Super Scoop was a pioneer in software simulations that was first published in 1984 during the early days of microcomputers. It became a software classic, often discussed at journalism education conferences. In 1987 Super Scoop won an EDUCOM/EDUCAUSE "distinguished software" award, ranking it with the best programs from M.I.T. , Dartmouth College, Carnegie Mellon, and other elite computing universities. Super Scoop owed its success to its simple replication of a real-world news story developed by Peter Owens during his news reporting years.

After receiving a tip from a source that a woman has been killed during a blood mismatch accident in a country hospital, the beginning journalist has an opportunity to select from two menus of sources to develop the story. Students decide their own paths, interview strategies, and source sequences, many of them leading to frustration, stonewalling, and dead ends. But the program supports full development of the story for resourceful and clever journalists. They must employ sound judgment and not jump to wild conclusions, or they face libel threats and legal inimidation. In the end they write a story based on their investigations.

Super Scoop

The path through the interviews is fraught with other dangers, twists and turns. Sources jump off the record, and volunteer pieces and bits that the reporter must reconstruct and validate. Included are many lively quotes, complex scientific information, documents, and enough finger-pointing to keep the reporter wondering who's telling the truth while searching for a smoking gun that nails down the story.

The program offers teachers an opportunity to see their students at work. As they work the program, you can ask students what they are thinking, why they are quoting this source or that, and even observe the quotes they are using. The program allows instructors to evaluate news judgment, story strategy, quote selection, accuracy, balance, fairness, knowledge of press law, quality of writing, efficiency, tenacity, and a host of behaviors involved in real reporting. It is the next best thing to being able to tag along with students and watch them at work.

Super Scoop can be used as a test, as a group workshop, as a group discussion tool, or an instrument for teaching many of the necessary skills required in reporting. It's fun, challenging, and easy to use. It has been used by professionals as well as students for nearly two decades.

Published originally by COMPRess, Super Scoop's copyright now belongs to Peter Owens. Based on the tough, hard-nosed realities of real reporting, it is a program that has outlived many generations of computers and still gets the job done as well as ever.

Pricing info:

Super Scoop for PCs:

For 1 Computer: $35

For 1 Institutional Computer Lab, 20 copies: $95

Full single site license, ie. unlimited institutionally owned or leased computers in single school,
college, university, newspaper, or corporate location: $150

Payble to pvowens@mediaone.net by credit card at WWW.PAYPAL.COM

For questions, contact: pvowens@mediaone.net

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Copyright Peter Owens, 2001

Contact: Peter Owens, powens@cape.com

Last revised: 11-21-2005