Thanks for understanding our cancelled class tonight. I've not been well, and when I heard that we had yet another sickness tonight (a confirmed H1N1) I thought it best that we keep our collective distance.
A few things you should know:
1. We've gotten quite a bit further, faster in this class than I have in the past, and I owe that to your very good work and attention. Thank you.
2. The profiles were - on the whole - very well done and interesting. I appreciate your work on them.
3. Next week, we'll listen to the profiles in class, and critique. Get ready to hear these stories up against some other, national profile pieces...
4. Here's what I'd like you to do for next week: We're going to do another story, on a tighter deadline...due the week after the Thanksgiving break (Dec 1). I need you to send me a story pitch, no longer than a paragraph, proposing a news feature. This story should contain at least three interviews, with appropriate "stakeholders." It should be balanced, and most importantly be compelling.
This news story needs to be about something important happening in your community...the fallout from a recent municipal election, the decision to build a new road or shopping center, the impact of the economy, a trend that's happening in your town, and maybe across the nation, etc. This story needs some "tension" - with people in some disagreement over an outcome. This isn't our final project, but you can get a sense of what I'm looking for in this blog post: http://listeninglab.blogspot.com/2009/03/final-project-spring-2009.html
I'm NOT looking for it to be as big as 4:30, though. A nice, 3:30 story will suffice.
So, what should be in this "pitch?" Well, tell me what the story is...where you first found out about it...who are the "stakeholders?" Who has to gain and lose? How would you tell this story? How would it be structured? Think of this paragraph as the basis for a "Host Lead" for the story itself.
Any questions, write or call. I'll see you next week. I hope to be feeling better, and I hope you all stay healthy, too..
