SyracuSe univerSity S.i. newhouSe School of Public communicationS fall 2008 vol. 21 no. 1 SyracuSe univerSity S.i. newhouSe School of Public communicationS fall 2008 vol. 21 no. 1 Dean in this issue: Lorraine Branham Executive Editor Dean’s Column 1 Wendy S. Loughlin G’95 Mirror Awards 2 Making a Film in Mumbai 3 Editor Carol L. Boll The View from Beijing 4-5 A Golden Opportunity 6 Graphic Design Elizabeth Percival ABC on Campus 7 4 Executive Education Suite 8 Contributors Curriculum Changes 9 Sarah DiGiulio ’09 Krista Flynt ’09 Sportscaster U 10 Ben Forer ’10 Legal Reporting Fellowships 11 David Marc Lindsay McCluskey G’08 Cover Story: Lorraine Branham 12-15 Christy Perry Alumna Amanda Raus ’04 16 Kelly Rodoski ’92 Alumnus Scott Kronick ’85 17 Sarah Rois ’08 Timeka Williams ’10 Report from the Democratic Convention 18 Student News 19 Photography 7 Steve Sartori Faculty Briefs 20-21 Tony Golden New Faculty 22-23 Coming Back Together 24 Assistant Dean of External Relations In Remembrance of Pan Am 103 24 Lynn A. Vanderhoek ’89 Why Give? 25 Office of External In Memoriam: Alex Taft G’08 25 Relations Class Notes 26-29 315-443-5711 Report of Donors 30-36 Web Site 12 Scholarship in Action: newhouse.syr.edu Khristopher Dodson G’07 37 On the cover: Dean Lorraine Branham 2 18 It has been an excItIng and busy time since I edge media education. similarly, fund raising is a top began my tenure as dean of the newhouse school priority. We have embarked on a $5 million campaign last summer. On the day I arrived, we welcomed a to redesign and rebuild our television studios, which new class of 213 graduate students. two months have served newhouse students well over the years later, I presided over a convocation welcoming 345 but are in dire need of technological updating. first-year students.t hey make up the most diverse We are also working with our colleagues class in the history of the school—18 percent are across the University on the development of “sU members of racial or ethnic minority groups, and 70 in La”—a West coast campus offering educational percent are female. We are proud of the progress opportunities to students and professionals. Our we have made in the area of diversity as we strive to first semester-long program, similar in structure to attract students from across the country and around a study abroad experience, will take place in fall the world, and I am committed to continuing the 2009, with 15 or more students living, studying, and work begun under former Dean David Rubin to make interning in Los angeles. a task force of West coast newhouse a more diverse and inclusive school. alumni and others has already been formed, and we There are other fresh faces at newhouse this welcome your input. semester as we are joined by several new faculty But it is not all good news. the continuing members (see story p. 22). and we are not done economic crisis, and the possibility of a deepening yet: searches are under way to fill new positions recession, will most certainly affect the University’s in print journalism, multimedia, and advertising, fiscal situation as well as that of our students and as well as the prestigious newhouse Professor their families. already we anticipate an increased research position. If we are to remain a top school of need for financial aid, and we must raise money communications, we must continue to attract the top for new scholarships even as possible budget- faculty in our respective fields. tightening looms. The fall semester has been typically active. We But leadership wouldn’t be as much fun without welcomed a number of guest speakers, including challenges, and Dean Rubin left me a school built on NBC sportscaster bob costas ’74, saatchi & saatchi a strong foundation. I thank all of you who welcomed CEO Kevin Roberts, and Universal studios president me to syracuse and offered your help and support. I Ron Meyer. and we hosted the Public Relations have been fortunate to meet some of you at various student society of america regional chapter’s annual sU events, and have been impressed by the school’s Dean’s Column conference and the associated Press broadcast extensive network of alumni and friends. You are news conference. newhouse 3—along with the rest indeed our strategic advantage. great faculty, great of the newhouse facilities—provides wonderful students, and great alumni are what puts us a cut opportunities to engage our professional colleagues, above the rest. I look forward to meeting more of you and we will continue to seek future collaborations in the coming year. and industry partnerships. Another of my major goals as dean is to help the school continue to move forward in the areas of digital and online journalism and convergence—a process first begun by the faculty with the curriculum review (see story p. 9)—with the expressed goal of ensuring that we are giving our students a cutting- Lorraine branham 1 Mirror AwArd winners Announced The Newhouse School presented five awards at the second annual Mirror Awards luncheon honoring excellence in media industry reporting. The event, emceed by comedian and satirist Andy Borowitz, was held June 23 at the Rainbow Room in New York City. The winners, chosen by a group of journalists and journalism educators, were: • Best Investigative Piece: “News War,” Frontline (PBS) • Best Profile: Jeff Coplon, “How Race Is Lived in America,” New York Magazine • Best Commentary: Joe Nocera, The New York Times • Best Single Article: Ken Auletta, “Promises, Promises,” The New Yorker • Overall Excellence: The New York Times: Monday Media section Margaret Carlson, political columnist for Bloomberg News and Washington editor of The Week magazine, presented the awards. The Newhouse School also posthumously honored political journalist Tim Russert with the Fred Dressler Lifetime Achievement Award. NBC Nightly News anchor and managing editor Brian Williams spoke on Russert’s behalf. Before his death on June 13, Russert was scheduled to attend the Mirror Awards luncheon to accept the award. In addition, CNN and YouTube received the i-3 award for impact, innovation, and influence in recognition of last year’s CNN/YouTube debates. The award was presented by John Roberts, anchor of CNN’s American Morning, and accepted by David Bohrman, senior vice president and Washington bureau chief for CNN, and Steve Grove, director of news and politics for YouTube. The Mirror Awards, established by the Newhouse School in 2006, honor the lorraine Branham, andy Borowitz, David Rubin and Ken auletta at reporters, editors, and teams of writers who hold a mirror to their own industry for the the mirror awards ceremony. public’s benefit. Honorees are recognized for news judgment and command of craft in reporting, analysis, and commentary on developments in the media industry and its role in our economy, culture, and democracy. This year’s competition drew more than 100 entries. Entry deadline for the 2009 Mirror Awards competition is February 6. For more information, see mirrorawards.syr.edu. 2 By sArAh rois ’08 maKIng a FIlm in MuMbai Last spring, 11 Newhouse students entering into the cerulean Arabian Sea. lunch and never excluded us, allowing traveled to India with Newhouse And now we had a perspective that us in on the joke when they teased associate professor Tula Goenka as we hadn’t yet seen: While the crew set the cinematographer, or telling us how part of a new, one-month class offered up shots and served breakfast, Mumbai the shoot was going so far. Though we through SU Abroad. A Bollywood unfurled behind us, stretching as far as had been part of the crew for barely 10 Experience: Internships in Mumbai the eye could see in either direction. It days, we were already accepted as part (TRF 470/670) introduced students didn’t look like any Western city we had of the direction family. to the history, aesthetics, language, seen before; there was little cohesion It was when we went back to the business, and process of filmmaking between the style of one building and trawlers that it hit me. We worked long in India. Sarah Rois ’08, a television, its neighbor. Skyscrapers, which seem into evening, despite our early start, Mirror AwArd winners Announced radio, and film major, worked with requisite for any major city, jutted and the lead actress threw up on me fellow intern Kerryann Foley on up at one end, along with high-rise when her motion sickness reached Popcorn Films’ Little Godfather. apartment buildings and hotels, while its peak. I hardly cared. As I watched She writes below of her experience. the more expected domed buildings the sun set in a nest of clouds painted huddled low to the ground. The city every shade of red and purple and It hit me somewhere seemed thinly coated with dusty red orange, I realized that I was exactly in the arabian sea. soil, but in no way did it detract from where I wanted to be: making a film. I had arisen at 2:30 that morning, the sheer beauty endured a freezing-cold shower and of the panorama. an even colder two-hour taxi ride to It was easy to see get to the Gateway of India, a massive why the director stone monument to long-dead British would choose such monarchs. We met the director of the a backdrop for a film at a dingy, hole-in-the-wall café romantic scene. a few streets over for some delicious At lunch, when ginger chai in little plastic cups, we disembarked and listened as he discussed with briefly to eat at the his cinematographer what we’d be famous restaurant shooting that day.