Journalism:What is it and how

do we grade it

Intervention #1Leo Gervais

Department of Journalism

What Journalism isn’t…

It is not creative writing for a novel, such as…

“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.”

– Paul Clifford, Edward Bulwer-Lytton

What Journalism isn’t…

If that is Journalism, it is for the dogs…

What Journalism isn’t…And it is not poetry…

“To keep your marriage brimming

With love in the loving cup,

Whenever you’re wrong, admit it;

Whenever you’re right, shut up.”

– A Word to Husbands, Ogden Nash

What Journalism isIt is the work of collecting, writing and reporting news items in the press or on television or radio. (Canadian Oxford Dictionary of the Canadian Press)

This was the definition from about 1950 to the recent past. But is there anything missing from this definition?

Yes. The Internet – the convergence of all media.

Journalism: The first draft of history

This term was originally coined by Phil Graham, a former Editor of The Washington Post.

The reason is that journalists – in the performance of their duties – often record important events, producing news articles on short deadlines.

Because of these extreme time constraints, journalism is sometimes called “the daily miracle.”

The first draft of historyBecause of the immediate nature of news (especially hard news aka current events), the depth and types of stories we tell are very different from what a history book will offer a reader.

Journalists are often on the front lines of history. And the view we provide is colourful, instant and invaluable – we live the history that is made.

Here are a some examples of great journalism…

The first draft of history

The shooting at Dawson College

The first draft of history

“When Rev. Waclaw Sokolowski looked out over his church full of mourners yesterday morning, his heart ached not only for the dead but also for the living.

In a casket before him, wrapped in a white Dawson College flag, lay the body of 18-year-old student Anastasia De Sousa, shot dead last Wednesday on campus by a man she didn’t even know.” (The Gazette)

The first draft of history

9/11

The first draft of history“They were like scenes from a catastrophe movie. Or a Tom Clancy novel. Or a CNN broadcast from a distant foreign nation.

But they were real yesterday. And they were very much in the U.S. James Cutler, a 31-year-old insurance broker, was in the Akbar restaurant on the ground floor of the World Trade Center when he heard “boom, boom, boom,” he recalls.

The first draft of history“In seconds, the kitchen doors blew open, smoke and ash poured into the restaurant and the ceiling collapsed. Mr. Cutler didn’t know what had happened yet, but he found himself standing among bodies strewn across the floor.

“It was mayhem,” he says.” (Wall Street Journal)

The first draft of history

Usain Bolt’s 100M Gold Medal sprint at the Olympics

The first draft of history“Usain ‘Lightning’ Bolt, a 21-year-old Jamaican, took the Olympic 100 meter final by storm today in Beijing. After a relatively poor start and easing up in the last 20 meters to pound his chest and gaze about, Bolt crossed the line in just 9.69 seconds with his left shoelaces coming loose.”

(Elite Feet for Runners, on the Web)

How do we grade?

In the Department of Journalism, we need to

remember we grade on COMPETENCY. An A

should be reserved for people who exceed what we

would expect at any given level of experience.

And we should all agree upon this point!

How do we grade?

The grading policy gives us an overview, some

parameters. Grading is subjective. But by

identifying excellence, we can know what we are

looking for when we grade students work.

So what do we look for when grading?

• Clear, concise writing

• Proper spelling

• Have all deadlines been met?

• Does the story flow well?

• Does the story have the proper structure e.g. inverted pyramid, feature style, editorial with a point of view and so on.

Q & A