Download The History of American Journalism Project

A way to learn about those who have
shaped the profession over the past 200
years or so

1990’s to Today

Tom Brokaw
Connie Chung
Barbara Walters
Peter Jennings
Geraldo Rivera
Peter Arnett
Ira Glass
Katie Couric
Arthur Kent
Bernard Shaw
Brian Williams
Jessica Savitch
Oprah WInfrey
Rush Limbaugh
Diane Sawyer
Ed Bradley
Bill O’Reilly
Rachel Maddow
Courtesy of cbc.ca
Pre-1990’s
Ben Franklin
Horace Greeley
Matthew Brady
Ida Tarbell
William Hearst & Joseph Pulitzer
Nellie Bly
Peggy Hull
Edward R. Murrow
Dorothea Lange
Margaret Bourke-White &
Marguerite Higgins
Walter Kronkite
Woodward and Bernstein
Red Smith
H.L. Mencken
Daniel Shorr
Ida B. Wells Barnett
Thomas Nast
Pauline Kael
Assignment: To learn about the history of American Journalism and to teach your
fellow classmates something about particular journalists’ coverage/significant
contributions to the discipline, you will work in teams of two or three and produce a 23 minute talk show interview. One member of the group will play a
contemporary/modern journalist, while the other member(s) will play a journalist(s)
who made a significant contribution to the field.
Your
video should include:
 An
introduction of you and your guest
 Two or more open-ended questions that
 Your guest(s) will answer with facts
about their
Contributions to the field
 Some insight into historical context
 a term often used in this discipline

*Somewhere, that is, where you can film and not disturb other students
in this or another building
WHEN:
Your introduction
How:
 Open-Ended


vs. Close Ended Questions:
DO THIS: What would you say was your biggest
contribution to the field of journalism and why?
NOT THIS: Would you say you have made a big
contribution to the field?
AUDIO/Visual Clip
How: By Including
Facts
•“The Jungle” published in 1906
•Sinclair published more than 90 books in
his lifetime
•Died in 1968.
The History of American
Journalism Project
Use and define a
journalistic term
 How
long should it be? Approximately 3-5 min
 What should I wear to film?

You and your partner should look as much like
your subjects as possible. At the very least, you
should be dressed in your best clothes.
 Do
I need to memorize my script?
As you noticed from the clips included
here, “Julie Chen” spent too much time
looking down, and Sinclair too much time
looking directly in the camera. Know your
lines and where you should be looking.
 Work
as a team with your partner(s). Share
the work load evenly. Negotiate and
compromise when you have to.
 Work with another team when it comes time
to film so that you can get some shots with
both interviewer and interviewees in the
same frame.
 Your
script should include some original
material and you should paraphrase your
information so that your audience
understands better. You will not have as
much trouble reading your lines if you are
using language with which you are familiar.
 Be sure to cite your sources appropriately on
your script (See my Useful links: Purdue OWL
website link for how to cite sources
internally and externally).
 Proofread your script.
 to
learn about the role of the journalist
within a specific historical context;
 to learn about specific contributions of
specific journalists;
 to begin to understand various interviewing
protocols
 to develop oral and visual presentation skills
and research skills;
 to develop collaborative skills.