October 31 – Arrival to Atlanta – Travel to Athens

Day I (Wednesday, November 1)

9:30 am - Drewry Room Orientation

Meeting with Dr. E. Culpepper Clark, Dean of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication

Meeting with Dr. Rusty Brooks, Associate Director of International Center of Democratic Governance

10:30 am - Touring UGA campus

Session 1 (1:30-3:00 pm) – Drewry Room

Media strategic management (Dr. Ann Hollifield, Telecommunications Department)

The strategies U.S. and European media companies are using to maximize returns are constantly changing in response to the evolving industry environment. This session will go over some of the strategies that U.S. and European media companies currently are using to increase their market shares and minimize costs. The discussion will include examination of how media executives are strategizing responses to the threat of emerging technologies.

Session 2 (3:15 – 5:00 pm) – Room 118

Workshop on the Chinese editors’ top five problems: identification and potential solutions (Professor Stephen Smith, Telecommunication Department)

This session is to insure that this program results in tangible benefits. It will be a discussion to identify the top five problems each of these managers share: specific human resource problems, meeting increased expectations on a limited budget, adapting to technological change etc. This session will establish some benchmarks for the Chinese managers so they can use the following sessions to identify answers that might help them do a better job.

Newsource show (news program produced in the Grady College), followed by critique (5:00 pm)

Day II (Thursday, November 2)

Session 1 (9:30 – 11:00 am) – Drewry Room

The media system and the journalism job market in the United States (Drs. Becker and Vlad, Journalism Department)

This session will present the result of research conducted by Cox Center experts focusing on the U.S. media system and its patterns of employment. The U.S. journalistic labor market is hierarchical, with entry-level hiring done almost exclusively by smaller organizations. Journalists usually gain employment at larger media organizations only after they have served time in smaller ones. The assumed normal career progression for a newspaper journalist is from a small newspaper, perhaps even a weekly, to a larger one and on up the chain, with employment at larger organizations open only to those who have served their time at the lower levels of the employment chain. These patterns of employment have remained relatively stable across time.

11:15 am - Meeting with the Grady College students – Room 205

Session 2 (1:30 – 3:30 pm) – Room 118

Explanation of US broadcast news universe (Professor Michael Castengera, Telecommunications Department)

The U.S. broadcast universe comprises more than 220 “markets”, with at least two and as many as five television stations producing news content. The local stations also broadcast the national networks into the markets. In addition, many markets have local cable news operations in addition to national cable news operations. The session will look at the resulting interaction and reaction among the stations as well as how they compete and complement each other.

Session 3 (3:45 – 5:15 pm) – Room 118

Leadership Session by Louis Hill of the Fanning Institute

Day III (Friday, November 3)

Session 1 (9:30 – 11:30 am) – Room 203

Technical discussion of with cameras and nonlinear editing I (Professor David Hazinski, Telecommunications Department)

Most managers approach technology from a position of fear and a lack of understanding. They often turn over control of technology to engineers. This session will explain some of the traditional approaches to both radio and television news as well as newer concepts being applied around the world. The objective is to give the managers a basic level knowledge of technology systems design so they can be part of decision making.

Pizza roundtable discussion with Grady faculty (12:00 – 1:30) – Drewry Room

The Chinese guests will be invited to share their expertise in the Chinese media system and journalism with Grady faculty.

Session 2 (1:45 – 3:15 pm) – Room 129

Technical discussion of with cameras and nonlinear editing II (Professor David Hazinski, Telecommunications Department)

This session will be a hands-on program that advances the morning discussion and explanation. Managers, working in teams of two, will actually shoot and edit video and audio using DV cameras and digital nonlinear desktop editing.

Session 3 (3:30 – 5:00 pm)

China Series-- Brownbag open to public presented by Sichuan Delegation

An opportunity to promote Sichuan tourism (ICDG Conference Room)

Day IV (Saturday, November 4)

Atlanta

Atlanta Zoo. Meeting with Giant Panda bears researchers and caretakers.

Tour of the Capitol

Day V (Sunday, November 5)

Shopping at the Mall of Georgia

Day VI (Monday, November 6)

Session 1(a) (9:30 – 11:30 am) – Room 136

Visual story-telling (for TV managers – Professor Stephen Smith)

This session will present techniques used by US television journalists (image, sound, editing) to create materials for their programs.

Session 1(b) – Room 118

Audio story-telling (for radio managers – Susanna Capelouto, Georgia Public radio)

This session will present techniques used by US radio journalists (scripts, sound, editing) to create materials for their programs.

Session 2 (2:15 – 3:30 pm) – Room 118

Creating and selling advertising (Professor Michael Castangera)

Advertising is the only source of revenue for most of the US media organizations. Producing the advertising and selling the space for it are two crucial operations of media in the United States. This session will examine how media of different sizes manage these processes.

Session 3 (3:45 – 5:00 pm) – Room 118

Programming and budgets in the internet age (Dr. Ann Hollifield, Telecommunications Department)

This session will cover product and programming management in the increasingly competitive market environment. The session also will examine strategies for managing programming budgets and station finances.

Day VII (Tuesday, November 7)

Session 1 (9:30 – 11:30 am) – Room 118

Video Demo by the delegation

A sample of TV program from Sichuan Television for discussion

It is a way for US broadcasters to learn about Chinese programs.

Session 2 (12:30 – 1:45 pm) – Peabody Conference Room

The Peabody Awards Program

The George Foster Peabody Awards were first awarded in 1941 for radio programs broadcast in 1940. The awards recognize distinguished achievement and meritorious service by radio and television networks, stations, producing organizations, cable television organizations and individuals. They perpetuate the memory of the banker-philanthropist whose name they bear. The awards program is administered by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. Selection is made by the Peabody Board following review by special screening committees of faculty, students and staff.

Session 3 (2:45 – 4:45 pm)

Technology, news and budgets: the new equation (Professor David Hazinski, Telecommunications Department) – Room 203

This session will look at some of the tradition cost considerations involved with a news capital financing plan. It will explain how the application of the new technology and thinking can affect expansion and rebuilding budgets resulting in more output through different media by fewer multi-tasking people resulting in better communications and journalism.

Day VIII (Wednesday, November 8)

Session 1 (9:30 – 11:30 am)

Rating wars: the frame for US news competition (Professor Michael Castengera, Telecommunications Department) – Peabody Conference Room

The number of viewers a station can get is called “eyeballs” in American television slang. A single rating point can mean anywhere from $100,000 to $1,000,000 annual to a station. Four times a year, American television stations go to war, battling for ratings. The session will look at what stations do to get those “eyeballs” to watch.

Session 2 (1:00 – 2:30 pm) – Room 205

Marketing and promotions strategies for radio and television (Dr. Ann Hollifield, Telecommunications Department)

Marketing and promotions are taking on ever-greater importance for U.S. broadcast stations in the face of increased competition and audience fragmentation. This discussion will cover traditional and emerging strategies for radio and television marketing and promotions. The session will include discussion of strategies for marketing to both audiences and advertisers, as well as examination of promotional strategies for news programs and entertainment content.

Closing session (2:45– 4:15 pm) – Room 118

Discussion of the program with Grady faculty

7:00 pm - Dinner with Drs. Becker and Vlad 

Day IX (Thursday, November 9)

Macon

WMAZ (Radio station)

Athens

Southern Broadcasting

Day X (Friday, November 10)

Atlanta

Cox Broadcasting

Channel 2

WSB (radio)

GPTV

Day XI (Saturday, November 11)

Atlanta

CNN

Martin Luther King Memorial

Cultural activities