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I am loving @ Thursday, December 21, 2006
I saw this on the channelnewsasia website.


SHANGHAI : Following the success of the edu-tour to Hong Kong and Beijing in June this year, Channel NewsAsia received an even more overwhelming response to its second "Experience Asia" learning expedition, this time to Shanghai. Besides the chance to take in the sights and sounds of China's most prosperous city, the young participants also got up close and personal with our China Correspondent Tan Bee Leng, as she took them behind the scenes of news production.

Armed with pen, paper and lots of enthusiasm, students were sent on their first assignment to write a story about Asia's largest Antique Music Box Museum in Shanghai. Some 30 students between the ages of 10 and 18 took part in Channel NewsAsia's "Experience Asia" Shanghai Learning Expedition. And if they thought gathering information was tedious, they were even more overwhelmed when they had to face the camera for the first time. "Although it's quite stressful at first, I really enjoy it in the end. Overall, it gave me a sense of accomplishment and achievement. I think it made me more interested in this field and I'll possibly pursue it later," said Josephine Lau, a Catholic Junior College student. Josephine is waiting for her 'A' Level results.

For others, the highlight was a visit to Channel NewsAsia's Shanghai Bureau. The students got a chance to try out the videophone system, used for 'live' reports from Shanghai. Participants also attended a classroom session to learn about interviewing techniques, and each student was given a review of the piece-to-camera they did at the museum. "There are many things I've learnt, like the media stuff, piece-to-camera, anchoring, basically all the terms used for in the news industry. And I got a chance to see Bee Leng's office, something which I don't think many people will get a chance to see. And the sites and sounds of Shanghai as well, so it's really amazing," enthused Jeremy Toh, a secondary 2 student at Clementi Town Secondary School.

"Actually I'm looking forward to going on another trip if Channel NewsAsia is organising another one with the schools. I think it's not just a sightseeing holiday. There is educational content in it and I think there are a lot of perspectives to learn from such tours. I highly recommend it to parents with children," said Dr Mimi Yow, a parent of a participant.

The six-day trip also included visits to neighbouring cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou. - CNA /ls

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