Happy Friday!

We started off class talking about our morning Skimm quiz, specifically talking about a question from an article Professor Piacente had us read called; “The Hatemongers Call for Unity, And Why I Cannot.”

Professor Piacente then handed us out a broadcast story prompt, from which we had to write a catchy broadcast lead and another more formal lead. The prompt was about the driver of a stolen bulldozer who crushed 20 new cars behind a car dealership. For homework we have to choose one of the leads we wrote, write a broadcast story with it, and bring it in for class on Wednesday for peer review.

After we were done with the broadcast prompt, Professor Piacente gave us a separate PR prompt. He told us that we were to write as the head of PR for a zoo (the name of which we were to make up) and write a press release headline and a lead based upon the prompt. The prompt was about a new gorilla born at the zoo for the first time in 10 years. After we were all finished writing, Professor Piacente said that we were to finish this press release as homework and bring in a hard copy into class for peer review. After that we went to break

When we came back from break we talked more about the article we had to read for homework. First, we went around the room discussing what the positives were about it. Many found the short punchy sentences were really effective of delivering a powerful message. Others thought that the details of his family’s life were really good ways of backing up his statements. We also discussed the negatives of the article. Some found some of the techniques the writer used such as repitition were too cliché while others felt like it could’ve been shorter in order to be more powerful. Overall the class really liked the article.

Next, Professor Piacente left the room and came back with the actual author of the article, Jeffery Blount. Blount than told us that he and Professor Piacente have known each other for a long time. Blount also told us about his history in journalism as a director of Meet the Press and the Nightly News. After teeling us about his life, Blount opened up for questions.

When asked about covering Trump, he saw that people never realized that he could’ve won and never took his campaign seriously until it was too late.

When asked about his intro in the paper, Blount said, “The intro came from being able to pull on heart string and showing people when you wake up intellectually and realize how things effect you.”

After being asked about his objective when he writes pieces like this, Blount says his goal is to make a difference.

Blount also talked about his upcoming book called “Crabs in a Bushel Basket,” exploring multidimensional issues in African American social justice movements