Electronic Media

PROGRAM OVERVIEW: Students may pursue a major in either Broadcast News or Radio-Television. Broadcast News students prepare for careers as reporters, photographers, producers and managers in local, regional or national radio, television and cable news. Broadcast News majors concentrate on reporting, writing and story production courses. Their supporting course work is often political science, history, or English.

The Radio-Television major prepares students for a broad spectrum of production opportunities in corporate video, local radio and television, cable television and newer technologies. R-TV majors concentrate on writing, studio and field production, and management. Much of their work is client-based.

PROGRAM SIZE: Approximately 100 students enroll in the electronic media sequences with about 50 in each major. Intensive laboratory classes are limited to fewer than 20 students.

FACULTY: The four professors who regularly teach Electronic Media courses offer a broad range of full-time professional and teaching experience. Todd Evans has experience in radio production, and music video and corporate video production. He also serves as the Director of Television Services. John Lytle's experience includes radio and television news reporting and management at several Midwestern stations. Dr. Gary Wade worked in sports and news broadcasting, management and corporate video consulting before coming to Drake. David Wright's E-Media interests merge production and computer imaging. He produced TV sports and special events before joining the Drake faculty.

ACADEMIC PREPARATION: No specific high school courses are required. However, Electronic Media students often bring a background in the performing arts, public speaking or the media. Clear, focused writing is a critical skill for all Journalism and Mass Communication students.

REQUIRED CREDIT HOURS AND COURSES FOR A MAJOR

All students working for a bachelor's degree at Drake must complete the Drake Curriculum (Areas of Inquiry). A minimum of 124 total credit hours are required to graduate, including 31 to 37 credit hours in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication(SJMC). All SJMC majors must successfully complete JMC 30 Communications in Society, JMC 40 Pre-Professional Workshop, JMC 54 News and Reporting Principles, JMC 59 Introduction to Visual Communications (JMC 59 Required of Radio/TV and Broadcast News majors entering Drake after Summer 2003), JMC 66 Race, Ethnicity and Media (JMC 66 Required of students entering Drake after Summer 2003), and JMC 104 Communications Law and Ethics. A minimum of 65 credit hours must be taken in Arts and Sciences course work and must include Economics 1, Political Science 1 and Sociology 1. 40 credit hours must be in upper division courses numbered 100 or above.

Area of Concentration:In addition the JMC graduate must have completed a 21 credit-hour block of non JMC courses approved by the adviser and dean. This concentration, taken in a single department or as a unified area of concentration crossing departmental lines, usually is one particularly appropriate to the student's major or otherwise of special interest. At least 12 credit hours in the concentration must be taken in courses numbered 100 and above. Courses taken to satisfy other graduation requirements also may count toward this requirement.

Required Courses for BROADCAST NEWS MAJOR

JMC 57 Broadcasting Methods
JMC 73 Radio News Reporting and Editing
JMC 100 Television Field Photography
JMC 173 Broadcasting Public Affairs
JMC 193 Broadcast News Practicum

HIST 76 US History

Download a PDF version of the Broadcasting News checksheet

Download a PDF version of Other Requirements for All JMC Majors

Required Courses for Radio/TV MAJOR

JMC 57 Broadcasting Methods
JMC 100 Television Field Photography
JMC 114 Television and Radio Production
JMC 134 Video Planning and Analysis
JMC 163 Broadcast Management
JMC 194 Radio-Television Practicum

Download a PDF version of the Radio/TV checksheet

Download a PDF version of Other Requirements for All JMC Majors

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES/INTERNSHIPS: The School of Journalism and Mass Communication maintains fully equipped video and audio production studios and a remote production truck. Students operate a cable stereo radio service. Electronic Media produces news, sports and public service programs for cable channel 16 serving Greater Des Moines. Drake offers its students experience with a state-of-the-art Final Cut Pro editing systems.

E-Media students have multiple opportunities for traditional and corporate internships. In a typical month, interns work at the ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and public television affiliates in Des Moines. Students regularly intern for Des Moines' 18 radio stations. Since 1980, seven Drake Broadcast News majors have won expense-paid trips and $1,000 scholarships from the Radio-Television News Directors Foundation. The Broadcast News capstone experience Drake Line won the 1993 Student Emmy for Best Newscast in an 11-state region. Radio-TV students regularly work as video interns with Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, DhG Productions and Meyocks & Priebe Advertising. Recent Radio-TV seniors Sean Olsen and Sarah Strom won student Emmys for instructional materials they produced for Des Moines clients.

SCHOLARSHIPS: The Jim Duncan Scholarship recognizes a Radio-Television student for outstanding promise in performance and production. The Lottie and Robert Brown Fellowship is awarded annually to a student entering the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, based on outstanding records of academic and extracurricular achievement in high school. The Katherine Farber Futch Scholarship, based on the same achievement criteria and financial need, is also awarded annually. Both may be renewed for each additional year of study with the maintenance of appropriate academic standards.

ORGANIZATIONS: Students participate in the student-funded Drake Broadcast System, producing radio and television programs for campus and city audiences. Students may also join the Drake chapter, Society of Professional Journalists, the International Television Association and the Iowa Broadcast News Association.