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February 22, 1985 - Image 14

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Michigan Daily, 1985-02-22
Note:
This is a tabloid page

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

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(Continued from Page 3)
for yourself. It's downright scary at fir-
st. We've spent agonizing days and
nights trying to squeeze as much as we
can from the program before the time
slips by."
The age difference between the
fellows and their classmates presents
few problems. Though the fellows are in
their 30s, they say classmates don't ap-
pear intimated by their presence.
Deborah Saul, a reporter for the
Monroe Evening News, admits to
having been surprised to discover the
instructor for a class on the 1960s was
younger than herself. But she adds, "he
does a good job and has brought in-
sights to me."
Although each Fellow determines the
majority of his own curriculum, there
are two seminars designed specifically
for them. Each meets once a week in a
lounge in the Frieze Building.
The Humanities seminar is taught by
University faculty. The overall theme
of the course is "America since the
Great Depression." Experts on
literature, art history, music, com-
munications, law, and history discuss
developments in these areas since the
New Deal.
Dianne Selditch, editor of The Orlan-
do Sentinel's Florida Magazine, says
the humanities seminar has taught
her humility. "It's made me see that
journalists aren't the only ones trying
to understand society." Others say the
seminar has helped to fill in gaps in
their knowledge of politics and
economics.
Communications professor Frank
Beaver teaches a four-week series each
March on how films since the Great
Depression reflect the changing
national mood. He also provides an in-
troductory lecture which he calls an
"orientation to film opportunities in
Ann Arbor."
Beaver says he enjoys teaching the
fellows: "They've been out in the world
and have interesting perspectives on
film. People such as political writers
and art critics make discussions
stimulating."
The other seminar is on journalism.
Each week a discussion is led by a dif-
ferent guest journalist. Although the
lecturers receive only small monetary
compensation, Hovey says he never has
trouble convincing them to come teach.
Sessions are informal wine and snack
gatherings during which the fellows ex-
change ideas on operational and ethical
problems of journalism. Discussions
get serious but not so intense that
joking in inappropriate.
In a recent conversation about the
danger of reporters becoming biased to
the viewpoints of their sources, the
question was raised, "How far should
you go? How close should you get to
your source?" Alan Berlow, defense
correspondent for National Public
Radio, replied with mock seriousness,
"heavy petting."
The participants agree that
one of the most valuable aspects
of the program is the chance to ex-
change ideas and information with
journalists of various backgrounds.
They come from all over the world and
represent news media of many types.
The diverse group quickly becomes a

closely-knit one. Several fellows
describe Hovey and his administrative
assistant, Margaret DeMuth, as being
so kind and supportive that they are
almost like parents.
Friendships formed here continue
when the fellows return to their jobs.
Winter says there is a group of former
fellows on the East Coast who arrange
an annual reunion.
Some of the journalists attend the
program specifically to help them ad-
vance professionally. Nak-Cheon Baek,
economics reporter for the Korean
Broadcasting System, had distinct

Bennett explains, "I had been
covering the courts, where you have to
become an expert in an instant. You
begin to wonder what you're looking at.
It's a chance here to step back and see
it all from a theoretical point of view."
3erlow agrees. "I'm concentrating
on subjects that I've been interested in
for a long time. You don't get a lot of
time to do that; when you're working.
It's a good break from the rat race."
"I think we become much more
aware of what we actually care about,"
Selditch says of the program's impact.
"When I return, my contributions to the

'We cannot allow the program to be discon-
tinued. It's good' for the University, but
more than that, it's better for the industry'
- Fred Brown
former fellow

had time to-do, now is the time to do it,"
she says.
Berlow adds, "I have a much
healthier lifestyle here. I define my
existence here more than I do in the
real world where I wind up working a
lot of overtime."
Baek travelled to Sewerd, Alaska,
last month to cover the establishment
of a Korean coal mine for a television
program in his country. He says he
missed not getting feedback on the
program, but a Korean doctoral student
at the University told him about seeing
it while on vacation.
Baek says, "I would like to stay
longer here, but in another way I have a
desire to work again. Sometimes I think
working in the media, especially
television, is like drugs."
Nearly all of the 131 journalists who
have participated in Journalists in
Residence have remained in the jour-
nalism field.
Even after his successful series on
Appalachia, Brown says he would like
to return to Journalists in Residence. "I
loved it. There's a grand resource in
that institution and Graham Hovey
does a fine job of bringing in top notch
folks."
Hovey credits his predecessor, Ben
Yablonky, for building a vibrant
program during his seven years as
director of the program. Hovey will
retire next year to teach journalism at
the University of Shanghai. A
replacement for him has not been found
yet, but University officials say the
success of the fund-raising drive has
secured the place of Journalists in
Residence on campus.
Brown says, "We can not allow the
program to be discontinued. It's good
for the University, but more than that,
it's better for the industry.
"And for the journalists who win the
fellowships.it's irreplaceable."
Folz is a Daily staff writer

goals when he decided to attend a
program so far from his home. He wan-
ts to learn more about cable television
before it is installed in Korea to broad-
cast the 1988 Olympics.
"During the 1988 Olympics there will
be much need for using the English
language. After I finish the program I
hope I can speak more English." he ad-
ds.
Fellows also say the program gives
them an opportunity to take a step back
from the day-to-day grind of
professional journalism and examine
their goals.

paper will be more fully me."
After spending nine months in the
academic routine some journalists
wonder if they can make the transition
back to their professional work.
"Daily journalism is more creative
than an assembly line, but there's still
an assembly line type aspect to the
process," Selditch says.
The fellows say they have more free
time here to exercise and pursue out-
side interests than they do on their job.
Saul, for example, is enrolled in a dance
class along with her academic courses.
"They tell us, if there's something
you've always wanted to do and never

Fellows in Residence: an informal gathering to discuss the goals of journalism.

4 Weekend/Friday, February 22, 1985

Weekend/Friday.

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