This document outlines the syllabus for a course titled "Image of the Journalist in Popular Culture" taught by Professor Nikki Usher. The course will examine how journalists and journalism are portrayed in popular films and media from the 1930s to present day. Students will watch films each Monday and discuss them in seminar on Wednesdays alongside historical readings. Assessment will include short response papers, class participation through tweets, and a final research paper. The course aims to help students understand the evolving relationship between the public and the news media as portrayed in popular culture over the decades.

1. Dean’s Seminar: SMPA 1000
Image of the Journalist in Popular Culture:
Understanding News Media, Assessing Images, and Discerning the History of News in Film
Professor Nikki Usher
nusher@gwu.edu
Office: School of Media and Public Affairs, 428
213-220-7824
Office Hours: 11:-12:15 Monday and Wednesday
Monday: 12:45 PM- 3:15 PM; Wednesday – 12:45 PM- 2:00 PM
RM 307
Course Objectives:
Where do our images of journalists and journalism come from? Most of us have never stepped foot inside a
newsroom, but all of us are exposed to news in some way every day, be it spoof news on The Daily Show to The
Hatchet to The Newsroomto articles or blogs we may read see on the Web. We may claim that the news is biased, or
we may feel that mainstream journalists simply don’t understand the real story or real importance of the issues at
hand. But what is guiding our assessments of journalism?
Our images of journalists are shaped and formed by the popular culture and mythologies surrounding news that we
see reflected in Hollywood, on the big screen and on the little screen. This is not a new phenomenon, in fact, the
history of journalism has been bound up and characterized by film since the early 1930s. This class aims to offer a
comprehensive look at how news is portrayed in popular culture, balancing what we see in the movies with the
actual history of news at that time. From this class, you will get a wide-ranging view of the history of journalism and
and its depiction in the movies. You will see the developments of the news production process from giant machines
to the speed of the web, and you will learn about some of the ethical dilemmas facing journalists.
Why is it that we have such conflicting images of journalists today? There has been a continuing and evolving
relationship between Americans and the media, and decade by decade, there has been a changing and often
multidimensional relationship where the journalist is the hero or scum. You can look at Superman and Clark Kent
saving the world through the Daily Planet to the aggressive and tabloid press facing the X-Men – superhero movies
have something to tell us. House of Cards and The Newsroom tell us something different about the state of the news
industry, but if we want to learn what journalism used to look like, we need to go back in time. And journalists
themselves have changed what they do and how they do it; their ethics, the cult of the publisher, and the speed and
the space of opinion. There is so much more in the movies than just sheer entertainment. All of this complicates our
assessment of the free press in the U.S.
We will complement this work with visits to the Newseum and (*fingers crossed*) a visit to a working newsroom.
You will write a series of reflection papers, complete a final paper, and take a final exam. Your final paper will
demonstrate your own ability to apply the analytical skills we have developed in class to a film or popular artifact of
your choice.
Learning objectives:
From this class you should be able to
1) Develop a clear understanding of the history of journalism from 1930 to present
2) Understand how to participate and engage in college-level seminar classes
3) Be able to assess images and media content through an analytical, critical lens
4) Contextualize historical material through fictional material
5) Apply critical writing skills through a series of cumulative assignments
6) Gain an understanding of the production practices of journalism and their implications on news content
7) Be able to understand journalistic output through a more comprehensive understanding of the industry
Schedule:
We will meet Monday for screening days, when I will introduce each film. You will be responsible for reading
background material about the film before seeing it. On Wednesdays, we will hold a seminar discussion about the
film and the historical reading and context that you have been provided.

2. Grading:
35 percent of this course will be based on the 5 short analytical papers; 20 percent will be based on your final paper;
20 percent on participation and 20 percent on the final exam.
Policies:
Your main responsibility is to come to class prepared and ready to actively participate. Even though we will be
spending about half our time watching some awesome journalism films, it is important that you do not take this
lightly – you should have a notebook out with you to jot down what you perceive as critical moments in the film,
e.g. phrases, images, scenes that you notice as particularly meaningful or curious.
Many of the films we are watching are from a time and place that exist before even your parents were born – and as
a result, it is imperative that you read some of the background about the film before you watch it. Sound quality may
be poor, the dialogue may be funny, etc. and you need to have a sense of what is happening so you can get a sense of
the plot.
To contextualize each film, we will have additional readings for the Wednesday discussion section that will provide
the historical background to what you saw – the reality to the image – as it were. We’ll talk about how the two
relate. Thus you must read the series of articles before the Wednesday class to be prepared for discussion.
This is a laptop free zone. This is a phone free zone. There’s no reason to be on your laptop while watching a movie,
and laptops make it difficult for us to see each other during seminar conversations. If you require special
accommodations we can talk about ways to make them best fit the course and help you.
Your class participation is worth as much as your final paper and final exam!!! What is class participation? Class
participation is the way that you show the class – not just me – your engagement and growth over time about how to
analyze and understand material, as well as your capacity to express yourself conceptually in public. Not all of us
are born raising our hands happy to speak in class. But this course is intended as a way to make you comfortable, in
a seminar setting, with speaking out in a college setting. I hope to create a welcoming environment for everyone to
contribute, and encourage those of you already comfortable speaking to be even more helpful with your comments,
and to assist those of you who struggle with when and what to say with strategies and suggestions for how to make
your impact heard and felt – without needing to talk all the time. If you are interested in going into political
communication or journalism, you must be able to be a vocal advocate for yourself, and your classes are your
training ground for this.
Also part of class participation: #mindblown #smpaijpc
!!! Each week, I’m going to require you to write 3! 3! Tweets about what you’ve watched, read, or heard discussed
in class. Our hashtag is #smpaijpc (smpa + image of the journalist in popular culture) – these tweets are due by COB
Friday at 5 PM. They should be a wrap-up of the week’s conversation – so for instance, if we begin the week
watching House of Cards, then talk about it, then your tweets should be engaging with this material through the
week up through Friday. More tweets, of course, are welcome. This is a GREAT way to particupate in class if you
are not a big oral participator. For good suggestions about how to tweet, please see here.
In the middle of the semester, you will receive a class participation grade from 1-15 (with 15 being the highest). The
second half of the participation grade will be completed during the back half of the semester with another 1-15
grade.
SHORT ASSIGNMENTS: Another important component of this class is critical analysis through short reflection
papers. Therefore, I will hold you accountable for 5 short papers (500 words- 2 pgs). Do not be deceived by the
short word count – it is incredibly important skill to say what you need to say in a concise space. So I will ask you a
broad question about the film or unit we have just completed, and you will have to address that question using
specifics rather than generalities for this word count.
Your final paper will be 3000 words (approx. 10pgs) and will involve you taking a film of your choosing and
conducting independent scholarly and archival (or contemporary) research [determined on the period of film or
television show you choose]. This assignment will be built off of what you have learned to do in the class: analyze
films in the context of their relevance to journalism history and public imagination of journalists.

3. I will give you detailed feedback on your writing as we go through the semester. Everything. EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING is to be submitted to me electronically. Track changes galore! Comments! Yay!
Please make use of the writing center on campus if you find yourself unsure of how to complete assignments, and
please make sure to let me know if you are having trouble.
GETTING HELP:
I have office hours Monday and Wednesday during from 11:00-12:15p.m.). Please come visit me. If this time does
not work, we can text and set up a time to talk over the phone or in person.
CLASS ATTENDANCE
You are expected to attend class regularly. If you are ill, please stay home, but do notify me either by email or
phone. If you know now that you are going to be absent on a day of religious observance, please notify me during
the first week of class. Please remember to check GW campus advisories on snowy mornings to find out if the
university has canceled classes or will be opening late. http://www.campusadvisories.gwu.edu/
More so than most classes, the entire experience of this class is built on the shared community we have
through our seminar experience of enjoying films and discussing them together. It goes without saying that
not being in class is going to be a big problem.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
I personally support the GW Code of Academic Integrity. It states, “Academic dishonesty is defined as cheating of
any kind, including misrepresenting one's own work, taking credit for the work of others without crediting them and
without appropriate authorization, and the fabrication of information.” For the remainder of the code, see:
http://www.gwu.edu/~ntegrity/code.html
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS)
Any student who may need an accommodation based on the potential impact of a disability should contact the
Disability Support Services office at 202-994-8250 in the Marvin Center, Suite 242, to establish eligibility and to
coordinate reasonable accommodations. For additional information please refer to: http://gwired.gwu.edu/dss/
UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER (UCC) -- 202-994-5300
The University Counseling Center (UCC) offers 24/7 assistance and referral to address students' personal, social,
career, and study skills problems. Services for students include:
- crisis and emergency mental health consultations
- confidential assessment, counseling services (individual and small group), and referrals
http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel/CounselingServices/AcademicSupportServices
A note on crises and self-care: You cannot be your best student and your best self unless you take care of yourself.
That involves eating right, sleeping right, working out, and adequate food (no, not just the cookie truck). Too often
we let that get out of whack. Freshman year, perhaps more than any year, is full of ups and downs. If you find
yourself in a place where you are struggling to keep things under control, please reach out to someone you trust, to
me or to GW Cares. Same goes for any kind of friend or family crisis you may have. It is better for people to know
what is going on than for us not to know and for your grades and your experience at GW to suffer. Don’t be afraid to
use the many resources around you for help.
Texts:
Ehrlich-Journalism in the Movies; Good- JournalismEthics Goes To The Movies;McNair: Journalists in Film:
Heroes and Villains(we won’t use this as much in class, but it will be invaluable to you).Otherwise, nearly all
readings are on Blackboard except as noted.I expect that you will have a Netflix subscription and if I assign a
movie outside of class or if we miss a movie, you will be able to stream it or access it via Amazon or Hulu Plus or
another streaming source.

4. READINGS AND SCHEDULE
WEEK 1: INTRODUCTION
January 13: Overview and House of Cards (2013), Ep. 1.
January15:Ehrlich, Ch. 1 (Studying Journalism and the Movies), Good, Introduction (Journalism Ethics Goes To
the Movies). Catch up on Review from Variety and the New Republic for House of Cards.
WEEK 2: The Early Days of Journalism and The Movies
January 20: - WATCH HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940)
Available streaming via Netflix. The movie is very old so you will need to watch read the reviews first because the
sound is quirky for this film and for the selections for the 1931 version we will see in class.
BY January 20 at 9 PM, I expect an email from you about your favorite scene from the movie. Please send to
nusher@gwu.edu. You will not receive credit for class participation unless you do this.
REVIEWS: The first are for the male lead version and the second set are for His Girl Friday. Read: “The Front
Page” (reviews in Variety, The New York Times); The Front Page” (McNair); “His Girl Friday” (reviews from
Variety, The New York times).
You will not understand this movie unless you read these reviews first!!!
January 22: In class – selections from The Front Page (1931), conversation about this era in journalism. Ehrlich,
The Front Page, Ch. 2. Read Vaughn and Evanson, Democracy’s Guardians.
Week 3: The Big Publishers
January 27: Citizen Kane (1941), reviews from Variety, The New York Times, Roger Ebert
January 30: Brief lecture on Yellow Journalism and the power of the publisher; Erlich – Citizen Kane chapter.
McNair – 191-196. One more reading – likely Marion Davies biography of Kane vs. Hearst. TBA.
Assignment 1: Due Monday, February 3, Week 4, 11 p.m.
You’ve now been introduced to the early period of American journalism in the 20 th century. What if Hildy Johnson
had to work for Charles Foster Kane? Do you think Kane would be up to the same tricks? Why? Base this on what
we have read and discussed about a) the films and b) the reality of journalism
500 words max! Due by email to nusher@gwu.edu
Week 4: Disaster News and Reporting-Ethics and Story Production
February 3: Ace in the Hole (1951), reviews from The New York Times, Columbia Journalism Review, Roger
Ebert, Sections of Ehrlich, Ch. 5 (83-88).
February 5: Reader, Ch, 7 (from Journalism Ethics Goes to the Movies), NYT’sKeith Bradsher answers readers
questions post-typhoon; McNair - 149-152; Journalists as Agents of Courage.
Week 5: Journalism in the 1950s: The Cold War and the Power of the Journalist
This is a fairly recent movie (2005) with George Clooney and was nominated for a number of Academy Awards.
February 10: Goodnight and Good Luck, reviewsfrom Variety, The New York Times. Meyer, Columbia
Journalism Review.
February 12: Dillon, Ch. 9 (from Journalism Ethics Goes to the Movies); McNair, 68-70. Clooney on Murrow.
Assignment 2: Due Week 7, February 24, 17 p.m.

5. The past two films you have seen show the influence of journalists and their ability to change the narrative of events.
Weigh the positives and negatives of this, using both films to discuss positive and negative aspects (e.g. what do you
find both positive and negative about Ace in the Hole and the effect on events?)
500 words max, due by email to nusher@gwu.edu
Week 6: Journalism in the 1960s
As a personal note, the next two movies made me want to become a journalist. They’re so different from each other,
but represent the wide potential in personality available to an aspiring journalist.
ON YOUR OWN: YOU WILL NEED TO WATCH FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS ON YOUR
OWN THIS WEEK BEFORE OUR WEDS CLASS. IT IS AVAILABLE FOR RENT ON AMAZON FOR
$2.99. IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES.
FOR February 17: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998); Columbia Journalism Review; Variety Review. SEND
ME A NOTE WITH YOUR FAVORITE SCENE BY 9 PM FEB 17 to nusher@gwu.edu.
February 19: The New Journalism. McNair (article): Johnny Be Gonzo. Visit from Megan Garber and Becca Rosen
of The Atlantic to talk about everything.
Week 7: Journalism in the 1960s/1970s
February 24: All the President’s Men(1976), reviews from The New York Times, Roger Ebert, Brennan – All the
President’s Men (the Real Story).
February 26: Read –Ehrlich, Journalism and the Movies, 111-120; McNair, 60-64.The Washington Post’s Finest 2
hours and 16 minutes.
Assignment 3: Due Monday, March 3, 11 p.m.
Try writing a story in a new journalism voice about Watergate: pretend you were Hunter S. Thompson covering
what happened.
600 words max. Due to nusher@gwu.edu
Week 8: Treating Your Sources Right
March 3: Absence of Malice (1981), read briefing sheet, read reviews from The New York Times, Columbia
Journalism Review, Roger Ebert.
March 5: Stocking, Chapter 4, Journalism Ethics Goes to the Movies; Minimize harm to your sources (SPJ code)
CONGRATULATIONS: YOU HAVE MADE IT TO YOUR FRESHMAN YEAR SPRING BREAK – SPRING
BREAK MARCH 10-15! ENJOY!!!
Week 9: Journalism Ethics
March 18: Shattered Glass (2003),reviews from The New York Times, Roger Ebert,the background of the New
Republic story, Ehrlich, Chapter 2, Shattered Glass.
March 20: Vanity Fair Story.
Assignment 4, Due March 25, 11 p.m.
Pick any magazine story from the New Republic or the New Yorker (over 2000 words) to fact check. Circle all the
facts like you saw in the movie, Make sure to check at least 20 facts. Write these facts on a list and your sources for
checking them. Please provide a link or PDF (PDF preferred) to the story. Finally, write a short paragraph on the
experience, reflecting quickly on how Glass’ stories might have gotten through.

6. Week 11: What Becomes News?
March 25: The Paper(1994), reviews on blackboard. selections from Journalism in the Movies (145-149)
March 27: Gans, selections; Nice Try
Week 12: Consolidation and Competition
April 1: Anchorman (2004), reviews from Variety, The New York Times, Roger Ebert; Anchorman in infographics
Talk about final paper!
April 3:All local news is national news; Media Consolidation; Covert Conslidation; Talking points; ; Conversation
with Josh Stearns of Free Press.
GO TO THE NEWSEUM THIS WEEK!!! YOU ARE ADMITTED FOR FREE (CHECK WITH PROFESSOR
USHER)
Newsroom visits to the Washington Post begin on Fridays – Meet at The Post at 10:00 AM- More details to come.
Week 13: The Anchor as Personality, The Ratings Game 2
April 8: Network (1976)
April 10:Erlich, 121-128; Network predicted everything about modern media; Why it resonates today; Time
Magazine
SEND ME YOUR FINAL TOPIC BY APRIL 10 AT 11 PM – I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE
WRITING YOUR FINAL PAPER ON!!! I WANT A MOVIE AND POTENTIAL SUBJECT AREA (FOR
THIS YOU WILL NEED TO READ REVIEWS OR SUMMARIES)
Assignment 5: Due April 15, 11 p.m,
What was the best exhibit you saw at The Newseum? The one most related to class?
300 words Max! Hand into nusher@gwu.edu
Week 14: Superheroes in the Movies
April 15: Man of Steel (2013); Selections of Spiderman (with Tobey Maguire); reviews from Variety, The New
York Times, Roger Ebert;
April 17: Thinking about Journalism with Superman (Erlich); Lois Lane readings.
Week 15:Wikileaks
April 22: We Steal Secrets (2013), Usher – book review of Wikileaks, review from The New York Times
April 24: Selections from Benkler and Wikileaks journalism
WEEK 16 FRIDAY May 2: FINAL PAPER DUE
FINAL EXAM: TBD