Sally Zhou, the editor of GBA News Department, China Daily Hong Kong, gave a speech about “Navigating Journalism in the GBA (Greater Bay Area): From Practice to Career Success” on Sept. 17, as the first DCom Career Talk this semester. Dr. Jesse Owen Hearns-Branaman, the Head of the Department of Communication, was the host for the talk.

Dr. Jesse Owen Hearns-Branaman (right) hosted the lecture and introduced the guest Zhou Mo (left).

Zhou introduced the working environment for journalists in the GBA

For the practice aspect, Zhou mentioned that the journalists in the GBA should balance local audience needs with the international perspective. She noted that the news report should be “beyond events,” reflecting national strategies through touching local stories. For example, journalists can use individual experiences to illustrate the broader impact of national policies, and make regional development more tangible.

The students listened to Zhou's sharing intently.

Zhou also addressed the challenges of reporting in the GBA, including differences in interview approval procedures, work habits between the mainland and Hong Kong or Macau, and the multilingual environment. Thus, journalists need to strengthen their skills in information sourcing, cross-regional coordination and working in Mandarin, Cantonese and English, with critical thinking to interpret complex policies.

The talk attracted many students and the faculty members.

After the lecture, Zhou answered questions and communicated with the students.

The lecture attracted more than 50 students with several faculty members from the communication department. DCom will continue hosting career talks to help students clarify career paths and strengthen professional direction.

Reporter / Photo: Zhou Yujiazi (Jessie)