Five Australian journalists selected for China study tour

Five journalists from news organisations across Australia have been selected for the inaugural China Australia Journalist Exchange to take place from 17 to 27 November.

Under the program, the five Australian journalists will travel to China for meetings with government, business, media and community leaders, and five Chinese journalists will do a parallel program in Australia.

The study tour exchange, an initiative of the Melbourne-based Asia Pacific Journalism Centre (APJC) and the All China Journalists Association (ACJA), is aimed at improving the journalists’ understanding of each other’s country.

APJC director John Wallace said: “This program is an opportunity for journalists to get up-to-date briefings on current issues and learn about the other country’s thinking on these issues.”

“A key part of the program will be a dialogue session in Beijing at the end of the program where the journalists will be able to compare observations and perceptions, and exchange knowledge on professional developments.”

The Australian journalists, led by APJC board member and editor-at-large of The Canberra Times, Jack Waterford, will visit Chinese cities Shanghai, Chongqing and Beijing.

The Chinese journalists will visit Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney.

The program is supported in Australia by the Australia China Council (ACC) and the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ).

The Australian journalists are:

• Petrina Berry, reporter, Australian Associated Press
• Richard Davis, political reporter, SBS TV News
• Beverley O’Connor, senior presenter, TV Asia Pacific News Centre, ABC
• Mark Skulley, senior journalist, The Australian Financial Review
• Shane Wright, economics editor, The West Australian

 

Photo: Pete Stewart