I was a graduate student at Tsinghua University many years ago. Specifically, I was studying Global Business Journalism at Tsinghua University School of Journalism and Communication in Beijing, China. You can find out more about me here.
Here are some of the most interesting events that happened at our school at that time.
Orientation trip to China Radio International
Beijing (GBJ) — Jan 6, 2011 — Orientation trip to China Radio International (中国国际广播电台) for new Global Business Journalism students class of 2010 took place during the orientation week on September 9, 2010. It was organized by Professor Min Hang, Global Business Journalism program coordinator.
It was the first activity that was offered to just-arrived international graduate students at Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication in Beijing. The aim was to visit and experience the working environment of one of the three state-owned media organizations along with China National Radio (CNR) and China Central Television (CCTV) in People’s Republic of China. It is also one of the largest radios in the world with 30 overseas bureaus.
China Radio International has broadcasts 1,520 hours of programs each day all over the world in 58 languages. China Radio International programs include news, current affairs, and features on politics, the economy, culture, science and technology. During the visit there were plenty of opportunities to meet with managers working at China Radio International. And ask questions about their duties and roles their play within their organization.
Liao Jibo (廖吉波), a director of Overseas Development Division Office of International Cooperation introduced the China Radio International’ history to international students from Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication. And, he was an exclusive guide to show students around the China Radio International headquarter in Beijing.
Liao Jibo explained in details the company’s history, the way China Radio International reaches its diversified audience abroad. He pointed out a great number of countries and programs each day targeting the whole world in 58 languages. Liao Jibo mentioned China Radio International expansion plans in the foreseeable future. Mostly on the continent of Africa and in the Middle East.
While visiting different departments of China Radio International, Global Business Journalism students also had a chance to meet Zhang Wan (张婉). She is a reporter working at the English language Easy FM91.5. Easy FM91.5 is available online to listeners on http://english.cri.cn/easyfm/index.htm. She introduced entertainment sections of China Radio International. And, let students visit recording studios where real-time auditions and interviews were performed.
For freshmen graduate students at Tsinghua University it was an exclusive opportunity to encounter insights at one of the largest media organizations in the whole China and come across managers and employees on site. For Global Business Journalism students, it was a great opportunity to observe working place of the Chinese media, offices with cubicles where journalists work every day and ask dozens of questions.
In fact, for Global Business Journalism students, it was the first chance to get acquainted and integrate with each other. Also, it was one of the first chances to have a conversation with Professor Min Hang. She is the Global Business Journalism program coordinator who organized this trip to China Radio International and accompanied students during their visit.
Thanks to her courtesy, she invited Liao Jibo to show Global Business Journalism students around his organization and tell stories, students are not able to find either in any brochures or on the Internet.
Bloomberg Chinese News Launch
Beijing (GBJ) — Jan 6, 2011 — Global Business Journalism students thanks to the courtesy of Prof. Lee Miller, editor-at-large at Bloomberg News, were invited to join Peter T. Grauer, Bloomberg L.P. Chairman, and Matthew Winkler, founder and editor-in-chief of Bloomberg News, at a cocktail reception and panel discussion to mark the expansion of Bloomberg News’ Chinese language service. The launch ceremony took place to mark expansion plans in China by attracting new clients at Park Hyatt Hotel on October 22, 2011. Invitations for students were provided by Miller.
On its invitations Bloomberg announced that “In the past 10 months, Bloomberg News has doubled the size of its Chinese translation department, building a team that provides Bloomberg’s unique mix of headlines, breaking news, features and commentary in Chinese, seven days a week.” Also, Since Bloomberg opened its offices in Beijing and Shanghai 15 years ago, China has undergone changes that have reinvented the nation and been felt around the world. In the next decade, that global impact will only increase.
Global Business Journalism students had a chance to meet in person with executives from Bloomberg as well as employees from offices around the world. For instance, Adrianus Hadiwinata who works at Hong Kong office enthusiastically introduced his working place and gave insights into daily operations in his office.
Peter T. Grauer mentioned during his welcoming speech that “at Bloomberg, we never sleep,” on how his company, world’s largest data provider gets ahead competitors. Bloomberg together with Thomson Reuters, controls more thank 60 percent of world data market. Peter T. Grauer welcomed students from Global Business Journalism program which is cosponsored by Bloomberg at Tsinghua University. Bloomberg provides Global Business Journalism program with several terminals and monthly magazine such as Bloomberg Markets. He added that Bloomberg would like to recruit as many Global Business Journalism students to work for the company in the future.
Global Business Journalism students also participated in a panel discussion ‘China: Shaping A New World Order’ where topics such as China’s immense appetite for resources, its strengthening currency, ongoing domestic reforms, improving green credentials and expanding role as a model for the rest of Asia were discussed. Panelists were as follows: Dr Yu Yongding, President, China Society of World Economics, Mr. Wang Wei, Chairman, China Mergers & Acquisition Association, Dr Larry Zhang, CIO/Co-CEO, JT Capital Management, Dr David G. Blanchflower, Professor of Economics, Dartmouth College, New Hampshire.
Global Business Journalism students got real time experience of how media companies officially launch new services to their clients to attract public attention and strengthen its position entering new market. The conference was bilingual, translated simultaneously from English to Chinese and Chinese to English. Questions & Answers session that was allowed at the end of presentations by Peter T. Grauer, Chairman, Bloomberg L.P. and Mr. Matthew Winkler, Editor-in-Chief & Founder, Bloomberg News was an useful lesson for young aspiring journalists of how to ask questions professionally to the highest level executives.
A cocktail party gave students a chance to talk informally and get acquaintance with many renowned media managers, editors and journalists.
Informal meeting with Deborah Nelson, a Pulitzer-winning journalist
Beijing (GBJ) — Jan 7, 2011 — Informal meeting and discussion session between Deborah Nelson, a Pulitzer-winning journalist now teaching in University of Maryland, Molly Castelazo, involved in a US-China trade running the Internet portal futureofuschinatrade.com, and 2009 and 2010 Global Business Journalism students was organized by the courtesy of Prof. Nailene Chou Wiest on November 1, 2010 in the Omnicom Building at Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication.
Deborah Nelson who won a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting thanks to writing a story
about widespread problems in the federal government’s Indian Housing Program shared her personal experiences with students about her job as an investigative journalist and editor. Nelson gave useful tips and tricks on effective methods to gather information she used in her stories and recalled her most difficult moments to compile articles. She also worked as the Washington investigations editor for The Los Angeles Times, reported for the Washington Post, Seattle Times and Chicago Sun-Times.
Deborah Nelson and Prof. Nailene Chou Wiest compared a profession of the investigative reporter and differences in gathering news in the U.S. and China. Nailene Chou Wiest provided students with many examples on how much cultural differences matter, if reporters would like to conduct interviews, especially with elderly Chinese people.
Students learnt that it is really difficult to gather information for the first time. Journalists need to be persistent and do not discourage themselves, if they do not gather the answer immediately. It is advised to ask other family members so they can try to persuade the elderly family members they trust.
Many Global Business Journalism students raised questions enthusiastically about how investigative journalists should deal with sources, not willing to share information and talk to media. Deborah Nelson explained to students again to be persistent, never give up and sometimes give sources more time to think their decisions over. After a certain amount of time sources are naturally more willing to talk to the press. They know that information they held matters to the world because journalists are indeed interested in getting answers. Sometimes, sources also want to have a clear conscience and treat an interview with a journalist as a confession.
Molly Castelazo, a US-China trade expert, gave a short introduction of Future of US / China Trade website that main goal is to promote mutual dialogue between the U.S. and China. However, the website www.futureofuschinatrade.com managed and funded by the U.S. sources might convey biased content.
Headlines which appear on the website might suggest negative connotations and make impressions that China is the only one responsible for trade imbalances between China and the U.S. For Instance, “Would an RMB revaluation reduce global Trade imbalances?”, “Tough talk on China ignores economic reality”, “Is China a currency manipulator?” and quotations of Prof. Geng Xiao, an Honorary Professor from School of Economics and Finance at the University of Hong Kong.
Most of the articles show China in a bad light conveying the image of country which does not care what is going on in the world and act irresponsibly in terms of international trade.
Orientation trip to Global Times and Caixin
Beijing (GBJ) — Jan 7, 2011 – Prof. Nailene Chou Wiest, co-director of Global Business Journalism program, brought a group comprised of both international and Chinese Global Business Journalism students to visit The Global Times (环球时报) and Caixin Media (财新网), two Chinese-and-English-language news organizations in Beijing on November 29, 2010.
The Global Times (环球时报) is a daily newspaper focusing on domestic market in China with major sections including “global”, “world”, “nation”, “editorial”, “Metro Beijing”, “culture”, “community”, lifestyle”, “people”, “viewpoint”, “lifestyle”, “life”, “business” and “sports”. In foreign press, The Global Times is described as the English-language mouthpiece of the official Chinese Communist Party. According to Wall Street Journal, The Global Times was established first as a Chinese language publication in 1993, an English language version was launched on the 20th of April, 2009. As part of a Chinese campaign costing 45 billion yuan ($6.6 billion) to compete with overseas media.
Global Business Journalism students had a chance to participate in a closed meeting with senior editors Patrick Kearn and Cong Mu, who are in charge of running the daily. Patrick Kearn and Cong Mu introduced the “daily life” of reporters and editors at The Global Times to journalism students starting from throwing ideas and two to three story proposals up early in the morning, before 9 am, through discussing proposals with editors and picking best stories to write, to comprehensive feedback on articles at the end of the day. Student also walked around The Global Times headquarter meeting reporters and editors who were working in their cubicles.
The Questions & Answers (Q&A) session with senior editors let students to discuss possible stories contribution to The Global Times by submitting freelance articles after obtaining approval by Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication and Global Business Journalism program directors and coordinators. It was the first time since the beginning of the academic year, students had a chance to get to know prices media pay to freelance journalists in Beijing – approximately RMB800 per 1000 words. Feature stories are worth RMB500-1000, short news stories RMB300-400 and business commentary RMB400-500.
Then, Global Business Journalism students headed to visit around a headquarter of Caixin Media (财新网), a Beijing-based media group dedicated to provide high-quality and authoritative financial and business news and information through periodicals, online, conferences, books, and online video programs. According to TIME Magazine, “Caixin Media has more than 100 editorial staff. Yang Daming acts as deputy editor-in-chief, and Wang Shuo is editor. The business side is headed by Daphne Wu as Managing Director and General Manager.”
Journalism students met with the intern employee responsible for managing podcasts and one of Chinese editors. Students had a chance to get to know more about Caixin’s profile and articles’ content and learn about internship opportunities available with the company. Caixin provided guests with free several copies of Caixin Magazine issued in Chinese to become more familiar with company’s writing style, copy and layout editing and read what are the most recent stories written by Caixin on finance and business.
Lecture by John Liu, Bloomberg Bureau Chief in Beijing
Beijing (GBJ) — Jan 6, 2011 – John Liu, Bloomberg’s Beijing bureau chief, was invited by Prof. Lee Miller, editor-at-large of Bloomberg News to give an introductory speech to Global Business Journalism students about Bloomberg office in Beijing and Bloomberg activities in the capital of China. The lecture took place at Omnicom Building and gathered together both international and Chinese students from Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication.
John Liu explained Beijing bureau’s organizational structure with different teams responsible, for example, markets, companies, stocks, currencies, bonds, etc. and highlighted the process of picking news, delegating tasks and allocating human and capital recourses to make effective decisions. Reporters also write summaries from local Chinese-language magazines, focus on digging news based on stories and press releases by China’s Central Bank or Bloomberg competitors.
John Liu introduced his previous professional working background as a Bloomberg bureau chief in Shanghai.
Journalists working for Bloomberg do not wait until the day when the news is made public e.g. 20 years of Shanghai Stock Exchange, but write their stories way before other news organizations and even before stories really happen. Stories written way in advance are called by Bloomberg as ‘curtain-raisers’. News company also needs to be well prepared to release stories faster as seconds not minutes matter. Bloomberg is using software to monitor approximately 300 other websites- if there is a change an alert window pops up and highlights the change.
Liu mentioned that while recruiting employees to its Beijing bureau it is important for people have contacts and deep knowledge about the industry. These are given a preference. Good record with previous job is essential as well as “fresh” perspective; if reporters from foreign countries write stories on China they provide news with a different perspective, fresh insight look and make stories interesting both for them and their readers.
Liu explained the structure of Beijing office where there is one editor and 15 to 16 reporters. More editors are assigned in Hong Kong office. He also told students that interns write mostly weather stories and “movers”, short stories to explained why stocks are rising or falling. Liu gave examples of stories written by previous interns such as an overview of most favorite things in different countries. If stories need to be done very quickly, interns contribute to these stories assisting reporters.
As the biggest challenge for Bloomberg in China, Liu pointed out shortage of people to cover everything Bloomberg wishes to scoop. Nevertheless, all stories have to be balanced and clearly tell readers, if a particular situation is positive or negative for the company/economy. Readers need to know whether to buy or to sell stocks.
Liu also described conditions, regulations and restrictions on Chinese and foreign journalists to work in China, for example that Chinese nationals working for foreign media have to sign contracts with the third agency that is operating under the governmental institutions. Foreign journalists cannot enter Tibet with ‘J visa’ designated for journalists who want to enter China. Also, Bloomberg does not hire any freelance stuff for its offices around mainland China.
Presentation by Charlie Dang, General Manager at Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Beijing (GBJ) — Jan 6, 2011 — Meeting with Charlie Dang, Area Managing Director, Northern China of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, was organized by the courtesy of Prof. Lee Miller, editor-at-large of Bloomberg News.
Charlie Dang started his hotel career back in 1981. He rose from a junior trainee to a general manager at the age of 35. Charlie Dang got his education at Cornell University with a major in Food and Beverage Marketing and Management. Dang worked as a Restaurant Manager and Food & Beverage Director in five-star hotels, resorts and convention centers around the world including his home country of Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore as well as Switzerland, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Charlie Dang started his stint in China as general manager of Sheraton Xian Hotel, followed by a successfully opening of Sheraton Dongguan as its general manager, before moving to Beijing to head up the opening of the first Westin hotel in Beijing: The Westin Beijing, Financial Street. Since opening, the hotel has won numerous prestigious awards from organizations around the world.
Charlie Dang gave a comprehensive presentation of hotel industry in Greater China and South-East Asia at Westin Hotel on November 30, 2010 to both international and Chinese who study Global Business Journalism at Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,041 properties in 100 countries and approximately 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W, Le Méridien and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc.
The presentation gave students an insight into general manager’s main responsibilities and day-to-day activities as well as the role of media in hotel industry. Charlie Dang explained the importance of the role of general managers in running five-star hotels to maintain the image and keep people integrated with passion. He shared with students his experiences managing Asia’s most luxurious hotels, emergency situations and handling high-profile guests such as soccer players and pop star musicians. He recalled the situation when he had to evacuate high-profile guests from one of his hotels because of a false threat of the bomb localized in the lobby.
At the end of the presentation Charlie Dang welcomed questions from international and foreign students regarding occupancy management and Hong Kong & Macao hotel industry characteristics. Prof. Lee Miller, experienced editor from Bloomberg, provided students with the best practices of asking precise questions in polite way but with dignity and leading straight to the point. Then, students got a chance to ask many questions by themselves and followed up with additional ones to get more details and insights.
Charlie Dang also offered possible internship opportunities in the hotel industry to both Chinese and international students, especially to those who would like to start their careers within hotel industry.
Presentation by Colin Sparks on coverage of China in the UK and US press
Beijing (GBJ) — Jan 6, 2011 – Professor Colin Sparks from Communication and Media Research Institute at University of Westminster, gave an exceptional presentation on coverage of China in the UK and US press on December 13, 2010 at Omnicom Building. Colin Sparks was invited to Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication by the courtesy of Professor Shi Anbin, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, Associate Dean of International Development.
Colin Sparks focused on the sensitive issue whether the UK and US press keep on demonizing China and how daily national newspapers in the UK and in the US portray the world’s second largest economy, for instance New York Times, Washington Post, Daily Mail, Financial Times and the Sun. He had claimed that the UK and US newspapers are “busy telling lies about China” and gave examples to support his statement by making double comparisons: within the press of one country and between the press of two countries. Sparks highlighted framing as an important issue in terms of deciding on foreign stories to be published. He added that China is no longer marginal nation but not yet an elite nation.
Colin Sparks focused heavily on framing- all journalists and editors must select from the mass events in the world and coverage depends on editors. In his research he asked how editors at BBC News decide on foreign stories.
According to Colin Sparks’ findings high circulation newspapers in the UK such as the Sun and the Times have low coverage of China and somehow neglect China’s issues. Many of analyzed media sources write stories mainly on poverty, pollution and political repressions and highlight strong negative perspective. In the contrary, Financial Times that has the largest coverage of China is a low-circulation newspaper in the UK. Financial Times is targeting upper class of the society such as CEOs, general managers, manages, professors, teachers and so on. Many stories brought up topics such as Copenhagen Summit, G8 meeting or Barack Obama’s Environmental Policies considering environment.
Additionally, there are three major themes related to stories written about China: environment, climate change and pollution. Generally, the UK press is more biased than the US press but the US media are more biased in terms of selecting topics and news. US newspapers have more coverage of China at all than the UK press. Importantly, most of the main UK and US newspapers frame China as a threat and promote a viewpoint that the authoritarian Chinese government wishes to rule the world at all costs.
Colin Sparks also presented examples of stories on the same topics such as contemporary Chinese art, Chinese food, Chinese popular culture, Chinese foreign policy and Chinese history that were published by different international newspapers such as New York Times, Washington Post, Daily Mail, Financial Times and the Sun the UK and US. His presentation was comprised of examples both in the English language and the Chinese language that might be easier for Chinese students to understand.
Prof. Shi Anbin mentioned that Chinese politicians show “considerable concerns” how China is seen abroad and follow stories on China written by major international newspapers.
Opening Ceremony for International Accreditation External Review Committee
Beijing (GBJ) — Jan 6, 2011 – Selected students of the Global Business Journalism program were appointed by Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication to participate and share experiences of studying at Tsinghua University during Opening Ceremony for International Accreditation External Review Committee that took place at Omnicom Building on December 16, 2010. International students representing countries from the whole world such as: USA, Italy, Poland, Ethiopia, Mexico, Hong Kong, confirms Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication’s commitment into internationalization and globalization of its educational programs.
Both international and Chinese students had a chance to listen to presentations conducted by Prof. Min Hang, Global Business Journalism program coordinator, Prof. Naile Chou Wiest, Global Business Journalism co-director and Prof. Lee Miller, editor-at-large of Bloomberg News regarding the Global Business Journalism program structure and recent achievements. Figures presented on employment after graduation of Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication students show that 44 percent of the degree graduates have earned jobs in the media industry, in organizations such as Reuters, Xinhua News Agency or Global Sources, and 11 percent of that in government sectors.
Students also made self-presentations in front of the International Accreditation External Review Committee’s comprised of Zhao Xinshu, Dean and Chair Professor of the School of Communications at the Hong Kong Baptist University; Seymour Topping, Emeritus Professor at the School of International Journalism and former Editor-in-Chief of the New York Times; Susanne Shaw, Executive Director of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC); Richard Cole, Emeritus Dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Hugo De Burgh, Director of the China Media Center at the University of Westminster and Howard Sypher, Department Head in Communication at Purdue University; Eddie Kuo, Professorial Fellow of the Division of Research Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at the Nanyang Technological University.
It was a great opportunity for all students to have informal talks with committee members and share their great and unique experiences of studying at Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication, ranked top-five among all the journalism schools in China, according to the China’s Ministry of Education’s recent rankings.
Students also learnt how import it is to possess the knowledge and skills of answering sensitive questions and conducting discussions on executive level as Global Business Journalism directors and faculty had to face a pile of questions from the committee members regarding students-selection process and strategies, willingness to accept candidates from Taiwan to study journalism in Mainland China and gathering internship opportunities for current students and job placements for fresh graduates.
International Accreditation External Review Committee congratulated the school on the work have done on internationalization and the outstanding number of international students.
In conclusion, Shi Anbin, Associate Dean of International Development at the Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication, thanked Executive Vice President Chen for his support to the school.
Presentation by Amos Gelb on “Future of Journalism”
Beijing (GBJ) –March 17 — Professor Amos Gelb, Director of the Semester in Washington Journalism Program at the George Washington University in Washington D.C. gave a speech to Global Business Journalism students class of 2009 and 2010 and Chinese students on March 16, 2011. Professor Nailene Chou Wiest, Global Business Journalism program co-director and Professor Margaret Freaney, visiting fellow at Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication hosted this exclusive meeting. The meeting’s topic was “Future of Journalism.”
Amos Gelb introduced himself as a journalism who was the first one doing stories in Chinese villages in 1980s. He introduced future prospective of American journalism saying that “journalism will not die because of one reason. People will not stop doing stupid things.” Nowadays, journalism is served in different ways than before but according to him “Twitter is not a threat.” Amos Gelb mentioned that media are highly profitable businesses. “There is money in journalism. Money has always been,” he said. Profit margins in media organizations are reaching 40 percent, most of which comes from advertisements. In contrary, profit margins for supermarkets are only two to three percent.
While presenting, Amos Gelb focused on disruptive innovations in the media industry over the last years: cable networks that opened up the market to more players and limited monopolization, Internet that provided unlimited access to information, broadband that is incredibly fast but users are locked down to the room and mobiles that provide access from anywhere in the world.
Now media organizations, except mass media, have “long tale”. They sell many different things to a very few people. Mass media sell only a few things to many people. Amos Gelb pointed out new media forms: old merging with new, for example New York Times is going online, old married with new such as mergers and acquisitions in media industry and something completely new is created. Also, new media inventions are created:
– TBD.COM, NewsChannel 8 and TBD.com deliver local news and community information about the Metropolitan Washington, D.C., region. The two outlets provide an integrated newsgathering force: Reporters, editors, producers, and community-outreach specialists come together to produce original journalism.
– CNN.COM, delivers the latest breaking news and information on the latest top stories, weather, business, entertainment, politics, and more,
– AOL.COM, a leading-edge web services company, including a network of premium and niche content sites, and an extensive offering of world-class tools and platforms. AOL’s business spans the Internet with online and local content, innovative products and valuable services for consumers, publishers and advertisers,
– EXAMINER.COM, a media company based in Denver, Colorado, that operates a network of local news websites, allowing “pro–am contributors”to share their city-based knowledge on a blog-like platform, in 238 markets throughout the United States and parts of Canada with two national editions, one for each country. wherever that may be.
– TAGWAT.COM- a free network where you can create-and-share location based messages and content on-line or in mobile augmented reality.
– GOOGLENEWS.COM, aggregated headlines and a search engine of many of the world’s news source.
Financial Media Organization Management and Operation Seminar
Beijing (GBJ) –May 20 — Tsinghua University School of Journalism and Communication in cooperation with East Asia Institute of Media Management and Transformation Center (MMTC-EA), and Tsinghua- Nikkei Research Institute & International Center for Journalist (ICFJ) hold a seminar on Financial Media Organization Management and Operation Seminar on April 2-3, 2011 in the Omnicom Building at Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication.
Both Chinese and international students studying Global Business Journalism were invited to participate and examine three key research areas in terms of media management and operations on topics such as: financial media organizational development and related researches, managing financial media operation: key issues and challenges and financial media organization practices and experiences in the West.
The seminar was organized due to the fact that global economic development, financial media organizations have been increasing rapidly and quickly, resulting in a high demand for theoretical and practical guidance for operation and management of financial media organizations. Due to the difference in the nature and core service of financial media organizations, which is to report financial news and provide financial information, managing and operating financial media unlike that of conventional media.
Financial news information and informational products also have dual attributes; they are to serve the financial information market and to create social value. Special requirements have to be met when operating in the financial industry. There is a need to analyze and classify the products produced by financial institutions and financial-related medium.
The seminar allowed students to meet media executives from world’s most prominent media organizations such as: Prof. Robert G. Picard, Director, Media Management and Transformation Center at Jönköping International Business School (Sweden) Founder, Journal of Media Economics Chairman, World Media Economics and Management Conference, Professor at Oxford University, Mr. Zhensheng Xiao, Deputy Director, CCTV News Department, Mr. Feng Wang, Web Editor-in-Chief, Reuters, Mr. Bruce Grant, Managing Editor, Bloomberg News (Greater China), Mr. Jun Zhang, Chief Operating Officer, Wall Street Journal Online (Chinese), Ms. Xiaoyan Zhang, Vice President, Caijing Magazine, Mr. Hui Liu, Executive Editor, 21st Century Business Heral, Executive Editor, 21st Century Business Herald, and Ms. Hayama Kayoko, Person-in-charge, Nikkei (Hong Kong).
Keynote speech was given by Professor Robert Picard from the University of Oxford who highlighted the importance of effective management in the media industry and brought up recent trends for future discussions. Another three keynote speeches were given by Prof. Dan Shaver, MMTC, JKPU, Professor Alice Shaver, Ms. Hayama Kayoko from Nikkei, and Mr. Bruce Grant, Bloomberg. On April 2, 2011 two round table discussions took place which were hosted by Mr. Lee Miller, editor-at-large for Bloomberg L.P and Dr. Hang Min, Associate Professor of Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication. The first discussion focused on Managing Financial Media Operation: Key Issues and Challenges. The second panel discussed Financial Media Organizations in the Digital Age.
On April 3, Prof. Robert Picard and Prof. Dan Shaver gave lectures to Managers from the Economic Observer Newspaper which were the last parts of the seminar along with questions and discussions opened to all participants.
—
Since its launch on Sept. 17, 2007, the Global Business Journalism Program at Tsinghua University has built a stellar reputation for enhancing the quality of business journalism in China and preparing a multimedia-savvy group of young journalists for the rapidly changing media world.
The program, a partnership among Tsinghua University, the International Center for Journalists and Bloomberg News, is the first English language journalism master’s program in China, and it remains the only business journalism master’s program on the Chinese mainland.
From its founding, Global Business Journalism has featured a Chinese co-director with stellar academic credentials and an international co-director with extensive journalism experience. About 20 international students and 20 Chinese students are enrolled in the program each year. From the beginning, this selective program has remained small so its students can get personal attention from the faculty and staff.
Global Business Journalism has trained nearly 500 graduate students and produced 361 master’s degree recipients. These highly trained specialists have brought a new level of professionalism, business expertise and writing skill to understanding of economic and financial issues in China, the world’s second-largest economy.
GBJ students learn business reporting on the renowned Bloomberg terminals. The Bloomberg Lab at the Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication is the largest university laboratory of donated Bloomberg terminals in the world. The terminals give the students access to unparalleled information on companies, markets, economic indicators and much more. Bloomberg’s data and expertise are crucial to GBJ’s success. About 1,200 Tsinghua students have attended events in GBJ’s six-year-old Bloomberg Lecture Series featuring top Bloomberg News editors and reporters from across the world.
Since 2010, GBJ professors also have trained more than 800 Tsinghua undergraduate journalism students in English news writing, business reporting and global best practices in journalism. Dr. Hang Min, Co-Director of the GBJ Program and Associate Dean of International Development, proudly describes the program as “the United Nations of journalism education.”
As it continues to expand its offerings, this innovative master’s degree program at Tsinghua University in Beijing is widely recognized for the deep impact it has had on Chinese business journalism through rigorous training in business and economics, hands-on experience in the latest digital and data tools, intensive education in fundamentals of English language news writing, and careful analysis of international best practices.
