College students discuss American media

College students discuss American media

by Staff Writer
United Press International
Jul. 24, 2006 at 12:59AM

College journalists meeting in Hartford, Conn., over the weekend found fault with U.S. news media, saying the press is unable to cover world affairs fairly.

Americans for Informed Democracy -- a non-partisan organization based in New Haven Conn. -- sponsored the summit for college journalists.

Billed as a "young global leaders' summit," the event featured workshops, panel discussions and even a workshop on how to organize a town hall event that "educates and activates your community."

More than 450 events -- such as town hall-style meetings -- were held during the past academic year at colleges and universities in 38 states, said the Hartford Courant.

Some of the panelists provided ways to improve media coverage.

Lane Greene, who writes for The Economist, said that part of the challenge for journalists is to reveal how world affairs can affect Americans -- or as he put it, how unrest in rural China can eventually affect milk prices in the United States.

Irving Stolberg, a former speaker of the state House of Representatives who now trains government officials in China, said journalists need to avoid semantic traps.

"You don't have a `war' on terror and you don't have a `war' on drugs," Stolberg said. "But by making something a `war,' the administration can manipulate the public."