Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication students engaged in a lively exchange about the future of journalism in the U.S. and China, global concepts of press freedom and differing views of journalistic objectivity during a meeting with a group of visiting American reporters on Sept. 8.

The session, part of the China-U.S. Journalists Exchange Program, gave the U.S.-based journalists a chance to learn about journalism standards in China and the globally renowned international journalism programs in the Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication.

Dr. ZHOU Qing'an, Associate Professor and Director of MA program in International Journalism, hosted the seminar, along with visiting Professor Rick Dunham, Co-Director of TSJC’s MA Program in Global Business Journalism.

“Exchange activities like this are highly educational for the students,” said Dr. Zhou. “We hope the delegation can come again in future.”

The visiting journalists were Andy Curliss, state government editor of The News and Observer in Raleigh, N.C., Carrie Halperin, a producer at Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN in New York, Daniel Beekman, a reporter for the Seattle (Wash.) Times, Lomi Kriel, a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, Robert Little, senior investigative editor for National Public Radio in Washington, and Sandy Ward, senior editor of Barron’s, a national business publication based in New York.

The U.S. journalists asked the students what kinds of jobs they would seek after graduating from college. The varied answers ranged from financial journalism to television to new media entrepreneurship, with students contemplating work in China and around the world.

Students asked the American reporters for tips to be successful journalists. Andy Curliss said that interviewing skills were very important.

“Short questions that start with ‘why’ or ‘how’ usually do pretty well,” he said.

After the session, members of the delegation spoke highly of the Tsinghua journalism school’s achievements in journalism education and hold discussions with the students on different topics including the motivations of studying journalism, choices of students’ future careers, freedom and objectivity in journalism, etc.

The China-US Journalists Exchange program is jointly organized by the Better Hong Kong Foundation, the All-China Journalists Association and the East-West Center. (By Zhao Wencai, Edited by Rick Dunham)