Running a media training course amidst a riot breakout in Mongolia is just one interesting item on the CV of Professor Drew McDaniel.
Professor McDaniel, from Ohio University, recently spent four weeks at the Centre for Communication and Social Change, and brought with him a wealth of experience in academia, journalism and media training.
He said he was impressed with both the School of Journalism and Communication and UQ, and enjoyed meeting with Australian colleagues.
During his four-week visit, Professor McDaniel lectured in postgraduate communication courses, offering his media expertise through tales of overseas professional assignments, such as his recent experience in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.
“Just prior to coming to Brisbane I had a training of trainers workshop in Mongolia,” Professor McDaniel said.
“I had two projects – one was a workshop in training of trainers, and the other was a training needs analysis for the Mongolian National Broadcaster.
“The Mongolian National Broadcaster has, under law, just been converted from a state media organisation to a public media organisation so they needed to go through this training activity in order to prepare for this new status.
“But it was hard to do that while we were under martial law and a state of emergency was declared for a week when I was there.
“The day before I left I managed to get in the last of the focus group sessions that I had planned.”
As a consultant with the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD), Professor McDaniel has visited more than 25 Asian nations since 1981, during which time he has become an expert in media training, conflict journalism and social change.
His current research focus is media training in the Asia Pacific – similar to that of UQ’s Associate Professor Martin Hadlow, Director of the Centre for Communication and Social Change.
“Martin and I are writing a book which looks at regional training organisations, specifically Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development,” Professor McDaniel said.
“It’s one that he and I have both been associated with for some years and we’re hoping to do a history – a critical examination – of the role of media training in the Asia pacific.
“We’ll be looking at how a media organisation works – its accomplishments and its role within the region – both its successes and disappointments.”
Professor McDaniel said he looked forward to collaborating with UQ Journalism colleagues and hoped to return to Brisbane in the future.
Media: Professor McDaniel (mcdanied@ohiou.edu) or Penny Robinson at UQ Communications (3365 9723, penny.robinson@uq.edu.au)
