News in a New Century: Reporting in an Age of Converging Media

Using this text for an advanced newswriting course, I like its emphasis on "shoe leather" reporting. My entering students have learned the basics of newswriting skills but not necessarily the vigor of pursuing a story with many dimensions.A proliferation of examples produces not only sample news stories but a running account from myriad reporters portraying both their curiosity and persistance in pursuing a story.Another strength of the text is its coverage of the way reporters in different media struggle to draft a story. With students in communication classes fuzzy about where they will "land"--in print, radio, TV, or electronic reporting--the multiple viewpoints are relevant. Teaching from this highly current book, I applaud these features in each chapter:integration of law/ethical issues summary boxes exercises and assignmentsuse of databases and computer-assisted reporting