Posts on Mondays (Grades 6-12)

Instructor: Hannah Balkowski

This broadcast journalism course introduces students to the fundamentals of broadcast journalism, with a focus on writing for television news. Students will learn how to structure scripts, develop engaging hooks, use appropriate broadcast vocabulary, and understand the roles within a newsroom. Through analyzing real newscasts and creating their own scripts and recordings, students will gain hands-on experience in both writing and delivering news content. By the end of the course, students will even get to see their scripts come to life through a professionally edited class broadcast, showcasing their work and growth as broadcast writers.

Course Description:

Students will focus on developing strong, polished scripts by building on foundational skills. Instruction will highlight advanced writing techniques such as creating smooth transitions between ideas, maintaining a consistent tone, and organizing information in a clear and logical way. Students will also learn how broadcast segments connect, emphasizing how one story flows into the next in a full newscast.

By the end of this broadcast journalism course, students will be able to:

• Write clear and engaging broadcast news scripts
• Identify key elements of effective news storytelling
• Use basic broadcast journalism vocabulary correctly
• Analyze professional news broadcasts
• Demonstrate basic on-camera delivery skills

Required Materials

• Access to internet and video recording device (phone/laptop)
• Selected news clips (provided)
• Script templates (provided)