Student depth reporting team to examine German-American issues

Four days after ringing in the New Year, seven news-editorial students, four broadcasting students, two advertising students and four faculty members from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications will embark on a 10-day excursion to Berlin, Germany.

The goal of the international depth-reporting program at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications is to develop cross-cultural communications professionals. Through international experiences, students explore topics of global impact and depth and create work for broad distribution that delves far beyond the superficial. The student and faculty team will explore the status of German-American relations in a globalized world as a focus of the college's latest depth-reporting project.

The team began preparing for the trip during the fall semester. "We started by reading about German history. We also hosted guest speakers, including Wolfgang Drautz, German consul general in Chicago, and Susanna Schrafstetter, UNL associate professor of history specializing in German history. In addition, each of the students did individual research on narrowed topics," said Charlyne Berens, professor of news-editorial.

Tim Anderson, news-editorial lecturer, said that while in Berlin, "students will be reporting out the stories that they came up with, interviewing German government and business officials and German citizens, as well as seeing the historic sights."

The advertising students drafted a strategic communications platform for the promotion of the depth reporting project.

Upon their return from Germany, the students will spend the spring semester producing a 60-minute documentary and a news magazine.

Barney McCoy, broadcasting faculty member, said "the documentary has been a wonderful opportunity for students to work in international reporting," and that he has greatly appreciated the help from the German government in establishing contacts in Berlin.

"It's exciting to see students from all three majors working so closely together on one project in depth. This is what convergence of media is all about," said Frauke Hachtmann, assistant professor of advertising. Past depth reporting projects have included the Student Academy Award-winning documentary "Cuba: Illogical Temple"; Pulitzer Prize-nominated "Cuba: An Elusive Truth," "U.S.A. and France: I Love You -- Neither Do I," and "Sri Lanka -- In the Wake of Catastrophe."

Following is a list by hometown of participating students and their academic sequence.

NEBRASKA

Ewing: Kyle Harpster, news-editorial.

Fairbury: Nels Sorensen Jr., Fairbury, advertising.

Lincoln: Tiffany Lee, news-editorial; Stephanie Sparks, advertising graduate student.

Omaha: Katie Backman, news-editorial; Joel Gehringer, news-editorial; Katelyn Kerkhove, news-editorial; Justin Peterson, broadcasting; Teresa Prince, news-editorial.

ELSEWHERE

Dakota Dunes, S.D.: Chris Welch, broadcasting.

Franklin, Tenn.: Megan Carrick, broadcasting.

Grand Forks, N.D.: Rachel Anderson, broadcasting.

Wauwatosa, Wis.: Hilary Stohs-Krause, news-editorial.

CONTACTS: Marilyn Hahn, Communication Specialist, Journalism and Mass Communications, (402) 472-0876; and
Frauke Hachtmann, Asst. Professor, Advertising, (402) 472-9848