Covering Big Money Battles

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

What happens when Congress puts a countdown clock on TikTok’s U.S. existence? When the Justice Department alleges that Google’s search engine is a monopoly? When Elon Musk wants Space X to become a shuttle bus to the moon? When AI models and social media allow disinformation to spread virtually unchecked? When cryptocurrency crashes? This course aims to explore how journalists cover the complex intersection of government policy and commerce. We will take advantage of our location in Washington to dissect the development and enforcement of that policy, and, as journalists, will report and write stories that help translate the topics into accessible articles. Throughout the course, you will be introduced to leading news organizations and reporters in this field, who will provide insight into the process that shapes the coverage they produce and the skill sets required to produce it. You will additionally (via special application) have the opportunity to contribute to a brand-new book project with Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Brody Mullins focused on the history of business and lobbying in Washington, and how a growing set of Democratic progressives and Republican populists are both using U.S. antitrust laws to rein in Big Tech companies and other large, consolidated industries. Note: Students who take advantage of this option will be able to use that activity to fulfill the professional experience element for the journalism minor.