I-Comm
We learned about I-Comm Student Media from Brother Thompson. There are a number of programs found on campus that are designed to help students to practice what they are learning in class for their majors in Communications. These programs are listed as Scroll, Scroll digital, and Soapbox Advertizing and Public relations. Each of these count not only as practicum credits towards our major, but also that it will provide great experience with real clients. This in turn can be a great addition to a resume.
Journalism
Brother Williams came to class and talked to us about Journalism, and how big of an impact it has on the general public. He started out by mentioning that “Congress shall make no law against the freedom of the press” and that 70 minutes a day, people are exposed to and learning the news. He told us not to think of journalism as just radio and newspaper, but instead to think of it as a growing and flourishing system that is growing bigger due to the internet. If you want to become a journalist, you would need to know about Google, and other websites and learn how they are made up, you’d have to look for a good minor or cluster, and most importantly you’d have to know how to write well! The best way to start is by making blog, or website, or anything that can make a good identity for yourself on the web. This provides good networking opportunities that can help you land a job.
Visual Communication
We learned about Visual Communication from Sister Esplin. She helped us to understand that visual communication skills, no matter what our major, help students get and keep jobs. Visual Communication is consisted of five things, including Photography, Graphic Design, Video, Social Media, and Web Design. She emphasized the importance of having and managing a blog, and how a good internet presence can effect our futures a lot. She mentioned also the ESV factor, which is an acronym for Efficient, Skilled, and Versatile. These three factors can help us to get ahead of the competition.
Video Production/Broadcast Journalism
Brother Howard came into teach us about Video Production, which is what I am mainly interested in studying. He mentioned how there are a variety of different job options that are available in the video production business, such as working for a broadcast station, making corporate videos, or government videos. There are Independent Video Production Companies, Ad Agencies, PR firms, or Independent Freelancers. You may work with Web-videos, Webcasting, or Podcasting. He also mentioned different job titles involved in the industry, such as the director, producer, video editor, videographer, digital graphic artist, sound engineer, and lighting engineer. When starting out in the video production buisness, there may be a lot of moving around, but it is always fun and well worth the usual changes.
Public Relations
Brother Hicks came into class to teach us about public relations. The definition of Public relations is “a planned process to influence public opinion through sound character and proper performance based on mutually satisfactory two-way communication,” He explained further that public relations applies to every part of company business. There needs to be a good relationship between a company and all other communities that it comes in contact with, including the media, the competition, customers, employees, and the government.
Advertising
Brother Hendricks talked to us about the field of advertising. He told us that if we want to have a good career where we can be creative, then advertising is a pretty good option. The definition of advertising is “a persuasive form of communication of information about products from identified sponsors through media,” Usually advertisement is structured within a specific time or size and looks at three main questions: First, did it make you gasp? Second, did it make you think “I wish I could have thought about that,”? And third, does the ad have staying power? If you answer yes to all of these questions, then you have a good money making ad. He went on to talk about the usual advertising agency and it’s components, namely Account Management, Research and Account Planning, Creative Concepts (copywriters, art directors, creative directors, etc.) Media Planning and Buying, Social Media, Traffic Management (in charge of all phases of production), and other functions.
Grad Plans
Brother Christensen taught us about how to set up a Graduation Plan. He explained that in order to approve a grad plan, there must be a fifteen minute increment appointment set with someone who will help you to form an effective grad plan. There is a link in the BYU-I website that connects you to your degree audit. This is were the plan is organized. In order to graduate from BYU-I, 120 credits must be earned with 18 of those credits meeting the religion course requirement. As you form your plan,it is important to pay attention to pre-requisites for classes, electives, and inactive classes. If there is red-lettering, it means that there is a pre-requisite that needs to be completed before the class is taken. In order to pass a class, a minimum of a C- grade must be acquired.
Internships
Brother Christensen returned to our class to talk to us about internship opportunities offered at BYU-Idaho. Most majors require at least one internship, which is basically known as a job that earns you academic credit. Majors range from one to three credits and must be planned in advance to avoid any issues. Internships are available even during your off track, and are best planned for closer to graduation. They are great opportunities to network with peers within the workforce, and are the key to getting the career that you want to get.
Ethics – Plagiarism – Copyright
Brother Cole came into our class to teach us about copyright laws and how they effect our work in the communication field. He began by explaining Ethics, or the study of right and wrong. As people who work with words constantly, we need to be careful about how we form them. He then went on to explain about the dangers of plagiarism, which is taking the thoughts words or ideas of others and passing it off as our own work. Under Title 17 in American law, it states that you can copyright an expression of an idea, process, or fact, but not the idea, process, or fact itself. Automatic copyright production is allowed under two conditions: first, if it is an original work of authorship, and second, if it is fixed in a tangible form. Rights of copyright include reproduction, distribution, public performance, public display, derivative works, and moral rights. These rights are guaranteed through the whole life of the author plus an extra 70 years after death.
Dan's Communication Portfolio 