Professor teaches, learns in Ukraine

Most teachers would only dream of having their lessons reach students half way around the world. Associate professor Jeff South is living that dream by spending this spring semester in Ukraine. South is part of a Knight Foundation Fellowship teaching journalism abroad.

South holds workshops for students from middle school to college levels. He teaches American-style journalistic techniques, such as how to be more efficient with online search engines.

This experience “might light a fire under a handful of people that in 10 or 20 years from now could play a role in a strong, interesting free press,” he said.

To view South’s blog about his experience in Ukraine, follow this Web address: http://jeff-south.blogspot.com/

South helped his Ukrainian college students start their first university print publication called Boom.

The Ukrainian government is beginning to sell its news publications because papers cost too much to run. South has met with editors whose publications will be privatized in the near future. They discussed the advantages of being an independent publication and the fears of having to rely on advertising dollars for revenue.

Though his main goal is to teach American-style journalism, South is soaking up everything he can along the way.

“Most people think we’re teaching these people who have no idea about journalism, but there are many things we can learn from them,” he said.

South marveled at how fast Ukrainian publications can implement change in their paper. He saw one paper go from broad-sheet format to a tabloid in two weeks. South compared this to a paper he worked at in Texas, where there was a two-year debate about whether to change the font size.

Some Ukrainian papers have used cell phone text messages as a way to get readers involved in the news. Publications send questions to readers’ cell phones and print responses on a special page in the paper.

South said his experience in Ukraine has given him more appreciation for the First Amendment. Although Ukraine technically is a democracy, he said there is not a solid freedom-of-information system, and it can be dangerous to be an investigative journalist.

In 2000, an investigative journalist was kidnapped and killed, South said, and just this past year a journalist’s car was blown up.

Although he expected the language barrier to cause the most problems, South said travel is the toughest part. He is stationed in Kharkiv, Ukraine, but he travels around the country to lead his workshops. South said it can be fun, but twelve-hour train rides can take their toll.

South applied for the fellowship in February 2006. The Journalists Initiative Association in Kharkiv was looking for a journalist to come and teach, so the Knight Foundation made the pairing. The fellowship started Jan. 20 and lasts until July 20.