METEO 496

TV Meteorology, Section 1

Meteo 496: TV Meteorology

Instructor: Marisa Ferger
606D Walker
814-865-5873
[email protected]

Office hours: by appointment 

Class Meeting Time and Location:

Fridays  9:05AM-9:55PM  Walker Studio 

Course Designation:

Elective course for the Weather Communications Option 

Course Description:

The main objective for this course will be to hone your presentation skills while using your meteorological knowledge.  We will also have class discussions that relate to the current state of the television industry.  Each student will be paired up with a Penn State graduate who is currently working in television news in order to get a better understanding of what the business is like. 

Prerequisite: Meteo 481 

Outcomes for Meteo 496(TV):

  1. Students can demonstrate knowledge of effective approaches for communicating accurate information about the atmosphere via speaking and writing.

Outcomes for Meteo 496(TV):

  1. Students can demonstrate the ability to present a weather forecast in a television format (both at the key and in news stories).
  2. Students learn about the television industry by getting to know a Penn State graduate who is already in the field.

Program Objectives:

  1. To produce graduates who have a general knowledge of a range of atmospheric phenomena and applications, and have expertise in one or more program subdisciplines or related interdisciplinary area.
  2. To produce graduates who are equipped to contribute to solving problems in the atmospheric sciences and related disciplines, through service in business or as educators in the private sector. 

Program Outcomes:

  1. Graduates can demonstrate skills for interpreting and applying atmospheric observations.
  2. Graduates can demonstrate their skills for communicating their technical knowledge. 

Assessment Tools:

  1. Key work – 30%
  2. Package(s) for UPA – 10%
  3. Evaluation by classmates – 15%
  4. Quizzes – 25%
  5. Paper and presentation on the PSU grad you have been paired up with and that person’s assessment of your interview/communications skills – 20% (10% + 10%) 

*Since timing is important in TV news, you are expected to arrive on time to class each day. For every three late arrivals, one letter grade will be deducted from your final course grade. A deduction from your final grade will be made if you miss a class as well.*  

Academic Integrity:

See the College of EMS policy at:  http://www.ems.psu.edu/current_undergrad_students/academics/integrity_policy

Class Schedule/Topics Covered:

  1. Television markets
  2. Meeting someone who is already in the field
  3. Introduction to the chromakey
  4. Basic chromakey skills
  5. Basics of television news writing
  6. Putting it all together 

Prepared By: Marisa Ferger, August 2018