NewsLINC

Dear Multimediums! Meaghan Meachem will talk to us on Monday about NewsLINC, the Web platform of the Vermont Center for Community Journalism. In preparation for her visit, please take a look at the site and post a critique on your blogs. Tell us: What you like.. What you think could be improved. What, if anything, is missing.

Podcast Team Assignment

- Create a 5- to 10-minute audio project and make it available on your blogs as a podcast.
- Use at least two voices.
- Write a 400-word story to accompany it. The story should complement the podcast rather than regurgitate it. Grammar and spelling count.

Deadlines:
- Submit project outline via blogs Sept. 23
- Submit project via blogs Sept. 25

Some ideas:
- Dorm cooking tips
- Restaurant reviews
- Interview
…a professor
…an athlete
…an interesting student
…students (plural) about a topic
- Review an LSC band
- Advice
…relationships
…easiest classes

Podcast critique assignment

This assignment is due on Monday, Sept. 16

Between now and Monday, subscribe to two podcasts. You can do this at the iTunes store – they are free.
Listen to at least two episodes of each podcast so you get a feel for it.
Write a post on your blog that explains
- why you picked each one,
- what you liked and disliked about each one,
- whether you think you will continue listening to any of them,
- and whether you put them on an iPod or other player.

Teams and Teaching Moments

Rachel Veitch and Camille Delongis                                          Soundcloud

Courtland Hanley and Elyssa Ellis                                             Clevr

Timothy LaRoche and Hannah Frigon                                       Infogr.am

Adam Donelly and Nick Aresco                                                 Many Eyes

Kevin Kelleher and Dan Fenton                                                 Hohli

Joe Gluck and Vincent Boccanfuso                                            Zeemaps

Chris Moriarty and iana Herlehy                                                Animoto

Yolanda Liang and Julia Costello                                               Meograph

Chris Huppert and JJ Murphy                                                    Storify

Shane LaCroix and Mike Raimondi and Andrew Baughn              Intersect

Writing for the Web I

For the following set of facts, write each of the following:

1.       Headline (with SEO in mind)  

2.       Blurb (summary)

3.       Body (4 paragraphs, including one quote)

4.       One subhead between Paragraphs 2 and 3

5.       One embedded link

                Pretend this information comes from a news release from the Vermont State Police.

-        
           Vehicle A: 1999 Chevrolet operated by Annie Coulter. Age 82. Residence: Barton, Vt.

-          Victim: John Barker. Age 59. Residence: Concord, Vt.

-          Time of incident: 12:31 p.m. today.

-          Location of incident: Central Restaurant, Depot Street, Lyndonville, Vt.

-          Description of incident:

o   Vehicle A was southbound on Depot Street. The operator reports she swerved to avoid a pedestrian, and her brakes failed. Vehicle A crashed through the front window of Central Restaurant.

o   Victim Barker was sitting in the restaurant, eating a meal. He was not struck by the car, but he did receive minor cuts from flying glass.

o   As he was trying to help the operator of Vehicle A out of her vehicle, victim Barker complained of chest pains. He collapsed and died of a heart attack.

o   The operator of Vehicle A suffered minor injuries in the incident.

Writing for the Web II

For the following set of facts, write each of the following:

1.       Headline (with SEO in mind)  

2.       Blurb (summary)

3.       Body (4 paragraphs, including one quote)

4.       One subhead between Paragraphs 2 and 3

5.       One embedded link

Online Writing Homework

This assignment is due on Monday, Sept. 9.

Use the following news release to write a short story for your blog. Follow the same guidelines you followed for the Online Writing Exercise:

- Write a headline of seven words or less.

- The first paragraph should contain only one sentence.

- Subsequent paragraphs should contain one or two sentences – no more.

- Insert a space between paragraphs.

- Use print writing style.

Also – assume you are writing the story on Dec. 7 (the day the news release was issued).

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STATE OF VERMONT

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

VERMONT STATE POLICE

PRESS RELEASE

Robbery at Hometown Sunoco in Swanton

Detective Edward Meslin, St. Albans Barracks, 802-524-5993

Swanton, VT – 12/7/13 – On December 7 at 1:15 AM a lone male subject entered Hometown Sunoco located at 166 First Street in Swanton and robbed the cashier at gunpoint. The assailant, described as a white male approximately 5’8”- 6’00” escaped on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash and items. No one was injured in the incident. The Vermont State Police continue to search for the suspect and follow-up on all investigative leads.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Vermont State Police in Saint Albans at 802-524-5993 or Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 802-524-2121. No other information is available at this time, as the case is still under investigation. An update will be issued when more information becomes available. 

Online Writing Exercise

Use the news release below to post a short story to your blog. Follow the following guidelines:

- Write a headline of seven words or less.

- The first paragraph should contain only one sentence.

- Subsequent paragraphs should contain one or two sentences – no more.

- Insert a space between paragraphs.

- Use print writing style.

(Note: The dates have been altered to move everything into the future.  Pretend you are writing this on Jan. 18, 2014.)

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STATE OF VERMONT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE POLICE

PRESS RELEASE
Update on Hunting Incident in Albany, Arrest for Aggravated Assault

Detective Sgt. Jacob Zorn – Bradford Barracks, 802-222-4680

Albany, VT – 01/18/14 – On October 20, 2013 detectives from the Vermont State Police and game wardens from the Vermont Department of Fish and Game began a joint investigation into a hunting related shooting that took place on the Urie Rd. in Albany, VT.  As a result of the investigation the following detectives learned that Conrad Masse, age 76 of Craftsbury, and Wayne Goff, age 58 of Wolcott were hunting bear together. Masse and Goff were using radio telemetry and GPS to track two bear hounds that they had released on the trail of a bear.  Masse drove his truck with Goff as a passenger to the Urie Rd. in an attempt to get in front of the bear that was being pursued by the dogs. Goff got out of the truck on Urie Rd. where he waited for the bear to cross while Masse drove approximately 541 feet down the Urie Rd. and exited his truck where he also waited for the bear to cross the road. 

When the bear crossed the road, it did so in-between Masse and Goff.  Masse opened fire with a Remington .30-06 rifle and fired at least three shots. One of the rounds struck the bear, one of the rounds struck a tree, and one of the rounds struck Goff, who was dressed in a red and black checkered jacket. The bullet entered Goff in the midsection and struck him in the pelvic area. Goff was transported to North Country Hospital and then transferred to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center for treatment. He has since been released from the hospital and is in stable condition. 

At the conclusion of the investigation Masse was issued a citation to appear in the Orleans Superior Court on February 28, 2014 to answer to the charge of Aggravated Assault. An arrest processing photo was not taken. He was also issued Fish and Game tickets for Shooting from the Road, Having a Loaded Rifle in his Vehicle, and Not having proper display of permits for the bear hounds.