School of Journalism, East Asian Studies Center collaborating on projects to enhance undergrad experience, knowledge of Asian continent by media

Course development of J414 “International News Gathering Systems” is being undertaken by Steven Raymer, an IUB journalism professor, and a series of sponsored visits to bring scholars and journalists involved in East Asia to campus has been launched.

With the support of EASC, Raymer’s redesign of J414 “International News Gathering Systems” will include 40 percent East Asia-related content. The course, which is taught every semester, will be offered in its new form in either the spring or fall of 2004.

“J414 covers the organization, problems and issues of the global news media. Every instructor draws upon his or her background as a scholar—or, in my case, as a journalist—for a theme and case studies. I draw heavily upon Russia, where I worked as the National Geographic correspondent for five and a half years, and Asia, where I worked much of my professional life,” he said. Recently, Raymer felt the need to look more at East Asia when developing his thoughts for this course.

“All three of the major media models are presented in Asia: Western democratic, authoritarian and developmental. So Asia, especially East Asia, is fertile ground for case studies. Moreover, the Chinese news media are evolving rapidly from a Communist model, which we only teach today as a historic relic, into a hybrid that incorporates ideas from all three basic models. So again, China illustrates many important points that I cover in the class. Beyond this, however, I think we have to deal with China’s numbers, its growing influence—political and economic—and its potential to provide an alternative media model for other Asian nations.”

Raymer has extensive experience in Asia. Since leaving National Geographic to join the IU faculty, he has completed books about Vietnam (Land of the Ascending Dragon: Rediscovering Vietnam, 1997) and Islam in Southeast Asia (Living Faith: Inside the Muslim World of Southeast Asia, 2001.) Because he has worked in every country of Asia except China, he is looking forward to using EASC support to make study in China a reality.

“China already accounts for at least 25 percent of the course when you include case studies. In my case, what I know about the Chinese media I have learned from experts or books. I have no first-hand experience outside of dozens of working trips to Hong Kong. So the East Asian Studies Center is helping me obtain better first-hand knowledge of the Chinese news media while I am in China in the summer and fall on sabbatical,” he said.

J414 draws students from the School of Journalism, the Russian and East European Institute (REEI), the School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the Kelley School of Business. It is considered a “research elective,” but there is an emphasis on studying how things are, how they got to be the way they are, and what we can expect in the future.

“Since most IU students have a limited understanding of Asia, its history, various cultures and impact on the world economy, one of my goals is that students come to grips with how important Asia, especially China, will be during their careers in the mass media,” Raymer said.

Anthony Kuhn, Beijing correspondent for the LA Times, was the first speaker in the journalism speakers series to come to campus last semester. His home has been in China for the past decade, and he has covered a wide range of stories, dealing with everything from Tibet to economic reform, the plight of Muslims in China to the growing influence of the Internet, Falun Gong to international summits. He is a frequent contributor to National Public Radio.

Kuhn visited classes in the schools of Business and Journalism, lectured in Soek-fang Sim’s course, “Media, Nation and Identity in Asia and the West,” and was the keynote speaker for a roundtable discussion, “Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press in Authoritarian States,” which was presented by the EASC, the schools of Journalism and Law, REEI, the Center for the Study of Global Change and the Center for the Study Democracy.

“The collaboration between EASC and the School of Journalism has gotten off to a great start with Kuhn’s visit,” said Jeff Wasserstrom, director of the center. “His visit accomplished everything we had hoped that the program with the journalism school would accomplish. Not only did his talks to journalism students go over extremely well, but he also made thoughtful and effective presentations to an array of other groups, ranging from retirees to grade-school kids. No matter what the venue, his talks always combined—as we hoped they would—interesting insights on current events in China and anecdotes drawn from his own personal experiences.” This spring, another journalist will spend time on the IUB campus. Because Kuhn has been involved mainly with print media and radio, coordinators hope the next visiting journalist will be involved in television.

“We have invited a very fine CNN reporter to come in March, and she tentatively has agreed to do so, but there is always the chance that crises in the region will prevent her from being able to come at that time.”