By:
Li Jialu, Hou Yaling, Yang Zi
Xi’an
International Studies University
"Stand by Camera 1, mix to Camera 1,
stand by VTR 1, roll VTR 1," Adam Donnelly, is directing the 5:30 p.m.
news show in News7 today. He guides everybody including reporters, photographers
and anchors to work together here.
News7 serves 14 towns in local area of Vermont.
Everything here is done by students majoring in Electronic Journalism Arts (EJA)
at Lyndon State College. It is an innovative model of Journalism education in
U.S.
Meaghan Meachem, professor of EJA
department, thinking one of the benefits in American education systems is they
cater to different types of learners. She said, "The theory is great, but practice
helps everybody."
Fifteen Chinese students from Xi’an
International Studies University, Shanghai International Studies University and
Beijing Foreign Language University are visiting EJA, LSC for three weeks.
“In China, we have plenty of
theoretical courses such as Mass Communication, Journalism Theory, and Global
Journalism History; however, we don’t have such a professional studio to
practice,” said Beixi Xu, majors in Radio and Television Journalism, involved
in this program.
Kelly O'Brien is a VJ in News7. She
shots, reports and writes a story by herself. "The biggest thing I have
learned, honestly, was probably working as a team. It took a long time to work
well together,” said O'Brien.
Nick Aresco, the member of News7, said
he has been acting as a reporter, an anchor, and a producer. He thought being a
producer was most challenging.
However, it is totally different in
China.
Chinese students don't have the
opportunity to develop their overall competence. "I am eager to be an
anchor, but I cannot because my major just focuses on editing television news,”
said Xu of XISU.
Another Chinese student, Yile Di,
editor of Pace, a monthly English
newspaper run by students in XISU, said, "Teachers always help us to compare
which news story is more news worthy." In other words, it is up to the
teacher in China to determine which stories will be printed.
In contrast with the Chinese situation,
student performance is ultimately judged by their audience in News7. “Community
members rate and comment on students’ newscasts twice per semester,” said Meachem.
“Those comments are available for anyone to see.”
It is LSC student Adam Donnelly's third
year in News7. "I am old," Donnelly jokes. "I want to be a
photographer or editor. I love my job. This is my career."
