NewsHounds Update (10/15)

.
NewsDawgs!

I am so proud of the way you've glommed onto the blogsite. Use it, abuse it! This should be your chatroom, your dormroom (but I'm not picking up your laundry....).

Remember to come back after you post to check comments.

Somebody test this for me: On the Comments page for your post, there's an option over there on the righthand side to have future comments sent directly to you (??) or is it just to send the comments to me as the blogmeister?

If you can set it on your own posts to have email sent directly to you, try it and see if that's an easier way to get a heads-up about comments.

----

MEMO:
This is what I sent you this a.m., for the record.....

Guys:

I was not planning to be at school at all today, so as not to spread the Plague. But I do have to come in to collection some stuff, and will be available in my office at noon if you want to talk about your stories.

A couple of you have already sent them (and look in today’s Statesman for stories by Storee Powell on musician Jon Schmidt and Courtney Schoen on National Public Radio). Others?

The rest of you--where are you on your stories? Let me know. DUE SATURDAY 6 A.M.!

Everyone: noodle your next story ideas. We'll brainstorm in class on Monday, and you can post ideas and look for feedback from each other on NewsHounds. Everyone please participate.

TP
---

Dear NewsHounds:

I know you are BEREFT (look it up!) but I propose that we do not meet in class tomorrow (Wednesday).

For one thing, I'm getting sick. For another, you guys are working on stories and can use the time.

So...

1. If your stories are already done and sent to me, take the day off, but think about new story ideas. This may be the most difficult part--coming up with good stories that interest you and readers, with a good angle and sources. So noodle stories, think about Michelangelo's David, and email me (or the NewsHounds blog) with story ideas.

STORY IDEAS: Here’s one example that needs some work:

Gripes! What are some of the things that really tick people off? Driving while talking on cellphones (or walking around in the world listening to music or whatever--there are BIRDS!!! hello? and other PEOPLE out here! Wake up and pop those things out of your ears!!!). Or poor grammar. Or old people. Or small, yappy dogs. Or tiny women who drive Hummers. Nachos! is that really cheese (or "cheez")? Or LOUDtalkers. Or apathy--That REALLY gets me going!!! Or sweaters--what's with THAT???! I dunno. What're things that set people off? Noodle this topic. How would you develop this story?

Develop stories like that, starting with topics and focusing in on how you'd construct it. Think about the angle, the tone and the sources. Any one of those things will change the others, so be flexible.

2. If your stories aren't done (you know who you are...), when will they be done? Sooner is better. MEMO ME!--what's the status? Do you have all the sources? Need help? When will it be done? When you finish your story, please post it to NEWSHOUNDS. When you see each others' new stories on NEWSHOUNDS, please read them and offer comments. This is helpful to you and important to the process of thinking about what works abnd what doesn't. Try not to offer evil, snotty comments. If you don't like something PLEASE say so, but try to figure out a constructive and non-toxic way to do it.

3. Send me your story when it's done. This one MUST BE IN MY HOT HANDS (or email inbox) by Saturday 6 a.m. OK?

4. Remember to frolic on the NEWSHOUNDS blog--this is your place to goof around and noodle news stuff. I promise not to delete anything nasty about me (well, pretty much...), but I will take down any other hurtful (or legally actionable) stuff that crosses the line. Try to figure out where that line is.

COMING ATTRACTIONS:
• On Monday: Catch-up, housecleaning, story brainstorming, news quiz.... The usual.
• Wednesday, Oct. 29 FIELD TRIP!!!! We will walk over to USU President Stan Albrecht's office for a press conference. The general topic is fundraising and USU's capital campaign. Go to the USU website for background. We'll talk about this on Monday.

Everyone, take Vitamin C.

Don't be strangers--email me with your story status. See you Monday.

TP

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ampers&nd Communications
6790 W. Center Street
Petersboro, Utah 84325
435-753-3309 • 435-760-1707 cell
ted.pease@gmail.com

Strategic Media Communications