Kent State University - School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Breaking cultural barrier in London-Paris summer media class

You can know a little about another country and people by looking at their media, but you understand the culture by being there. Some JMC students do both when they take a 10-day summer class in London and Paris. Assistant Professor Max Grubb has been coordinating this study-abroad program for about eight years at two different schools.

"This give students an opportunity to compare and contrast the media systems of Great Britain and France," Grubb says.

In this brief trip, students visit places such as the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, FremantleMedia, BSkyB, and they listen to officials from the Press Complaints Commission and Her Majesty's Government in the UK.

In the last four days in Paris students combine their media visits with trips to Versailles or take in a cabaret show.

This short visit gives students an opportunity to peek into the cultures of the both the countries and learn about the different standards in which the media operate compared to the United States, Grubb says.

For some students it is also a first trip abroad and students learn to overcome the cultural barrier.

Grubb says the visit "exposes them to different cultures and societies and get them to know people outside of their comfort zone and try things outside of their comfort zone."

 

View audio slideshow about course and trip

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By Sijan Baral for The Co-Lab