A videotape program was designed for use in news writing classes to provide journalism students with exposure to and experience in covering press conferences. The mock press conference format was selected because an analysis of journalism textbooks revealed little attention to this topic, and it was decided that an elected public official from the San Diego City Council should serve as the interviewee and that students from a public affairs reporting class should serve as members of the "press corps." A staff writer from the "San Diego Union" and a broadcast journalism professor also participated. The 33-minute mock press conference, in which students/reporters asked researched questions over a wide array of topics, was followed by an 18-minute evaluation. Comments solicited from students and instructors in three different classes who viewed the videotaped program during the spring 1990 semester indicated that, overall, the production was a useful educational experience. Research generating quantitative data regarding the effectiveness of this program as representative of visual communication is called for. (KEH)