JRN 498: Journalism Capstone / QNN
For 10 weeks of the semester, students work together to produce a newscast from start to finish to emulate a “real life” TV newsroom.
- A sample newscast from Sept. 24, 2020 is posted here.
- QNN Newscasts going back to 2012 are posted here.
- In 2018, QNN student Kerry Golden presented on QNN to a meeting of the School of Communications Advisory Board. The video of the presentation here provides a great overview of what students do each week to get the newscast on the air.
JRN 280: The Art of the Podcast
Students produce podcasts in different styles and on different topics nearly each week. Below are some samples of various shows.
- Why Can’t New Jersey Drivers Pump Their Own Gas? (This “explanatory” podcast won first-place in the Communications contest in Quinnipiac’s 13th annual Writing in the Disciplines Undergraduate Student Writing Contest.)
- Overcoming Addiction (This assignment was to do an in-depth interview with someone, and then tell their story in the style of This American Life.)
- History of the Ballet Slipper (This assignment was to investigate the history of a common object and tell that story using music, sound, interviews, etc.)
- Three Little Pigs (This assignment was to re-tell a classic fairy tale using music, sound and creative voicing.)
- What’s the Grossest Thing You’ve Ever Eaten? (This assignment was to interview several people and ask them the same simple question, then edit the responses down in an entertaining show.)
- The Jersey Devil (This assignment was to re-tell a classic myth using music, sound and creative voicing.)
- Miracle on Ice (This assignment was to re-tell a classic legend using music, sound and creative voicing)
- Migrant Mother Picture Story (This assignment was to describe an iconic image using just descriptive writing, music and sound effects.)
- History of Sesame Street (This assignment was to investigate the history of something and tell that story using music, sound, interviews, etc.)
- Audio Diary (This assignment was to record a “day in the life” during the pandemic)
- History of Nutella (This assignment was to investigate the history of something and tell that story using music, sound, interviews, etc.)
- “Based in Beantown” Show Pilot (This assignment was to do a show pilot of a podcast based on everything learned over the course of the semester.)
JRN 291: Reporting for Television 1
Students report and produce four off-campus news PKGs in this course. Samples of student work are below.
- Iraqi Refugees (This story won a Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Award (given for the best student journalism in the state.)
- Texting While Driving (A story about a new Connecticut law)
- Rainbow Cleaners (A feature on the iconic store on Whitney Avenue)
- Concussion Rules (A story about new concussion rules in Connecticut)
- Horseshoe Tournament (A story about a winter horseshoe tournament)
JRN 263: Broadcast News Writing
Students report, write and produce radio and TV newscasts as part of this class, in order to simulate real-life newsrooms. Samples of student work are below.