Introduction to Mass Communication

Brainstorming
A way to get the best from a group's creative juices — conditions and tools needed.
Online Resources
Check these resources for reporters
Levels of Communication
Where are you in the Five Levels of Communication?
Four Freedoms
The relationship between the media and government varies from nation to nation. In the United States, these are freedoms the media enjoy or should enjoy.
Media Ethics
Ethics is a word with multiple meanings. This discussion will help.
The First Amendment Handbook
From The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Media Law
What is Libel? A video
Be prepared as a reporter to defend your work against suits.
Student Press Law Center
The SPLC is an advocate for student free-press rights and provides information, advice and legal assistance at no charge to students and the educators who work with them.
Newspapers
Newspapers have played an important role in American political and social history.
Newspapers in the '40s

News Values
How does a reporter judge what is newsworthy?
Interviewing
Tips on how to get information for a story before starting to write
News Writing 
The 5 W's and Other News Writing Basics
Writing outstanding leads
Catch the reader with a creative lead, filled with information.
Trends in Newspapers
Are they really dying or just morphing into something different?
Editorials 
The newspaper's voice, its opinion on various topics of interest to readers.
Columns
An individual writer's opinion on various topics. Select ONLY your best writers to write columns.
Reporter's Checklist
Reporting requires a consistent process.
Feature Writing
These are stories about people, places or things.
Design Tips
Your job isn't over until you've made all the good stuff you've gathered attractive.
Speech Coverage
These are stories often overlooked on campus.
Writing Reviews 
A special kind of reporting for your best writers.
Letter to the editor
If you want to get an opinion published, here's how.
Magazines
Not as popular as they once were, but still going online.
The Magazine Formula
What does a writer need to know to get an article published?
The Query Letter
Show the editor your best writing -- in a query letter.
Radio
Once the quickest way to get information -- sadly no more.
Television
Once described as a "Vast Wasteland," today's "Reality Wasteland."
Public Relations
Promoting products, goods and services.

Advertising
Selling products, goods and services.
Photojournalism
A picture is worth  . . . you know, but not without words.
Film History
My, how the film industry has changed.