Bulletin No. 1, 2018

A director needs to take up administrative tasks, including management and planning, which are different from teaching and research. As a researcher, I conduct research of my interests in a particular field. As a teacher, I focus on the subjects I teach. As a director, I should have a comprehensive view and coordinate different subjects and development plans. Take the media law as an example. The subject traditionally focused on defamation, contempt of court, etc. However, nowadays some students may want to work in advertising or creative media. Copyright seems more relevant to them. If the 13 lectures are not enough to cover all the contents, we may consider offering an elective course in addition to the core one. This is a decision beyond a teacher, but something a director can take to coordinate among subjects and satisfy the needs of different students. The world is changing rapidly, and the media industry, too. The University has to respond to those changes. It is often said that the media industry in Hong Kong and even other parts of the world has declined. I would rather say that the industry is transforming. While some printed media suffer losses and cut jobs, some online media and niche media are growing. The job requirements are different from the past. The news media used to look at language proficiency first, and later the ability to shoot and edit videos. Now infographics is a required skill. The communication industry is becoming boundary-less. News reporting, advertising, public relations and creative media share many things in common now. We have to take this into account when making development plans. Second, in traditional practice, after the newspapers were printed, the distributors would deliver them to the newsstands and convenience stores where readers bought them. The reporters and editors were not involved in distribution. However, the newsrooms nowadays are responsible for distribution as well. They need to think about when the news contents should be uploaded and updated, and how the news are promoted. As such, we may include the element of distribution in the curriculum. Established in 1965, the School has the longest history of communication education and research in Hong Kong. Many senior practitioners in the industry are our alumni. They have significant influence on the society. We need to maintain the network with them. We should keep up with the developing trends instead of sitting in the ivory tower. Therefore, I advise students: have a plan but be flexible about it. Last year, the School launched Hong Kong’s first Global Communication Programme. Jointly developed with the School of Media, Film and Music of the University of Sussex in the UK, the programme features professional training in Communication and Media Studies as well as unique overseas exchange opportunities. We aimed at offering comprehensive training to nurture undergraduate students’ global horizon innovation. Those who want to work in the communication industry should be eager to try out new things, keep learning and be adaptive. Besides, be curious. They should keep themselves informed. We hope students are not only professionals who process practical and analytical skills but also people who serve with hearts. We endeavor to instil a strong sense of social consciousness among our graduates and to make our society a better place. It has been a year since you took up the directorship of the School. What’s different from your teaching and research before? What are the challenges faced in the media industry? What is the direction of the School’s future development? How should the students prepare themselves for a career in communication? Shaping the Future of News Shaping the Future of News 27