4/5/17 Class

Happy Friday!

We started off class with our quiz on the Skimm. We discussed whether or not we liked reading the Skimm rather than the Post. Overall, the class agreed that it is a good publication, but seems to try too hard, at times, to be too hip with millennials. It is extremely conversational. 

We talked about our homework assignment from last week, rewriting print leads as broadcast. Familiarity with the stories seemed to help, but some were still hard. When writing broadcast leads, is is important to remember to establish a time element. Be sure to meet tense requirements. If a lead is in past tense, it is no good. 

Be appropriate with tone. Professor Piacente said, “If it is appropriate to smile, smile. If it is a funeral, we won’t, even if it is a bear’s funeral”

Be sure that leads are complete sentences. Do not write "22-year-old woman..." Instead write, "A 22-year-old woman."

We began our writing assignment for the night. This was our broadcast story that we had to turn in by the end of class.


We read the story, then we each went around and said our opinion of the woman in the story. We got our opinions out so we wouldn't incorporate them later. 

on a big, long fact sheet like this. this is tangled up, tightly drawn knot. untangle it. it might seem intimidating. Untangle it. 

• write the 5 W’s
• refer to her as full name for first reference, then just last name in all subsequent references

After our break, there was a new development in the story, and we had to adjust the lead.




There was a third and final development that we had to adjust the story for. 


Professor Piacente gave us some tips on how to approach the final exam. For the final, we will be writing one press release and one broadcast story, just like we have been doing in class. We will be given fact sheets and the entire two and a half hours to work on it. We may not need that much time, but we will be given the opportunity. Make sure broadcast is in present tense. Do not show your opinion in a broadcast story.


Have a great weekend,  everybody!

Oakey Daskas