This is a course in listening to communities as a foundational journalism practice. Students will learn to understand community needs, and work with communities to develop journalism that is responsive to those needs. Students will study examples of community engaged journalism projects and will conduct their own research, reporting and community engaged projects as part of this class.

In this course, we will explore the ways that news media deal with topics of race and ethnicity by examining the origins and routines of reporting, and the frames reporters and editors chose when telling news stories. We will examine news stories, their narratives and impacts as it relates to race and ethnicity, and how such frames can shape audience understanding of communities, policy and society. We will further explore the impact of racial diversity and inclusion in media, both inside newsrooms and in news coverage. Other topics include how word usage and style evolve, shape media narratives, and impact communities and audiences. The class, as reporters, will explore their assumptions, as well as solution sets. As a culmination, students will each produce one news story on a community that is underreported, while working collaboratively on design elements for publishing the stories developed and produced in the class. News, Narrative, Design 2 and Ethics & History of Journalism are required prerequisites, you may get permission from the instructor. Note: The course replaces LPOL 3110 Race & Ethnicity in Journalism in the course catalog. If you have taken LPOL 3110 Race & Ethnicity in Journalism, you cannot register for the course.