FALL 2013 Vol. 8, No. 1 INSIDESTORY WWW.JOURNALISM.CUNY.EDU Dean-to-be Sarah Bartlett Discusses Her Vision for the CUNY J-School

On Sept. 30, the CUNY Board of Trustees, acting on the education, offering an executive degree program, and enthusiastic recommendation of Interim Chancellor creating a summer intensive program for international William P. Kelly, named Sarah Bartlett the next dean of students and others. the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. She will succeed Founding Dean Stephen B. Shepard on Jan. 1, 2014. Tell us your ideas about recruiting faculty and staff. Bartlett, who heads the Urban Reporting Program, is All too often we recruit in a hurry, in response to a charter member of the faculty and has been involved someone moving to a different job or leaving the with almost every facet of the J-School’s operations since school. I want to be much more proactive by devel- we opened in 2006. In addition to creating and staffing oping a talent scout approach. I’d like to invite ev- the urban and business/economics subject concentrations, eryone to send me names of people we can reach out she sat on the admissions and curriculum committees, to in advance so that when we have a specific need, launched the Center for Community and Ethnic Media, we already have a diverse pool of talent we can tap. raised nearly $2 million, and was the principal writer of the five-year strategic plan. Talk about your role as a fundraiser. She has extensive journalism experience across media I am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy platforms, and has written two books. [See Dean’s Corner, fundraising. It was a genuine reaction to meet- page 3.] ing with foundations and individual donors as we On Oct. 10, Bartlett sat down for a Q&A session with were raising money for the Community and Ethnic InsideStory Editor Amy Dunkin. Media Center. There’s something very appealing about spending a couple of hours talking to some- What made you want to be a journalist? one about the work we’re doing, watching them get My interest stems from working with a documentary excited, and listening to them offer ways to help. I filmmaker as his research assistant fresh out of grad- love nothing more than opening an envelope and uate school. I got to travel all over the world with finding a check inside. a film crew and when I would return from a trip, I would feel compelled to write up my experiences. It Describe your management style. made me realize I wanted to be a journalist. I try to be very open and transparent about my thinking, to explain goals clearly, and to give When did you know you wanted to be the next dean, people room to do their jobs. I also try to hold and why did you take on the challenge? them accountable for meeting those goals. I try A couple of years ago, when Steve [Shepard] began to be very inclusive and invite diverse opinions. I want to build an esprit de corps so people feel discussing the possibility of retiring, it dawned on Sarah Bartlett me there would be a new job opening up. At that invested in a common purpose. time, I had started working on creating the Center for Community and Ethnic Media. I was doing “We’re one of the top journalism What words of encouragement can you give to fundraising and discovered how much I liked get- our students as they prepare to enter a changing ting people on the outside interested in our work. graduate schools in the country, profession? My interest in becoming dean was a combination and I would love to make us No. 1.” I continue to feel that it’s one of the most exciting of being at the J-School from the beginning, building times to be in journalism. The number of outlets two subject concentrations, participating in curriculum publishing stories and the ways to tell quality stories development, creating a new center, and helping to write the strategic plan. I had a lot of are growing. The battle the profession is having with the U.S. government now is a ideas about the role our school plays in our urban environment and the development of wonderful example of how important journalism is to a functioning democracy. the journalism profession. So I decided to throw my hat in the ring. It’s a difficult business to be in. If you want to make a lot of money, you wouldn’t choose journalism. But that was true when I was starting out. If you’re talented and work hard, if What are your priorities for the J-School? you’re a strong reporter and a producer of innovative stories, you will be successful. Plenty of I feel that the school is already in a very strong place. We’re one of the top jour- our alums are out there proving that. nalism graduate schools in the country, and I would love to make us No. 1. We need to build on all our strengths – our commitment to being innovative, our Reveal something about yourself that nobody knows.

strong faculty, our diversity – and find ways to turn up the dial. I know how to mix a mean batch of concrete. I can build foundations and lay bricks. JOHN SMOCK I’m eager to see the ideas in the strategic plan get implemented. We need to build into I renovated for seven years of my life. I dug all the ditches for our first house in lower the curriculum more career development skills that focus on freelancing and entrepre- . n neurship. We also need to pursue key opportunities for growth – by expanding online

IN THIS ISSUE: 2 New Business Journalism Center • Egyptian Journalist in Residence • 3 On the Job with Almudena Toral • Dean’s Corner 4 Donor List • Remembering Harold W. McGraw, Jr. 5 Interns Around the World 6 Raising a “Beatle Baby” Book • Alumni News

vol. 8, no. 1 FALL 2013 1 Publishing Family Endows New Business Journalism Center

s part of the fallout from a decade’s worth of Finally, as part of its mission to serve the greater professional community, the Center changes in the media, many news organizations will hold an annual conference on a subject important to business writers and editors. It A no longer have the resources to tackle long, com- will also offer continuing education workshops on a variety of topics, such as the use of plex business and economics stories. To help reverse the social media in business reporting or how to mine databases to find story ideas. slide in coverage of these issues, the CUNY Graduate School Veteran business journalist Jane Sasseen will serve as executive director, starting of Journalism will establish the Harold W. McGraw, Jan. 1, 2014. In addition to selecting reporting projects to be funded by the Center, she Jr. Center for Business Journalism to support veteran will work on her own stories. Sasseen was a senior editor and national correspondent reporters and train students entering the field. at BusinessWeek, editor-in-chief of the politics and opinion channel at Yahoo! News, The new Center will be financed by a $3 mil- and is currently a visiting professor in the Global Business Journalism Program at Ts- lion gift from the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Family inghua University in Beijing. She majored in economics at the University of California, Foundation, started in 2010 by Suzanne, Terry, Berkeley, from which she graduated Phi Beta Kappa. and Bob McGraw. They are the children of the former chairman and CEO of McGraw-Hill, a A primary goal of the Center is to commission publishing and financial services company that owned BusinessWeek magazine for 80 years. The serious business and economic stories from Center will also receive support from the City accomplished journalists. Executive Director Jane Sasseen University of New York and the CUNY Gradu- ate School of Journalism. The CUNY Graduate School of Journalism is the natural home for a business “My father loved business, journalism, and education,” said Harold “Terry” McGraw journalism center. It already offers a business/economics reporting concentration for III, chairman and CEO of McGraw Hill Financial. “We are thrilled to create the Center students who want a career in business journalism or simply seek to gain expertise in in his name to preserve his special legacy and to benefit the vital work of business economics, financial markets, and how companies work. In addition, the Society of reporters.” Harold McGraw, Jr. died in 2010 at age 92. [See profile, page 4.] American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) holds its annual fall conference at A primary goal of the Center is to commission serious business and economics stories from the J-School. accomplished journalists. It will pay McGraw Fellows a stipend of around $7,500 a month for “The Center will enhance our programs and allow both current and future business three to six months of work, resulting in a distinguished piece of long-form business journal- journalists to devote themselves fully to the art and science of business reporting,” said ism to be published on the Center’s website or in collaboration with media partners. Dean Stephen B. Shepard, who spent 20 years as editor-in-chief of BusinessWeek. To promote the development of future business journalists, the Center will also fund The Center for Business Journalism, which was approved by the CUNY Board of scholarships for students who choose the CUNY J-School’s business/economics report- Trustees at a meeting on Sept. 30, will become the third specialty center housed at the ing concentration and provide stipends for those who undertake a summer internship in CUNY J-School. The others are the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism business news. and the Center for Community and Ethnic Media. n The Agony of an Egyptian Journalist

On June 4, Egyptian newspaper editor and TV commentator Yehia Ghanem was sentenced to two years in prison with hard labor after a series of raids against foreign non-governmental organizations in Egypt. Ghanem’s crime: working for just two months with the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), training journalists in post-revolution Egypt. The CUNY Graduate School of Journalism and the Committee to Protect Journalists have given Ghanem an academic refuge in the form of a year-long fellowship, which began in August. Ghanem faces prison should he return to Egypt, where his wife and three children remain. 2011 graduate Carmel Delshad spoke with Ghanem for the J-School’s online publication, 219 Magazine. Here are excerpts from their conversation.

When did you find out there were legal proved with documents beyond any issues complicating your work with ICFJ? doubt that at the time when they started The first time was in September 2011, two the investigation, I hadn’t had the weeks after I joined ICFJ. I thought it was chance to start working. just a routine thing. There was a lawyer Assume, yes, I was about to commit a taking care of the legal problems with the crime by training journalists. Assume this Yehia Ghanem foreign affairs office and I said okay. was a crime and a bad thing. But I hadn’t done it. I hadn’t even had the chance. You What was it like going through the trial? When did you first hear about the verdict? You were accused of accepting illegal know what the judge did? He laughed. You can’t imagine the kind of mean, On June 3, I was in D.C., and I was foreign funding. What sort of evidence He said it’s a good point. Yet he gave me dirty, low, character-defamation cam- heading back home to Egypt to cel- did the prosecution produce? a sentence of two years with hard labor. paign waged against us. I’m well known ebrate the acquittal I expected. Before I was accused of taking $3 million. They This is the kind of justice we have back to everyone as a regular guest on TV I traveled, ICFJ said they were having didn’t produce any evidence. It’s a sheer home. shows, and I wrote for the last 25 years, a board meeting and asked me to give lie. I had to come up with the proof that so I got the real brunt of the campaign. a speech. I had planned to leave D.C. I didn’t take anything. I remember there In total, 43 NGO workers, Egyptian and My contact information and address on June 12, but then it hit me: I am a were problems in transferring money for foreign, were charged with receiving were leaked to the media, and I would end convict. I’m stuck until the appeal, and the office, even before they hired me. So I illegal funding. Why do you think this up with people asking for revenge against the hearing still has to be set. came up with a solution: Okay, I’ll pay it happened to ICFJ and the other NGOs? the “U.S. agent.” The whole atmosphere was from my own account until these things are I believe that one of the main reasons so poisoned. It was torture. How has the trial affected you? sorted out. Until I was referred to criminal is that there was a vendetta some- It’s a very tough test. I thought that I court, ICFJ owed me three months of rent, where, that somebody in the govern- How has the trial affected your family? had seen the worst, in prisons, Afghani- and that’s what I said to the court. ment felt betrayed. The remaining pil- I told my kids, “Don’t discuss or defend stan, Taliban, Congo, and frankly, this lars of the former regime felt betrayed me, don’t answer if anyone says any- is my worst.

Do you think your previous work angered by the U.S.A. first and foremost. I thing.” My eldest son, it was too much I feel like I’m hanging in the air between HEATHER MARTINO someone in the government and left them heard that many of them thought the for him, he tried to defend his father heaven and earth. There’s no ground. I have with a vendetta against you? U.S.A. betrayed and sold out [former – not physically, but his classmates a feeling that I will end up in one of those It seems that someone is very upset President Hosni] Mubarak and his responded physically. They tied him up cells, but what else can I do? I’m paying with me. I am the only defendant who regime. and they broke both of his arms. something that I don’t owe. n

2 www.journalism.cuny.edu ON THE JOB with Almudena Toral ’10 DEAN’SCORNER

adrid native Almudena Toral came to CUNY Passing the Torch Min 2009 convinced she’d go on to become a long- s we ring in 2014, I shall step down as founding he expected her to pay back. So Sarah decided to go to form print journalist. “I bought dean of the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. school in England, where the public universities charged a 13-inch laptop, thinking I’d It has been nearly nine years since I walked very modest tuition and where she could gain her use it to write,” she said. into CUNY headquarters to begin planning degree in three years instead of four. Off she went to the But a funny thing happened a new graduate school of journalism, the fi rst University of Sussex, where she earned a B.A. in political on her way through the mas- Apublicly supported program of its kind in the Northeast, science and a Master’s degree in development studies. ter’s program here: She fell in a school that would open opportunities for a talented, And, yes, she repaid her father’s loan. love with video. What’s more, diverse group of students. Starting from scratch at a mo- Aft er graduation, she worked as a researcher for a she discovered she was very good at it. Several internships ment of critical disruption for the journalism profession, Dutch fi lmmaker who was making TV documentaries and paid stints at Th e New York Times and Time magazine we wanted to create a new school for a new era. Th at meant on development in third world countries. For the next later, she has cobbled together a career of freelance video combining the eternal verities of traditional journalism 2½ years, Sarah travelled the world – to Jamaica, the work, professional fellowships, and now teaching and – in-depth reporting, fi ne writing, critical think- coaching at the CUNY J-School. ing, and ethical values – with all the digital skills Th is semester has been particularly eventful. Along with of the interactive, multimedia world. fellow ’10 alum Samantha Stark, she co-taught the fi ve- With the indispensible help of Associate Dean week New York Times-Style Video module. Th en she took Judith Watson from Day 1, we have succeeded off for Tanzania on an International Reporting Project fel- beyond my most ambitious musings, fulfi lling lowship to investigate food scarcity, hunger, and nutrition. the mandate of then-Chancellor Matthew Gold- While she was overseas, she learned she was part of a stein: Build one of the best graduate programs in Times video team that won a 2013 News & Documentary the world. “I don’t want just another journalism Emmy Award for a series on a young woman with leuke- school,” he told me. We are now competing with mia. Oh, and this all came six months aft er she received the the best schools for students, faculty, and grants. 2013 Multimedia Photographer of the Year Award of Excel- Our curriculum is on the cutting edge, and we lence from Pictures of the Year International. are the only school I know of that pays students Toral believes she has benefi ted from the growing to undertake summer internships. We have demand for journalists who are creative and even artistic in launched a book imprint and three academic their storytelling. And now she’s fi nally ready to trade up to centers: for entrepreneurial journalism, for eth- ■ JOHN SMOCK a more powerful laptop with a larger screen. nic media, and for business journalism. Best of all: More than 90% of our graduates are working The founding dean and his successor in the profession. Philippines, the Bahamas, Chile, and other hot spots. She provided background research for six documenta- “I relished the chance ries and began freelancing pieces on economic develop- to build a school that would ment issues. “I loved the writing,” she recalls. William P. Kelly Stephen B. Shepard Back in the U.S. aft er eight years abroad, she signed Interim Chancellor, The City Founding Dean help a struggling profession.” on as a researcher at Fortune magazine, then joined University of New York Judith Watson BusinessWeek in 1983, writing stories about fi nance Associate Dean As a graduate of City College, I feel privileged to and Wall Street. Five years later she moved to Th e New BOARD OF ADVISERS have served as founding dean of the CUNY J-School. I York Times, where, among other things, she covered the Jesse Angelo Norman Pearlstine identifi ed with the mission of access and excellence and leveraged buyout craze of the early 1990s, later writing Publisher of the Chief Content Offi cer relished the chance to build a school that would help a a book called “Th e Money Machine,” which penetrated New York Post at Time Inc. struggling profession. I will stay on for a time as univer- the world of Henry Kravis and his KKR fi rm. I persuad- Dean Baquet Howard Rubenstein sity professor, taking on some special projects and doing ed her to return to BusinessWeek in 1992 as an assistant Managing Editor of President of Rubenstein what I can for this wonderful school. managing editor aft er the birth of her fi rst child, Emilia, Associates I am delighted that we have an outstanding new dean now a senior at Vassar. Her son, Ian, is a sophomore at Merrill Brown Vivian Schiller in Sarah Bartlett. I have known Sarah for nearly 30 years. the University of Michigan. At BW, she presided over Director, School of Chief Digital Offi cer BusinessWeek Communications and Media of NBC News When I was editor-in-chief of , she was many of our best investigative stories during the Wall Montclair State University Elizabeth Vargas an assistant managing editor who sat in the offi ce next Street scandals of the 1990s. David Carey “20/20” Anchor, ABC News to mine. When I came to CUNY, I asked her to help us Sarah left BW in 1998 to become editor-in-chief of President of David Westin develop the curriculum and get the J-School launched. Oxygen Media, an early startup targeted to women that Hearst Magazines CEO of News Licensing Group She has played a major role in our success ever since – as sought to combine television programming with the Ken Kurson Mark Whitaker teacher, mentor, strategist, and fundraiser. content being developed for Oxygen’s website. In 2002, Editor of Former Managing Editor New York Observer Let me tell you a bit more about Sarah. She was born she was appointed to the Bloomberg chair in business The of CNN Worldwide and in Buff alo, where her father was a successful Buick dealer journalism at , part of the CUNY system. Adam Moss Former Editor of Newsweek Editor-in-Chief of in the 1950s and 1960s. Because her parents lived much Sarah draft ed the syllabi for both the urban and busi- New York Matthew Winkler Magazine Editor-in-Chief of of the time in the Bahamas, she and her older brother at- ness/economics reporting programs, then transferred to Michael Oreskes Bloomberg News tended elementary school for several years in Nassau – a the Journalism School faculty when we opened in 2006. Senior Managing Editor Mortimer Zuckerman racially and economically stratifi ed place that left a deep “I was fascinated by what journalism education could be at the Associated Press Chairman and Publisher of impression on her. She intuitively grasped the importance in this new era,” she says.Th e CUNY J-School is in very John Paton the and of economic development in poorer countries and began good hands. Welcome to the deanship, Sarah. CEO of Digital First Media U.S. News & World Report a lifelong interest in indigenous cultures. When it came time for college, her father sat her INSIDESTORY down for a talk. A child of the Depression, he wanted

to instill in her the values he had learned the hard way JOHN SMOCK – including the importance of earning your way in the Amy Dunkin John Smock Stephen B. Shepard Editor Photographer world. Rather than pay her tuition, he said, he would Dean, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism Marisa Osorio Nancy Novick lend her the money for her college education, which Reporter Designer

VOLFor. 8 ,more NO. 1 information about the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, go to our website: www.journalism.cuny.edu FALL 2013 3 GIFTS & PLEDGES CUNY J-SCHOOL DONOR ROLL

2012-2013 Gifts made between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013

$1 Million + $100-$499 he past eight years have been a wonderful period of growing and learn- John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Steven Abrahams The Tow Foundation ing together. Thanks to the generosity of many good friends, we have Roxanna Asgarian, Class of ‘11 awarded scholarships to 405 talented and deserving students. And Ronald Chernow $250,000-$499,999 T unique among graduate journalism programs, we have supported our stu- Donna B. Clark Anonymous dents in their paid summer internships at media companies across the U.S. Sandra Gary Ford Foundation and abroad – all because of the investment so many of you have made in our Peter F. Hauck School. Timothy D. Harper $100,000-$249,999 Stewart Kampel Thank you, again, to all who have given so generously to ensure the success Lynn Povich and Stephen B. Shepard Abigail K. Kimball Dean Stephen of our students and to support the future of journalism. Alan M. Kisner B. Shepard $50,000-$99,999 —Dean Shepard Jay L. Kriegel FJC Foundation of Philanthropic Funds Mary S. Kuntz For more information about the Future Journalists Fund and ways to support the CUNY J-School, Karl N. Levitt $25,000-$49,999 please contact Diana Robertson, director of development, at 646-758-7814 or visit our website: Polly and Bruce McCall Bloomberg LP www.journalism.cuny.edu/donate/. Bruce Rabb Connie Chung and Maury Povich Diana J. Robertson Ehrenkranz Family Foundation Jack Rosenthal Lambert Family Foundation $5,000-$9,999 $1,000-$4,999 Marion Lister Leonard J. Rothman Katherine and David Moore Lawrence S. Martz Shirley and Howard Rubinfeld The Associated Press Fred Abatemarco Donor Advised Fund Lucille B. Mathews Mort Sheinman Jennie and Richard K. De Scherer Denise Arbesu Maureen White and New York - Presbyterian Hospital Theodore Slate Susan Fraker Jody and John Arnhold Steven Rubenstein Partnership Foundation Dinitia Smith David R. Friedman Soma and William A. Behr Tishman Speyer Retail Wholesale & Department Store Union George M. Solomon Local 32BJ SEIU Don Brown Paul W. Sturm Jack Resnick & Sons, Inc. Karen E. Springen Allan Mayer Merrill Brown The Charles H. Revson Foundation Elizabeth Surcouf Ann L. McDaniel Julie Copeland $10,000-$24,999 Paul E. Steiger Terri Thompson The New York Community Trust Michele Willens and David Corvo Jeremy Thompson David Wallace Jody and John Arnhold Michael Oreskes Risa Finkel Tides Foundation Elizabeth R. Weiner AMC Networks Norman Pearlstine Edward L. Gardner Time Warner Foundation Steven Weiss BBDO Johnathan A. Rodgers Peter L. Goldman The Tow Foundation Judith M. Zabar Con Edison Inc. Melanie Shorin Gottsegen Family Foundation Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program The Correspondents Fund Richard M. Smith Stephen D. Greenberg $1-$99 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. The Washington Post Company Cristine Russell and Benjamin W. Heineman $500-$999 Aisha Al-Muslim, Class of ‘09 Hearst Magazines David Westin The Sidney Hillman Foundation Eliot L. Caroom, Class of ‘08 Jurate Kazickas and Roger Altman Mortimer Zuckerman Warren Hoge Allegro Foundation Althea Chang, Class of ‘12 Seryl & Charles Kushner Family Foundation Anthony Durniak Alva French, Class of ‘11 The McGraw-Hill Companies Jewish Communal Fund Ralph B. Edwards Kathleen M. Honan, Class of ‘10 The New York Times Edward Kosner Gary M. Hoenig Zachary Kussin, Class of ‘11 The News Corporation Foundation Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP Linda and Morton Janklow NBC News Digital Group Frank Lalli Sherrina Navani, Class of ‘11 Debby and Rocco Landesman JOHN SMOCK Laura Shin, Class of ‘11 Jane Hartley and Ralph Schlosstein Erica L. Lansner David Saunders Ashley Welch, Class of ‘11 The Lauder Foundation - Kenneth M. Vittor Leonard & Evelyn Lauder Fund

Harold W. McGraw, Jr.: Publisher, Educator, Man of Values and Integrity

ur new Center for Business Journalism [page 2] him, you’d hear the same words over and over again: Values. Integrity. Principled. Hon- is named for one of the great gentleman pub- orable. Educator. Concerned. Courteous. Courtly. Approachable. Humble. Self-effacing. Olishers of the 20th century: Harold W. McGraw, Harold was very proud of BusinessWeek and always respected its independence. Jr., the former CEO and chairman of McGraw-Hill, who He’d sometimes write me a note when he especially liked a story. But he never once died in 2010 at age 92. I was privileged to know Harold interfered. If one of his many friends in business or government complained to him about during the 20 years I served as editor-in-chief of Busi- a story, I never heard about it. He simply and deeply believed that professional edi- nessWeek, then owned by McGraw-Hill. tors should be free to render their judgments independent of any political, personal, or It’s easy to list Harold’s accomplishments: How the commercial interference. Editors were free, he once told me, to make their own honest company’s revenues doubled on his watch as CEO. mistakes – as long as they owned up to them and did what they could to correct them. How earnings per share tripled. How he took a principled In October 2004, when BusinessWeek was celebrating its 75th anniversary, Harold’s stand in fending off the unconscionable takeover attempt son Terry, then CEO, presented me with a framed cover of that week’s issue. Also in by American Express in 1979. How he rallied the business the frame was a very special and touching gift: a green fountain pen that was Harold’s community to take up the cause of literacy. How he personal pen. The gift hangs in my New York apartment, and I shall always cherish it. helped create the Copyright Clearance Center to A few months later, when I was about to retire from BusinessWeek, I told Harold that I protect the intellectual property of publishers. had been offered a wonderful new opportunity to become the founding dean of a brand new How the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Edu- graduate school of journalism at the City University of New York. I’m not sure how much he cation has brought honor and visibility to the understood because his health was already failing, but I went on. I told him that this would best teachers and their innovative ideas. be the first publicly supported graduate journalism school in the Northeast, opening oppor- How his philanthropy has helped so many tunities for minorities, immigrants, and others who didn’t have a lot of money for graduate libraries and schools. study. At that point, he smiled, and I knew that his educator’s heart understood. If you were to ask anyone who knew Har- We’re grateful to Harold’s children, Sue, Terry, and Bob McGraw, for establishing this old professionally what came to mind about Center in their father’s name. We are very honored. n Harold W. McGraw, Jr. —Stephen B. Shepard

4 www.journalism.cuny.edu VOICES FROM THE FIELD

Interns Get a Taste of Real-World Journalism SODARO: JON BETTIN/MLS DIGITAL; REID: DELWYN VERASAMY; AWAD: MAANVI SINGH; YU: ROSE SCOTT/WABE NEWS PHOTO CREDITS: DELL: MARK BONIFACIO/ NEW YORK DAILY NEWS; WELSCH: DAVE SIDAWAY; PETREE: BIKO RADING;

Class of 2013 interns, clockwise from top left: Chris Dell does a subway interview for the New York Daily News with former Mets manager and Yankees second baseman Willie Randolph on the way to the All-Star Game at Citi Field; Andrew Welsch reports on the use of 3D imaging technology in auto repairs for The Gazette; Karen Petree sets up a camera before an interview with members of a community youth organization in Nairobi’s Mathare slum for A24 Media; John Sodaro adjusts a GoPro camera on the goal post at Red Bull Arena in New York for mlssoccer.com; Skyler Reid shoots for the Mail & Guardian in Johannesburg, South Africa; Ann Awad gets ready to do a voiceover for WHYY-FM, 90.9 FM, in Philadelphia; Elly Yu talks to a market security manager for WABE, 90.1 FM, Atlanta’s NPR station.

“My supervisor, Corey Flintoff, is a great mentor. On “If you’re looking for credits or airtime, or if you want “We’ve covered hydraulic my first day in the office, he asked me to cover an to do hard news, this internship is not for you. If you opposition protest against the government of President want to see how international media houses operate fracking in upstate New York and Vladimir Putin. Still jet-lagged, I collected sound from and make contacts in this part of the world, then this the grassroots organizations the protest, conducted interviews, came back, and is a good option. You have to be patient and realize selected cuts of tape to use. Corey wrote a script, called that in many ways you are light years ahead of the opposed to the process.” it in to NPR’s newscast producer, and got me on the crew (post-production meetings consist of ‘the map — Mikhael Simmonds air that very day.” shows the wrong Congo’ or ‘such-and-such is spelled — Susan Armitage, NPR, Moscow wrong.’) If you have initiative and you’re resource- mer in their community districts, so people in Bushwick ful, you can do other projects on the weekends. For “While I admit to having a donut (or two) in the of- can tell that I remain interested in what’s happening in example, my capstone is a multimedia travel blog fice, it’s only to fuel my journalistic engine for all the the community.” project, so that’s what I focused on during weekends, assignments I’ve received . . . I’ve had the chance to — Tobias Salinger, City Limits, Brooklyn and during my abundance of free time in which I was cover a professional sports beat for the first time in my required to sit in a chair and stare at a computer dur- “The type of topics we cover has given me an interesting life . . . What’s great is also the feedback I’ve received ing the week.” view of the U.S. as a foreign country. This is particularly from not just one or two, but at least three different — Karen Petree, A24 Media/Africa Journal, Nairobi important to me as a foreign student focused on inter- editors, whether it’s for the web or print. And I didn’t national reporting. We’ve covered hydraulic fracking in even ask for it!” “I’m learning what it takes to produce, shoot and edit upstate New York and the grassroots organizations op- — Chris Dell, Daily News, New York stories as an independent video journalist with a flex- posed to the process, the effects some of the decisions the “My days at CNNMoney.com are full and always exciting. ible connection to an arts website. I’m also learning Supreme Court may have on ethnic and LGBTQ commu- The reporters I work with are smart, dedicated, and that you really have to be passionate and committed to nities, violence against women… to name a few.” concerned with making the news accessible to readers. telling your subject’s story. It’s more than pointing the — Mikhael Simmonds, GRITtv.org, New York I am always encouraged and pushed to explore my camera at them and writing some copy. It’s finding the “When I had my first spot air on the national NPR ideas and not simply let them die.” parts of their story that other people can connect with newscast, that was an exciting moment for me. I really — Angela Johnson, CNNMoney.com, New York – people who may or may not be familiar with dance.” — Lisa Rinehart, Culturebot.com, New York feel I’ve come very far from the time I started jour- “The best experience was working on a 1,200-word fea- nalism school to where I am now. And as cheesy as ture article about sustainable weddings, which I pitched. “I’ve delighted in holding on to the same beat I had it sounds, I feel as if my dream of becoming a public It turned out to be a hit and was a great lesson in using during Craft class this year… I feel I’m developing a radio reporter is coming true. It’s an awesome feeling, reporting skills to find ‘real people’ and then network- better understanding of how to cover a neighborhood and I can see myself doing this for the rest of my life.” ing to get the interviews I needed.” by cultivating relationships with officials and longtime — Elly Yu, WABE, 90.1 FM, NPR member station, Atlanta — Laura Lorenzetti, Crain’s New York Business, New York residents. Most CUNY students don’t stay for the sum- vol. 8, no. 1 FALL 2013 5 J-School Raises “Beatle Baby” Book ALUMNINEWS By Jere Hester Director, NYCity News Service Class of ’12: Anika Anand was named director of distribution and engagement y new (and first) book, “Raising a Beatle Baby: How for a national education news network that GothamSchools is helping to launch. John, Paul, George and Ringo Helped us Come To- Martin Burch is a data developer in ’s news graphics Mgether as a Family,” tells the story of how my wife and department. Claudia Bracholdt is a producer/video reporter for SAVIDAS film I bonded over the Fab Four and shared our love of the band production in Germany. Elbert Chu and his wife Grace welcomed their first with our daughter – a journey filled with modest triumphs and child, Liam Joshua, on Sept. 4. Sean Flynn was married to Melissa Yoffee, a humorous misadventures. dietitian at New York Presbyterian Hospital, on July 20 in Buffalo. Anna Halkidis is an entertainment reporter for Enstarz.com. Tristan Hallman was promoted to But the magical mystery tour I find myself happily recount- police reporter at The Dallas Morning News. Amital Isaac is an associate ing just as often these days is how it took a village – or, more producer on the ABC-TV show, “What Would You Do?” Madhura Karnik is specifically, a J-School – to raise a “Beatle Baby” book. a staff writer for Mint, a business newspaper in India. Casey Quinlan is the Publishing, like the rest of media, is in a period of digitally investing editor at US News and World Report. Rachel Sapin is a reporter driven disruption. The first Kindle e-reader made its debut at The Aurora Sentinel. Dave Sanchirico is an assistant editor at ESPN. nearly a year to the day after I joined CUNY in late 2006, fol- Julie Strickland is web producer at The Real Deal. Taylor Tepper married lowing a 15-year stint as a reporter and editor at the New York Daily News. Alison Billias, a second-grade reading teacher, in August. Lisa Friedman Turner is the public information specialist in Thurston County, Washington. When I decided I wanted to write a book, I quickly found help at the J-School, formally and informally. The seeds of “Beatle Baby” were planted five years ago during summer Class of ’11: Alissa Ambrose is photo editor for CBSnews.com. Lisha lunches in the J-School café area with Glenn Lewis, an author who teaches narrative writing Arino, a reporter for the Muskegon Chronicle, won first place with two photog- raphers in the “Innovative Storytelling” category of the Michigan Press Associa- to our graduate students and directs the undergraduate journalism program at CUNY’s York tion’s 2013 Better Newspapers Contest for coverage of the 2012 Miss Michigan College. Glenn generously offered advice and encouragement. pageant. Ian Chant is associate news and features editor at Library Journal. The proposal and manuscript sprouted to life in long-form narrative writing classes that Matt Draper is an an associate editor with ESPN.com. Nathan Frandino is a Tim Harper, an author and founding editor of the CUNY Journalism Press, established two reporter/producer for Reuters Television. Celia Gorman was promoted to as- years ago for faculty, staff and alumni. I benefited not only from valuable feedback on writ- sociate multimedia editor at ing and structure but from guest speakers forging new models in publishing. One of Tim’s IEEE Spectrum technology guests, Gabe Stuart of Bayberry Books, a specialist in self-publishing, became my produc- magazine. Zachary Kussin tion manager for “Beatle Baby.” is a reporter/web producer for The Real Deal’s new sis- In June, I attended the first CUNY Publishing Institute, run by John Oakes, co-publisher ter publication, Luxury List- of OR Books, which works with the CUNY J-Press. The weeklong intensive at the J-School ings NYC. Annais Morales handed me the inspiration and the tools to get the book off my hard drive and out into the was promoted to associate world. John’s panelists ranged from start-up e-book operators to enduring industry visionar- producer at NY1News. Amy ies like Larry Kirshbaum, head of Amazon Publishing. Stretten is national affairs I learned to navigate various emerging e-book platforms, and how to use social media correspondent in Miami for to find an audience, among other valuable skills. Perhaps more important, John’s sessions Fusion, a new 24-hour cable news channel launched by reinforced the culture of innovation – backed by support – instilled by the CUNY J-School’s ABC News and Univision. Founding Dean Stephen B. Shepard and Associate Dean Judith Watson. Change brings chal- Alcione Gonzalez (left) and Amy Stretten, both Class of ’10: Alexander lenges, to be sure, but also opportunity. Class of ‘11, in the Fusion newsroom in Miami With help from Tim Harper, my wife and I formed Books by Brooklyn, which published Abad-Santos is a staff writer at Atlantic Wire.com. Carl Gaines cycled from Boston to New York and “Raising a Beatle Baby.” The company name is a nod to the place I’ve lived my entire life. The raised more than $3,500 for the AIDS charity Housing Works. Colby Hamilton idea is to help other folks tell their stories, modest like mine, or otherwise. is City Hall reporter for DNAInfo.com. Vishal Persaud is the overnight editor at I’ve sold a few books, in both paperback and e-book editions. I hope to sell a lot more NBC Universal. Dana Rapoport joined Al Jazeera America as an interview pro- (go to www.BeatleBaby.com). ducer. Azriel Relph is an associate producer at Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Produc- Whatever happens, I’m glad I took the plunge. I didn’t take it alone. With “Raising a tions. Samantha Stark is a staff video journalist at The New York Times. n Beatle Baby,” I found that I get by with a lot of help from my journalism school friends. Class of ’09: Rachel Geizhals Bachrach became contributing editor of Mishpacha Jewish Family Weekly, moved to Cincinnati, and had a daughter, Alyssa, in November. Valerie Lapinski won a Newswoman’s Club Front Page award for her work at Time for the “One Dream” multimedia project. Kieran K. Meadows works for the TV/radio news program Democracy Now! and as a producer/editor on Forbes’s video team. Michael Reicher is the county government reporter for The Orange County Register. Jessica Simeone was promoted to associate editor at The New York Post. Joseph Walker is the INSIDESTORY biotechnology and medical devices reporter at The Wall Street Journal. CUNY Graduate School of Journalism Class of ’08: Claudia Cruz is a reporter at CNET en Español in San Francisco. 219 W. 40th Street, Third Floor Allison Esposito is a copywriter at Foursquare. Damian Ghigliotty is a New York, NY 10018 reporter at The Mortgage Observer. Rebecca Harshbarger is transit reporter for The New York Post. Shuka Kalantari is a freelance radio reporter for BBC World News Outlook and other radio and online news services. She also reported on Iranian refugees in Turkey after winning a fellowship from the International Center for Journalists. Rosaleen Ortiz and Daniel Macht became the parents of the first all-J-School baby: Ansel Samuel Macht, born Oct. 19.Mathew Ramirez Warren’s upcoming documentary, “We Like it Like That,” about the history of Latin boogaloo music, received a National Endowment for the Arts Independent Film grant. He married Neshani Jani in San Diego on July 13.

Class of ’07: Jego Armstrong is a news producer for Al Jazeera America. Candice Coots is the digital producer at Pac-12 Networks in San Francisco. Ben Levisohn is writing for the Barron’s Stocks to Watch blog. Daniel Massey won a Gold Medal from the Alliance of Area Business Publications for a profile on New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The piece was also a Jesse H. Neal Award finalist.Matt Safford is a regular freelancer for Popular Science, Digital Trends, and Computer Shopper. Emily Stewart is the food and drink reporter at The Poughkeepsie Journal. EVELYN BAKER The NYCity News Service took home Editor & Publisher’s 2013 EPPY Award for Best College/University Journalism Website. Judges also cited four News Service special reports. runover runover runover Barrett alumni news Dean Note

runover runover New Business Journalism egyptian journalist MIGUEL SAAVEDRA

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