June 2006
Issue No. 72
Foreign Press Association New York Inc.
333 East 46th Street #1K New York, NY 10017
Volume 232
Price: $ 1.00
THE GOLDEN AGE OF JOURNALISM
By Marc Guillet
For the past thirteen years, the beginning of May has marked the end of the
year for the FPA Scholarship Fund. It
does, however, denote the time of our
annual awards dinner. And for the
fourth year, the elegant Mark Hotel was
the venue for our members, corporate
contributors and guests who gathered
on May 4th to pay tribute to five outstanding graduate students of journalism.
The evening began with cocktails,
hors d’oeuvres and a chance to socialize before the dinner. When the doors
to the dining room opened, we were
welcomed by the aura of candle-lit tables decorated with enchanting baskets
of flowers. The sumptuous dinner was
served with style, not as another exercise in corporate catering.
All of this served as a precursor of
what was to come, honouring our students. The Awards were presented by
five of our members who served as the
judges for selecting this years winners,
Bill Blase, Alan Capper, Yolanda Gerritsen, Ernest McCrary and Barbara
Schoetzau.
And then, our outstanding keynote
speaker, Maria Bartiromo
“People around the world know a
good deal more about America than
Americans know about the rest of
world. The members of the foreign
press have done an outstanding job
over the years in informing the world
about what is happening in the United
States”, stated Maria Bartiromo.
Bartiromo, the Sophia Loren of financial journalism and the best-known
business journalist in the world, had
made a special effort to attend the Annual Awards Dinner of the Foreign
Press Association on May 4th although
she unexpectedly had another assignment that same evening. To the great
relief of Suzanne Adams, who did an
amazing job by organizing the event
for the thirteenth time, Maria Bartiromo insisted on coming to The Mark
to honour this year’s Award winners:
Rawya Rageh from Egypt, Anupreeta
Das from India, Stina Lunden from
Sweden, Dan Fishel from Israel and
Jessica Ramakrishnan from Malaysia.
Maria Bartiromo, who made her
self inflicted. Following the Vietnam
war and the end of the Cold War
American media – print and broadcast – cut back sharply on foreign coverage. And the attention of the average
American was focussed on ‘what’s in it
for me?’. During the eighties and nineties this country turned inward devoting
itself to self interest and self gratification.”
name as the first reporter to broadcast
live from the floor of the New York
Stock Exchange for CNBC has interviewed almost all the leading names in
the US business world. The daughter of
a Brooklyn restaurateur has a simple
answer for her success: “hard work,
every day and love for the profession of
journalism”.
She isn’t very optimistic about the
job the American media do. “American
ignorance about world affairs is largely
Photo by John Rizzo
The journalistic and financial decisions of the media and the self obsessed
attitude of the Americans had a negative impact. The insularity posed difficult challenges for both presidents Bill
Clinton and George W. Bush, said Bartiromo. “They faced uphill battles trying to win Congressional support for
foreign aid, free trade agreements and
Continued on Page 2.
Page 2
AN EVENING AT THE ONASSIS FOUNDATION
By Suzanne Adams
Even torrential rains could not
put a “damper” on the exciting program that we partici[ated in on May
18th at the Onassis Foundation.
Sponsored by the Foundation and
the Permanent Mission of Cyprus to
the United Nations, the Foreign
Press Association was honored to
be a participant in the program.
Michael Jansen, author of War
And Cultural Heritage: Cyprus After the 1974 Turkish Invasion”
posed the question, “Why is it that
any sort of major military crisis in a
country – civil war, foreign occupation, or internal revolution – is inevitably followed by the looting of
that country’s heritage from its national museums or private collections?”
Ms. Jansen has spent many years
living in Cyprus and the Middle
East and knows the region well.
She became interested in the subject
of looting because she observed so
much evidence of it around her.
Beirut, she points out, used to be
one of the main transit areas for antiquities. As she stated, the looting
of tombs and sites is a very ancient
activity. Throughout history, people have kept the objects they have
found at sites near their homes. Archeologists come across them when
they dig and realize that they have
been treasured much like family
heirlooms.
A beautiful video accompanied
the presentation and was followed
by a lively question and answer session. At the conclusion of the program a lavish reception featuring
many Greek specialties were enjoyed by everyone present.
Sincere thanks must be extended
to Ms. Jansen as well as to Ambassador Tsoulos of the Onassis Foundation and Ambassador Mavroyiannis of Cyprus.
NEW ADDRESS/NEW LOOK
The FPA has a new website address,
a redesigned look and a new weblogo.
The web address was changed to www.
nyforeignpress.org to reflect the organization’s non-profit status and to be
easier to remember. The site’s redesign
was done to show the new direction
and ideas of the executive committee
that was elected in January.
The new design is structured to help
FPA members and interested parties
easily navigate the site, learn about the
FPA, get the latest news, focus on
events, and learn about our perspective
on New York and the United States.
One of the highlights of the redesigned website is the section called Assignment USA. Like its counterpart
already in the FPA newsletter, Assignment USA highlights the work of FPA
members thru profiles, featured articles
or unique perspectives that show what
it is to be a foreign correspondent in the
United States. All FPA members are
invited to enter submissions for review
to help expand and keep this section
new and dynamic.
Another area that is being updated is
the Professional Services section. This
section is designed for FPA members
who are freelance or offer their professional skills. Specific areas of expertise
listed include: Translation, Reporting/
Editing, Photography, TV/Radio Crew,
and other. Since this section is being
rebuilt from scratch, all FPA members
who wish to be listed are asked to
download the PDF form on the website
in the Professional Services section and
return it to the FPA.
The FPA website will be continually
updated with new event information,
perspectives from the president and
other important news as it become
available. As an ever growing document, any suggestions and/or submissions to help keep it current and relevant will be greatly appreciated.
THE GOLDEN AGE
OF JOURNALISM
Continud from Page 1.
other global issues that we talk about
every day. The tragic events of September 11th, the global war on terrorism and increased global competition
for energy and so many resources due
to the rapid economic growth of
China, India and other developing
nations has changed all this. I think it
is now clear to most Americans and
the American media that what happens elsewhere in the world has a
major impact on US interests, the
American economy and on all our
lives.”
According to the host and managing editor of the nationally syndicated
‘Wall Street Journal Report with
Mario Bartiromo’ we find ourselves
‘in a golden era of journalism’. “Now
that the world has our attention, the
opportunity for young journalists to
serve as foreign correspondents has
greatly increased. American media
organizations are now broadening
their news gathering efforts around
the world. Today young print and
broadcast journalists are being eagerly sought by American and foreign news organizations. The dangers
are great in war zones like Iraq and
Afghanistan and in areas of conflict
in Africa, Indonesia and the Philippines. Yet a growing cadre of courageous, talented and resourceful foreign correspondents are providing
vital information for governments,
businesses and ordinary people who
are dependent on accurate information on a daily basis.”
Bartiromo congratulated the honourees and wished them good luck in
journalism. “I know I’m biased, and
all of us in this room are, but this is
the greatest career on the planet.”
Page 3
WE GET LETTERS
FROM RAWYA RAGEH
Allow me to express my deepest gratitude for the wonderful reception and
the generous gift. It was a splendid evening and a chance to meet with seasoned journalists and writers. Such an
honor is very much appreciated and
comes in very handy for people like us,
coming out of school and looking for
useful contacts! One of the most amazing things about the event was how it
made us feel special, which is such a
strong incentive to want to do more to
contribute to our profession. Thank
you, I will definitely stay in touch and
would love to contribute back to the
Association in whichever way I can.
FROM ANUPREETA DAS
When I joined Boston University's
journalism program in Fall 2005, I
had secured just about enough scholarship funds to tide me through the
first year. I had no idea how I would
pay for my third and final semester of
j-school, and all I could do was hope
there was a guardian angel out there
somewhere. And guess what? There
was a guardian angel, in the form of the
FPA! Because of the Association's generosity and commitment to supporting
the careers of young journalists, I will
now be able to complete my journalism
degree and get ahead with my own career in international reporting. The support and show of strength at the FPA
awards dinner was gratifying and exhilarating. I was thrilled to interact with
senior journalists and hear their words
of encouragement. I hope to continue
my association with the FPA throughout the course of my professional life."
FROM STINA LUNDEN
It was a great honor to receive the FPA
award. It encourages me to continue
striving for good international reporting
which I believe is crucial in the world
today. While tensions seem to be building up, media reports that provide a
balanced and fair picture are extremely
important. I hope to contribute with this
in my career. I want to thank the FPA
for honoring me with the award and for
giving me its support.
FROM JESSICA
RAMAKRISHNAN
When Suzanne Adams called to let
me know that I had won one of the
FPA scholarships, I was thrilled and
relieved. To fund my Master’s
degree at Columbia University’s
Journalism School, I had been
freelancing while attending classes.
As the coursework increased in
the second semester, I was forced to
stop working. The FPA award
helped me complete my degree and
achieve my long-held ambition of
graduating from Columbia. As a
young girl, I dreamt of being a
foreign correspondent so it was an
honor to be recognized by
accomplished journalists whose careers I hope to emulate. I am
truly grateful to the FPA for muchneeded support and the delightful
awards reception in May.
FROM DAN FISHEL
SINCERE THANKS
The overwhelming success of the FPA
Scholarship Fund is due entirely to the
support of our Corporate Contributors.
We are extremely grateful for your
continued dedication to this outstanding program
LEADERS
Ford Motor Company
General Motors Corporation
Goldman, Sachs & Company
Merck & Co. Inc.
BENEFACTORS
Bloomberg LP
Burson-Marsteller
W. P. Carey & Co. LLC
Daimler Chrysler
Educational Testing Service
The Estee Lauder Companies
FedEx
Pfizer, Inc.
Reuters America
TYCO
UBS
I am still excited about the award
ceremony. It felt a bit surreal to
be the center of attraction for a few
hours. I don't feel that I've done much
in my short life to be worthy of such
an honor, but I hope that one day
soon I will prove my merit. I will always remember those who believed
in me and who gave me a chance.
I will definitely be in touch with you
in years to come, and would be
delighted to hear updates from your
part as well. All the best and thanks
for everything!
Bigelow Teas
The Estee Lauder Corporation
New Orleans Convention & Visitors
Bureau
UPS
NEW YORK WATER TAXI
DOOR PRIZES DONATED BY
We will set sail for a tour of the
National Parks of New York
Harbor on June 15th. We will
be treated to beer and burgers
at the New York Taxi Beach in
Hunters Point, Queens.
Space is limited. You must
have a reservation to board.
Call or e-mail Suzanne Adams
no later than June 12th.
The Alexandra Resort, Turks & Caicos
Bacardi U.S.A.
The Caine Mutiny Court Martial
Hartz
Hong Kong Economic and
Trade Office
Iron Horse LLC
Jumeirah Essex House
Keurig, Inc.
Old Navy
The Corning Museum of Glass
Unilever, United States
PATRON
Johnson & Johnson
*************************
TABLE GIFTS COURTESY OF
Page 4
CHRONICLE
By Suzanne Adams
So Mike Wallace retired in May upon
reaching the age of 88. We think of 88
as prime time, 88 being the age of the
Foreign Press Association. We better
start planning for our 90th.
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Our sincere thanks to Michele Kidwell
for arranging for us to listen to the
beautiful strings of the Bacchanalia
concert at Merkin Hall. It was delightful.
Our adored Renata Rosso, a member
of our Executive Committee has recently undergone surgery. We all love
you, Renata and we know you will recover rapidly and be back in the fold.
In January 2003, John Rizzo was commissioned by the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau to capture the
essence of that famed city celebrating
the 200th Anniversary of the Louisiana
Purchase. The results are now on display in Rhinebeck, NY.
Joan Regen-Ramirez’s photograph,
Artwork at the WTC, pre-9/11 will be
on display at the Cork Gallery at Avery
Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center.
Good to hear from our former President, Gabe Plesea. And congratulations on the third edition printing of his
translation of “The Return of Tarzan.”
Our heartfelt condolences are extended
to Jan Latus upon the passing of his
dear Mother in Poland. Jan is a member of our Executive Committee.
On the 25th anniversary of Solidarity
and declaration of martial law in Poland, Zygmunt Malinowski’s photo
book, New York: City of Solidarity, was
published. It is a documentation of the
demonstrations that took place in the
City 25 years ago. The text is in Polish
and English and is available on www.
fcs.org.pl
Sympathy is extended as well to Sarab
Zavelea whose Mother also passed
away.
Miri Ben-Shalom recently returned
from London where her play “I Can
Cry” was performed. It traces the six
year journey of her Aunt during the
Holocaust. Her theme deals with fighting indifference, bigotry, prejudice and
discrimination towards all minorities.
The reviews attest to the outstanding
audience response.
Our favorite dramatist, Mario Fratti,
has one of his plays at La Mama.
“Sister” is a drama of sexual mores,
family dynamics and double standards.
Bravissimo, Mario.
********
FOLLOW UP
Marton Dunai, the second-place
winner of the 2003 FPA Awards, has
had a busy three years since we last
saw him. He spent a summer working
in Prague, then returned to finish his
Master’s at UC Berkeley. Winter found
him in New York with Human Rights
Watch, and in Hungary investigating a
nuclear accident. His piece on it, Coming Soon to a Reactor Near You, won
Berkeley’s Goldman Prize for International Reporting.
Marton transitioned into the real
world through a PBS Frontline/World
fellowship, traveling by train across
Europe for an online piece titled The
Re-Orient Express. The train took him
from Istanbul to Paris, where he remained, signing up to The Wall Street
Journal for an internship. That led to a
correspondent job in his native Budapest for Dow Jones Newswires.
He stayed put less than a year, returning to the Bay Area last December to
marry Zahra, an Iranian-American girl,
with whom he is now setting up his
new life, freelancing and job hunting.
He is planning a road trip across America, chronicling the 50 years of refugees of the 1956 revolution for Hungarian state television. He will soon visit
Iran, where he wants to write about the
necessity of reconciliation between the
Western and the Islamic worlds.
By Suzanne Adams
I would like to extend my thanks to
our members who served as judges to
ensure the success of the Foreign Press
Association Scholarship Fund Awards
Program. We have noted that each year
brings more submissions from students
than previous years.
The major requirement in the application process was for each student to
submit an OP-ED article of 750 words
in which they were asked to discuss
how the war in Iraq has been covered
by the press in their country and
whether their perception has changed
or been influenced by currently being a
student in the United States.
For the many hours they spent reading, re-reading and evaluating applications from students at graduate schools
of journalism in the United states, I extend my sincere thanks to the Scholarship Awards Selection Committee:
Bill Blase
Alan Capper
Yolanda Gerritsen
Ernest McCrary
Barbara Schoetzau
WELCOME ABOARD
JOHN MOUSTAKAS
Ellopia Media Group
ANN R, RIGGLE
Forcadell / Argentina
KIM RISETH
VG-Verdens Gang / Norway
FREDERIC P. VIGNERON
Dominion Bond Rating Service/Canada
IMPRESSUM
FPA NEWS is a publication by the Foreign
Press Association of New York, Inc., 333
East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017
Tel (212) 370-1054 Fax (212) 370-1058
The cover of $1 per issue is included in the
$75 Annual Membership dues. Copyright
FPA NY, Inc. (ISSN 1077-0232).
E-mail, snail-mail or phone corrections to
Suzanne Adams;
[email protected]
Web-site: www.nyforeignpress.org
Editorial Staff:
Suzanne Adams, Agnes Niemetz, John
Rizzo, Marc Guillet