Indiana University School of Journalism » 2009 » January

BusinessWeek editor describes covering economic crisis

Shannon Ryker — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:06:09 +0000

Photo by Shanna Rottinger

BusinessWeek editor David Rocks talked about the magazine’s coverage of the financial crisis Thursday night in the Ernie Pyle Auditorium.

Read David Rocks' BusinessWeek bio.
Panel on women in news set for Monday (April 19)
Panel discusses media coverage of LGBT community (April 17)
Lehrer draws on many presidential debates to analyze political process (April 15)

The economic meltdown and continuing financial woes are “the Super Bowl” for business journalists, BusinessWeek senior editor David Rocks told an audience at Ernie Pyle Hall Thursday night.

But that doesn’t mean his publication isn’t facing challenges as its reporters cover the stock market, the credit collapse, unemployment and bankruptcies. As with other news organizations, even a business magazine covering one of the biggest financial stories since the Great Depression isn’t safe from rising costs, downsizing and staff cuts.

“We have a lot of interesting material and more to write, with less space to put it in,” said Rocks, whose visit was sponsored by the School of Journalism in collaboration with the Kelley School of Business.

Rocks, who oversees BusinessWeek’s correspondents and bureaus around the world, emphasized many times during his informal question and answer session in the Ernie Pyle Auditorium how much the current economic situation is affecting journalism.

“This is a very tough time for our industry. It will probably get somewhat worse before it gets better,” he said.

While many publications such as the Chicago Tribune or Los Angeles Times have resorted to layoffs, BusinessWeek has yet to join.

“We are not firing people, but we probably won’t replace someone who quits,” Rocks said. Even so, the magazine has downsized over the last five or 10 years.

Despite having fewer people doing more work, Rocks believes that the quality of the material has gotten better.

“Journalists have more training or a better ability to handle more work,” he said.

Rocks oversees global news staffs and, prior to his current post, was BusinessWeek’s Asia editor for four years. Before joining the magazine, he was a correspondent in Prague, reporting for the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune and the San Francisco Chronicle.

He shared his world view of the state of the print journalism industry with his audience.

“Newspapers are booming in India because Internet access is not as widespread and they are early in their news development,” he said, adding that BusinessWeek has a good following in that country.

“They are very interested in our business school coverage,” he said. “Indians are desperate to get into American business schools and it makes them know our brand.”

The healthy state of the media in China and India, combined with their economies, means new media’s prospects are good in those countries, Rocks said.

“Americans and America will have to adjust our expectations of what our share of the pie will be,” he predicted.

Photo by Shanna Rottinger

BusinessWeek’s David Rocks told journalism students that job-hunting will be challenging.

The longtime journalist offered some advice to journalism students in the audience, particularly those who will graduate soon and will look for jobs in a rocky economy.

“You need to be creative in getting and finding a job in journalism,” he said.

For example, new grads may want to think about going global. Rocks said young people are appealing to employers hiring foreign correspondents because they are willing to jump from hot spot to hot spot to look for an interesting story.

“If you are good at telling stories and finding stories, and you’re willing to devote your life to it, there will be jobs out there,” he said.

Rocks also spoke at IUPUI Thursday morning and will talk with MBA students at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30, at the Kelley School, Graduate and Executive Education Center Room 0034/0036.

J499: Honors ResearchFall 2008

Jeff Johnson — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:09:26 +0000

Jim Kelly’s Fall 2008 J499 Photojournalism class created slideshows with audio for their final project.

Johnson article in High School Today

Gena Asher — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:48:16 +0000

Associate professor Owen V. Johnson is co-author with Sandy Searcy of "School Spirit, Sportsmanship Go Hand in Hand" in High School Today, January 2009.

In the article, Johnson interviews three high school athletic directors to explore the link between sportsmanship and community and student support of high school sports teams.

The National Federation of State High School Associations publishes the journal. Check out the article at this link.

Willnat co-authors book on Asian political communication

Gena Asher — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:05:43 +0000

Professor Lars Willnat and Annette Aw are co-editors of Political Communication in Asia, a volume that “provides a critical review of political communication research conducted in Asia over the past 20 years,” according to the publisher, Routledge, which released the book Jan. 22.

Willnat said the book has been in the works for four years. It focuses on political communication studies published in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and India by Asian media scholars. Each author reviews studies in his or her country and gives context to the studies through descriptions of that country’s political background.

Willnat joined the School of Journalism in January. He taught for 12 years at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and for four years at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He has been a guest professor in Singapore, Malaysia and Switzerland.

Annette Aw is an adjunct professor here, teaching J375 Media, Race and Gender this semester. She still is associate professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland University College, teaching an online course. She also is an independent research consultant in Washington, D.C., where she conducts media-related studies for private businesses, trade associations and government agencies.

Before working in the United States, she taught at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Her research and teaching interests focus on public relations and intercultural communication in Asia and the United States. She received her Ph.D. in intercultural Communication from the University of Oklahoma in 1994.

News director to visit Friday

Gena Asher — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:27:40 +0000

Courtesy photo

WPTY news director Jim Turpin visits Jan. 30.

Panel on women in news set for Monday (April 19)
Panel discusses media coverage of LGBT community (April 17)
Lehrer draws on many presidential debates to analyze political process (April 15)

Former IU student Jim Turpin, news director at WPTY-TV in Memphis, visits Friday, Jan. 30, to talk to students about the broadcast news industry. All are welcome to attend the 2 p.m. talk in EP 214, according to assistant professor Mike Conway, who invited Turpin to visit.

Classes resume Thursday

Gena Asher — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:51:44 +0000

Classes at Indiana University resume with a normal schedule Thursday, Jan. 29.

The campus was closed today, Jan. 28, due to weather.

Read the details at this link.

Clements balances family, classes as ‘returning’ student

Shannon Ryker — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:22:13 +0000

Photo by Shannon Ryker

Kimberly Clements is returning to school to pursue her degree in journalism. A scholarship from the IU Credit Union is helping pay her way.

Taking notes, attending class, working on papers and talking with professors are just some of the things that students must juggle in college. Now, imagine trying to balance all of that on top of providing for a family.

For Kimberly Clements balancing has become a daily routine. Clements, 31, is a nontraditional returning student working towards her journalism degree while also raising a family. In addition to juggling home responsibilities, the finances are challenging.

“I’m not currently working, so my school is being paid through scholarships and grants,” said Clements.

A grant last year through the Indiana University Credit Union helps. IUCU gives out $20,000 a year to its members who are nontraditional part-time and full-time students who attend Indiana University. These students also must be “returning,” meaning they have had an interruption of two or more years in between their school attendance.

“We want our members to succeed. With the rising tuition, books and fees, there just isn’t adequate funding for students, which is why we offer the scholarships,” said David Sipes, vice president of marketing and business development at the Indiana University Credit Union. Scholarships for those attending IU are $2,150 for full-time students and $1,100 for part-timers.

Returning students looking to apply for an IU Credit Union scholarship complete an application and write an essay.

“The scholarship is really more of an essay contest. It really is a tough process every year selecting the winners,” said Sipes. The committee members judging the essays look for a variety of qualities, including the students’ dreams and aspirations, and their career plans.

The aim of the scholarship is to provide financial relief to “working adults balancing everything,” said Sipes.

After working for 10 years, Clements decided to go back to school, but she knew that it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.

“I was living in Washington, D.C., when I decided to go back to school. I knew I was young enough to still do what I wanted to do,” said Clements.

After high school, Clements starting working in banking in Bloomington, which eventually lead her to work in Washington, D.C.

“The pace in D.C. is so different from Bloomington. Between commuting, working and picking up my daughter, every day was a 13-hour day,” said Clements.

Clements’ long days wouldn’t end in D.C., however. She decided to return to Bloomington to get her degree. She started taking a few classes at Ivy Tech and eventually transferred into Indiana University, where the days proved to be just as long as they were in D.C.

“I have to balance a school life and a family life. When I get done with classes, I have to go home and make dinner, do laundry and take care of my kids. Then I have school work. There are a lot of late nights,” said Clements.

Clements has challenges inside the classroom as well.

“I feel like the professors aren’t always speaking to me directly,” said Clements. “Most of the students in my classes are 11 years younger than me. They are talking about what to do when they get to the real world, and I’m already there.”

Despite the challenges inside and outside the classroom, Clements is committed to doing what she loves, she said. She hopes to work in political communications or for a non-profit organization.

BusinessWeek editor David Rocks lectures Thursday

Gena Asher — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:49:30 +0000

Courtesy photo

BusinessWeek’s David Rocks visits campus Thursday and Friday.

Read more about David Rocks.
Routledge publishes The Global Journalist (May 13)
Panel on women in news set for Monday (April 19)
Panel discusses media coverage of LGBT community (April 17)

Senior editor for global news at BusinessWeek magazine David Rocks visits IU this week and will give a lecture to the public at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, in the Ernie Pyle Auditorium. His appearance is in collaboration with IU’s Kelley School of Business.

In a phone interview from his New York office, Rocks said he plans to talk about his work as a business reporter and editor and as a foreign correspondent. After talking a bit about how news magazines such as BusinessWeek are adapting to the online world, he will field questions from the audience.

Since 2006, Rocks’ duties have included overseeing the magazine’s correspondents and coordinating bureaus around the world. Prior to this, Rocks was Asia editor for four years, writing stories about technology, politics and design trends, according to his bio page on the BusinessWeek Web site. Before joining BusinessWeek, Rocks spent eight years in Prague as a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Rocks also will speak at IUPUI Thursday morning and at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30, at the Kelley School, Graduate and Executive Education Center Room 0034/0036.

Metzgar article in law publication

Gena Asher — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:25:49 +0000

Assistant professor Emily Metzgar’s article, “Neither Seen nor Heard: Media in America’s juvenile courts,” originally published in Communication Law and Policy, has been selected for inclusion in the University of La Verne Law Review’s Selective Bibliographic Index of Juvenile Law Publications (2007-2008), now available on Westlaw/Lexis and in hard copy at 30 U. La Verne L. Rev. 216.

Routledge publishes The Global Journalist (May 13)
School research group launches survey (May 10)
Faculty, student work set for AEJMC presentation (May 10)

Wood tapped as service learning faculty mentor

Gena Asher — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:39:20 +0000

Lecturer Beth Wood has been selected as one of three faculty mentors in the Office of Service Learning’s 2009 Project Engage, a program that encourages to incorporate service learning into coursework.

Project Engage will select six faculty members on this campus to develop new service-learning courses. The faculty mentors are faculty members who already have incorporated service learning in their courses and can be helpful to those just beginning the process.

Routledge publishes The Global Journalist (May 13)
School research group launches survey (May 10)
Faculty, student work set for AEJMC presentation (May 10)

Indiana University School of Journalism » 2009 » January

BusinessWeek editor describes covering economic crisis

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J499: Honors ResearchFall 2008

Johnson article in High School Today

Willnat co-authors book on Asian political communication

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News director to visit Friday

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Classes resume Thursday

Clements balances family, classes as ‘returning’ student

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BusinessWeek editor David Rocks lectures Thursday

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Metzgar article in law publication

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Wood tapped as service learning faculty mentor

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