December Newsletter: Multicultural GBJ exchanges — at Tsinghua, across China and beyond
- Rick Dunham
- 17 hours ago
- 7 min read
GLOBAL BUSINESS JOURNALISM NEWSLETTER
December 2025
Edited by HAN VU
Global Business Journalism reporter
This month, the Global Business Journalism community continued to demonstrate its commitment to rigorous reporting, cross-cultural exchange and on-the-ground learning. From newsroom insights on covering policy in an era of misinformation to international academic partnerships and student exchanges, GBJ faculty and students engaged deeply with the forces shaping global media today. Highlights include a distinguished guest lecture by veteran journalist Angela Greiling Keane, expanded collaboration with leading media institutions, vibrant campus cultural events, and Professor Rick Dunham’s field trip to Xinjiang, reflecting GBJ’s emphasis on firsthand observation, context-driven storytelling, and global engagement in journalism education.
1. The world comes to campus: Tsinghua Gala Night 2026
As the year 2025 neared its close, the 2026 Gala Night Show was held on Dec.19, at the New Tsinghua Auditorium (新清华学堂). Bringing together students from diverse national backgrounds, the year-end event was organized as an occasion to reflect on the values of cultural exchange and community.
The Global Business Journalism program was well represented at this year’s Gala Night. GBJ first-year student Chua Lynn of Malaysia served as one of the event’s co-hosts. Among the performers were Tatiana Usakova, a first-year GBJer who joined the Russian Russian traditional dance team, and Jhane Cago, a second-year GBJer of the Philippines, who demonstrated her singing versatility from romantic ballad to rap. took to the stage and captured the attention of the audience with her performance. Professors Rick Dunham and Kuang Kai were present at the venue, adding significance to the occasion by attending and watching their students perform.
Even before the performance began, long lines of students and visitors formed outside the auditorium as audiences gathered in anticipation. Despite the early hour, the atmosphere was filled with excitement and expectation. Once the curtain rose, the performances unfolded one after another, each reflecting the distinctive cultural characteristics of different countries, with the audience responding enthusiastically through applause and cheers.
Jhane Cago and Tatiana Usakova perform on Gala Night 2026 (GBJ photos by Rick Dunham)
Dance, music, and various performances continued throughout the evening, and the audience remained deeply engaged, focusing on the unique energy and individuality of each stage. As the event progressed, the venue evolved beyond a simple performance space, establishing itself as a shared festival arena created collectively by students from diverse backgrounds.
— Item written by Ethan Baek Kyeongin
2. Tsinghua's J-School partners with Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group to train global communicators
The Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication has entered a strategic partnership with one of Hong Kong’s largest media groups. The collaboration was formalized on Nov. 25, when TSJC and the Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
The partnership will focus on international talent exchanges and training, enhancing the effectiveness of international communication and conducting academic research. Specific plans include facilitating student and faculty exchanges and internships at the group’s Hong Kong headquarters. The group’s editors and journalists were also welcomed to participate in advanced study programs at Tsinghua.
Zhou Qing'an, dean of Tsinghua’s School of Journalism and Communication, expressed the hope that this cooperation will pool high-quality resources and create advantages for both the university and the company. He highlighted the group’s unique position as a base for international communication and proposed future joint initiatives to explore public opinion and overseas content dissemination.
Zheng Yongnan, Vice Chairman and General Manager of the Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group, emphasized that direct support for practical student training will be provided.
— Item written by Milena Kuzhakova
Singapore students complete two-week visit to Tsinghua journalism school
A group of 20 students from the National University of Singapore (NUS) wrapped up a two-week cultural and academic exchange program at Tsinghua University’s School of Journalism and Communication.
During their visit, the students, who are pursuing various majors such as Chinese Studies, Communication and New Media, and Data Analysis, engaged in a series of activities focused on technology, culture, and campus exploration.
Their journey began on Dec. 8 with a visit to Qingbo Public Opinion and ZlingTech, where they learned about data collection, sentiment recognition, and trend monitoring. The students continued their exploration of technology on Dec. 10, visiting Wiseinfo to delve into the real-world applications of big data in journalism and media.
The final day of the program, Dec. 17, saw the students visiting the Tsinghua Science Museum, where they discussed the role of science communication with researchers.
They attended lectures at Tsinghua, including a Hot Topics in the Global Economy class featuring prominent American journalists Mark Hamrick and Angela Greiling Keane. And they toured the Beijing bureau of Bloomberg News and received a briefing on Bloomberg economic data from Professor Lee Miller. Throughout their visit, the NUS students expressed appreciation for the opportunities to gain hands-on experience and deepen their understanding of China's technological advancements and cultural traditions.
— Item written by Faezeh Mirzabeh
Covering policy in an era of misinformation: Lessons from Angela Greiling Keane
How should journalists respond when politicians repeatedly say things that are not true? That question framed a wide-ranging conversation with Angela Greiling Keane, a senior newsroom leader based in Washington and former editor at Bloomberg Government and Politico, during a recent Global Business Journalism lecture
The discussion in Professor Rick Dunham's Hot Topics in the Global Economy class offered students a candid look at reporting policy under political, professional, and ethical pressure.
Drawing on more than 25 years in American journalism, Greiling Keane argued that the erosion of a shared factual baseline is one of the most serious challenges facing reporters today.
“It used to be that everyone agreed on what was true,” she said. “That’s no longer the case.”
Journalists, she emphasized, should avoid labeling statements as lies.
“We would never say that somebody lied, because we’re not going to ascribe intent,” she explained. “But we can put the facts next to something that is untrue.”
In practice, this means directly following false claims with verified information.
“You can just state the facts,” she told students. “That’s your power as a journalist.”
Responding to a student’s question about navigating constant policy change and information overload, Greiling Keane described today’s media environment as a deliberate “deluge” designed to overwhelm both journalists and audiences.
“Nobody can possibly pay attention to everything,” she said. “Part of the job is deciding what actually matters.”
— Item written by Han Vu
>>> Read more: How to cover hot topics in the news — lessons shared by veteran journalists Mark Hamrick and Angela Greiling Keane
Professors Rick Dunham, Pam Tobey journey to Xinjiang in cross-cultural exploration
Seven years after first visiting China's Xinjiang region, Tsinghua journalism professors Rick Dunham and Pam Tobey journeyed to the west once again to see what had changed since 2018 and to explore northern section of the massive region.
They were joined by Li Fangfang, a senior editor from Beijing Review, and a video crew that was recording the expedition for a documentary on cross-cultural discoveries and exchanges. Professor Dunham has frequently lectured about cross-cultural communication during his 12 years as co-director of the Global Business Journalism program and has conducted intercultural journalism training programs for journalists in China, the Philippines, Europe and the United States.
The trip included stops in the southern XInjiang city of Kuqa, where the Uighur ethnic group dominates, along with the famous Qiuci Buddhist caves, ancient temple ruins and Tianshan Grand Canyon. In northern Xinjiang, they visited a diverse area that includes nationalities such as Kazakh, Russian, Uighur, Han, Tatar, Uzbek and Kyrgyz. Destinations included Yili, Tokkuztara and Urumqi, where the trip concluded with a roundtable discussion with students at Xijiang Normal University and a visit to the Xinjiang Museum.
6. Have you been following GBJ's videos?
Our website is not the only place to see fresh news or other entertaining updates. We post regular video updates — both vertical and horizontal — on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Of course, we recommend that you subscribe. But if you haven't done that yet, here are a few links for you:
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Check out our latest news updates from GlobalBusinessJournalism.com
Here are some stories we've published on our website in the past month, in case you've missed them:
Global Business Journalism Lecture Series
Incoming National Press Club President Mark Schoeff warns of media crisis: "When watchdogs disappear, who is left to sound the alarm?"
Chinese journalist Li Fangfang calls for broader global storytelling on World War II and Xinjiang
How to cover hot topics in the news — lessons shared by veteran journalists Mark Hamrick and Angela Greiling Keane
Other headlines
Why GBJ: Professor Lee Miller explains how Global Business Journalism makes its graduates more competitive
Decoding Beijing's big snowstorm: A convergence of meteorological causes, regional vagaries and climate change
Tsinghua students navigate slippery Beijing streets after snowfall
5 secrets to creating a more addictive podcast experience
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