Correction Appended
The course "Presidential Campaign 2008: Inside the War Room and Newsroom" has formed a unique collaboration with D.C. FOX station WTTG's "FOX 5 News," according to School of Communication professor Lenny Steinhorn.
In addition to dedicating an entire page of their Web site to Steinhorn's class - including student biographies, blogs and position papers - the network broadcasts in-class discussions on a weekly basis, according to the course syllabus.
The class meets twice a week for two and a half hours on both Wednesday afternoons and Thursday mornings. In its Wednesday sections, the class focus is on lectures and student presentations, but on Thursdays, the class participates in a filmed discussion session broadcast through a Web camera on the Web site. During these discussions, participants ruminate on what the media covered the previous day, as well as what role it could play that week. Over the semester, the 20 students in the class will become experts on certain aspects of the campaign and produce weekly presentations and briefing papers, according to the course syllabus.
The class is an honors colloquia in which acceptance is based on an in-depth and politically thought-provoking application, Steinhorn said.
"Students not only study the election, but see first-hand how news is handled," he said.
Steinhorn is a regular political analyst at "FOX 5 News."
Rich Murphy, senior Web producer for "FOX 5 News," said he thought Steinhorn's idea of this type of campaign coverage added diversity to typically mundane political coverage.
The class would closely scrutinize the election, Steinhorn wrote in the syllabus.
"Our look at the campaign will be broad and deep, and we will approach it with the perspective of an historian, the scrutiny of a journalist and the insight of a backroom political strategist," he said in the syllabus.
Carmen Rios, a freshman in SOC and the Kogod School of Business who is enrolled in the course, said she initially found the classes "a little intimidating, refreshing and really exciting."
Steinhorn said he doesn't think the camera presence affects the students.
Rios said she and her classmates try very hard to ignore the cameras.
"The fact that we're being watched and being paid attention to only, I think, motivates all of us to work harder and be even more insightful," she said.
Jaime Albrecht, a sophomore in the School of International Service who volunteered for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's campaign this summer in Columbus, Ohio, and is a member of the class, said she joined the class as a way to gain other perspectives on political matters.
Albrecht said she hopes the Web cast causes all students to be mindful of the importance of this election, regardless of party affiliation.
"It is the first time [I] can vote so [I] especially want to get our generation out there," she said.
So far, the response generated during the live broadcasts has been "respectable," according to Murphy. He said he is optimistic that a good response will continue, especially with help from other online advertising tools.
Albrecht also mentioned the connection between the Web and politics.
"We live in a highly technical world, yet still many do not vote," she said. "Even if [our Web cast] just gets people talking with friends and family, we are making the public more informed."
Steinhorn said the course is helping students have a better understanding of both political coverage and others' perspectives.
"Students gain greater understanding about politics and media but also about personal political views," he said.
Steinhorn, who has been a professor in SOC since 1995, started this course for the 2000 presidential election. In 2000, CNN covered the class weekly. In 2004, D.C.'s NBC station WRC covered the class, according to Steinhorn.
Steinhorn's class discussions stream live on Thursdays at 10 a.m. at media.myfoxdc.com/CampaignU/index.html.
You can reach this writer at news@theeagleonline.com.
Correction: In "Fox 5 broadcasts AU class," The Eagle incorrectly reported the start time for the live stream broadcast of the class discussion and the Web address to access the live stream. The class begins streaming at 10 a.m. Thursdays and is available at media.myfoxdc.com/CampaignU/index.html. The Eagle regrets the error.
