OK, go ahead and call it a comeback.

Hello, and welcome to the beta version (read: rough draft) of The College Journalism Newsletter. File this under: Making teaching easier.

You’re reading the very first issue of a new newsletter about college journalism education, designed for professionals training the next generation.

I’m Barbara Allen, a 25-year veteran of all things student media and journalism education. I have served as a local reporter and editor at my hometown newspaper, the Tulsa (Oklahoma) World; as adviser, adjunct and director of student media at Oklahoma State University; and most recently as the director of college programming for the Poynter Institute.

I love student journalists and those who lead, teach and mentor them, and I’m committed to making those jobs easier than ever with this newsletter and my resource hub, collegejournalism.org.

I welcome your feedback at [email protected]. 

Now, on with this week’s news and lesson ideas!

Talk about this

No. 1: Trump bars AP reporters from the White House.

Questions:

• Why is it significant that the White House isn’t letting AP reporters into the room?

• Should the president — or any elected leader — have a say in who covers them when they talk? 

Some background: 

• White House bars AP reporter from Oval Office because of AP style policy on ‘Gulf of America’ (AP)

• AP reporter and photographer barred from Air Force One over ‘Gulf of Mexico’ terminology dispute (AP)

• Viewpoint discrimination (Free Speech Center, Middle Tennessee State University) 

• The relationship between the White House and its press corps is time-tested — and can be contentious (LA Times)

• This isn’t just happening nationally. In Oklahoma, a similar story unfolded over the last few months.

No. 2 Gulf of Mexico vs. Gulf of America

Questions:

• Which is correct: Gulf of Mexico or Gulf of America? How should a news organization come to that conclusion?

• How should the AP and other news organizations that have also become part of the story cover this controversial change? 

• What ethical considerations and potential biases should journalists keep in mind?

Context:

This isn’t the first time there’s been conflict over what to call a place.

• What's in a Name? The Geopolitics of Renaming Landmarks (American University)

• What’s in a name? The biggest disputes of naming territories across the world (Geographical)

• The biggest international naming disputes in history (The Week)

No. 3: Paper or plastic? Trump moves to get rid of paper straws in federal spaces

Questions:

• This one is less about Trump and more about questioning our own knee-jerk reactions. So let’s get a little deeper. Which is actually worse for the environment: creating more plastic or cutting down trees? 

• Where do your students go to research this? Here are two good starting points: Trump is getting rid of paper straws. That’s (partly) a good thing, environmentalists say (CNN) and Which Is More Environmentally Friendly: Paper or Plastic? (How Stuff Works)

Explain this

My top piece of advice for journalism students these days? Be prepared to be a one-person show. If at all possible, enroll in the marketing, business and entrepreneurial courses available at your school instead of trying to figure it out after college.

Here’s a great example of a journalistic entrepreneur: When Fires Rage, Millions Turn to Watch Duty. Meet the Guy Who Made It | Watch Duty proved indispensable during the recent LA wildfires. John Mills, the app’s creator, wants it to be the one place to go for tracking disasters. He just needs all the data to do it. (Wired)

As an Angelino, I can personally attest to checking the Watch Duty app dozens of times a day during the fires. 

Localize this

As Wall Street Chases Profits, Fire Departments Have Paid the Price (New York Times)

The high points: Fire engines are breaking down, costly to replace and not enough are being made.

Assignment questions: 

• How is your campus or city fire department affected by the expensive and years-long process of getting a new fire truck?

• Is your campus fire department prepared for a big fire? Why or why not?

• From what budget/office is fire equipment paid for? Examine the department’s budget and share with your audience.

Why I love it:

• This assignment could help break down the nerves and tension students might have about talking to officials, who I suspect are going to be more than happy to dish on this issue.

• This kind of interaction will prove to students that officials are important to their narratives, have valuable information to share and potentially give them a positive interaction upon which to build their reporting chops. 

• It proves the value in examining budgets. Numbers are often interesting! 

Other similar reporting:

• Firefighters facing issues with engines, delays getting new trucks (Fox 19, Cincinnati)

• Chicago fire station operating without truck amid shortage (5 Chicago)

Assign this

What’s the story on fake IDs at your campus?

Backgrounders:

• A New Generation of ‘Unbeatable’ Fake IDs Is Bedeviling Bouncers (New York Times)

• The Hidden Economy of Fake IDs: Supply, Demand, and the Game of Staying One Step Ahead (Emory Economics Review)

• Who's Under the Mask? Tackling the Rise of Fake ID Usage on Halloween (Bar & Restaurant News)

Questions:

• Where do students at your school get fake IDs?

• How much do they cost?

• Talk to some bouncers and bar owners. How big an issue is the use of fake IDs? How many do they confiscate on a typical weekend? Why is it the bar’s responsibility to monitor age, and what is the consequence of being “caught” with a minor in a bar?

• What does it mean for a bar or club to lose their liquor license? 

• Talk to law enforcement. What’s the punishment on both sides — for minors who get busted, and for bars who serve minors alcohol?

• An experiment: Pick 10 random underage folks. Ask them if they know someone who uses a fake ID, and then ask them if they use a fake ID. My guess is that 100% of them will say they know someone who does, and 0% of them will fess up to having one themselves. 

Hot media stories this week:

Growing Up Murdoch: James Murdoch on mind games, sibling rivalry, and the war for the family media empire (McKay Coppins, The Atlantic)

Dying to serve: Dozens of recruits have died nationwide while training to become police officers (Associated Press)

The Long Nights and Drug Addiction That Drove a Banker to Insider Trading (Wall Street Journal)

Resources

The Polk Awards, “which place a premium on investigative and enterprising reporting that gains attention and achieves results (and) are conferred annually to honor special achievement in journalism,” were announced this week. (Does someone at Long Island University want to explain why links aren’t included?) 

• Here’s one winner, a jaw-dropper of a video that might come in handy in your class: NBC News investigation reveals Texas medical school leasing out body parts of unclaimed corpses

This week in The Nutgraf, a weekly newsletter for student journalists: 'Not how FOIA works.' Except it is | Virginia, New Hampshire student editors clash with student governments over open-meeting laws

One last thing

Why I’m in the Zach Woods fan club.

Feedback

Thank you sincerely for reading and supporting this newsletter! If you have any questions, comments or concerns, you can reach me at [email protected]. I would love to hear from you!