death of movie star Heath Ledger.

The Times' A.O. Scott writes about Ledger's career in today's paper. Scott is one of their film critics, and he takes it from a critic's point of view. The paper also ran several same-day news stories, including this one by James Barron.

NPR's online package includes two stories. One is by Kim Masters, who is "reporting" on the death - the other is by film critic Bob Mondello.

So, in reading (and listening) - what do you hear that's different? Can you tell the "broadcast" approach versus the "print" approach? Do you see the way they're using language differently?

Leave a comment for us to discuss...

Basic rules, terminology...

One of the great mysteries of entering any new world is the terminology. In a broadcast newsroom, you can quickly be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of strange terms. I've made a list of some of the ones we'll be using most in class for you to refer to.

I've also outlined some basic rules for broadcast writing. It's not a complete list, and I'm sure we'll amend it throughout the semester. But, it's a good start.

Spots, Features...

Here are some examples of the types of reporting we'll be doing this year...from the most basic, to the most complex. These stories are all centered around the basic broadcast writing rules of brief, but descriptive. The first piece is what we call a "spot." It's a short news story, with a lead paragraph written for the host, or "anchor" to read. It contains short "sound bites" or "actualities" within it. Heres' the script - click on the link to hear the story.

The State Legislature has gathered for a special session to enact criminal justice reform.
WNPR's Lucy Nalpathanchil reports.

State Legislature debates criminal justice reform spurred by Cheshire home invasion
The State Legislature has gathered for a special session to enact criminal justice reform.
Speaking on WNPR's Where We Live program, House Speaker James Amann says the Democratic majority and Governor Jodi Rell have reached a consensus on most issues in the reform proposal. Two sticking points remain, including disagreement between the Democrats and Republicans over a so-called, 3 strikes law that would send repeat violent offenders to prison for life. Amann says the problem with a 3 strikes law is that it would take away judicial discretion. But House Minority leader, Larry Cafero says the Republicans disagree with the need for flexibility when sentencing repeat violent offenders. He says the Governor has an idea that may help the Legislature reach a compromise.

Cafero: "That after 30 years that sentence should be reviewed, that is a compromise, a hybrid if you will as I've called it. And I think our caucus would certainly be willing to go along with that as well."

The special session was prompted by the deadly home invasion this past summer in Cheshire that killed 3 members of the Petit family. Two men have been charged with the crimes.
House Speaker Amann says the reform package includes investing money to improve technology and info-sharing between law enforcement agencies. Amann says this kind of investment could have prevented the Cheshire tragedy.

Amann: "The problem wasn't 3-strikes. The problem was information sharing, lack of sharing important data and information to Parole that probably would have kept these 2 individuals in jail."

The legislators are also trying to reach a compromise on how to label certain crimes so they fall under the definition of a violent offense. If the reform package is approved, the state could be spending up to an additional $25 million dollars in the next 2 years. For WNPR News, I'm Lucy Nalpathanchil.

You see the way Lucy wrote into those soundbites, making the story flow from her voice into that of the speaker. The whole piece is very short, only about two minutes, but still much longer than much of what you'll hear on commercial radio.

****************************************************

Now, here's a story that's different, and one that uses natural sound, or "ambience" to really put you IN a place. The reporter sets "scenes" that introduce you to the different speakers, and actively describe the place where they're talking. It's called "Many British Muslim Women Embrace Political Islam" by National Public Radio's Sylvia Poggioli. Go to this link to hear the story, and read along with the script they've provided. For the web, it's in "print form." Listen for the ways in which the broadcast version is different.

Welcome!

It's a new semester of JRN 521 "Writing for the Ear" - and I want to welcome you with an introductory blog post here on listeninglab.org.

We're primarily a broadcast news writing course - with audio production included. Here's a short handout to get you started writing "short and tight" - the way you'll need to for Radio & TV. Radio coach Valerie Geller contributed this very handy checklist of things to ask yourself:
How does this story affect my listener?

• How can I describe things more visually?
• How can I make someone care about this?
• How is it that I'm putting this story on air?
• How can the presented problems be solved? What are the solutions?
• How did this happen? How could it have been prevented?
• How else can I tell this story?
• How would I tell it to a friend?
• How can I make it better?
• How would I tell it if my life depended on NOT losing a listener?