This paper introduces the medium of cultural journalism as an effective means of intensified basic communication training and community involvement. Part one contains a report of a needs assessment and a subsequent pilot project on cultural journalism that was conducted at an Oklahoma high school. The needs assessment also reports on similar projects conducted in and around the Oklahoma region, the attitudes of community members toward such a project, the problems and possibilities associated with such curriculum development, and advice from other proponents of experience based education. The report on the pilot project that resulted from the needs assessment--a 36-page magazine produced within the regular newspaper journalism class--includes responses from both students and members of the community. The second part of the paper focuses on the development of a curriculum model designed to expand on the pilot project. This section contains general information about organizing cultural journalism projects, including planning the project, implementing the program, designing basic curriculum modules (ten are outlined), and evaluating the program. A selected bibliography and appendixes of data and material used in the needs assessment and the pilot project are also provided. (RL)