USC Syllabus: Southwestern Shifts: New Communities and New Realities

JOUR 599 Special Topics:
News21 Southwestern Shifts: New Communities and New Realities

Spring 2009, 3 Units

Schedule/Syllabus Section: 21693D Day/Time: Thursday, 10 a.m. – 12:40 p.m. Classroom: GFS 207 Instructor: Marc Cooper Telephone: (213) 740-9435 (USC) (646) 460-6133 (cell) Email: mcooper <@> igc.org Office: ASC 301F Office Hours: Tuesdays 1 – 3 p.m.

Course Requirements: All students must have completed the CORE (JOUR 501, JOUR 502, JOUR 503) and be able to report for print, online and broadcast.

Course Description and Outcomes: This course is an integral part of the News21 project, funded by the Carnegie Corporation and the Knight Foundation. USC is part of a growing consortium of journalism schools collaborating on the project. This course will lay the foundation for the ultimate goal of the program: to develop innovative reporting projects by top graduate students which will be broadcast (radio/television) or published in print and/or online, in collaboration with major news organizations and various New Media outlets. This class will prepare you for the 10-week summer fellowship, which will include ten students from each News21 school.

The News21 project has decided to report this year on the general area of rapidly transforming demographics in the United States. Not since the beginning of the last century has immigration and other forms of population change reshaped American life. The changes confront us in our workplaces, our schools, and our neighborhoods.

For the 2009 News21 project, the USC Annenberg fellows will focus on the fundamental demographic shifts in the American Southwest and the Mountain West and the resulting political, economic, cultural and social implications.

Our project will cover but not be restricted to the following topics:

1) A concentration on the Western region as one of the most vibrant, fastest growing regions in the country. Population growth, demographic shifts and the emergence of new communities and the interaction among them in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada radically redraw the face of America.

2) While its impact is felt nationwide, the Southwest is the epicenter of an ongoing demographic earthquake triggered by the largest cross-border migration in modern history – the movement of what will be as many as 25 million Mexicans and Central Americans across the U.S. border between 1980 and 2015. This migration has a profound impact on social, economic, cultural and political relations among pre-existing majority and minority communities and equally challenges pre-existing notions and theories of race relations. This can be measured in a wide range of communities. Arizona has given birth simultaneously to the most comprehensive of immigration reforms plans, as well as to the most virulent of backlashes against immigrants. In Greeley, Colorado, Latino workers have displaced Anglos as the backbone of the meat packing workforce and have, consequently, generated an unprecedented set of social and cultural conflicts. In South Central Los Angeles, Latino immigrants have disrupted and re-shaped long-standing African-American enclaves, creating significantly uncharted variations on socio-economic and political relations.

3) A similar, internal domestic migration has also been underway over the last 25 years in the region which can be most quickly characterized as out-migration from metro urban centers to new suburban communities. For example, Clark County around Las Vegas has seen a doubling in population each of the last ten years and this major change has significantly transformed Nevada politics, its economic base and its social relations. Similar shifts can be measured in Riverside County, California, where entire new cities seemed to sprout from nowhere over the last 15 years. New Mexico and Arizona also have experienced this phenomenon.

4) The already heated debate over the economic implications of these shifts will now accelerate in times of economic turmoil and/or downturn. Have these great migrations –both external and domestic – helped generate more vibrant, more integrated economic communities? Or have they only increased unfair and widening economic stratification? Do immigrants contribute more than they take from local and regional economies? Did the mushrooming of boomtown suburbs directly feed the sub-prime housing crisis and its reverberating effects on other financial and credit markets? In addition to the course reading, students will be exposed to a wide range of policy and academic experts who will serve as guest speakers. The class will take at least one class field trip. Students also will be involved in hands-on reporting from the beginning of the course. They will be required to identify, develop and report original stories stemming from our topic area. Working individually and later in teams, they will produce stories for radio, television, print and online. Classroom debate will be important. This course is, by its very nature, an incubator for creating a news product that will be ground-breaking in terms of substance, as well as style. Creative thinking and the deepest engagement with the realities we are covering will be encouraged and demanded.

The course outcomes include:

1) Knowledge about general historic trends of demographic change in the United States.

2) Detailed knowledge of current trends in immigration into and within the United States as it relates to the Southwestern United States.

3) An understanding of changing social dynamics and relations among newer and older communities in the Southwest.

4) A critical understanding of the best methods and practices in reporting on demographic change.

5) Reporting that is original in both content and storytelling methods.

6) Improved multi-media reporting skills – in story pitching, video and audio gathering, writing, producing, editing, and delivery.

7) Development of sources and material that can be incorporated into final stories for the News21 summer workshop.

GRADING: Posting Assignments: 65%

Book Reviews: 25%

Class participation: 10%

THIS CLASS WILL COVER A GREAT DEAL OF GROUND EACH WEEK; IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU ADVISE THE INSTRUCTOR IN ADVANCE OF ANY ABSENCE.

COURSE READINGS:

Required Texts:

• Myers, Dowell. Immigrants and Boomers: Forging a New Social Contract for the Future of America. New York: Russell Sage, 2007. 367 pages.

• Lam, Andrew. Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora. Berkeley: Heyday, 2005. 140 pages.

• Urrea, Luis Alberto. The Devil’s Highway: A True Story. New York: Little, Brown, 2004. 272 pages.

• Schumacher, Geoff. Sun, Sin and Suburbia: An Essential History of Modern Las Vegas. Las Vegas: Stephens Press, 2005. 272 pages.

In addition, there will be numerous news articles and web site material that will be included in the assigned reading and that will be posted on our class social network site. It is the students’ responsibility to check the site on a daily basis as such material will be of the utmost topicality and cannot be fully anticipated in advance.

OTHER READINGS : Students must track regional campaign news by regular reading of sites including:

• Colorado Independent

• New Mexico Independent

• The Las Vegas Sun

• Dogsbody.com (Nevada)

• Rough & Tumble (California)

• Arizona Republic (AZCentral.com)

• Bender’s Immigration Daily

INTERNSHIPS: The value of professional internships as part of the overall educational experience of our students has long been recognized by the School of Journalism. Accordingly, while internships are not required for successful completion of this course, any student enrolled in this course who undertakes and completes an approved, non-paid internship during this semester shall earn academic credit herein of an amount equal to one percent of the total available semester points for this course.

STATEMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP when adequate documentation is filed. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm. The phone number is 213 740 0776.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY: “Since its founding, the USC School of Journalism has maintained a commitment to the highest standards of ethical conduct and academic excellence. Any student found guilty of plagiarism, fabrication, cheating on examinations, or purchasing papers or other assignments will immediately receive a failing grade in the course and will be dismissed as a major from the School of Journalism. There are no exceptions to the school’s policy.”

PLAGIARISM: All journalists must be committed to the truth. Presenting components of a story done by someone else without attribution is dishonest. Fabricating any part of a story is a lie. Any act of fabrication or plagiarism will result in a failing grade in this course.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: MARC COOPER

Marc Cooper is Associate Director of the USC Annenberg Institute for Justice and Journalism and is a Lecturer in the School of Journalism. Over more than three decades he has covered several U.S. presidential campaigns as well as reported on war in the Middle East, revolution in Central and South America, the fight against apartheid in South Africa, and upheaval in Western and Eastern Europe. His work has appeared in dozens of outlets ranging from The New Yorker and The Atlantic to Rolling Stone, Playboy and the magazines of the London Times and Los Angeles Times. He has produced and reported radio spot news and long-form documentaries for the BBC, CBC, NPR, and NBC. For 10 years he produced and anchored the weekly Radio Nation syndicated on scores of public radio outlets. He has reported and produced news documentaries for PBS Frontline, Christian Science Monitor Reports and CBS News. The winner of numerous journalism awards and the author of three books, Cooper currently serves as contributing editor of The Nation magazine and Senior Editor of The Huffington Post. He also writes a politics column for L.A. Weekly.

COURSE SCHEDULE Note: The order of classes may be changed due to unanticipated campaign events and the availability of guest speakers. Expect great fluidity as we have the opportunity and challenge of covering an unfolding, real-life national campaign. The readings assigned under a given week are to be read in advance for the next class i.e. the readings are to be completed for the following class.

CLASS ONE – January 15 Review course objectives, News21 objectives and syllabus. Review the work of previous News21 fellows on www.newsinitiative.org and www.annenbergnews21.org

Discuss blogging/reporting objectives for http://newsinitiative.org/

Discussion of what we already know and don’t know about demographic shifts in the Southwest. Brainstorming of story lines to be pursued.

Assignment: Begin reading of Devils Highway (book review due Class Three).

Reading: Cooper, Marc. “Exodus,” Atlantic Monthly, May 2006.

Bowden, Chuck. “Exodus: Border-Crossers Forge A New America,” Mother Jones, September-October 2006.

Initial blog report: explore a Los Angeles-area neighborhood in transition. Come prepared to pitch a broader story about the neighborhood.

CLASS TWO – January 22 Review blog reports from previous week. Guest Speaker: Roberto Suro, USC Annenberg Discussion: An overview of the primary elements of demographic change and how they are measured as well as an overview of some of the major global trends in demography with an assessment of how they are affecting the Southwest in particular. Review story pitches with Prof. Suro. Reading:
Q& A with Dowell Myers, Los Angeles Times
Peter Schrag on immigrants and social security, Sacramento Bee

Blog post: 750 word review of Devil’s Highway.

CLASS THREE – January 29 Review reports from previous week.
Guest Speaker: Dowell Myers, USC School of Policy and Public Planning Development Discussion: Los Angeles and Southern California as the epicenter of the massive Latino in-migration since 1990. What is the impact on local communities? What is the balance between integration/assimilation and segregation/stratification? Formalize local reporting assignments out of previous week pitch. Assignment: Begin reading of Immigrants and Boomers. (Book review due Class Five).

Reading: Cooper, Marc. “The Two Worlds of Los Angeles.” The Nation. August 10, 2000.

Rodriguez, Gregory. “Look Beyond the Latino Label” L.A. Times, Nov. 12, 2006.

Rodriguez, Gregory. “The Black-Brown Divide,” Time. January 26, 2008.

Blog Post: First multi-media posting on your pre-approved local story.

CLASS FOUR – February 5

Review blog posts.

Guest Speakers: Sandra Ball-Rokeach, USC Annenberg Discussion: A close examination of shifting Los Angeles neighborhoods through the prism of the Annenberg Metamorphosis project. We will focus on identifying, understanding, mapping, and reporting established and transitional communities in South Central Los Angeles.

Part 1 Blog Post: 750 word review of Boomers and Immigrants.

Reading: Findings, Metamorphosis Project

CLASS FIVE – February 12

Review blog posts.

Guest Speaker: William Celis, USC Annenberg

Discussion: Part 2 of discussion of on-ground reporting in South Central Los Angeles. Discuss effective strategies and methods for generating multi-media reports.

Assignment: Begin reading of Sin, Sun and Suburbia (review due Class 11).

Readings: Watt Way

Blog Post: Follow-up report on your first neighborhood story.

CLASS SIX – February 19 Field Trip South Central Los Angeles
The class will visit to some of the newer Latino immigrant settlements in central Los Angeles, discuss relationships between the new arrivals and the established African-American population and will meet with community leaders

Optional Lunch: Meet with editors of Spanish-language daily Hoy (inside L.A. Times building) to discuss role of ethnic media in reporting on new communities.

Reading: Las Vegas Gambles on Growth (multi-media presentation)

Aerial View of Urbanization in Southwest (multi-media presentation)

Mediastorm

Blog Post: A report on the day’s field trip.

CLASS SEVEN – February 26 Review blog posts.

Multi-Media Reporting Workshop #1

Guest Speakers: Bill Short, photojournalist; Ashish Soni, USC Viterbi School Discussion: Short will discuss and demonstrate use of still photos in multi-media reporting. Getting past point and shoot and understanding composition, emotional tone, intimacy with subject and aspects of visual storytelling. Soni will present on non-linear story telling and non-traditional multi-media approaches to story telling.

Assignment: Shoot and post a photo essay.

CLASS EIGHT – March 5 Multi-Media Reporting Workshop #2

Guest Speakers: Wendy Chapman, Willa Seidenberg, USC Annenberg

Discussion: Seidenberg will conduct a hands-on demonstration on how to record and edit high-quality audio for multi-media storytelling. Chapman will offer instruction on the incorporation of audio into photo slide shows through the use of programs like Soundslides.com. Instruction will also be offered on how to embed this material into blog posts.

Assignment: Blog Post: Produce and post an audio slide show based on reporting in a local Los Angeles neighborhood.

Begin to develop pitches for longer-term reporting projects that will carry into the summer fellowship.

CLASS NINE – March 12

Review posted slide-shows.

Guest Speaker: Drex Heikes, Deputy Managing Editor, The Las Vegas Sun Discussion: Nevada as a case study of a rapidly shifting Southwest. What sort of stories emerge from the fastest-growing pocket in the United States? What sort of tensions and conflicts come to the surface? Conversely, are there new types of community consensus that also arise? How is journalism affected by such rapid shifts?

Assignment: Continue and finalize development of story pitches for summer fellowship. Please explore possible story lines throughout the entire Southern California/Southwestern region.

Here are a few prompts:

Cooper, Marc. “Lockdown in Greeley.” The Nation, Feb 15, 2007.

“Lawmen Arpaio, Gascon, A study in Contrasts,” Arizona Republic, June 29, 2008.

“Mesa Police Chief Stares Down Sheriff Joe Arpaio,” Phoenix New Times, July 10, 2008.

“Day-Laborer Controversy Simmers on Back Burner,” San Diego Union, February 17, 2008.

"Moreno Valley: One Man’s Wild Ride of Boom and Bust,” L.A. Times, September 15, 2008.

Blog Post: 750 word review of Schumacher book

March 19 – Spring Break ** No class.

CLASS 10 – March 26
Review latest postings.

Discussion: This week we begin a soft but determined transition into newsroom mode in preparation for the summer fellowship. The remaining weeks of the semester will be dedicated to intensive development of each student’s area of coverage and the production of as many stories as possible. This includes a targeted focus for a final project to be completed. This class is dedicated to verbal presentation of rough pitch.

Assignment: Reading: to be assigned.

Blog Post: A report based on your rough pitch. You must have enough of a story lead to generate this blog posting if you intend to pursue this area.

Reading: Begin Andrew Lam’s “Perfume Dreams.” (Review due Class 15).

CLASS 11 – April 2

Field Trip Monterey Park

The class will visit the fastest-growing Asian American community in North America and will meet with community and political leaders.

Lunch Speaker: Judy Chu, Chair California State Board of Equalization

Assignment: Posting: A report on the day’s field trip.

Reading: “An Age of Transformation,” The Economist, May 29, 2008

“The Chinese Beverly Hills” Asian Week, May 1996

CLASS 12– April 9

Review current postings.

Pitch Workshop Invited Panel from USC Annenberg: Judy Muller, Alan Mittelstaedt, Patricia Dean, Willa Seidenberg

Each student will be given a period of time to make a verbal story pitch to the panel on his/her proposed story project for the summer fellowship. Be prepared to succinctly propose your story, convince the panel of its focus, outline your reporting plan and explain which multi-media elements will be employed. The invited panel will critique each pitch.

Assignment: Refine and sharpen your pitch. Prepare a maximum 600 word written pitch for your story to bring to next class session. No blog post this week.

CLASS 13 – April 16

Formal Pitch Session

The class will collectively critique each student’s formal pitch to be delivered in both verbal and written form. The second half of the class will be dedicated to brainstorming to generate story ideas to support pitches which have collapsed.

Assignment: Blog Post: Second blog post on your approved story area. Prepare a reporting plan for your approved story including a rough budget.

CLASS 14 – April 23

Discussion: Review, amend, and approve reporting plans and budgets. Brainstorming session on possible outlets for each piece. Do tentative stories now have to be reshaped or re-thought to better fit the desired outlet?

Assignment: Final review of approved story pitches. Prepare for meeting at next session with reps of local media.

CLASS 15– April 30

Outside Media Pitch Session

Invited Panel: Editors from PBS, NPR, L.A.Weekly, Huffington Post and other outlets Students will present their stories/pitches to editors who will be partnering with News21.