Journalism Education in a Page

If you want to take a quick look at journalists doing what journalists are supposed to do, check out Radio Free Asia.   Full Disclosure:  I've done a lot of consulting work for Radio Free Asia.  But particularly for student journalists, Radio Free Asia can be a quick journalism education.  Just check a few of the stories RFA journalists are pursuing:

Newspapers (in China) Face New Controls.   Talk about government regulations no society wants.  And that's a reminder, you don't hear the presidential candidates say much about the importance of a free press to both democracy and business.   Can you imagine if the business reporters had diligently examined Enron to see what was behind its glowing numbers?  Can you imagine if business reporters had aggressively reported on the risk of securitizing liars loans?  Why would any sound financial system approve the sale of bundled loans sold to people who can't pay them back? 

Report Slams Apple Over Pollution.   I'm typing on a MAC, I have my iPad, and although I favor improved technology, I've always had a strong bias in favor of responsible corporate behavior.   And what a great story for a student journalist to follow up.  Call Apple, request a videoskype interview via your MAC.  If Apple won't talk, fine, report it.   If Apple will, fine, report it.   Either way you have a student produced story that can make some worthwhile news.   With today's technology, the world is your reporting campus.

Activist Monk Banned from Pagodas.   At Radio Free Asia, you'll find lots of reporting on activists, activists for human rights, activists for peace, activists for pollution controls, activists for religious freedom, activists for democracy, activists for workplace safety.    You probably won't find any activists for eliminating all those pesky "needless" regulations.  For that, you'll need to follow a U.S. Presidential campaign. 

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