AAJA-Asia

Chi-Chi Zhang, CNN associate producer in Beijing and AAJA-Asia’s national board representative, visits CNN’s Hong Kong office, where she bumps into Ramy Inocencio. Ramy is AAJA-Asia’s Hong Kong vice president,  CNN International’s Asia business analyst and owner of a fancy mug:

The Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club announced its new board this week. The new president is AAJA-Asia member Steve Herman, Seoul Bureau chief and correspondent for Voice of America. Steve was previously SFCC’s first vice president. He was also onetime president of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan.

Another AAJA member also serves on the board: Choonsik Yoo of Reuters is the secretary general.

Follow Steve on Twitter @W7VOA, and Choonsik @reuters_yoo

A few notes from chapter president Ken Moritsugu:

Dear AAJA-Asia members,

Wow! As of Feb. 17, we had a record 81 members, up from 51 at the end of last year, and it’s only February. Thanks to all of you for being paid members of AAJA-Asia and helping to support our organization and goals. Please encourage others you think would be interested to join our growing group. Let’s see if we can break 100!

New Chapter Secretary
A big welcome to Wendy Tang in Hong Kong who has joined the chapter board as secretary. This was a position left vacant after Ling Liu stepped down at the end of last year and no one ran to fill her spot. We’re really excited to have Wendy on the board with all her enthusiasm and great ideas. The board approved her appointment unanimously. We still have a vacancy for regional VP for Tokyo. Please let us know if you are interested. (Read her bio on the Board members page.)

Hong Kong, Saturday May 12:
We’ve set a date for AAJA-Asia’s second annual regional conference in Hong Kong. We will partner again with our friends at the University of Hong Kong’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre, which will host the event. Please let us know if you want to help plan and organize this marquee chapter event. We’ll let you know details as we firm them up. For a preview, here’s a look at last year’s event: http://jmsc.hku.hk/sites/jmsc-aaja/

UNITY early bird registration deadline: Friday March 16
If you’re thinking of attending the UNITY convention in Las Vegas this August 1-4, remember that the deadline for early bird rates (US$325 for professionals and US$150 for students) is March 16. Take advantage of these lower rates before they go up (US$400 for professionals and US$225 for students until June 29 and higher after that). The convention, a gathering of journalists, newsroom recruiters, journalism students and individuals who care about diversity in news media, is held in the U.S. every four years. This year’s partners are the Asian American Journalists Association, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the Native American Journalists Association and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.

Early registration deadline will soon expire – March 16.

The UNITY Journalism Convention is BACK after four years. There will be no shortage of energy, and diversity, when the four largest ethnic journalism alliances come together for one mega journalism convention at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in August 2012. Spend four fun-filled days networking and engaging in journalism mixers, panels, and workshops that will feature the latest tips, tricks and tools every journalist should know.

UNITY is a coalition of the four alliances, the Asian American Journalists Association, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the Native American Journalists Association and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.

Your AAJA membership gets you a discount registration into the convention. Go to the UNITY website to register:

Professionals save US$175 on registration; students save US$100

What: UNITY Journalism Convention
Where: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
When: August 1-4, 2012

Early-bird Rates (expire after March 16)
Full members: US$325
Non-members: US$500
Student members: US$150

Student non-members: US$250

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Freedom Lab is a TV website that uses the mediums of video and social media to produce events, workshops and creative collaborations around Hong Kong at different venues. Through our events, workshops and collaborations, we hope to educate, inform and inspire our viewers to see the world more transparently. The site is being developed and will launch soon.

Freedom Lab Television is created by Lorea Solabarrieta. She has worked for 8 years in the world of television across Asian and International networks, and has managed and created luxury label events in Hong Kong.

If you are interested in helping with a start up such as this, Lorea is also looking for an assistant to help pitch the company to companies and sponsors and plug Freedom Lab on its social media platforms.

We are looking for freelance professionals or students who are video specialists, cameramen, video journalists, documentary makers, story tellers and editors.

We are also looking for a full-time video editor.

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AAJA-ers in Hong Kong welcomed its newest members at dim sum at a packed Maxim’s Palace City Hall in Central… yet, it was an iPhone case that stole the spotlight. Everyone mugged with the unofficial mascot of the event.

Among AAJA-HK’s upcoming events is a wine-tasting in mid-March.

The Hong Kong subchapter also wants to hear from its members about this year’s programs and events. Fill out a quick five-question survey and tell us kind of events would you like to see AAJA-Asia offer more of to make your membership worthwhile.

AAJA National has released a guide on the pitfalls of the Jeremy Lin story. Journalists everywhere should give careful consideration to the following tips to ensure fair, accurate and sensitive portrayals of Lin and others who are Asian American.

In the past weeks, as more news outlets report on Lin, his game and his story, AAJA has noticed factual inaccuracies about Lin’s background as well as an alarming number of references that rely on stereotypes about Asians or Asian Americans, the media advisory reads.

Know the facts and the danger zones before reporting. Go to National president Doris Truong’s Tumblr to read the full guide.

We even have our own meme about it!

Last year’s inaugural New Media Conference — jointly hosted by JMSC and AAJA — was a big hit. This year’s theme will be focused on what the Obama administration calls “America’s Pacific Century.”

The conference will be held at the University of Hong Kong. Speaker line-ups to come. Stay tuned.

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The Wall Street Journal Digital Network is seeking a technical director for daily live programming. The short-term consulting slot  is Hong Kong-based and would run for a term of four weeks. Future part-time shifts are a possibility after the consulting term ends.

Candidates must have experience in broadcast control rooms, operating field and studio cameras, video-switching equipment and audio boards. Other skills required are speedy and professional editing in FinalCut, a working knowledge of SAN video storage environments and digital asset-management experience. Familiarity with both the Mac OS and PCs is a must.

Specific responsibilities will include directing daily live program, operating video and audio controls, editing and encoding segments.

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AAJA’s MediaWatch issued a letter over the weekend to ESPN about its poor editorial judgment on a headline about Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks.

Dear ESPN:

New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin had a bad night Friday. Regrettably, so did ESPN. Using “a chink in the armor” to describe Lin’s poor performance was inexcusable.

We at the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) find it hard to fathom how such an offensive headline appeared on your publishing platforms. The phrase was even spoken on-air.

We are glad ESPN has recognized its mistake, and we appreciate the quick apology for the transgression.

Read the entire letter.

AAJA Hong Kong sets the date for its first Last Sunday Brunch with its newest members: February 26. RSVP early, aajahk@gmail.com, to save a spot.

When: Noon, Sunday, February 26
Where: Maxim’s City Hall (City Hall, just a five minute walk east from IFC), in Central, MTR Exit J3

Journalist, AAJA-NY member and newly published Asian American/Singaporean Author Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan will be coming to Asia for the launch of her book, A Tiger in the Kitchen, which is about the stories she learned from her family while growing up in Singapore. Let’s welcome her to Beijing. Please join us at a cocktail if you can:

What: Cocktails with Cheryl Tan
When: 8-10 p.m., Monday, Feb. 27
Where: Main Bar, Beijing Capital Club, 50th Floor, Capital Mansions (www.thecapitalclub.com)
RSVP: Pls RSVP by emailing acheng87@hotmail.com
Contact: Allen T. Cheng, AAJA-Asia-Beijing vice president (86-1302-105-9554)

Learn more about Cheryl here:
www.cheryllulientan.com
www.atigerinthekitchen.com

The East-West Center is taking applications until March 12 for its Disaster Management and Resiliency Journalism Fellowship. Study tour destinations include Sendai and Tokyo. The program is from May 13-17. More about the fellowship here.

Given the recent Great East Japan Earthquake and the resulting tsunami and nuclear crisis, there has been a rethinking of how governments and communities prepare for and respond to disasters. Disaster management demands cooperation among both a wide variety of stakeholders within an affected country, as well as among the international community, to preserve and maintain the resiliency of political structures, economic markets and energy policies. In response, the East-West Center is proud to announce its new Disaster Management and Resiliency in the Asia Pacific Journalism Fellowship program.

Cheryl Tan, a long-time AAJA member from New York, is bringing her book tour to Asia.

The writer — whose work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, among others — published her memoir A Tiger in the Kitchen a year ago. The book is about how she discovered her Singaporean family through cooking with them. Get a taste by reading Cheryl’s delectable food and travel blog here.

Cheryl starts her tour with book signings in Singapore on February 19. She moves onto the Capital Literary Festival in Beijing on February 25, and the Shanghai International Literary Festival on March 2 and 4. Details of her schedule are here and after the jump.

If you’ll be in Singapore, Beijing or Shanghai, come out and show your support. Especially if you’re a foodie!

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Want to continue to develop and hone your leadership and management skills?

Then AAJA’s Executive Leadership Program 2012 Introductory Session is for you.  In this four-day program in New York, NY (June 28-July 1), learn the techniques to help you gain clarity on your career goals and arm you with the skills to help bring those goals to life.

Program topics include:

• Career choices and goal setting
• Understanding cultural values
• Defining success
• Negotiation training
• Dealing with pressure
• Conquering your excuses
• Self-management
• Leadership strategies

For more information or to apply, go to the program’s website.The deadline to apply is Wednesday, February 29.

The Associated Press is taking internship applications for 10 U.S. and 10 international locations this summer. Cities in Asia include Seoul, Bangkok, and New Delhi. What’s more… the internships are paid!

“The interns will contribute to AP’s text, video and photos report from these bureaus for 12 weeks this summer. Although a primary format may be declared – depending on interest and ability – the internships will provide experience and training in all three. Interns will attend and contribute to all-format editorial meetings. Assignments will be made by a trainer who will also provide performance appraisals during the course of the internship.”

Applications are due March 2. See the full internship posting.

How does one get into freelancing in Korea? What makes for a good pitch? What’s considered “a good story”? What are some tricks of the trade?

Get your answers to these questions and more at this month’s Seoul event for the Asia chapter of Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)! Our panelists include editors looking for great new writers and one of the most seasoned freelancers in Korea.

Panelists:
Ms. Lee Dong-min, features editor, Yonhap News
Ms. Frances Cha, Seoul city editor, CNNGo
Mr. Andrew Salmon, veteran freelancer

When: Friday, Feb. 17, 6:30-7:30 p.m. // 30 minutes of Q-and-A and a
30-minute meet-and-greet between our panelists and the audience. In
order to ensure the quality of the Q-and-A, **please feel free to
submit questions for the panel ahead of time.**

Where: Ewha Womans University, Room B225 in the Ewha Campus Complex (ECC).

The ECC is the enormous, striking, valley-shaped building located just
to the right once you walk into the main gate of Ewha Womans
University.

From exit 3 of Ewha Womans University subway station on line 2, walk
straight out toward the main gate of the university. Enter through the
main gate and look for the ECC to your right.

Cost: Free for AAJA members; 5,000 won for non-members

RSVP: Space is limited. First come, first served, capped at 30. Please
email aajaseoul@gmail.com to RSVP.

Bring your questions, ideas and business cards!

By Ramy Inocencio, AAJA-HK vice president

The International Herald Tribune is looking for experienced copy editors to work in Hong Kong for its Asian edition. It is looking for candidates to fill both full-time and temporary positions. Send resumes to: asiaresumes@iht.com.

Read the full job posting.

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AAJA Hong Kong kicked off the Year of the Dragon with a mixer last night at Grand Central Bar & Grill in Kowloon. Journalists, freelancers, J-school students and other professions including lawyers, and even a chef came in support of AAJA and to meet a new face.

After AAJA-HK vice president Ramy Inocencio welcomed everyone, Angie Lau, of Bloomberg TV, spoke about why she has been a member for years.

Welcome to all the new members who joined AAJA on the spot! And see you at the next event.

Follow @AAJAAsia or join Hong Kong’s Facebook group.

Korea JoongAng Daily, a leading English-language newspaper in Seoul,
is looking for a junior copy editor to start this March. Email resumes
to enational@joongang.co.kr.

This position can be a great entry into the Seoul journalism scene.
Several of our past and current AAJA-Asia members have gotten their
start in Korea at this paper.

CNN is looking to hire three new additions to its digital team in Hong Kong: one associate producer and two digital producers.

The associate digital producer will develop, edit and update original content for CNN International’s digital platforms. See the full job description and how to apply.

The digital producer will generate original news content and closely work with TV to maximize content ownership. The person is also responsible for managing and publishing to CNN’s international news website. See the full job description and how to apply.

This may be a good opportunity for freelancers or journalism students:

GlobalPost is looking for part-time writers to join their Breaking News and Social Media team. The writers will be responsible for contributing three or four 250-word news briefs a day. The stories will be a mix of important breaking news pieces and fun or quirky global stories that have the potential to go viral.

We are looking for people with strong news judgment as well as strong online skills. Writers are responsible for producing their own pieces – entering them into our system, adding links, adding photos, writing web-friendly headlines, sending them to our community on Twitter and Facebook.

Writers can be based anywhere. Send resume, Twitter handle and links to articles and/or blog posts to Hanna Ingber at hingber@globalpost.com.