Fellow
International Journalism Exchange

Editor in Chief
New Vision Newspaper
LIBERIA

J. Moses Gray supervises the New Vision Newspaper’s entire staff of 36, bringing to the job 16 years of experience. Gray supervises the operation of the newsroom, as well as conducting seminars and workshops for local journalists. He is fully responsible for the editorial decisions at this independent newspaper with a circulation of 27,000. Gray holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of Liberia and is in the process of completing a master’s from the same university.

“The role of the media in Liberia today remains very crucial, for there are numerous national problems deepening the society ... It is against this background that I wish to participate in the fellowship so that the skills and knowledge acquired will be used for the improvement of journalism in Liberia.”

Interests and Goals: Gray hopes to learn more about several aspects of journalism in the U.S. on the IJE fellowship, including story selection, layout, editing, as well as ways to expand the productivity of his newsroom through new media and creative uses of technology.

Gray will visit the Savannah Morning News in Georgia for his newspaper attachment.

October 19, 2006
Moses writes:

The great people of America are noticed for their kindness, friendleness and openhanded. They treat people with dignity and respect and make you feel at home. Our days in Washington and the days at our various attachment are great. The education coupled with the empowerment and interaction with the ICFJ and ASNE family in Washington place us in a better position to take advantage of the opportunity at our various attachment.

The Orlando Sentinel is a big newspaper and well respected in Florida; my brother has said lots of the paper, lauding the staffers for their objectivity and accuracy. Things remain on course and just busy. I cannot afford to do all that they expect me to day. Everyone in the newsroom is curious to know about the media landscape in my country Liberia. I have been attending meeetings and workshops with the editors and reporters.

We always having lunch together at the paper's cafeteria. I have met all the top brass of the paper including the Publisher and heads of various departments. Guess what, there are more couple in the institution but work in different departments.

My hotel is located over a beatiful rive-Bay River, surrounder by historic structures. On two different occasions, they have taken me on a tour of the city for sight seemed of important sites. I spend most of the day at the Printing Presss and the Production departments today

My Impression –The ICFJ/ASNE Journalism Exchange Program

…Part One

By: J. Moses Gray
Editor-In-Chief/ New Vision Newspaper/ Liberia
ICFJ/ASNE 2006 Participant

My impression about America is endless. Thanks to the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ)and the American Society of Newspaper Editors ICFJ/ASNE for affording me the opportunity to benefit from and appreciate greater insights into the American dream, a dream that makes one to smile, feel at home and part of a civilized society. The ICFJ/ASNE program has provided me the opportunity to interact with American journalists, understand the American dreams, culture and people.

There is no journalism program in my life closer to the International Journalism Exchange Program being administered by ICFJ in collaboration with ASNE. The part one focuses on my general impressions about America part while two will concentrate on my attachment at the Savannah Morning News and the achievement.

The program teaches and broadens one’s understanding of the journalism profession. There is nothing more interesting and benefiting then to participate in the 2006 Journalism Exchange Program; in totality, the Program is unique, well-thought out and informative.

Before my arrival in the United States, I was rather educated about America, a one continent-country established on the basis of federacy, but I still could not withhold some doubts that something vital was still missing that I needed to know. No later than not, the Program has rendered obsolete the doubts and gave me more insights into America and its people, especially the operations of newspaper and well read journalists’ approach to news gathering, researching, analyzing, processing, gate-keeping and packaging in the most authoritative form.

The program is fashioned two-forth; theoretical and practical, and both components seek to offer one the true sense of sound decision-making in the newsroom, news-gathering, maintaining ethical behaviors, the state of press freedom around the world, U.S. laws and free press, innovation in newspaper design, investigative and online journalism, credibility, managing time, motivating staff members and the use of anonymous sources.

Owing to the program, I have uncovered the real meaning of United States and its people and the perceptions and contradictions about the country and its people. Generally, the people are good while America remains a country of several nations. America is undoubtedly a sharp contrast in view of the stereotypes portrayed by American celebrities.

Americans treat people with dignity, care, and above all an enviable hospitality. It is difficult to know America till you come closer to it and be part of the society.

The ICFJ/ASNE program has provided me the opportunity to interact with American journalists, understand the American dreams, culture and people. America is a society where all are treated equal under the law. The country’s domestic policies are very unique, unlike, maybe the foreign policy such as going to war in Iraq.

My experience and all that I have learnt in less then a month on the International Journalism Exchange Program and my brief time with the Savannah Morning News in Savannah, Georgia, surpass all that I have learnt in a journalism classroom for a semester. The program widened my understanding and prepared me for potential challenges.

However, one might want to know the importance about America and its people. I guess there are several answers. Americans, especially in my personal interactions with professional colleagues are nice, friendly and treat others with respect. They greet people with smiles and opened hands, but on a serious note, they are direct and do not hide their feelings on issues of importance.

Just voice out your concern, they are ready to assist, they are good observers and know how to approach situations. “Are you fine/ Are you okay? Do you have A family? Are you missing them? Have you spoken to them and what are your impressions about the time you spent here? These are just few of some of the questions they will ask you on a daily basis.

The people of the historic city of Savannah and all Americans believe in their country. The American dream and flag they cherish so much. They fly their flag in front of their homes and offices. There is no doubt while America is the world foremost superpower. I wonder when we will as a nation and people of Liberia learn to cultivate the pride of Americans. Surely, Liberia can’t be America. Savannah is a beautiful city, well layout, nice structures and beaches and home to dozens of tourists. I will forever remember the Savannah Morning News, the staff members and the hospitality remembered me. They give me the best comfort that makes me feel at home.

Free speech, press freedom and religious tolerance struck me a whole lot. They attached great respect to religious tolerance. They are good at speaking their minds on issues of national and international concerns and offer suggestions. Unlike my native country, Liberia where we always say “It is the people’s thing”, the opposite exists in America.

Only few Liberians are good at speaking their minds but these Liberians are often accused by their fellow countrymen as ‘confusionists’ or as it were trouble-makers. In Liberia, when the independent media take position on issues, especially the ills and pitfalls of government and prominent politicians, that particular media organization and staffers are demonized as undermining the government, enemy of the state, biased reporting, paid agent or instruments of yellow journalism.

A case in point is the sour relationship between the independent Liberian media and the current Administration due to the recent verbal attacks on a press by the President, describing Liberian journalists as “paid agents and “check book journalists” seeking to blackmail people. However, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) countered the assertions and said that the President was “frustrated” because the press had refused to dance to the tune of the Government. It is no doubt that the statement by the Head of State relegated the media and its personnel in the eyes of the public.

Unlike Liberia, the media in America are very powerful. The American media are influential in the body polity of America. The American media are so respected in the society that the impact can be felt. The American media and journalists are well equipped, and treat their assignment with dedication and commitment. But there is always opposing views in the American press – both the conservative and the liberal views. The case at bar is the Midterm elections campaigning on CNN and Fox. These two media houses without doubts, have taken position either for or against the Democrats or Republicans, as the conservative views are wildly carry by Fox while on the other hand, CNN devotes more publicity to the liberal views.

On the contrary, American media report less on vital issues obtaining outside the United States, except where America has interest. I have been told that Americans are mostly interested in knowing happenings in their environment. In my country, Liberia, major happenings in America are given wild publicity and take banner headlines in the Liberia media but for the American press; it is very difficult to read about other countries in the America press, except for countries engulfed with crisis and violence. Occasionally, the American media published materials on smaller countries. These stories are treated with less prominence, as they are often placed inside the paper and where it is difficult to locate the story and read it.

American books such as history, political science and literature, just to name a few are being thought in the Liberian school system. In effect, Liberians know more of America than their own country. But on the contrary, majority of Americans do not have any knowledge about Liberia, despite the so-called long-standing ties between the two countries.

The forefathers who founded Liberia came from America while the Liberian flag, constitution and form of government are replicas of the American system. Only few American journalists know about Liberia especially President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and war crime indictee, Charles Taylor. Perhaps since Madam Sirleaf is the first female elected president of Africa and her long activism in the Liberian body-politics and her outstanding ties with big names in American society. For Mr. Charles Taylor, he is well known around the world for masterminding the 14 years bloody and devastated war in Liberia which claimed over 350,000 lives and greatly destroyed Liberia.

Almost 99.9 percents of Americans outside of the media who I had the opportunity to interact with often asked me which part of Africa is Liberia located, the population, the country’s official language, form of government and the media landscape. In such as case, I am always prepared to educate them about Liberia, the positive things that obtain in the country, Liberia’s ties with the United States and the common identities both countries share. At the close of most of my somewhat orientation about Liberia follows the remark: “That is great, or it is wonderful”.

Several persons who I have spoken within Savannah told me that they have not yet visited Washington, D.C., the capital. This is unbelievable, but the people feel comfortable with their environment. For Liberians, if you have not visited Monrovia, the capital, you have not achieved any thing in your life; it is the dream of every Liberians to visit the capital. What a lesson…

Unlike America, for Liberia everything that one can think about is concentrated in the capital. The Liberian Government’s presence is hardy felt in some parts of the country; as a result, most of the leeward counties are badly under-developed. For America, development is decentralized, the federal government policies is felt in every part of the country.

In many instances, people will tell you that New York is beautiful and very expensive to live but for other Americans is to the opposite. In such a situation, you have to decide for yourself on New York. I met a gentleman in Washington, D.C. during my brief stay in the city. The man told me that he dislikes New York because of the crime rate couple with the cold weather but another encourages me to visit New York, pointing out that I will discover love and will enjoy my stay there.

My stay in the states makes me to realize that Americans are confronted with making choices on their daily activities. I am a victim of such situation, as on several occasions, I would not make a choice as to what I needed to purchase from either a supermarket or store.

The big difference that I have seen between America and my native Liberia, is that if you are to make a living in America, you must work hard, respect the laws, pay your taxes, but for Liberia, most people lived on hand-outs and at the goodwill of either friends or family members. Many things are taking for granted in Liberia probably because we as people do not cherish our country. The 14-year conflict is a clear example of how we demonstrate dislike for each other. What was the need for Liberians to kill his compatriot, set towns and villages at blaze?

In America, nothing is taken for granted. You must pay your taxes including federal, state, city and county in addition to your bills. There is no compromise for violations of the laws and Americans are conscious of time and believe in the American dream. I also realized that it is impossible to live and survive in America without employment; you must work to earn cash to enable you settle bills. Upon arrival at the airport in Washington, D.C., the first Homeland security officer whom I interacted with stressed the importance of employment, respect for laws and settlement of bills. Concluding, he said: “These things must not be taken for granted”.

My impression about America is endless. Thanks to ICFJ/ASNE for affording me the opportunity to benefit from and appreciate greater insights into the American dream, a dream that makes one to smile, feel at home and part of a civilized society.