Our basic idea is that the media industry is in rapid transition and that people still have enduring human needs. They want to be informed, they want to be entertained, they want to be inspired…”
– Jonah Peretti, CEO, Buzzfeed
Magazines, newspapers, books, and other traditionally print-based writing forms have been forced to undergo serious changes. Not only has this involved the development of effective digital formats, but publishers have also had to figure out how to generate revenue for a product that readers aren't interested in paying for. Born-digital venues are constantly challenging print-based media to find ways to stay relevant online and to make money in a world where technology is in constant flux. This also poses a unique challenge for writers, who must make themselves heard in what seems like an endless sea of voices vying for attention. So what writers and venues are succeeding and why? Furthermore, does “success” now simply imply writing that generates the most likes, views, and shares?
We will start our investigation by looking at journalism just before the dawn of the internet, and will move into an examination of writing in digital spaces. We will speculate together as to how and why writing practices have changed for a digital audience. In so doing, we will build a greater awareness of the ways digital spaces shape our writing practices.
Assignments/ Assessment:
- Blog post responses on class website, 5%
- Short Paper 1: Rhetorical analysis of an archival piece of journalism, 10%
- Paper 1: Comparative paper, 10%
- Short Paper 2: Analysis of a born-digital platform, 10%
- Paper 2: Audience Analysis, 20%
- Short Paper 3: Pitch, 20%
- Paper 3: Longer Pitch (Optional creative component) 20%
- Final Presentation: 5%
Required Texts:
- Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say, I Say. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2007.
- A course packet will be available on Canvas. Some journalists and writers featured will include: Hunter S. Thompson, Joan Didion, Nathan Heller, Adrian Chen, and Lindy West.