Tara Ross on Journalism in New Zealand

Interview with Senior Lecturer Tara Ross, U. Canterbury

In this interview, award-winning journalist and new UC faculty member Tara Ross answers my questions about journalism and media convergence in New Zealand. Thanks to UC producer Rob Stowell for another excellent result.

1.     What inspired you to pursue journalism as a career?

2.     Tell me about the Qantas awards.

3.     How has the Internet affected print journalism here?

Any impact on objectivity? Good or bad.

4.     Tell me about your journalism program here at Canterbury.

Does your approach reflect current trends in media convergence?

Posted 27 March 2013

Linda Jean Kenix on TV & Advertising in NZ

Interview with Dr. Linda Jean Kenix, University of Canterbury

Linda Jean Kenix, Ph.D. University of Texas. Associate Prof. at UC. Previously served in the advertising industry. Native of USA. Here are the main questions. For the answers, view this clip. Special thanks to producer Rob Stowell, University of Canterbury Video Production Coordiator.

1. How did you get your start in advertising?

2. How do the NZ media differ from the United States?

3. Auckland seems to dominate TV. Is Christchurch too small for a TV station?

4. Is there no public TV broadcaster here, like the BBC or PBS in the UK and USA?

5. Can you explain TV “advertorials”? We don’t have those in America.

            Are they bad for the reputation of TV journalism?

Posted 21 March 2013.

First of several video editions of "Communication Across the Ocean." Dr. Zita Joyce on NZ Radio and the Survival of RDU Radio.

 

Zita Joyce, Ph.D. from the University of Auckland, and a former DeeJay at RDU Radio here at the University of Canterbury. Lecturer in Media & Comm. at U. Canterbury. Here are the main questions. For the answers, view this clip. Special thanks to producer Rob Stowell, University of Canterbury Video Production Coordinator.

1. Native Cantabrian?

2. You’re an ex-radio Deejay. How did you develop an interest in radio?

3. What is the headline from your research on radio-spectrum allocations in NZ?

4. How well does non-commercial and educational broadcasting fare in NZ?

5. What is RDU radio and how did it survive the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011?

Why does RDU call itself the “only true alternative”? (Reminiscent of RSU Radio)

Posted 14 March 2013

 

A few notes from week 2 of classes

A Few Canterbury Tales

Wow, since classes began last week, the University of Canterbury has been a frenzy of activity. Faculty are busy cramming information into students' heads and trying to carve out some time for research.

Dr. Linda Jean Kenix and I have adapted my co-authored play Quest for the Clio (RSU, 2006) into Quest for the AXIS. The advertising awards here are so named. We changed some of the references and context to provide a satirical critique of the advertising industry here. Students will perform the one-act play in Dr. Kenix's class in advertising and cultural consumption.

Being a large university, Canterbury has larger class sizes than RSU. The advertising class has 90 students, so the performers will need to project quite a bit. Large classes have tutors for one-on-one instruction, much like RSU's language lab, writing center, and video production tutor. The department has master's and Ph.D. students, but no graduate teaching assistants.

I'm very pleased to read Lindsay Bolt's blog and to see the capstone students' resumes posted. It lets me see a little bit of the activity going on at RSU. The capstone class has really grown, both in size and in the quality of output, since I taught the class in 2006.

Big kudos to our broadcasters who cleaned up at the statewide awards. First-place is hard to come by, and to have so many in one year is stupendous. Congratulations! I imagine Profs. Coomer and Williams are as proud as they can be also.

The big secret I've been keeping is that I hope to do video blogs. Thus far I've been hampered by technical glitches. But I'll know within a couple of days if they will be possible.

In the coming weeks I move from observer to speaker here, with presentations for the University and an area Kiwanis club. Have a great day, Rogers State University! --Jeff G.

Posted 27 February 2013

Gentry's 10-mile walking tour of Christchurch, NZ

Here's a photographic journey around Christchurch, New Zealand, reflecting some some of its cultural uniqueness. Above you see Ilam School, where my daughter attends. The tall building in the background is the University of Canterbury library, which re-opens Monday after extensive earthquake remediation.

The Media & Communications Dept. is housed in the UC College of Arts. This slogan reminds me of our Communications Department banner: "Learn, Create, Perform." The advert above is on a bus shelter.

 

 Someone please tell Mr. Brimer that his South Pacific art gallery is waiting for him.

 

Christchurch is known as the "Garden City." Every public space and lawn seems carefully nurtured.

The many walkers, bikers, and bus-riders all-over the city make traffic light and the air clean.

 'Seems like a good deal, but the babies start at $12,500 ; )

 

That's a one-a spicy pizza. If you want pickup or delivery, you can see the number is 800-666-111.

Hagley Park is beautiful and enormous. It's right next to the shaken Central Business District (CBD).

The Avon River runs along the CBD also. Christchurch may be the most beautiful city I've yet seen.

 Churches and other stately buildings were especially "Shaken" by the February 2011 earthquake. To avert the "DANGER," "Worship services continue" in a temporary site nearby.

If parking and driving are prohibited, what am I supposed to do with my car?!
        Actually, I'm happy not to have a car. There's very little need for one in this city. With a similar population to Tulsa, Christchurch occupies a much smaller area and is loaded with mass-transit and self-sustaining neighborhoods. I was able to cover much of the city in my 10-mile loop.

CLASSES HERE START MONDAY. MORE TO REPORT NEXT WEEK.   

Posted 15 February 2013

Greetings to the RSU family from Down Under. We've been in Christchurch, New Zealand for five days now, getting settled and learning about this amazing country. I write to you from the future. We're 19 hours ahead so for you it's midnight and for me it's tomorrow evening :)

We came at a perfect time. Tomorrow, February 6, is Waitangi day. This is New Zealand's national holiday, commemorating the Treaty of Waitangi, which established the British colony here and promised to protect the rights of the indigenous Maori peoples. Like U.S.-Tribal treaties, there have been big problems living up to it on the European side, but this bi-cultural nation strives to be a just and peaceful society.

Our hosts at University of Canterbury have been fantastic. I have a fine office on the 6th floor of the Locke Building, which houses not only Media & Communication but (as the name hints) Political Science and Philosophy. We live on-campus and right next door to my daughter's school. I've met several departmental and other campus colleagues, and look forward to guest-lecturing for Department Head Linda Jean Kenix in her advertising class. I'm also excited about my plans for research and creative works.

This note is just a starter. I promise good stuff as the start of the first semester of 2013 soon approaches. You'll learn about New Zealand media, higher education, and culture. Have a great semester and go Hillcats! -

-Jeff, Cindy, and Kyra Gentry
Posted 4 February 2013.