YinUK

LONG LIVE HOME TOWN

2008-04-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

ONE CHINA!

TIBET WAS, IS, WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF CHINA!

WE CHINESE LOVE PEACE!

Tibet Protest at Trafalgar Square (6 April 2008)

Chinese protest in London you never see on BBC (6 April 2008)

something important that the BBC "accidentally" missed out on 6 April 2008

GREAT CHINESE STUDENTS OVERSEAS (6 April 2008, from POWERAPPLE)

SHAME ON BBC AND CNN!!!

A volunteered website exposing the lies and distortions in western media ANTI-CNN

political presentation report 3

2008-04-03T11:59:00.000-07:00

Planned Activity:- Athletes exchange
Athletes exchange visits between London and Beijing, and friendly matches could be planned.

At present there is a nice chance for people to people information exchange - the Beijing Olympics torch will arrive at London 6th April, by which time both British and Chinese sports stars as well as officials will be together. The arrival of the torch is also end of China in London 2008 season. As what could be expected, thousands and thousands of Londoners and overseas Chinese will join in the celebration, Tibetan protesters as well. It’s every overseas Chinese duty and opportunity to protect the torch and tell foreigners what happened in Tibet by using pictures and slogans.

- Exhibitions
Since work of Chinese artists or documentary-makers about environment in China, security situation, food safety, and Tibetans’ life is not so persuasiveness for westerners, we will invite non Chinese ones to conduct exhibitions on what they have seen on the land.

And from 15 March the featured exhibition “China Design Now” is on V&A, which will last until 13 July 2008. The youngest city Shenzhen, the foremost international city Shanghai, and the Olympics holding city Beijing will show a fantastic contemporary China and extraordinary change for the Games.

- Academic exchange
There are many scholars interested in China, Chinese culture-lovers and China experts in universities. They can give well influenced lectures and talks from English speaking world’s point of view. Also the students are future of the country, we should eliminate their misunderstandings. The confusions made by culture difference could be explained well by westerners. Communication is always very important and effective.

- Experience exchange
The sort of activities is determined by the relationship between London and Beijing as the takeover and handover Olympic cities, and was drawn inspiration from an interview with Harrow Council stuff. What good experience of Beijing doing well on reception issues and other preparations could be learnt from.

Getting in touch with each other, people in two countries will promote friendship and be aware of deeper the different culture value.

Administration:- Timing: from April to September 2008 succession events.

- Budgets: mainly from Chinese government, as well as donations from patriotic personage

Results:
Numbers of lectures & events, and box office of exhibitions could be counted. Any amount, great or small, will be appreciated. Months ahead of Beijing Olympics are just a beginning for infiltrating a real China to all over the world. Long hard way has to go.

political presentation poster 2

2008-04-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

Strategy:
- Audience
The series events target on British as well as people around the globe who care about or are interested in Beijing Olympics or Tibet issues. Not only athletes themselves, but academic stuff, journalists, officials, and residents are all our target audience.

- Message
What we want those who are making use of political pressure on sports to understand are what they are doing is wrong and will completely not have the effects they expected. We are offering a chance to show people the facts, and then time will tell the truth.

- Method
For the one who is behaving to disrupt their home country, we cannot stop them, but leave them free to do so to illustrate their so-called “human rights”. For westerners who are not in the know for many years, we cannot persuade them at once, but continue to take up with switching their ideas about China, which is a long-term tough struggle.

- Media
As the fact that some western media are selective blind so that whatever efforts Chinese government made will be ignored, our events are aiming at nongovernmental contact. Schools and universities, museums, etc. are good media we can cover.

political presentation poster 1

2008-04-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

Topic:
The government of China has asked you to prepare ideas for a PR campaign (no paid-for advertising) for the UK designed to counteract negative coverage ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

Position:
- Internal
The year 2008 implies a favorable opportunity for the government of China as well as Chinese people to show a real China to the world, and the Western world to go deep into situation and culture there. From the government to ordinary people, Beijing Olympics is being seriously taken account of.

- External
Just at the sensitive moment, Dalai Lama premeditated a serial anti-government and free Tibet movement, attempting to leave negative influence on the Games through political pressure.

Rioters’ violation on Chinese Embassies in some European countries, and Tibetans’ on the Hans in Xizang happened on “3.14”. These movements push China into global media hotspot. But with many foreign media’s inverting justice reports, China government is being blamed in the last two weeks.

Objective:
We are preparing six months continuous events around UK especially in the capital London to return as many facts as possible to the world, to counteract as much negative influence as possible on Beijing Olympics, to persuade more people to face China squarely, even one more.

online report - As a team member

2008-04-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

As a team member

I was thankful for these twelve weeks that gave me this opportunity to work with the other nine fantastic people. Also I’m getting to know the procedure to build a website. I believe that everyone has done everything to the best of one’s ability for London Out Loud. We have a great our own website now!

Julia, our boss, is very kind-hearted and a very good listener. She accepted different voices as much as possible. And she never drove anyone to do something, if article hadn’t been finished in time or there was just no one free to do some work, she would be patient and did it herself. Thanks, boss!

Deny and Chelna are both nice and responsible editors. Being different from London Alternative, topics of issues as well as of certain articles are managed by editors not oneself. So they just did much more work to think about what should be next issue.

Sebastian and Kheira are also very nice and are happy to help others.

Hugo is really mad with marketing, he has found any ways he could do for marketing.

Ice is really really smart and hard working during the last two months! I don’t think I need to say anything else, she’s work has been appreciated by every classmate.

Chris and Lu did a lot of shooting in order to richen the multimedia session. Not to mention heavy equipments needed taking, editing time needed spending, they are just enthusiastic about the site and anything need to done.

And myself, Yin, am just quite ordinary and have done what I should.

online report - As a writer

2008-04-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

As a writer

I still think that what London Out Loud attracts people more is the lay out not articles themselves, though some latest comments showed that people were very interested at our fourth issue – SEX.

Now I’ve got into a groove of writing one feature plus a piece of news per week. Thinking back the last ten weeks, on weekdays we had classes and shooting tasks as well as at weekends for the first five weeks when doing TV, after which when we were doing radio, interviews could be done only during weekdays.

So writing for online for me in fact became a “leisure time”, at which time I could summarize what I did on TV or radio as an online feature, or be involved in a certain news deeply when doing research to write it.

We have four issues and I contributed seven articles, five features with two pieces of news.

For issue one – Chinese New Year, just in time I was doing TV documentary China: Generation Next, as a result I had chance, or to say I had to spend whole days to shoot events and celebrations, so I know what happened I have the first hand material.

To write about what China in London 2008 offered and Londoners reaction was not hard for me. As for the one Year of the Rat which talked about fortune and fate, it was Wen task and she suddenly went back to China, so I took over the feature reasonably.

For issue two – London Olympics, I was in charge of a feature of International Women’s Day and news of London future plan’s launching. I think the most important and difficult thing is first I need to understand the context through many researching and then though about how to arrange lots of information to let readers understanding what was going to happen.

For issue three – London Arts, there was one feature I needed to cover. It was the Taste East festival, I really wanted to go there and taste free food as well as drinks, but what a big shame that the two afternoons’ food festival met with International Women’s Day which was my radio feature topic. I had no choice here.

For issue four – Sexy London. The two distributed topic chanced to meet my interest – manga and wireless network. It was easier for me to write, as I visited the three manga shops I recommended very often. The other one’s situation was just the same. Everyone feels easier to research and write what they are interested or familiar with.

online report - As a Web 2.0 producer

2008-04-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

As a Web 2.0 producer

At the beginning of this term when we sat down in newsroom started to discuss who would like to do what, I thought I could do everything also nothing. The reason why I am saying this is obvious – I know everything, but everything a little, not on good level.

For English speaking and writing, neither readily reaction or leadership ability nor English-speaking world’s thinking I am not better than others. So I could not choose to be editors or subs or marketing to interfere everyone’s time and work.

For video shooting and editing, evidently Chris and Lu are more professional. Consequently for better performance of our site I should not choose to be in charge of multimedia and photography.

I believe that this is not a chance to practice and improve one’s own ability through twelve weeks’ team work, but to contribute your best ideas, knowledge and energy to conduct a best student website.

Well, only designers left for me as the only one choice. But Ice is very good at this, I would like to share more the heavy burden with her, however she only needs me to do some code.

At first I thought I need to write the code myself, and I do found online java or html course began to learn. When I was at university what I learnt was from the very basic point to understand computer world. Even though at the elective course Multimedia Technology, I was taught using C++ to conduct a program transferring image format.

When I knew only one thing I needed to do was to find free codes on the Internet, on the contrary, I was not that much good at. Although I have a good grasp of programming, various applications are more important and useful for me to learn, because now good software is already there, which who can master skilled who can win.

Well, finally we have comment, bookmark & share, and RSS feeds, also what we haven’t put them online – print, site search, pool, etc, for the reason that page looking or lay out issue.

London manga shopping guide

2008-03-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

This is the feature of LOL issue 4. It's only a small introduction of London manga shops.

Are you just fan of American comics or Japanese manga that is living in London now and having no idea where to buy the latest volume of your favorite books?

Otherwise, have you seen the digitally-projected movie Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, which was the first ever to include a genuine 8-channel Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (SDDS) soundtrack?

Or that includes six episodes going along with our grown up the big movie series Star Wars?

Don’t you want to learn more about these adaptations of comics or manga? Just simply follow guide below to find out your interest.

As being not so popular as in Japan or America, there are not many big stores selling comics or manga in London, however, which are enough to satisfy a craving for it.

Japan Center

Located presently at the busy meeting point and tourist attraction - Piccadilly Circus, Japan Center was established in 1976 by a young Japanese man who just for the reason that couldn’t find a Japanese book when he wanted one.

Besides food shop, restaurant, travel service and supermarket, a book shop underground is also part of Japan Center.

All the books sold there are in Katakana and Hiragana. Though there are not many manga volumes being sold, some most popular and recent ones are involved, such as Luck Star, Detective Conan, Doraemon, Bleach, One Piece etc.

The well-known Japan manga and anime journals are provided as well.

For example, monthly released serial manga magazine LALA, Weekly Young Jump for young male readers, boys love (BL) magazines aiming primarily at girls Monthly Asuka and monthly Be Boy, and some of the most famous amine information giving ones Newtype, Animedia, and Hobby.

In a word, if you would like to see most of the current manga and anime journals as soon as possible, Japan Center is no doubt your first choice.

But the prices are high, however, there is usually some unsold stock being cleared out cheaply. Online shopping is available, but the book lists are not updated on time.

Address: 212-213 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9HX

Forbidden Planet

As the largest specialist science fiction (SF) and comic shop in the UK, including an excellent range of anime goods by default, Forbidden Planet is really a fantastic place.

Not only Japanese manga, but American comics as many as you need are offered. All the Japanese ones are put in alphabetical order and English translated.

Manga, magazines and videos are in the basement. T-shirts, merchandise, models, postcards and badges are mixed in with the relevant sections everywhere. Price is good and cheaper for online shopping.

Just go to Forbidden Planet and have a look around by yourself. You will always have fun more than expected.

Address: 179 Shaftesbury Ave, London, WC2H 8JR

Adanami Shobo

Moved from 387 Edgeware Road to 30 Brewer ST, Adanami Shobo is a very small and crowd store being full of second-hand Japanese books.

There are many classic and finished serial manga, and not so up-to-date. Nevertheless, the most exciting thing is that prices at Adanami Shobo are to bring even the stingiest otaku to their knees.

Even if this is a second-hand book shop, quality of books themselves is still satisfactory.

Address: 30 Brewer ST, London, W1F 0SS

London, the capital of Wi-Fi

2008-03-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

Here comes the news of LOL issue 4. After getting these information, I began to notice that wireless on Wmin campus is Wi-Fi application.

According to new research from mobile services firm iPass, London is the world's biggest Wi-Fi hotspot city.

The iPass ‘Wi-Fi Hotspot Index’ said that in the second half of 2007, Wi-Fi usage in London has rocketed 156 per cent, and the average session time lasting 72 minutes, which helped London hold up its position as Wi-Fi capital of the world.

Singapore and Tokyo were the second and third Wi-Fi cities respectively, with Tokyo accumulating 118 per cent growth, which taken it to within a few breadth of its Asian neighbour.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is the abbreviation of Wireless Fidelity that is a wireless-technology brand owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance, promoting standards with the aim of improving the interoperability of wireless local area network products.

A Wi-Fi enabled device, such as a PC, game console, cell phone, MP3 player, or PDA can connect to the Internet when within range of a wireless network connected to the Internet.

In a word, Wi-Fi is sort of wireless technology like Bluetooth, 3G etc.

According to the latest data from iPass index, for the second half of 2007, business use of wireless hotspots almost doubled last year.

As a mobile broadband technology, the increasing popularity of 3G is also fuelling the connectivity storm.

Airports are Still King

The locations where mobile users choose to log on to wireless networks continue to be led by traditional business travel place.

Airports are the hotspots of choice, accounting for almost half (45 per cent) of Wi-Fi sessions overall.

And Heathrow was the fourth most popular airport in the world for Wi-Fi usage.

Accounting for almost one-third of global usage, hotels are also popular, with 146 per cent growth on the same period last year.

A spokesman for iPass said enterprise mobile connectivity is likely to remain a tale of more than one technology.

He said in a statement: "The results of our Mobile Broadband Index suggest that no single technology can meet all the needs of an enterprise workforce.

While 3G provides broadband download speeds in domestic metropolitan areas, users need Wi-Fi hotspots for fast bi-directional access everywhere else as well as to avoid high international 3G roaming charges."

Taste East

2008-03-11T10:38:00.000-07:00

Here comes the LOL online feature for the third issue ARTS.

I tried to go to the market at gap between radio interviews. But how stupid I was that I forgot to bring the address with me, and even if Ying and I asked people how to get there we still failed to...

Taste East

The curtain has descended on the 6-day East Festival that showcased the best of what was on offer in East London running from 6-11 March.

As food part of the East Festival, Taste East has been back.

On Fri 7 and Sat 8 March from 12pm to 5pm, the wonderful two days food festival was held in Old Spitalfields Market.

This year Taste East celebrated the countryside by welcoming Spitalfields City Farm into Bishop’s Square, which transformed Spitalfields into a country idyll armed with lots of food stalls, demonstrations, and free family entertainment.

Fabulous Food Fair
Over 50 carefully selected stalls have offered the freshest and finest food sample at the free international country food fair.

People could also buy the food back to home and taste leisurely.

Some really wonderful food stalls that provided delicious food all over the world were on display in the two afternoons.

Also some Great British Food from some of the east end's best restaurants shared a passion for ethically sourced British produce.

Jollof Pot, founded by Romford based couple Lloyd Mensah and Adwoa Hagan-Mensah, offered modern Ghanaian food that is characterised by its hearty, tasty stews and soups.

The Rivington Grill, a celebrated restaurant in the east end, of which menu was originally created by one the UK's best chefs Mark Hix, gave cooking demonstrations within a hot food stall.

Rummanco, producing quality Caribbean food and established for over 25 years, offered their range of spicy condiments that all made with natural ingredients and no colourings or preservatives such as Rummanco Mango & Apricot Chutney with jerk spices.

Don't Forget the Drinks
Not only food, but all manner of fine wines, traditional ciders and independently brewed beers were on Taste East. Plus a whole lot of juices, organic hot chocolates, coffees and teas.

Quaffs Beer, founded by beer enthusiast Chris Gill, sold beers from across the world including unusual beers that cannot be found easily in the UK.

Tea Smith, a contemporary tea house in Old Spitalfields Market, founded by tea obsessive John Kennedy and his wife, offered a selection of teas that grown and processed in their traditional locations, and hosted a stall where people could learn the art of making the perfect cup.

Free Demonstrations
On Friday and Saturday, secrets of some of the country’s top chefs were discovered at free demonstrations on Taste East festival. They have given live food demonstrations.

Peter Gott of Sillfield Farm strongly believes in the "Slow Food" movement, which encourages and promotes local food and artisan food production. He is also deeply involved with the promotion of quality food and food production.

Cyrus Todiwala, in 2000 awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire) in recognition of his skill and commitment to the catering industry, is proprietor and Executive Chef of innovative Indian restaurant Café Spice Namasté in Whitechapel.

Don’t be afraid of missing last weekend’s Taste East food festival, just go to Old Spitalfields Market at Brushfield Street along with your family and friends at any time!

editorial session missing

2008-03-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

Because of online module timetable changed suddenly, everything planned to be done has to be changed schedule either.

These days are really hard for me, Ying as well. We spent several continuous days almost travelled the whole London to do the radio feature.

Suffering the rains for three hours, spending twelve hours outside without any rest etc. that made us very very tired.

If we don't have a draft or brief idea to talk with teacher, why we need to come to waste the time rather than to discuss a mature one with partner.

But someone just like to do so - when they only have the raw materials then they go to teacher to ask help with the structure! I treat this kind of behaviour as the lazy guy does!

But again, some the foreign teachers just like these guys. They believe they are learning, are doing job. I think this is culture difference.

Well, as we are at foreign school learning foreigners' habit doing things, just follow the rules is the best way to get better grade.

pitch 2

2008-03-06T13:11:00.000-08:00

- How
It may shoot two days, then by editing that it seems like one whole day activities.
* [to search the Internet] four main websites providing anime shops info
http://www.animejin.org.uk/lnshop.htm#01
http://www.animelondon.ca/links.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+9951+3++0+0
http://www.ryouko.demon.co.uk/ukshop.htm

* [to google maps and print] [to find tube or bus routes]
* [Japan Centre (Piccadilly Circus), 212 Piccadilly, W1J 9HG]
[Orbital - manga (Leicester Square), Orion House, 4C Upper ST Martins Lane]
[VINMAG Co Ltd (Piccadilly Circus), 39/43 Brewer ST Soho, W1 R9UD]
[JP-books (Piccadilly Circus), Mitsukoshi, 14-20 Regent ST]
[OCS Books (Ealing Common), 2 Grosvenor Parade, Uxbridge Road]
[HMV (Piccadilly Circus), 142 Wardour Street, W1F 8LN]
[Forbidden Planet (Piccadilly Circus/Leicester Square), Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8JR]
Interview with store managers [talk about their shops]
* [Asahiya Shoten (Piccadilly Circus), 30 Brewer ST, W1F 0SSmoved]
[Oriental Cityclosed down]
interview with the neighbor shop keepers [talk about reasons that they knew why anime shops closedlimited market/not so popular Japanese animations around London etc.]
*[to have lunch at Japan Centre]
[to have dinner at Leicester Square]

- Where
Local anime channels or children programs.

- Who
Kids and young people who are fans of Japanese animations, manga, and SF, including Londoners, and who just come and live in London especially overseas students.

- When
From after school time (after 15:00) to supper time.

pitch 1

2008-03-06T13:08:00.000-08:00

Finding London Anime Shops

- What
Miss Wang, a Chinese girl studying MA course in London, is a big fan of Japanese animations & comics, also SF. When she first came to London, she was eager to know where amine shops were and where she could buy DVDs, magazines, toys etc. This 15~20 minutes long documentary is going to follow and film her with a girlfriend whole day of finding anime shops around London.

- Why & Aim
It’s a kind of autobiographical type TV documentary. When I came to London last August and searched the Internet to find out where the anime shops were, I faced a little difficulty.

Generally speaking, there was no overall information; otherwise the last time of information updated was years ago.

Meanwhile, I found overseas students left messages saying they wanted to know either; Londoners even who provided a certain shop address haven’t themselves been to the shop either because of inconvenience or time limited.

And also my classmates who are interested in Japanese games or foods ask me if I know some good places.

So I want to through this short film to introduce where shops are, when shops open, and what characters shops have including goods varieties, prices, etc. And it’s necessary to correct wrong guides by the Internet.

Following the information that hasn’t been updated for years, I wasted time and money, because some once big shopping malls moved or don’t exist any more.

International Women's Day

2008-03-03T06:15:00.000-08:00

Spending one hour to reseach at 2am, and there hours to arrange materials and write before 1pm, I made up a 2nd article for LOL, which one I thought should be finished after IWD. How stupid I was^^

Here comes the preview of this year's events.

Shaping Progress

In 1908, fifteen thousand women marched through New York City asking for shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.

A century on, the pertinence of this event is honored through International Women’s Day 2008 global theme 'Shaping Progress'.

By the end of 3rd March, 177 events have registered in the official website of International Women’s Day, while in world wide the number reaches 481.

Celebrations began earlier this year in UK. Began with event of looking for women who would like to participate in a vibrancy shown film during the last week of January, celebrations come to a climax in the rest of this week.

Events in UK
On 5th March, there are 7 events covering network to women jobs from morning to night, among which Chippy Lippys will last the whole day from 7:30am to 9pm.

Chippy Lippys is a women's networking group designed to promote and grow one’s business in a fun and informal environment.

Event this year is to create entrepreneurship and to make a difference in the developing world through authorizing and training women leaders with The Hunger Project.

On 6th March, 19 events will be held around UK. From 7pm, as part of Out of the Archives Lecture Series, the Women’s Library will give a talk by Judith Bourne about the first woman barrister Helena Normanton.

The Women's Library is a cultural centre that houses the most extensive collection of women's history in the UK.

On 7th March, there will be 17 more colorful events. From 7pm to 10pm, a concert held by Hitchin Rotary Club will give a performance with all proceeds going to The St. Mary's Fabric Appeal, The Wheelchair Foundation and Forward.

The programme includes traditional and popular works by The Holy Saviour Choir Andante, The Radcliffe Singers and The Hitchin Light Orchestra:

Hitchin Rotary Club was formed in 2002 by a group of people keen to put something back into local community.

On Women’s Day, more than seventy events are coming. From art exhibition to free talk, from women’s work condition to live changes, you will definitely find out an event that interests you.

History
The first International Women's Day was launched on 8 March 1911 in Copenhagen by Clara Zetkin, Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany.

This followed many years of women's campaigning dating back to British MP, John Stuart Mill, the first person in Parliament calling for women's right to vote.

On 19 September 1893 New Zealand became the first self-governing nation in the world to give women the right to vote.

In just three years time, 2011 will see Centenary of International Women’s Day, which is 100 years of women's united action for global equality and change. Organizations around the world have already started to plan for their celebrations.

London Collaborative Launch

2008-03-02T15:54:00.000-08:00

Sunday is not sunday. It is just the preview of Monday, a long Monday.

Today I spent ten hours in library withoud my dear food, partly because I have to finish one piece of news for LOL, partly because I need to burn DVD for TV group, and the most important part is that I exceeded network daily usage yesterday. Hehe~

Here comes the unsubbed edition news.

London Collaborative Launch

By the end of March, London Collaborative and Capital Ambition will publish a report on key challenges and future frame of London.

The report aims at providing a framework for settling the most suitable areas for cooperation and at investigating the most effective ways of measuring London’s future success.

On 18th March, the report will be put out at the official launch of the Futures programme, which is Capital Ambition’s flagship project.

The programme will deliver important research and analysis on how London can prepare for future challenges.

The first stage of network building is in well progress with nearly 200 key managers nominated from across the boroughs.

A second stage, enrolling people from key agencies such as the Metropolitan Police, the NHS (National Health Service) and housing agencies, has also started.

Capital Ambition
Capital Ambition was set up in January 2006 by London local government to improve public services across the capital.

Its originally focus has been on engaging in current pieces in London, while another important part of Capital Ambition manifesto is around the longer-term challenges for London.

Earlier 2007, Capital Ambition met with a range of consultants, academic and policy institutions to discuss how the project would be delivered.

London Collaborative
Following the testing period that took place over August and September, London Collaborative was selected as Capital Ambition’s partner to deliver the programme.

London Collaborative is an association led by the Young Foundation, and including OPM (the Office for Public Management) and Common Purpose, with access to LSE, UCL, Local Futures Group, Shared Intelligence, and Forum for the Future.

TV documentary - catching interviewees

2008-02-27T04:36:00.000-08:00

At the very beginning, we thought to.........................

TV documentary review

2008-02-26T03:03:00.000-08:00

At the very beginning before I really got involved in documentary skills for TV, I didn't realized that it was so mentally as well as physically hard module that we three girls were all tired of it.

As a result, I was too busy to have time to wash clothes, to go to supermarkets, to clean my lovely room, etc. Once there was time, I would like to choose to sleep rather than anything else.

Also I have no time to update my blog. Now the 7th week is coming, and group A turned to radio session either. We have much time now. Let me review what happened last six weeks.

New Beginning

2008-02-26T02:31:00.000-08:00

After months leaving my blog alone, it is time to re-start!

Let me begin with our online group's big PHOTO SHOOT!

Actually on the day we were aiming to take pictures for ABOUT ME page of our website - London Out Loud.

We rent the photography studio of school for two hours, however, the progress went very well, much better than we expected. As a result, we ended up picturing tens of minutes earlier.

What was interesting was that some of our online team were TV members also at the moment. We took the cameras all the time as a habit.

Two Chinese shot at random. But after then we thought it was a exciting idea that make it a short film as an advertisement, just for marketing.

So a Chinese boy, Chris, spent spare time to edit which lasted several days. And at the end we "stole" background music from youtube too, of course, we declared the copyright stuff at the beginning of the video.

I sent the youtube link to many friends also my parents. After having a look at the clip, they all said that it was great and excellent! We were experts and professional!

Now let's enjoy!

Year of the Rat

2008-02-20T12:36:00.000-08:00

Here comes the second piece for LOL feature.

People who were born Rat come to have a look at your fortune in 2008, Year of the Rat.

The Rat

It is considered an honor to be born in the Year of the Rat.

In China, the Rat is respected a courageous and creative person.

Rats know exactly where to find solutions and can take care of themselves and others without problems.

They use their natural sense of observation to help others in times of need.

Study
Rat people in 2008 will get a lot from friends. They will be assisted and promoted by companions to a great extent.

They should give first place to learn to update their knowledge in order to equip themselves.

There is a Chinese old saying – If one is unable to move forward, one will inevitably lag behind.

So rat people are supposed to spend more time absorbing knowledge rather than stepping at the same place.

Job
The Rat has an ordinary fortune on jobs this year, however, there is still possibilities for promoting to higher position.

Though it means there is more work to do, promotion is worth to celebrate in any case.

But the Rat may be easier to be mistaken this year so that should handle affairs carefully and watchfully in order to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Money
The Rat has a stable luck in making money, neither better nor worse.

They need to bear in mind to keep away from injustice income, and should not be out for small advantages, otherwise may suffer unexpected personal financial losses.

Love
There will be no big breakthrough of romantic for the Rat through this year.

They must put in a lot of hard work to break the insipid love life.

The Rat who is single is not easy to fall in love, while the one who is with lovers already will have little change with the relationship.

Health
The only one thing the Rat should be careful with is to avoid being suffered from influenza through the whole year.

The People of Rat
People who was born in 1972 is of great others assistance of career in 2008.

They should feel free to hand in new think of project to the managers or superiors. Also the fortune of wealth is quite good which means they are easier to get rich this year.

People who was born in 1984 has very good relation with parents.

It is believed that parents will help them a lot this year so that to listen to and follow their advice is a good choice.

People who was born in 1996 has good fate of studying. They can get good mark and well with classmates as well.

They should learn more techniques this year, such as swimming, painting, handwriting, piano etc, which will help a lot for their future.

Big Chinese New Year

2008-02-16T12:19:00.000-08:00

This is the original edition of first article for LOL feature. Also for the reason of TV documentary, I fortunately attended most of the main events celebrating China in London 2008.

Big Chinese New Year

More than eight thousands of miles far away from China though, any Chinese living in London could be involved in rich celebrations for the Year of the Rat, and feel about festive air just no less than as in hometown.

Thirty years of China government releasing the policy of reformation and opening, the twenty-ninth summer Olympic Games in Beijing, planning launch of Shenzhou 7, which big events are believed put 2008 a big China year seen from the world wide angle.

China in London 2008
Also especially in London, China in London 2008 which includes a series event lasting for two months, began on 6th February on which day was also Chinese Lunar New Year.

2008 China in London season will end up with the Olympic Torch Relay of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on 6th April.

In the afternoon of 6th Feb. Olympic stars from China as well as England pressed together a red button at Oxford Circus to start the grand celebrations which were already successfully held for the last three years by the authority of the Office of Lord Mayor.

At the same time ten Chinese traditional red lanterns were lighted together in the sky of Oxford Circus.

China in London has been the biggest festivity for Chinese New Year outside Asia.

It has been cooperated with many famous British culture institutions, such as the British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Royal Academy of Music etc, which push more than five hundreds activities.

Beijing - London both as Olympic Games holding places and their handover and takeover relationships are strong theme running through the 2008 China in London season.

Chinese New Year Celebrations
In Central London on 10th February at 11:00, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and the Chinatown held a colorful parade and theatrical performances in the meantime which were most expected through China in London season.

According to incomplete statistics, nearly half million Londoners as well as Chinese attended the six hours lasting entertainment.

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, drew eyes for Chinese performance dragon at the opening ceremony.

Dazzling dragon and lion dances were mostly welcomed by kids, also the best of traditional and contemporary Chinese arts performed from both London and China.

Seven times fireworks displayed in Leicester Square at 11 o’clock, each displayed on the hour, until 6 o’clock.

Throughout the day in Chinatown cultural stalls, Chinese traditional food and decorations, also lion dance displayed were quite attractive not only Londoners but many people from Europe.

food miles

2008-01-14T12:02:00.000-08:00

CUE:
Food miles have become a burning issue in the climate debate as campaigners call for people to eat more local food. What are problems because of food miles? What happened when a family tried to survive on food only from local place? Here is Yin & Ying report.

SCRIPTS:
Food miles are the measure of the distance a food travels from field to plate. Agriculture and food now account for nearly 30 per cent of goods transported on our roads.

This travel adds largely to the carbon dioxide emissions that are contributing to climate change - which is why food miles matter. A report by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says that food miles rose by 15 per cent between 1992 and 2002.

Sustain is part of Food Links, an union of organizations around the UK involved in projects aimed at developing local food economies and decreasing the distance that food travels.

Tully Wakeman of East Anglia Food Links believes it is crucial that local food is not a niche product, but that it becomes a far bigger part of the mainstream.

There is a group of about 100 volunteers in Fife calling for people to eat more local food. They have created the Fife Diet and are trying to live on a diet of food that is largely from within the area. Writer Mike Small is co-ordinator of the volunteers and he and his wife and children have now been on the diet.

Let’s listen to Mike about the idea behind the group in Fife. And what problems they are facing. What the group suggest people do to deal with foodmiles?

Media Monitoring 7

2008-01-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

Radio is more vivid as a consequence of music and voice which could offer the audience imagination of scenes and features of reporter and interviewees.

But radio has a linear process of dissemination. Listeners cannot re-order or select from a single stream of content. Thus the voice keeps going on and on which will not give listeners a chance of feeling bored. Consequently, radio offers lots of information to win the audience, no matter how much listeners will remember.

In the mean while, writing for newspaper can be read again and again, which determines the story must be treated much more critical than be done in radio or online which has many tricks to draw one’s eyes.

As for this story, some common things are mentioned in all the three media, such as little changed life, economy, and democracy.

These are talked about by interviewees in radio and online which make the report more local, and by writer’s narrative in newspaper making the report more academic. In newspaper, the author treats the story from a macroscopic and social angle, however, in radio and online a microcosmic and individual angle.

For the reason that there is more space online than in newspaper, it provides more details and facts online. For example, speaking of free media, there is only one sentence in newspaper - “the judiciary remains independent and the media is free.” Yet article online illustrates data of a survey to prove that high levels of press freedom is just relative.

In addition, report online refers to HK’s impact on the border, the south coast, even the whole country, not only impacts on HK of the return. This reminds readers to think about the story in a varied deeper way.

Besides no interview is in newspaper, there are seven or eight in radio and online. Paralleled with interviewees in radio who are all almost someone, people interviewed online are really normal. Therefore, it looks more authoritative and formal in radio and kinder online.

Media Monitoring 6

2008-01-11T12:50:00.000-08:00

5.2.3 Pictures & Texts & Captions
The story has three pictures with three texts, which spread evenly throughout the page and all stand the right side to the words.

The first picture, in the middle of intros, is full views of skyscrapers standing in the Victoria Harbor, with a caption saying what the biggest reason for HK’s success is.

The second picture, in the middle of first section “little change”, is one interviewee who is a taxi driver standing in front of her car, with her saying about her loving homeland as a caption. These two pictures work well in concert with contents around them.

The third picture, in the middle of the last section “China’s menace”, is the 87-year-old man whose words is quoted far earlier in the intros sitting on threshold beside a doorpost, with a caption pointing out that he, as well as many others, feels little difference in the decade.

Actually there are two quotations from him both of which are in the first five or six paragraphs, but it is strange that his picture is shown in the bottom of the page. It could cause confusion to readers to some extent.

The first and third texts are both the interviewees’ saying with their names and occupations as captions.

The second text is right in middle of the page which shows in fact readers comments on the story. Though it occupies advantage point, readers need to roll the mouse a few times if they want to find place to comment, for the story is a little long which length could fit three screens.

5.2.4 Interviewees
There are seven interviewees. Three of whom are ordinary people, whose sayings are aiming at indicating people’s life have no significant change. Three are professional, one economist, one political analyst, and a professor, whose statement are more academic rather than official. And an only government official, the HK Human Rights Monitor.

6 Comparisons
It is the medium characters that determine the process of story construction and also shape the final product. There is no visual image or document with radio, no sound or moving pictures with newspaper, nevertheless, varied types of text, graphics, audio and video could be put online.

For the sake of attracting own audience, the story is treated differently to make a medium stand alone with others.

Media Monitoring 5

2008-01-11T12:48:00.000-08:00

4.1.4 The Ending
The eighth paragraph, the last one, has a summarized ending which states briefly what HK should do to arrest the risks coming true.

4.2 Identity
Although being a short article without any interview, the writer points out sharply the cruxes of HK confusion – democracy and the status of Asian financial centre. The language is short, simple, and sharp, the idea is crucial, clear and critical.

5 Online
Article Hong Kong’s decade under China’s flag is one of a series of features on BBC website which was uploaded on June 21, 2007. The BBC’s Samanthi Dissanayake went to HK to look at how HK has changed in a decade.

5.1 Non-Linear
Online journalism is not only about the text, but also techniques. Users are free to choose whether to read the story till the end, or to go to audio and video, to database, to comment, to graphic, or to browse another website. They are characters of online journalism.

This article holds the two middle columns of the website, if which is cut into four, accompanied by the homepage link and subtitle pages’ in the left and links to other stories, audios & videos, pictures etc associating with the issue HK ten years on in the right.

5.2 Writing
5.2.1 Intros
The first paragraphs are the apex of the pyramid, the all important intro.

In this part four paragraphs are included. The first one gives a scenic description on China’s regain possession of HK. The second one quotes a short sentence using quotation marks from a 87-year-old man in order to draw the third paragraph which says what was nature in the city at that moment – uncertainty about the future. The last paragraph of intros tells what considerable crisis HK has overcome in the decade.

5.2.2 Headlines
Good headlines provide important guidance and context for readers who would like to access sections of stories they are interested in and to leave the rest. Headlines divide a full story into several sections, which make it convenient to follow.

There are four headlines in whole page, under each of which the words are in nearly the same length which quite fits a window. The sense perception is good.

Media Monitoring 4

2008-01-10T12:46:00.000-08:00

4 Newspaper
There isn’t much space in a newspaper. There’s no room for too many words. Thus the article Hong Kong today published in Financial Times on June 30, 2007, the day prior to 10th anniversary of HK’s return to China, contains only eight short paragraphs, four hundred sixty-five words.

4.1 Feature
4.1.1 The Focus
This article focuses on “HK faces too many challenges”.

In the beginning of the writing, the writer points out that seemingly life in HK under Chinese sovereignty is almost the same as it was under British colonial rule. But then it turns to a point of view by deeper observation on the superficial appearance, which is “little risk reassurance”.

4.1.2 The Lead
In the second paragraph, the author associates two significant facts coming along with the return – Asian financial crisis and SARS – with the Five-Starred Red Flag in the handover ceremony, as they were all emerging at that moment.

This descriptive lead gives readers a clear, simple, and lively picture of a scene from which the story will then flow.

4.1.3 The Body
There are five paragraphs in the body of the story which can be considered as three parts according to the content.

Some facts of the advantages as well as what have little changed in HK ten years on are enumerated in the first part of three, the third paragraph. The writer simply gives out several details, such as the soaring tycoons’ property and fortunes, the prosperous stock market, the remaining independent judiciary as well as free media.

In the second part which contains the fourth and fifth paragraphs, HK people’s main disappointment – undemocratic HK – is described. The author demonstrates what the citizen shows – the protest march in 2003, what the disappointment is – the failure of HK’s becoming a full democracy society, and also why it is – Beijing’s interference, local administration’s timidity, business leaders’ connivance, and the increasingly growing economy.

In the last part, a question is raised in paragraph six and is answered in paragraph seven. The author begins to think about what exactly makes HK “special” rather than another coastal city in China by giving several pieces of proof that HK is losing its status as the financial centre in Asia in reality. But in logical, it still is, that is the answer.

Media Monitoring 3

2008-01-10T12:44:00.000-08:00

3.4 Interviewees & Content
Radio part one arranges several questions around the central subject - identity - by presenting eight interviews, one vox pop with pupils, and some conversations.

The interviewees covers wide trades and professions, including not only famous tycoon, head teacher of HK secondary school, hand dealer with furniture, millionaire, club holder who once worked for British army, but also Donald Tsang, HK chief executive, and Christopher Patten.

In addition to some essential news background information, reporter’s own and personal feeling and observation when he is standing in a significance spot, fill the airtime among these interviews.

Radio part two focuses on what is still one of the most arguable issues in HK - the move towards democracy. In this part, all the interviewees are from organs of power, state of the city.

They are all politicians, such as Tung Chee-hwa, the first HK chief executive, Donald Tsang, as well as Chris Patten. The professionals give authority answers thus make the report authoritative and powerful.

These two parts are constructed in a somewhat different way. In part one, reporter’s speaking and interviews fill almost a balanced airtime; in the mean while, the interviews, even containing some argument between interviewer and interviewee, fill 65 to 70 percent of the airtime.

The aim of part one is to discover, however, part two is to discuss. The interviews in part two run a litter longer, add more depth, enlarge the views towards the problem, and give an opportunity for arguing points on the contrary.

Media Monitoring 2

2008-01-10T12:43:00.000-08:00

3.2 Promotion
In radio part one which picks up the life pieces of HK people, some Chinese traditional music elements are inserted as background music.

The first two inserts of four are both Deng Lijun’s song. One is at 2’20”, right after the demonstration of story, mixed with noises of hawking one’s wares in the streets and lanes at night. After which reporter talks about his first impression of HK today since handover and what has changed, what hasn’t. The other is at 6’30”, which is right before talking on economy field and an interview with a tycoon from mainland living in HK.

The third and fourth are traditional Chinese operas. As the third one beginning at 9’50” lasts for one minute fifteen seconds, reporter is summing up answers to his question gained by interviews. And when the fourth begins at 21’30” which continues till the end, reporter starts to make conclusion of radio part one.

As is known, traditional Chinese operas stand for China’s splendid national culture, represent China on some occasion, here, the mainland, motherland. Singer Deng Lijun is one of the symbols of contemporary HK’s culture. Quoting these local culture elements as inserts, reporter is quite familiar with HK and China. Thus it makes the radio much more interesting, lively, and vivid.

3.3 Reporter
The maker is BBC's Jonathan Dimbleby, a well-known BBC journalist. He came to HK in 1992 with Christopher Patten who was living after five years as governor of HK, HK’s last British governor. He wrote a book The Last Governor after going back to Britain 1997.

Jonathan Dimbleby experienced the last time of colonial domination in HK. He is Christopher Patten’s trusted follower. As a result, he understands HK, knows about HK more than other correspondents.

Media Monitoring 1

2008-01-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

1 Summary
The story of HK today is covered in some different kinds of media. This essay analyzes how the story is treated in radio, newspaper & online, and makes a comparison.

2 Background & Introduction
Hong Kong, the financial centre of Asia, one of the greatest cities of the world, was handed back to China from Britain on a rainy night between June 30 and July 1 1997. Ten years on, what has changed and hasn’t in HK? What do HK people think about HK?

All documentary and audio sources are from internet. A radio clip of BBC World Service first broadcasted in July 2007, one article of Financial Times published on June 30, and one article of BBC online uploaded on June 21, are samples of my research.

3 Radio
As the story is a history-made political issue, this two-part radio Hong Kong ten years on, each has a little more than 22 minutes airtime, is designed in a style, pace and rhythm way. It is very clear and definite what the reporter meant – to find out how much has changed in one of the world's most dynamic cities.

3.1 Opening
It is very important to win the audience at the beginning.

At the opening of radio part one, with the sound of wind, the reporter begins to describe the Victoria Harbor scene, recalls the days ten years ago in HK. Then live clips of the handover ceremony insert, as well as the voice of Christopher Patten, the last British governor of HK. After which, what HK feared at that time are illustrated, and then story begins.

To be honest, this is an absolutely attractive, emotional and powerful opening recalling the historical moment which will and should impress listeners.

The live sound clips of the big protest march of 2003 against a controversial anti-subversion law fill the first ten seconds of radio part two, and then turn to a background sound when interviewee’s voice sounds. The march of people’s calling for personal freedoms is one defining moment in democratization progress, which will be discussed later in radio.

SOHU observation 5

2008-01-01T13:05:00.000-08:00

Homepage - Navigation bars of specified column
At the lower part of homepage, there are 8 specified columns, which are TV, food, entertainments, women, education, culture & society, games & lottery, travel & maps.

Each of the specified columns has its own navigation bar.

For example, menu bar for food contains eat, health, Chinese meal, Western-style meal, kitchen, nutrition, and cookbook.

These are indeed detailed division.

News Central
There is a little change on Sohu news page from the others - the main navigation bar turns to be at the left rather than at the top. It includes nation, international, society, business, IT, Olympic, sports, entertainments, car, real estate, culture, education, military, and pictures.

A secondary navigation bar is at the top. From left items to right, current date and time come first, followed by charity, popular opinions, special topic, video, BBS, broadcast yourself, and search box for news. They are different categories.

It’s another classification way which helps users go through news.

Jakob's Rules – Page titles
The title of homepage is “Sohu – the largest portal site in China”.

The other pages’ titles are on the same form of “A - Sohu”, “A” stands for a specified aspect or news title, such as “News - Sohu”, “Xiang Liu again broke the world’s 110- meter hurdles record - Sohu”, and so on.

This kind of page titles describes the page significantly.

So Sohu has high usability especially when users move between multiple tabs.

SOHU observation 4

2008-01-01T13:03:00.000-08:00

Because Sohu is a mine of information, good navigation is extremely needed. And this is what Sohu does very well.

Small navigation bars
One small navigation bar containing 5 signs following a fox tail is at the very right top of the homepage. The 5 signs are homepage, alumni record, real estate, an online games website, and the search engine - Sogou.

Except for homepage, this small bar is always at the very left top of each page which leads people easy to go to homepage and search engine.

Sohu also has another small navigation bar which is always at the very right top of each page. It consists of 18 signs, which are homepage, news, sport, sport video, entertainments, entertainments video, business, IT, car, real estate, women, TV, video, alumni record, email, blog, BBS, and Sogou.

With these two small bars at the very top of each page, people could go to almost everywhere they want by just clicking on the signs without go back to homepage.

Homepage - Main navigation bar
On homepage a main navigation bar is at the top, which includes 3 rows and 56 signs. From news to BBS (Bulletin Board System), Olympics to animations, military issues to traveling, it really covers diverse aspects of daily life.

9 signs of which are highlighted in red, they are a large online game official page, live online TV, blog, Olympics, Olympics in China, stock, entertainments, Sogou phonetic alphabet input system, and constellation

While the input system is highlighted partly because of commercial reason, the rest 8 items are popular among ordinary people.

Actually Olympic in China is a sub-page of Olympics. There is also a sign of Olympics 2008 official website which isn’t highlighted. The reason why to mention Olympic 3 times among 56 signs, I think, is that Olympic held on next year is very important to China.

SOHU observation 3

2008-01-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

Special report
Sohu will set up channels for special report of serial news, such as Six-Party Talks, under first-class classification, like News.

All the relevant articles, reports, pictures, videos, and comments will be included. It’s convenient to get related information, and clear to follow an issue.

Normal
Besides special report, as to mention the normal ones, the layouts are all the same.

There are two columns, the left one is news story, and the right one contains unrelated aspects.

Normal – left column
For news story itself, the hook comes first, bold, at font size 18, Song typeface (the same typeface below). If the story is available on video, there will be a small icon which likes a camera behind the hook. You can click on the icon, and then a page for video watching opens in a new window.

Then follows:
updated time at the left in sequence of year-month-day-hour-minute, font size 12;
link to comments and font size adjusting at the right, there are numbers of comments shown within brackets, font size 12, color of the number is red;
news source, such as Xinhua News Agency, China Daily, etc, font size 14;
news summary, one paragraph or a sentence which like cue in broadcasting journalism which summarizes the main story, font size 14;
pictures in the middle, with short caption pointing out name of the figure in the picture, or address of a building or place shown, etc. font size 12. Sometimes there is no picture;
the body, font size 14, 1.5 space;
link to comments right behind the body, the same one as what above news source;
relevant news & related key words links, which displays in two secondary columns divided by dotted line, with updated time next to each news link and “more” under the last one, font size 14;
place to leave comments, you have a choice here, to send comment with your name, or anonymous, or hide IP address, font size 12;
again link to comments at font size 14, right to blank comments space and under related key words links. Under which there are cream comments & debate links, font size 12.

The background color of the left column, which is news story, is light blue, while the rest is white. All the characters are black except for links, which are blue, and number of comments, which is red.

It is almost one sentence one paragraph, if not, it is one meaning one paragraph.

Subheadings are available. But no first paragraph of body is bold, I believe, which is Chinese habit to leave the first paragraph the same as rest of the body. If the font-size 14 Song typeface characters are bold, words will seem dirty and unclear.

There is a big ad picture in the left middle of the body. It is the same in other news story pages.

Normal – right column
At the top of right column, the search engine Sogou comes first then follows blogs and several online communities.

SOHU observation 2

2008-01-01T12:59:00.000-08:00

Jakob's Rules – PDF Files

There are no PDF files applied in Sohu. It isn’t a result of one reason.

First of all, Sohu is a commercial website providing information, but not an academic reading website with academic articles, or websites of universities. There is no room for PDF files, to some extent.

In another way, PDF files are not as popular in China as in developed countries.

Sohu has Reading channel, where there are serial and finished novels. People are accustomed to read novels online, chapter by chapter, one chapter one page. Certainly you can download finished novels in the form of e-books. An e-book is usually text file, html file, or exe file produced by certain software.

Even if you search the internet for essays written in Chinese-simple, number of Microsoft word files will be much more than PDF files. But for Chinese-traditional and English essays, PDF are mainstream format.

Jakob's Rules - Anything looks like ads

Sohu has pop-up ads as well as flash ads almost in all pages. But what seems good is ads look like ads, picture news looks like news, flash games look like games. That means people will not be confused with animations or flashes’ design, such as shape or position.

Ads at Sohu are either at the top of a page, or at the bottom, or at the very both sides which follow you when you scroll up and down.

Jakob's Rules – Design conventions

In my opinion, most Chinese websites look the same. And Sohu is a comprehensive expression of the design conventions.

For instance, email logging in box at the very top of homepage, one link a new window, dense list of news titles, flash ads, flash picture news, latest news displays in the form of rolling, white background with blue or black characters, each channel with a same template, WMV format videos, font size 12 Song typeface - which is standard typeface of Chinese - as default, highlight the hottest news with different color and larger font size, etc.

Jakob's Rules – Answer users’ questions

Things like in London I will go to BBC website every weekday morning after getting up to see what’s the latest news, in China when I access to Internet I will go to Sohu first. Some journalism organizations ask for employees set up Sohu as default page of browser.

Founder of Sohu behaves more like a star rather than merely a rational business man. He often attends charity dinner parties, movie or music awarding ceremonies, and social public good activities, etc.

Sohu is undoubtedly one of the most successful website in China.

The reasons are simple – Sohu offers a satisfactory variety of what people need. Users could get what they expect to almost all the time.

SOHU observation 1

2008-01-01T12:57:00.000-08:00

Sohu is a comprehensive website, which is the largest portal site in China. Every network user knows Sohu.

Everyone who for the first time goes to Sohu’s home page may be impressed by its colorful characters and navigation bars, ordered and dense layout, and the huge information.

Sohu in Chinese means two words – search & fox. Certainly I don’t know why founder of Sohu named his website fox, however, a fox tail is the website’s logo as is shown at the top middle of the home page, which is really a small logo.

There are three columns in home page which make readers easier to follow.

Pictures
There are only small pictures at the top left within some columns, especially within the classified-news columns on lower half of the home page.

Each small picture with short caption tells a different story from the rest of the column. The picture stories are either gossip or something like inside stories, all of which are of highly public interest.

Jakob's Rules - Search engine
Sohu has its own search engine named Sogou. Again, it’s very interesting that Sogou in Chinese means two words either – search & dog. The search box lies right in the middle when one opens Sohu without need to scroll up and down.

You can search for news, website, blog, music, picture and maps. It has been listed below the search box that what are the most frequently searched words recently, which make it clear what is hot news at a glance.

When you click on search, a new window opens up. Both at the top of the new search page and the bottom are search boxes. The related searched words are at the bottom either.

When you type a wrong word to search, although results are still available, the search engine will ask you “do you mean XXX (the right word)?”

The results are ranked by updated time, which means the most recently updated website ranks first. The article title, description, article link, rate for skimming, and updated time are displayed at the same time.

Jakob's Rules – Color of visited links & Opening new windows
On the home page, when you click on a link, its color will change, but what’s interesting is when you click on any blank place on the home page the changed color will change back to be original.

On the other pages of Sohu, the color of visited links will not change.

And whatever new content links you click on to go forwards, either news or AD, it will be opened in a new window. The same content, I mean a long article in several pages, on that condition a new page will open in same window. When you go backwards such as from a piece of news page to homepage, it will always be the same window.

I believe these two aspects meet Chinese custom. Most of the other Chinese websites are the same as Sohu.

Chinese people prefer to use browser that windows opened in different tabs but in one window. So there is no need to worry about one window covers another, or many windows fill up the screen, or hard to find out the page you want from many windows. We can see page titles at a glance at the tabs.

Law and Ethics Test 5

2007-12-12T12:35:00.000-08:00

8b) Police are searching for a rapist after a 13-year-old girl was attacked in Greater Manchester. The man, who is described as Asian and in his early 20s, followed her and pushed her down Half Acre Lane where he raped her. She then ran away. The rapist is described as having a shaven head and a beard, and was wearing a dark hooded top and tracksuit bottoms at the time of the attack”.

I think the report has similar problem with the first one – details.

The aim of the report is to find out the rapist, not to report a rape crime. So we don’t need to mention his criminal behaviour. This kind of unrelated detail is not needed.

To find out the rapist, more details about the man himself are necessary, such as his approximately height, he is thin or fat, and so on.

9. A spokesman for the far-right British National party makes a highly racist speech. Do you report what he said? Would you invite him to be interviewed live on radio or television?

I will not report what he said. Because what he said is offensive language.

According to BBC Editorial Guidelines Harm & Offence section, “Different words cause different degrees of offence in different parts of the world. So a person's age, sex, education, employment, belief, nationality, and where they live, all impact on whether or not they might be offended.”

This speech, which was presented by a British National party’s speaker who is of high position and whose speech may represent a nation’s like or dislike, would cause big problem between British and minority nationalities.

However, I will not interview him on live radio or TV. Because no one could guarantee he doesn’t speak harm words on live programmes, which would be out of control.

Law and Ethics Test 4

2007-12-12T12:29:00.000-08:00

7a). A new bookshop has opened in your town. The owner is Muslim. Do you say so in your report?

I will not mention the owner’s religion belief. It’s a matter of religion.

What is news is a new bookshop has opened. It’s enough. Whether the owner is a religionist or irreligionist does not matter news itself.

If the owner’s religion - Muslim – is mentioned in the report, it is something like you are emphasizing the owner’s religion belief, which tends to be vulnerable, unjustified offence or discriminated.

7b). The local council has appointed a new Mayor – for the first time ever, a British man of Afro-Caribbean origin . Does your report mention his ethnicity?

Yes, I will not only mention his ethnicity, but emphasize it. It is a race-related news report with highly public interest, and the audience aiming at all citizens living in London as well as other parts of the world.

According to BBC Editorial Guidelines, “the race to become London Mayor is expected to be high profile with a strong emphasis on personality”.

Care is needed to balance to mention the other candidates with the appointed mayor not only during the election period but all the time, so that no undue advantage over the opponents is given.

8a). A Hampton betting shop was robbed of more than £3,000 by three black men wearing scarves and gloves. On Friday November 3 at around 5.50pm the males entered the shop on High Street Hampton with their faces partially covered. They approached the counter, behind which two female members of staff were working, and one man leant over and unbolted the counter hatch before kicking it open allowing them to reach the till.

In my opinion, the report mentioned too many criminal details.

This is very dangerous thing which may teach someone who is going to or has the idea to committee a crime that how to release an idea into activity.

Details like how the three men dressed themselves, and how to reach the till should not be reported. Audience only need to know about which shop when by who suffered what.

Law and Ethics Test 3

2007-12-12T12:27:00.000-08:00

5. There are rumours about an MP dealing in cocaine. The only way you can find out for sure is by going to his private home posing as a buyer – and get a photographer to use a long-lens camera to photograph the deal or take a hidden camera and film secretly. Would you use the story and pictures?

I would not use the story and pictures.

If the story of “an MP dealing in cocaine” were true, it was crime behaviour that of public interest.

According to BBC Editorial Guidelines the Privacy section, we need to “balance the public interest in the full and accurate reporting of stories involving human suffering and distress with an individual's privacy and respect for their human dignity”. And we can “justify intrusions into an individual's private life without consent by demonstrating a clear public interest”. So we can use the story and accept the way obtaining evidence.

But at the same time “we must not go on fishing expeditions”. Because at the moment it is just “rumors” that we know, it is not what with clear evidence. Under this condition, we should not then intrude into one’s privacy in search of crime. So I would not use the story.

“We must never use unattended recording equipment on private property without permission of the owner unless for the purpose of gaining evidence of serious crime.” So the way of taking pictures is available. But even if the behaviour of taking pictures itself is illegal, the pictures should not be used.

6. A top Ministry of Defence official tells you that British submarines can’t fire their nuclear warheads in certain sea conditions - a major scandal. You run the story – and the government prosecutes you under the Official Secrets Act. In court, the judge orders you to reveal your source - otherwise you face jail for contempt. What do you do?

I will do what as court demands – to reveal the source.

According to Essential Law for Journalists, Official Secrets Act is “part of an armoury of weapons available to governments”. That means whenever government wish to prevent or punish journalists or sources related to national security, OS Act could be helpful. This is what one as a journalist should be aware of before reporting political issues. That is to say we need to be ready jailed when disclosing a government’s scandal.

As a journalist I will certainly tell the truth for public interest. Actually, in this case, whether I reveal the source or not, I will definitely be jailed. What make difference are the reasons. If I do, it is because of offending OS Act that I’m jailed; if I don’t, it is because of contempt of court.

By the way, the top ministry who told me the story should be jailed either for the reason of leak the information.

Law and Ethics Test 2

2007-12-12T12:25:00.000-08:00

3.A TV report looks into the increase of offensive weapons being brought in to schools by pupils. Part of the report is filmed at a school, showing unidentified school-children; another part is filmed in a shop selling weapons and shows the type of knives in question. Why would this report show unidentified children in the school? Why would the knives not be shown in the school context?

According to BBC Editorial Guidelines the Crime & Anti-Social Behaviour section, in some circumstances it is important to disguise identities, for instance, “when there is clear existing documentary or other evidence against a group of people, but not against known individuals in that group”.

The report focus on the issue itself, which happens on school situation relating to pupils, not on a certain school, a certain student, or which school it takes place in. It’s a kind of “crime reconstructions” programme.

According to BBC Guidelines the Crime section, “factual programme should restrict the use of reconstructions to the conveying of factual information...it should be obvious to the audience where a reconstruction begins and ends”.

The reason why knives not be shown in the school is that it is not in the school that sells the knives. And knives could be harm to students as well.

4a). A man approaches you saying he’s the lover of an England football star – and he has photographic evidence to prove it. Do you run the pictures and story?

I will not run the pictures or story.

As a journalist, “we should try to witness events and gather information first hand”, according to BBC Editorial Guidelines the Accuracy section. We should always insure the news is truth.

The pictures are sources from a third party, the story as well. Although it is of public interest, At least, we have something must to be considered before running the story, if we run:

“Validating the authenticity of documentary evidence and digital material”, which means whether the pictures are under digital manipulation;
“Checking and cross checking the facts”, that is to check whether or not the England football player is homosexual;

“Corroborating claims and allegations made by contributors wherever possible”, that is to check who this man is, whether he is trustable, etc.

In a word we must tell the truth to public.

4b). Another man also comes in to say he has had a relationship with the player too. And he says the star was blackmailed to ‘throw’ (affect the result of) matches – otherwise the footballer’s homosexuality would be exposed. Do you publish/broadcast the story?

I will not publish the story either.

The reasons are just the same as the last question. A journalist should be independent. Whether there is blackmail or not, we should tell the truth.

Law and Ethics Test 1

2007-12-12T12:20:00.000-08:00

1. In a recent court case, which attracted a lot of publicity, a father was prosecuted for smacking his three-year old son and convicted of common assault. In all the reporting of the case, the father remained anonymous. Why was that?

First of all, obviously, this is a news story about children and criminal activity which is included in the field of law.

According to BBC Editorial Guidelines the Children section, “the decision to involve, feature or identify children whose parents are engaged in anti-social activity should only be made if the welfare of the child will not be harmed…this is particularly important when children may be at risk.”

That means that identification of children will be unacceptable if which has negative influence on children’s growing up, or if children are living with parents’ violence.

In this piece of news, anonymity of the father is for the sake of his son’s welfare. Because according to Crime & Anti-Social Behaviour section, when reporting crime, “jigsaw effect” should be taken into consideration, which means “separate reports, which could be in different media, give different details of a case which when pieced together, reveal the identity of the person involved”. If audiences get to know name of the father, there is possibility of revealing the son’s identity, which should be avoided.

In a word, when reporting the case with the father anonymous is totally for the good of his son.

2. A British citizen has been taken hostage in a Middle Eastern country. The captors release a distressing video showing the hostage weeping and pleading with the British government to intervene and save their life. How do you think this development should be reported on radio, TV, press and online?

This is a matter of how to report hostage taking issues taking place in terror conditions on different means of media.

According to BBC Editorial Guidelines the War, Terror & Emergencies and Live Output sections, “we need to be sensitive to the emotions and fears of our audience when reporting matters involving risk to and loss of life, as well as human suffering and distress.”

First of all, we will not broadcast the video until “referral to a senior editorial figure”.

I think on radio and TV, the video could be broadcast without editing. For example, all the hostage’s begging and tearing should be broadcast with no need to hide his/her face or voice, partly because audiences should be told the truth, partly because the level of violence or disorder is acceptable. But a text warning at the start of the programme will always be welcomed. And we should well arrange the time when run the programme in order to avoid children audiences.

On press, the news needs to be described objectively and fully by transferring visual pictures to text.

For online reports, besides what has been done on press, we could leave space for readers’ comments, ask for claims from a third party, or link to other website dealing with the same story or related ones.

radio live day 2

2007-12-07T14:22:00.000-08:00

Last Friday was the second radio live day which was not only a repeat of the first one but a practise of next Friday.

I felt better at re-writing stories as well as the cue.

Partly because I chose a more similar topic and country, partly because I'm much more familiar with how to do it.

Now I can grasp a story's idea much quicker due to practise on radio & online class.

The only problem when I recorded my story was how to read Japanese names fluently. Next time I'll not even mention those complex names.

The terrible story

Japan hanged three murderers today and for the first time revealed their names and details of the crimes. Yin reports.

Three men were hanged today in Japan for murder.

The new policy of revealing their names and details of the crime aims at strengthen support for executions.

The three hanged included Seiha Fujima, who’s 47. The Justice Ministry described his crime saying that because a 16-year-old girl refused his romantic advances, he then killed the girl, her mother and a sister.

The other two, Hiroki Fukawa, who’s 42, and 74-year-old Noboru Ikemoto, were also condemned of multiple murders.

The Justice Ministry had previously announced only the number of people hanged, although Japanese media would reveal their identities.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said he believed they gained understanding from the public by disclosing the information.

Because executions were being carried out in an appropriate manner with the focus on feelings of the victims.

Although a study published this week showed that rates of crime had fallen further since 2002, opinion polls show most Japanese still favor capital punishment.

Japan's capital punishment has been widely criticized, including by the UN Committee against Torture.

Partly because those on death row are not told when they will be executed until the day they are hanged. Many remain on death row for decades.

radio live day

2007-12-05T01:44:00.000-08:00

Last Friday was radio live programme day.

All we need to do was to see news agency and find out several stroies suitable for broadcasting magazine, and to rewrite as well. All the selected news should fit to a certain audience.

For the first time I broadcasted as a live presenter. It was interesting, I were nervous, otherwise.

Trade story

Indian Trade minister Kamal Nath, and European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson continues summit talks last Friday after pushing free trade pact in New Delhi.

The European Union (EU) and India launched summit talks last Friday morning after setting a 2008 target for a free trade pact.

The eighth EU-India Summit would seek to build closer strategic relationships and also get deeper cooperation in "energy, climate change and World Trade Organization talks," said an EU mission statement in New Delhi.

The EU, with 27-member union, is India's largest trading partner, which accounts for a fifth of India's total trade, and is also one of its most important sources of foreign investment.

EU-India trade importance

While economy has been increasing at a second rapid speed in recent years, while China is in the fastest pace, India plays a fast expanding role in the world economy, it is important to make free trade agreement for the EU, also India needs hundreds of billions of dollars of foreign investment to sustain this growth.

Nath had urged a successful conclusion of a free trade deal by the end of next year on Thursday and Mandelson voiced similar hopes.

While the EU continues to be India's primary trading partner and biggest foreign investor, "the conclusion of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement will certainly boost bilateral trade," European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said.

India's foreign ministry said deals would be signed later Friday on scientific, technological and development cooperation.

For more information, go to BBCNEWS, YAHOONEWS

fire alarm disturbance

2007-11-26T13:04:00.000-08:00

Just a few seconds ago the fire alarm came out again!

If being right remembered, it is the sixth or seventh time the fire alarm ringed within five days.

It is quite uncommon, I think, really interesting and strange.

Each time the alarm comes out, my heart is hit by its really loud sound which gives out the sound near your ears. It is not comfortable at all.

In fact, it is better to sound during the day time rather than midnight. At around 2 o'clock a.m. last Saturday and today the fire alarm came out seemingly suddenly which shocked me up immediately.

NOW COMES THE CUE:

fire alarm reasons

Not only the sensitive alarm impresses me a lot, but the reason why it comes out.

Sometimes one forgets to close door of toilet or to open the windows when he/she has a bath.

Or boys smoke in the room. Or someone cooks in the room rather than in the kitchen.

In a word, the causes of fire alarm ringing are all that could be avoided with cautiousness. We all know the story "The Boy Who Cried Wolf"!

before interview

2007-11-26T10:36:00.001-08:00

All I want to say now about the radio assignment one - interview - is I am very very lucky!

Last Thursday morning when I waked up at nine and began to listen to LBC, a conversation programme attracted me. The listeners called the radio station and discussed lively about a consultation launched by government into expansion at Heathrow. An idea came into my mind suddenly that it was a good story to do with my interview assignment. However by then I had no good idea about the interview.

Thanks to Deborah about telling me a rational group called HACAN which is set to be against Heathrow expansion. Maybe it is an organisation the international students including me will never know about unless local people tell us.

After searching internet for HACAN, I was very happy that there was certain press office. By sending emails as well as making phone calls, my interview application was accepted soon and the time was arranged either by the end of Saturday. How lucky I am!

All I wish now is the interview goes well tomorrow morning! I have already get rid of nervous after dinner. Hope lucky goes with me as well tomorrow!

for more information on Heathrow expansion, see BBCNews24, ThisIsLondon, EveningStandard etc.
picture comes from EveningStandard website

package making exercise

2007-11-26T10:31:00.000-08:00

Last week we did package exercise in radio class.

It was all about selecting clips and rewriting news, I think. Deborah gave us there pieces of radio which focused on the same issues but with different presenters as well as interviews. Each lasted five minutes or so.

All we needed to to is to understand the story first, and selected two to there clips twenty-five to thirty seconds long and arranged them with our own cue, opening, and links into a new radio package available on air.

The task itself was not hard, acturally, but to make the news clear to myself which seemed not very easy for me within a certain time. In fact, the news was a complex one invovled political issues.

To make clear a foreign country's political officals' interesing relationships was hard. To make clear what was exactly going on was hard. To make clear what interviewees said via listening to the radio was hard.

In a word, my enlish is not as good as I need! There is still way to go!

high-waisted trousers come back

2007-11-21T04:46:00.000-08:00

Here's the "stand-up & vox pop" exercise for the radio class. The news itself is somewhat interesting.

Many many years ago, when we were children, we only knew and wore one kind of toursers - high-waisted.

low-waisted poped the last 10 years

As we grown up, a more fashion style came into our view that was low-waisted trousers. It has been part of the fashion mainstream for more than ten years.

Actually, for the last six or seven years, I have almost been wearing low-waisted trousers as most of my girl friends. The reason is simple - it is comfortable to wear.

This Monday when I did the vox pop asking my classmates which kind they prefer. Most of the girls and boys chose low-waisted. The reasons were nearly the same.

high-waisted come back

But the high-waisted has come back now. Someone who truly don't like low-waisted are happy.

What they don't understand is that it's hard to believe low-waisted trousers have been a mainstay of our wardrobe for 10 years.

Is high-waisted trousers a farewell to the muffin top? We don't konw.

However, one principle everyone agrees with is one should wear what fits his/her figure.

more infromation, see BBCNewsMagazine

a terrible fire accident

2007-11-14T02:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday as I went to central London to have Polylang Japanese class, I've got an impressive piece of news from free newspaper handed out in the street , which was a family with 7 people died in a fire.

They were a couple and their five children, one of whom was a baby living in Omagh, Northern Ireland. It was really a disaster, I believe. It was a pity that the fire was too strong for firefighters to save the family.

What impressed me the most is this kind of terrible accident could happened in a developed country which I thought only in poor country before.

See more information, please go to EveningTimesOnline

doctor of law accused Lust, Caution

2007-11-13T17:42:00.000-08:00

Lust, Caution, directed by Oscar winner An Li, is quite popular around China and Asia at the moment.

An Li won his first Oscar Award for the film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 2000 which one opened a world wide market for Chinese HongFu films significantly, and his first Oscar Award of Best Director because of Brokeback Mountain 2005.

Lust, Caution shown in China

Lust, Caution is the first film after his winning the Best Director award.

As a result it really has been drawing people's attention since selecting actress as a leading lady, until now it has been run for two weeks in mainland China as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan.

There is about seven minutes sex shot that has been deleted when shown in mainland China.

Accuse

After watching this 'incomplete' film a doctor of law of Politics and Law University of China accused the movie theater where he watched it and National Broadcasting and TV Bureau.

He complained that this 'incomplete edition' has encroached upon consumer's right to fair deal and to know, and the Bureau failed to set up system of movie graduation which violates social and public interest.

Accuse makes no sense

However, in my opinion, it is just because he wants to be known by making use of the film.

Because what he did seems to make no sense in China.

This kind of deleting some shot happens very often and normally when films shown in mainland China.

And people has arguing for this for many many years. But what makes him differing from the others is he accused.

picture comes from IMDB website

first online journalism class

2007-11-07T06:31:00.000-08:00

With the 7Th week coming, the first online journalism class taught by David comes in this morning.

He is a handsome and funny guy who will teaches us for next six weeks.

We are going to learn some basic knowledge about the internet, as well as how to write online news, how to manage blogs, how to set up a website etc.

Actually as a journalism student, i have not at all journalism experience before.

I'm some what good at technical things cause my major was computer science and technology.

So we hope we can have a good time during the class. see u!

about David

Principles review - week 6

2007-11-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

What a shame that I did not take class Oct. 31 either because of shooting stories which was much more unfamiliar for me.

Six weeks, ten days, sixty hours, that for the first time brought me closer to journalism field from my undergraduate science and engineering courses.

Recollecting the opening days of my study, I’ve got moved now.

Flying for ten whole hours from Asia to Europe, I was thinking and expecting learning what I really wanted during the flight.

And finally I could touch them. I could be involved in.

However, I really met some difficulties at the beginning, as I sent you an email telling about my confusion and worry.

At that time I felt myself just like a completely outsider without any confidence in the module, not only for the reason that I learnt computer science and technology before, but my work experience at a newspaper of my university, if it could be called work, was more like kids’ games which were not at all professional.

But fortunately, I adjusted myself to this new environment step by step along with classes.

Principles review - week 5

2007-10-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

To be honest I did not go to class Oct. 24 as it was deadline of the first module essay which was also the first time I wrote assessed one in English.

I was quite nervous and not sure about how to arrange the content and structure though I had asked help from classmates.

I completely had no spared strength to go to class. However I was satisfied with the results of this very first essay as I tried as possible as I could at the moment.

Principles review - week 4

2007-10-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

On Oct. 17 Richard gave us a lecture on the form of government in England, which I thought was a culture issue for overseas students.

We learnt something about local and central government, the big city mayors, local councils and their functions/employees/money, acts on government, also issues about the parliament.

The lecture was interesting and helpful, especially when I was doing radio package exercise during the radio class.

At that time the sources Deborah gave us were about the lost of two dicks of ID card information, which story involved several government staff.

And how we covered this kind of news was taught by Richard.

The brief principles were to remember my readers, to do homework, to be accurate and fair, and to follow house style.

Well, the theories were applied to practice.

And in the afternoon we were out to the Crown Court at Harrow.

I was grateful for the chance of being a visitor at the real trial in western countries.

Although hardly could I follow the lawyers and the judge, I went to four or five different courts, I listened to criminal cases as well as civil ones.

Principles review - week 3

2007-10-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

During the whole day of Oct. 10 we were doing exercise on finding and pushing the stories.

We’ve got a paper with three pieces of news each with very short report.

And we needed to do much research to expand the story and try to make it a whole one.

We did group discussion that afternoon and each member was responsible for one part of the research.

Actually I just followed the orders and did what I should do, but had a hazy understanding why I doing so.

And I found the answer when I was in radio class.

On radio live days we must choose a story quickly in the morning and then do research on it from at least two agencies.

It was interesting on the day that almost all the groups chose the same story from three, in which condition we could better compared each groups’ angle of pushing the story.

Principles review - week 2 day 3

2007-10-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

On Oct. 4 morning we were discussing research techniques for broadcasting news.

And we wrote a report on twenty-four hours news channel in terms of background of birth of the channel, what and how the channel covers, and its national impact.

In the afternoon we had a lecture on journalistic law and ethics which was somewhat the same as module of issues in journalism.

Though during the class I found it difficult to understand everything teacher said as the cases she illustrated mostly were local.

But it in fact gave me an impression of these cases and principles like defamations and defenses which were helpful afterwards when I wrote essays.

Principles review - week 2 day 2

2007-10-06T15:36:00.000-07:00

On Oct. 3 we went out to do vox pops.

Of course this was the first time I did it and it was much easier than I expected to stop people and to ask them three questions.

All I needed was to be brave. Well, the same problem for me was my poor listening to different accents.

Consequently, I got difficulty in writing down quickly what people said on the condition that to beg of them to say again was not available when they were busy.

I should thanks for my partner’s help. Certainly I could do vox pops much better today.

Principles review - week 2 day 1

2007-10-06T15:33:00.000-07:00

On Oct. 2 we practiced another skill – how to ask the right questions to interviewees.

And we had an immediately class interviewing workshop.

The gentle guy from Cuba, Deny, was my partner.

In the start of living overseas, we two were both not very good at English.

So the process of interviewing with each other became very interesting.

I was especially appreciated his friendship since he talked a lot his happy family especially his lovely son, as well as lots of his working experiences.

I learnt much from him about the intense but orderly work in practice.

And, to my surprise, he gave me a poster of beautiful seaside view in La Havana as a gift.

It was really an impressive interview with him.

In the afternoon when we came back to newsroom to write this report, I found that when I had just written one line he had already finished two paragraphs.

That was the gap between professionals and outsiders.

Principles review - week 1 day 3

2007-09-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

On Sept. 27 morning David came to introduce online journalism.

It was only a draft introduction compared with online journalism classes for the following six weeks.

He made ocular demonstration on websites and blogs, which was on the purpose of thinking about the design and structure of web journalism.

In the afternoon we were taught status of media in Britain.

It is highly developed. Although a part of people in Beijing read newspapers when going to work or back home by tube, the proportion here is much higher.

All different media including TV, radio, print, magazine etc play an important role in people’s daily life.

There are three principle news agencies in Britain, Reuters, the Press Association, and AFP-Extel News Ltd.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) dominates the airwaves. BBC 1, BBC2, Independent Television (ITV), and Channel 4 (C4) are the four national channels.

There are more than fourteen hundred newspapers, and the three best sales are The Sun, Daily Mails, and The Daily Mirror.

Principles review - week 1 day 2

2007-09-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

On Sept. 26 we got the news tree.

Starting from here, we got to know the basic structure of a journalism report and to write in accordance with it.

The topic of first writing exercise was to compare and to contrast my home town with Harrow, which was quite a simple one considered now.

But on that day I was put into a difficult position that I did not know how to do the research.

The more anxious I was, the fewer ideas I had.

And also four hundred words were “too much” for me under the pressure of time.

As a result, when you explained this exercise that afternoon, I realized that my thinking was too narrow.

Yet, I can do the sort of practice much better nowadays.

Principles review - week 1 day 1

2007-09-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

On the very beginning day of this module, Sept. 25 2007, we and Deborah discussed the situations of British media as well as our own countries’.

Well, it is true that to know about foreign country’s culture and professional background knowledge as an international student is a key link, while a difficult part as well, which was one of my misgivings choosing to learn liberal arts overseas.

Actually, in my point of view, the learning remains in progress.

On that day we also for the first time made presentations about home country’s media. What is obvious is that media in China has long way to go towards international average level.

That is also the reason why we Chinese students are here to learn about the most developed and leading edge media ideas.