The Press and the Presidency

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course will explore the traditional dynamic, evolving norms and current practice of presidential press coverage, and the impact of those patterns on both the White House and the nation; the larger historical forces and long-term trends driving changes in each of those areas; and the theoretical questions, logistical challenges and ethical dilemmas presidential coverage can pose for journalists, along with practical methods used to navigate those issues. The course will include journalistic assignments to be completed both inside and outside the class session, as well as analysis and discussion of current presidential press coverage, readings from academic and journalistic sources, and conversations with leading White House reporters and former presidential spokespeople.