tapmag

How to Write, Edit, Research, and Publish as a Transatlantic Journalist

UPDATE: After finishing all the fifteen sessions, it’s time for some thank you’s after a successful semester. We want to thank everyone who participated, despite receiving no university credit for the class. We are also very grateful for all the great guests who devoted their time to visiting us. Thanks also to the FSI Nordamerikastudien for helping out financially, to CNN for donating contest prizes, and to Fred Pleitgen for being our editor-in-chief for one day.

You can find a summary of the seminar in the recent JFKI newsletter here (in German). The following is the original documentation of the course description.

In class, we often talk about the big picture – but sometimes it is worth taking a closer look. In this seminar, we take on a journalistic perspective to bring our academic expertise to the streets. We want to write about transatlantic culture, politics and life from our unique point of view, using journalistic techniques in a web2.0 environment to connect academics and real life.

Together, we will develop stories and ideas, cover and publish them on tapmag.net or elsewhere. We will invite experts, visit organizations, and conduct interviews. The goal is to gain experience in journalistic methods and become more comfortable with the tools of reporting, writing and Internet publishing. (Course description in the catalog)

Additionally, CNN Germany has agreed to support the seminar. We will publish our results on ireport.com, and CNN correspondent Frederik Pleitgen will award the best entry.

A student seminar at the John-F.-Kennedy-Institute, Lansstraße 7-9, Berlin

Wednesdays at 4 p. m., room 201. Starts April 15th, 2009

Here is the syllabus so far:

1. Introduction
2. Q&A with Michael Dobbs (Washington Post) on transatlantic Journalism and his career
3. How to set up a blog and make it beautiful
4. Journalism 101
5. CNN, ireport.com & Social Media for Journalists, Guests: Dr. Amelie Heinrichsdorff (Director PR & Corporate Affairs CNN), Joerg Buddenberg (Marketing Manager CNN Germany)
6. Writing for the Enemy, Workshop Session: Exercise in writing from different political viewpoints (e.g. Huffington Post, Foxnation, etc.)
7. Writing for the Net, Guest: Joerg Wolf (Atlantic Review, Atlantic Community)
8. No session
9. Transatlantic Journalism Erklaert, Guest: Scot Stevenson (USAerklaert.wordpress.com)
10. Presentation articles for the CNN ireport contest
11. The other Voice, Guest: Al-Jazzera reporter Dalila Nadi
12. Q&A with Jerry Gerber (Press Secretary Democrats Abroad)
13. Q&A with Alexander Osang, awarded journalist, former US-correspondent for DER SPIEGEL and author
14. Final of the CNN contest, Guest: CNN correspondent in Germany, Frederik Pleitgen
15. Sum-Up & BBQ

This seminar is open to the public, you don’t have to be a student of the Free University to attend. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the JFK-Institute!

Questions? Suggestions? Write us at editors[ät]tapmag.net