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MEDIA: Mint on Indian Editors Taking Bigger Roles in US, UK media

Just over the last year, we have seen significant shifts in leadership positions of some of America's biggest media outlets. To name a few, Davan Maharaj was promoted to the managing editor of the LA Times; Stephanie Mehta became global editor of Fortune; Bobby Ghosh became the world editor of Time magazine; Vindu Goel became deputy tech editor of the New York Times; Jyoti Thottam became South Asia bureau chief of Time magazine; and most recently Nik Deogun was named the international editor of the Wall Street Journal.

See SAJAForum's complete coverage of the major moves of South Asian journalists to key positions.

In yesterday's Mint, a sister publication of the Wall Street Journal in India, Sruthijith K. K. writes that publications in the United States and United Kingdom are increasingly appointing Indian journalists to top slots, as they see more and more content in India. 

For large and influential Western publications, which have sometimes been charged with reducing India into clichés and generalizations, the country seems to have become more of a priority in their international coverage.

A steadily rising number of foreign correspondents are landing in India every year, even as their publications, limited by tighter budgets, are cutting staff and closing bureaus in erstwhile hot spots of international interest.

Coincidentally, at four important American publications, the foreign editor is now a journalist of Indian origin.

Read the full story here.

What are your thoughts on the increasing leadership roles of South Asians in US media? Post them below.

STUDY: How does parental pressure influence Indian-American career choice? Participants needed

Komal Dutt, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Education and Counseling Psychology at the State University of New York at Albany, is looking for participants for a study on the extent to which parental pressure affects the career choices of Indian-American undergraduates. If you're an undergraduate who was raised in this country, Komal needs your input - it would be completely confidential. Here's the premise of the study:

Asian Indians and their children are an important community in the United States, as they have outperformed all other groups in most areas of socioeconomic achievement.  However, research has indicated prevalence for pressure and conflict between immigrant parents and their children to choose from limited range of occupational choices, and thus an over-representation of Asian Indians in a limited number of occupational fields. The latter might be a problem, because when children forgo their own interests for the sake of choosing prestigious occupations, or struggle to do well in such prestigious occupations as medicine, a potential risk of mental health problems exists due to frustration and job dissatisfaction.

To understand this unique (that is, over representation in certain fields and giving in to career choices set by parents) process of career choice, research in mental health professions such as counseling psychology needs to understand if these students explore various career options prior to committing to a career choice or if they prematurely foreclose on a career path of their parents. My study is trying to see what factors encourage an individual to explore various career options prior to making a firm commitment. In other words, this study will throw light on how college aged Asian Indians navigate their career choice process.

If you're interested in participating, here's some more information:

Participation involves completing a short demographic form and three questionnaires. Time taken for participation should be 30-45 minutes.
If you are willing to participate, follow the following two steps to complete the survey

Step A  - click on the link below http://www.psychdata.com and,

Step B - You will see a box saying "go to survey" – please enter survey number: 124919.  You will then be able to complete the survey.

If you have any questions about the survey, contact Komal via e-mail (komaldutt03@yahoo.com) or via phone at 732-979-4682.

Earlier studies we've posted:

• Measuring discrimination against South Asians
• Indians are slow to assimilate in America
• Indian couples needed for online survey - gender roles and relationship satisfaction
• Indian Americans and drug use
• The problem of binge drinking among young South Asians

CONV: Breaking into Journalism

There's no one path to make it big in journalism, but one can learn from others' experiences. And stick to some basic rules while scooping your way to becoming the next network anchor or award-winning journalist. That was the message a number of students and entry-level aspirants got from three professional reporters at the SAJA convention: Juliet Chung at Newsday, Shazia Khan of NY1 and Anusha Shrivastava, who works for Dow Jones Newswires. Here are some "pearls of wisdom," as one attendee sought, that will get you ahead in the newsroom and away from any reject pile.

Getting and staying inside a Newsroom

• If you're from outside the United States and want to break into the industry here, start building a portfolio of clips (even if it's a free paper) or tapes from within the U.S. Or think about going back to school and working for the college newspaper or TV station.
• Try a variety of internships to figure out what newsrooms you like. Then focus on landing a job in the one you liked best.
• Be specific when pitching a story to an editor. Do some background research, look up potential sources, check for stories already done on the subject and find the holes that need to be filled.
• Anticipate an editor's questions so you're not stumped. Some prefer e-mail, some like the spiel in person. Figure out what yours is like and act accordingly. Before heading to his or her office, bounce the idea off some of your newsroom colleagues. If you get glazed looks and "uhmmms," it's probably a wise idea to rethink the pitch.

POLITICS: Fareed Zakaria for Secy of State? (again)

It's been a few years since we last heard the rumor that Fareed Zakaria was in the running for Secretary of State. But now, with the 2008 presidential campaign underway, it's happening all over again, with his name being attached to Barack Obama. Jon Friedman of MarketWatch asks Fareed straight-up in this interview:

Zakaria told me a few weeks ago in his Newsweek office that the cabinet speculation is "one of the strange burdens" of having such a prestigious reputation. "I'm flattered, I suppose," he said. "But I'm not a 'party man,' and you usually have to demonstrate that kind of loyalty to be chosen for government office."

I asked him bluntly if he would go to Washington. "I won't be coy with you. I'll give you an honest answer," he began. "I'd always be intrigued. But again, it's unlikely and I'll die happily if I never have a White House pass."

Ultimately, Zakaria said: "If I were a betting man, I wouldn't bet on this."

I wonder if Obama would take that wager, though.

Friedman says Zakaria has a "strong regard" for Obama, and thinks he's "charismatic and energetic." He also likes the fact that Obama has lived abroad. Elsewhere, he says that his favorite movie is Casablanca, and is Jon Stewart's most frequent guest (tied with John McCain at 8 appearances). And he has this to say about the president:

"The tragedy for President Bush is that now he's making the right moves with North Korea, and to an extent with Iran. But it's too late to turn things around."

CAREERS: AAJA broadcast journalism video