Class with Jim Sheeler

We will be skyping Jim Sheeler, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer of Final Salute, into class on Wednesday. Read the story and come up with questions you would like to ask Jim. It would also be a good chance to ask a reporter how to go about doing a large project, since that is what you all are working on now.

For their own good series

Read Part 1 and Part 2 of the St. Petersburg Times' "For their own good" series and analyze them in a 750-word paper as to their investigative news quality. Is this investigative journalism? Look for the places the reporters gathered this information. What sources do they come from? Are there public records? What kind? Why do you think the reporters started looking into this story? And finally, what do you think of these stories? Do you like them? Why or why not? Is this the type of journalism newspapers and news websites should be spending money on in today's media landscape?

Readings for next week

Next week, we're going to read parts of the New York Times series on the hazardous use of cell phones, computers and other devices while driving.

Read "Dismissing the Risks of a Deadly Habit" and "U.S. Withheld Data on Risks of Distracted Driving,"and write at least a 500-word reflection paper that examines what types of public records the reporter used in order to compile these stories.

Use the handout I gave you in class from the Ohio Sunshine Law as well as the information found on the GSA Office of Citizen Service and Communications Federal Citizen Information Center's website regarding what is available as a public record under the Freedom of Information Act.

This paper is due via e-mail on Friday, Oct. 15 by 10 a.m.

Reading for Wednesday

Read The Deadly Choices at Memorial for Wednesday's class.

Breaking News Pulitzer winner

The Seattle Times won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for its comprehensive coverage of the shooting deaths of four police officers in a coffee house and the subsequent 40-hour manhunt. Read the four Nov. 30 dated stories.

A zoo story

Here is Zoo Story: Life. Death. The Paradox of Freedom, from Tom French of the St. Petersburg Times.

Read at least the first two chapters before class on Tuesday. You could make my day, though, by reading the entire thing. It's worth it.

The Budget is big news

First in the New York Times, now the L.A. Times, the Budget in Sugarcreek is popular around the country. Why do you think so many people are so fascinated with this story? Is it because it's about Amish, or is there more to it?