MUSC 364 (Music Journalism)
TERM: Summer 2023
MEETING PLACE AND TIMES: KMB 3029. 1-2:15 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Friday.
INSTRUCTOR: Andy Bechtel
EMAIL: abechtel@email.unc.edu
WEBSITE: editdesk.wordpress.com
TWITTER: @andybechtel
COURSE SITE: tarheels.live/uncjazz2021/
OVERVIEW: Welcome to the journalism component of MUSC 364! This week, you will learn the basics of digital journalism. You’ll write posts about the people and performances of the 2023 UNC Summer Jazz Workshop. You’ll use news judgment, link and tweet, and you’ll write headlines and captions. I hope that you’ll have fun.
HONOR CODE: All students will conduct themselves within the guidelines of the university’s honor system (http://honor.unc.edu). All academic work should be done with the high levels of honesty and integrity that the university demands. You are expected to produce your own work in this class.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: UNC-Chapel Hill is committed to providing a welcoming environment for all members of our community. The university does not discriminate in offering access to its educational programs and activities on the basis of age, gender, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
ACCESSIBILITY: If you have any disability or other situation that might make it difficult to meet the requirements of this component of the workshop, please discuss it with me as soon as possible. You should also contact the Department of Accessibility Resources & Service (AR&S) at 919-962-8300 or accessibility@unc.edu.
ATTENDANCE AND ETIQUETTE: Be courteous. Be ready to participate in class discussions. Stay focused. We’ve only got a week together, so let’s make the most of it.
OUR SCHEDULE
Monday, June 26
Topics: Understanding news values and getting started with reporting and writing.
Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QmtvOKV1aCTU5vmltBUZLPvzn9_1v7TOZM1cmcsxoGA/edit?usp=sharing
Exercise: Post a review of a performance to Jazz Notes, our course site. Deadline is Tuesday at noon.
Tuesday, June 27
Topics: Interviewing and storytelling.
Exercise: Interview a workshop participant and post a profile about them. Deadline is Thursday at 5 p.m.
Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Px-kUhfohHEzTZomQgX0SXGxzWH_emvQMWUvkoYWil8/edit?usp=sharing
Wednesday, June 28
Topic: Writing headlines, captions and alt text.
Exercise: Write headlines and captions. Deadline is Thursday at 5 p.m.
Thursday, June 29
Topic: Writing for social media.
Exercise: Use Twitter or Instagram to document a workshop performance in real time.
Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15DEvfcI_TpN1xpbSUL_wnp_9GOTMrwLXBN0sbC24C78/edit?usp=sharing
Friday, June 30
Topic: Curating the news.
In-class exercise: Write a post to recap the week.