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    • News Reporting and Writing Image InternationaI Reporting: Hone your ability to report and write breaking news and other important stories in clear, concise, compelling English.

      Professor Jim Wolf, wolfj@msn.com   

      Class meets twice a week, May 17 - June 8, 2017 

      Wednesdays: 6 pm to 9 pm, Building 1, Room #243 and 245 

      Thursdays: 8:15 am – 11:35 am, Building 4, Room #313

      Office Hours: Thursdays, 2 pm - 3 pm am, Building 1, Room #260

      Online classroom: elearning.shisu.edu.cn, “Advanced Newswriting”

          

  • Секція 1

    • Mirrors imae Please submit a copy of your autobiographical essay of up to 500 words. 

    • Elements of Journalism ImageThe following principles grew out of a U.S.-based group calling itself the Committee of Concerned Journalists. The group began to meet in 1997 at Harvard University’s faculty club. Among the 25 journalists involved in the first session were editors of top U.S. newspapers, noted figures in television and radio, leading educators and prominent authors.


    • Elements of Journalism Image Here's a detailed rundown -- including analyses -- on the elements of journalism, as excerpted below in the "short version."  

    • As a reminder, the first group report for the spring class is due at midnight on Tuesday, May  23.  A rotating editor should submit the report, of up to 700 words, using contributions from each of the group's members. Each student reporter should be hunting for news in the area followed by her group. The trick is to confirm reported news by going back to official sources cited in the news reports whenever possible. This means checking the websites of organizations, companies or government agencies for relevant statements. If confirmation isn't available, you'd quote the published source. In addition, each group member must interview at least one expert about the significance of this week's news on the event(s) being covered. Seek scholars and experts at think tanks among others. Writer up their comments in a brief for the group's editor and submit it to the teacher as well via this website. The group's editor may string together different developments by using phrases such as: meanwhile, at the same time, in another development etc.  Each week a new editor will take charge of the group's report. The most important news of the week should be in the story's lead, as we've discussed in class.  The group's rotating editor alone must file the finished product to the website, taking care to identify the group's topic and its members in the body of each submission. Submissions must be by on online text, not by uploaded or downloaded document. The group's editor is responsible for writing a short, sharp headline for the group's report each week. Individual students may submit their contributions via the web site for the record only, but are not required to do so. The group's work will be graded, not each individual's contribution, in a reflection of the importance accorded by editors to reporters combining their talents for the benefit of readers and the public. 

      The groups are following news in these areas:

      -- Sino-U.S. relations

      -- Cybersecurity

      -- One Belt, One Road Initiative  

      -- China-Korean relations   


       


    • Trump's fictional tweets: 

      "I"ve invited North Korean leader Kim Jung Un to meet me during the U.N. General Assembly in September in New York. 

      I hope that we'll be able to sign a peace treaty to replace the truce that ended the Korean War. 

      I have told my secretary of state to do all he can to negotiate a halt to  Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs as a prelude to a peace pact. 

      Meanwhile all options remain on the table to protect U.S. and its allies from North's nuclear and missiles programs."  



       

    • Writing about think tanks and using their research: A cautionary tip sheet

       
      (Libreshot/public domain)
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      Weapons makers influencing foreign policy. Oil companies funding climate change deniers. A venal African dictator feted in Washington. Each of these is a story about think tanks.

      Think tanks often provide valuable and impartial policy research. But entrenched conflicts of interest across the political spectrum, and pandering to donors, often raise questions about their independence and integrity. A few years ago, think tanks were seen as places for wonky scholars and former officials to bang out solutions to critical policy problems. But today, as the Boston Globe has written, many “are pursuing fiercely partisan agendas and are funded by undisclosed corporations, wealthy individuals, or both.”

      This tip sheet aims to help journalists ask critical questions before citing a think tank’s research or experts. Many think tanks have non-profit status, allowing you to view their tax records. Others receive support from foreign governments looking for friends in Washington. There are ways to scrutinize top officers to expose conflicts of interest. These tips can help you determine if a think tank has an agenda beyond what it might declare on its website. Quoting a think tank without identifying its leaning or motivation is a disservice to your audience and could undermine your story.

      What is a think tank?

      The Columbia University libraries calls the term ‘think tanks’ “an imprecise phrase used to describe a wide range of non-profit research organizations which engage in public policy analysis and research, and often advocate solutions. Some are strictly nonpartisan, researching policy issues without regard to political outcomes, while others see one of their main functions as that of providing intellectual support to politicians or parties. They are as ubiquitous in the American political scene as interest groups, media consultants, ‘spin doctors,’ and the political parties themselves.”

      A few other definitions:

      Nonprofit: Many think tanks — along with advocacy groups, credit unions and private schools — have nonprofit status. Because fulfilling a public good, rather than profit, is their motivation, they are often exempt from paying federal tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code if they meet certain criteria. Nonprofits must not benefit private interests or shareholders and are limited in how much they can lobby. They are a boon to researchers because 501(c)(3) status requires an organization to make its tax filings public (see tax section below).

      Nonpartisan means the organization is neutral and not aligned with a political movement or ideology. But there is little legal criteria for adopting the rubric and a nonpartisan group could, in theory, still have a political leaning.

      Foundation: A foundation is a non-governmental organization or charity that typically makes grants to other organizations. They are often funded by an endowment or a bequest. “Foundation” is not a legal term; not all foundations make grants. But if it is a nonprofit, it must make its tax filings public.

      Non-governmental organization (NGO): A nonprofit group that is neither part of a government or a for-profit business, but receives funding in the form of grants from governments, foundations, business or individuals. (BRAC, a Bangladesh-based organization that has pioneered microfinance, is an example.)

      Watchdog: Theoretically, this is a nonpartisan group (often nonprofit, too) that aims to hold other organizations accountable. The Project on Government Oversight is an example.

      GONGO: GONGOs (rhymes with “bongos”) are “government-organized non-governmental organizations.” Yes, it’s an oxymoron. Meant to be distractions, these are often run by authoritarian countries as a way to adulterate criticism from human rights groups and other watchdogs. As the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe put it: GONGOs are “fake organizations that will shill for the government in an attempt to distract from repressive failings. GONGOs defend countries’ policies, attempt to delegitimize genuine civil society voices, and consume time, space, and other limited resources that could be used for real, meaningful dialogue.”

      Conflicts of interest, examples:

      In August 2016, The New York Times reported that some of the biggest names among Washington think tanks were accepting donations from major corporations and then appearing to do those firms favors. For example, the Brookings Institution accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from a real estate developer. Brookings then made one of the developer’s executives a senior fellow and praised its controversial $8 billion investment in San Francisco. In another case that the Times reported, a Verizon employee who was also a scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute lobbied Congress repeatedly to veto new regulations for internet providers like Verizon.

      Stephen Kinzer highlights numerous conflicts of interest in the arms lobby in this 2016 piece for the Boston Globe. The United States Institute of Peace (USIP), a think tank that stands on the principle that “conflicts can be resolved without violence,” is chaired by Stephen Hadley, who served as George W. Bush’s top foreign policy advisor and sits on the board of Raytheon, a major arms manufacturer. At USIP, Hadley has called on European countries 

       military spending and urged the West  Ukraine. Companies like Raytheon stand to benefit from increases in military spending.

      In the Washington Post, Tufts University political scientist Daniel Drezner explains how consulting firms are competing with think tanks, creating a new set of conflicts. “[T]heir advice is biased toward highlighting their services. You will not see Booz Allen or McKinsey recommend against government outsourcing, for example. In foreign policy, they care about making money, which means they will neglect the parts of the world with no profit centers. These are often the places that become foreign policy hot spots,” Drezner writes. Elsewhere in the piece, he notes how “at the Council on Foreign Relations, a six-figure corporate contribution comes with three CFR briefings ‘tailored to the company’s interests’.”

      A think tank index:

      There are think tanks that rate think tanks and watchdogs that watch think tanks and all sorts of foundations and non-profits out there monitoring or promoting each other. Everyone has opinions. Some people have conflicts of interest. This guide is not exhaustive. Some of the resources here could be partisan or pushing an agenda. And a lot of these definitions are easily blurred.

      The University of Pennsylvania publishes a comprehensive annual ranking of think tanks. It lists the Brookings Institution as the best think tank out of 6,846 catalogued worldwide. The director of the center has a new book called The Fifth Estate: Think Tanks, Public Policy, and Governance. It was published by Brookings, notes the Think Tank Watch blog: “While there is not necessarily a quid pro quo going on, there is certainly an appearance of one. After all, are you going to downgrade a think tank or give it unfavorable treatment if that very think tank is publishing your book?”

      Tax filings – IRS Form 990:

      All nonprofits must file a Form 990 with the IRS, regardless of whether they owe the government money. If the nonprofit does not publish its 990, you can find it through GuideStar (many public libraries have subscriptions), which hosts tax returns for some 1.8 million nonprofits. ProPublica also has a database of 990s and other nonprofit information.

      The 990 form includes key officers and their salaries, contact information as well as the organization’s financial statements. It also includes essential information on finances, assets, investments and expenditures, staffing changes over time and sub-organizations. The footnotes can help generate story ideas. The section called “Schedule C: Political Campaign and Lobbying Activities” will show if the organization engaged in lobbying, though there will be little information about the nature of the activities.

      FARA

      If an organization receives money from abroad to influence American public opinion, it is supposed to file declarations with the U.S. Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. See our FARA tip sheet here.

      Some questions journalists should ask when researching think tanks:

      • Look at the think tank’s annual report. Who is on staff? On the board or advisory council? Search for these people. They have power over the think tank’s agenda; do they have conflicts of interest? Use OpenSecrets’ lobby search, a project of the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, to see if any of these individuals are registered lobbyists and for whom.
      • To find out more about an executive listed on the board, read his or her firm’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Our accounting tip sheet should help.
      • Does the organization focus on one issue alone? If so, look carefully at its funding.
      • Does the organization clearly identify its political leanings or its neutrality?
      • Does the annual report list donors and amounts? Are large donors anonymous? If the answer to the second question is yes, you should be concerned that big donors may be trying to hide their influence.
      • What is its budget? Has the budget changed radically in recent years?
      • Does it have a conflict of interest policy?
      • Look up the address. Is it a street address or a post office box? Google either: Is it shared with other organizations? Do they share a suite, a phone? What is their relationship?

      Other resources:

      Keywords: research, think tanks, Washington, D.C., influence, lobbying, Beltway Bandits

      Last updated: March 6, 2017

       

       We welcome feedback. Please contact us here.


  • Секція 2

    • Here's a way that we may "storify" Trump's fictitious tweets about his willingness to meet North Korea's leader. 

       

    • Never start a story with a quote. Instead, summarize the information, then back it up with the quote in third or fourth para. Tighten up your story!  In the original, you name the special South Korean envoy even before you name the new Korean president. That won't fly. The important news and names come first. 

      As always, avoid unnecessary words. Prune your copy for brevity. Use punchy language. Write in the past tense.   

      Consider this as an alternative: 


    • South Korean president Moon Jae-in, said in tweets from Seoul today: 

      ----

      I've postponed indefinitely switching on full power of the THAAD anti-missile system

      ---

      The system had been due to reach full operating capacity by October

      ---

      I hope North Korea will join me in reducing regional tensions

      ----

      I'm ready to discuss reciprocal peace moves with Kim Jong-un effective immediately

      ----


    • The second group report for the spring class is due at midnight on Tuesday, May  30.  A rotating editor should submit the report, of up to 700 words, using contributions from each of the group's members. Each student reporter should be hunting for news in the area followed by her group. The trick is to confirm reported news by going back to official sources cited in the news reports whenever possible. This means checking the websites of organizations, companies or government agencies for relevant statements. If confirmation isn't available, you'd quote the published source. In addition, each group member must interview at least one expert about the significance of this week's news on the event(s) being covered. Seek scholars and experts at think tanks among others. Writer up their comments in a brief for the group's editor and submit it to the teacher as well via this website. The group's editor may string together different developments by using phrases such as: meanwhile, at the same time, in another development etc.  Each week a new editor will take charge of the group's report. The most important news of the week should be in the story's lead, as we've discussed in class.  The group's rotating editor alone must file the finished product to the website, taking care to identify the group's topic and its members in the body of each submission. Submissions must be by on online text, not by uploaded or downloaded document. The group's editor is responsible for writing a short, sharp headline for the group's report each week. Individual students may submit their contributions via the web site for the record only, but are not required to do so. The group's work will be graded, not each individual's contribution, in a reflection of the importance accorded by editors to reporters combining their talents for the benefit of readers and the public. 

      The groups are following news in these areas:

      -- Sino-U.S. relations

      -- Cybersecurity

      -- One Belt, One Road Initiative  

      -- China-Korean relations   


    • Taiwan outlines new trade push  


  • Секція 3

    • Below is the Missile Defense Agency's press release regarding the intercept test:

      HOMELAND MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM SUCCESSFULLY INTERCEPTS ICBM TARGET

      The U.S. Missile Defense Agency, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force 30th
      Space Wing, the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile
      Defense and U.S. Northern Command, today successfully intercepted an
      intercontinental ballistic missile target during a test of the Ground-based
      Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the nation's ballistic missile defense
      system.

      This was the first live-fire test event against an ICBM-class target for GMD
      and the U.S. ballistic missile defense system.

      During the test, an ICBM-class target was launched from the Reagan Test Site
      on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Multiple sensors
      provided target acquisition and tracking data to the Command, Control,
      Battle Management and Communication (C2BMC) system. The Sea-Based X-band
      radar, positioned in the Pacific Ocean, also acquired and tracked the
      target. The GMD system received the target tracking data and developed a
      fire control solution to intercept the target.

      A ground-based interceptor was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base,
      California, and its exo-atmospheric kill vehicle intercepted and destroyed
      the target in a direct collision.

      "The intercept of a complex, threat-representative ICBM target is an
      incredible accomplishment for the GMD system and a critical milestone for
      this program," said MDA Director Vice Adm. Jim Syring. "This system is
      vitally important to the defense of our homeland, and this test demonstrates
      that we have a capable, credible deterrent against a very real threat. I am
      incredibly proud of the warfighters who executed this test and who operate
      this system every day."

      Initial indications are that the test met its primary objective, but program
      officials will continue to evaluate system performance based upon telemetry
      and other data obtained during the test.

      The test, designated Flight Test Ground-Based Interceptor (FTG)-15, will
      provide the data necessary to assess the performance of the GMD system and
      provide enhanced homeland defense capabilities.

      The GMD element of the ballistic missile defense system provides combatant
      commanders the capability to engage and destroy intermediate and long-range
      ballistic missile threats to protect the U.S. The mission of the Missile
      Defense Agency is to develop and deploy a layered ballistic missile defense
      system to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies and friends
      from limited ballistic missile attacks of all ranges in all phases of
      flight.

    • Here is updated coverage of the U.S. anti-missile test, along with some background.
      The updates include a telephone conference yesterday in which the head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency spoke with reporters at the Pentagon. Please use this material to update your coverage of the initial press release, along with analysis from experts cited in the stories below. Keep your stories as tight as possible, focusing only on the bits that matter to general readers, not military experts or weapons engineers.
    • Please update your coverage of the U.S. anti-missile test, using supplied background material. Keep it short and precise. Use relevant background only, not details that serve no real use for average readers. Pay particular attention to your leads and to analysis from experts cited in the background material. In this way, you help your readers answer the question "So what?"

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