Twenty-two Chinese journalists arrived Saturday at Cal State Long Beach to begin an intensive seven-week certificate training program.
The professional journalists, all from the Chinese Business Media Conglomerate in Beijing, are staying at the dormitories on campus while they attend a series of lectures, seminars, workshops and visits to media agencies in California.
CBMC publishes China Business, a Chinese language newspaper for the professional business community in the People's Republic of China.
CBMC has more than 2 million readers with bureaus and correspondents in 20 provinces, major cities and autonomous regions.
The program's director is Professor San-pao Li of CSULB's Asian and Asian-American studies department.
This is the first time a group of Chinese professional journalists have come to the United States for a program such as this.
The program is designed to give the Chinese insight into how Americans own and operate a news business, said Dr. William Mulligan of CSULB's journalism department.
Mulligan, who has worked for China Daily and the Xinhua News Agency, is the program's curriculum coordinator.
"In the past Americans went to China," Mulligan said. "This is the first time a group of Chinese professional journalists have come to the United States for a program such as this."
Instead of being exposed to a couple of individuals, coming to America allows the journalists to be exposed to a variety of people and American news organizations, Mulligan said.
"Basically, it's a management training course," Mulligan said. "The course will teach them how to find employees and work out job assignments within their reorganized economy."
"All the journalists are willing to learn and are excited about taking the classes," Derek Sullivan, curriculum development assistant said.
The journalists will also visit the San Jose Mercury News and Intel Computer. They will also do some sightseeing in San Francisco, said Sullivan.
In addition to the San Jose Mercury News and Intel Computer other organizations included in the activities are: Animation Magazine, The Associated Press, Bobit Publishing of Torrance, Cal State Fullerton, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CBS Television, City News Service of Los Angeles, Daily Breeze of Torrance, Daily Forty-Niner, Fancy Publications of Orange County, Financial Times of London, Gazette Newspapers of Long Beach, KNX Radio, Los Angeles Daily Journal, Los Angeles Times, Marin Independent Journal, Orange County Register, Press Telegram, Rafu Shimpo of Los Angeles and The Wall Street Journal.