UC Berkeley Journalism - Students

Stories by J-School Students and Alumni

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U.S.-Mexican Trucking Experiment in Slow Lane
Jessica Meyers, class of 2008, writes in The Dallas Morning News about a controversial experiment that has Mexican and American truckers driving deep into each other's countries for the first time.
Posted May 14, 2008

Real Estate Group Guts Neighborhoods
Chris Bagley was honored for the "best business story" of 2007 by the Inland Empire chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. His article examined a group of houses that went into foreclosure several months after being purchased through the same real estate agent. The investigation eventually turned up about $40 million in questionable real estate deals.
Posted May 14, 2008

Maker Faire 2008: Meet the Makers
Rhyen Coombs and Lisa Pickoff-White covered the third annual Maker Faire in San Mateo with a video for the San Francisco Bay Guardian, which featured it as the first "SFBG video pick" on its redesigned home page.
Posted May 9, 2008

India: The Cost of Yellowcake
India plans to ramp up uranium mining to meet the country's rising energy needs. Sonia Narang, class of 2008, reports for FRONTLINE/World on how the mines have affected the indigenous people of a rural village in eastern India.
Posted May 9, 2008

The Yellow House
Sarah M. Broom, class of 2004, writes in the Oxford American about the Yellow House she grew up "in, into, and then out of," which was eventually demolished after being destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. It is a story about shame and the ways that we hide from ourselves.
Posted May 3, 2008

Kenya: The Online Tribal Wars
Edwin Okong'o, class of 2007, writes for Frontline/World Dispatches about the online tribal wars that went unnoticed during the post-election violence in Kenya.
Posted May 2, 2008

Playing for Peace/States of Sadness
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, writes for Greater Good magazine about a program that promotes world peace through children's play in "Playing for Peace" and about the relationship between depression rates and public policy in "States of Sadness."
Posted May 2, 2008

Host Families Needed for Spanish Exchange Students
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, writes for The Piedmonter about an East Bay, Calif. program's need for more local families to volunteer to host Spanish exchange students this summer.
Posted May 1, 2008

America, América
Angélica Marín and Abigail Curtis co-produced a half-hour radio documentary for American Radio Project. This program brings the listener into the world of a 17-year-old Mexican immigrant who dreams of making it to the professional soccer leagues. But real life gets in the way when ICE comes to call.
Posted April 30, 2008

Clean Air At The Port Could Cost Small Truckers
Emma Brown, class of 2009, writes in the East Bay Express about the push for cleaner air at Oakland's port.
Posted April 30, 2008

Not Exactly Students, Not Exactly Employees
Anrica Deb, class of 2009, writes about the changing world of academic life sciences and its effect on the postdoctoral researcher in the East Bay Express.
Posted April 30, 2008

A, B, C + 1, 2, 3 = Less Depression for African Women
Edwin Okong'o, class of 2007, writes for Mshale about an adult literacy program in Brooklyn Center, Minn., that is helping reduce depression among elderly Liberian women.
Posted April 27, 2008

TIME Magazine's Reporter Interview With Omid Memarian
Scott MacLeod, TIME Magazine's Cairo Bureau Chief, has interviewed Omid Memarian, class of 2009, about the U.S.Iran relations after the Bush administration and the way Iranians look at this elections.
Posted April 25, 2008

Museum Breathes Life Into Portuguese
For all the Portuguese lovers (and she knows that you're out there), Stephanie Beasley, class of 2007, writes about the Portuguese Language Museum for Reuters.
Posted April 25, 2008

Egypt: Eyewitness to an Uprising
James Buck, class of 2008, writes a dispatch with photo slideshow for FRONTLINE/World on Egypt's recent riots.
Posted April 24, 2008

East Meets West - Coast That Is
April Dembosky, class of 2008, reviews Lafayette seafood restaurant Yankee Pier for the May issue of Diablo magazine.
Posted April 24, 2008

Most Sinful Cities
Forbes.com reporter Rebecca Ruiz, class of 2006, appeared on the Today Show to discuss a roundup of stories on the most "sinful" cities.
Posted April 23, 2008

Guatemala, U.S.A.
April Dembosky, class of 2008, writes for the San Francisco Chronicle about a husband and father of seven who left his family in Guatemala to find work in California.
Posted April 23, 2008

The Frenchman Who Funded US Start-Ups
On April 17, The Financial Times reviewed Spencer Ante's new book, Creative Capital: Georges Doriot and the Birth of Venture Capital. Reviewer Martin Arnold says Creative Capital "a timely testament to the courage and determination of an investment pioneer."
Posted April 22, 2008

Tortillanomics
Mexico is among many countries worldwide dealing with unrest caused by rising food prices. Malia Wollan, class of 2008, reports for FRONTLINE/World on how the increasing demand for corn-based biofuel in the United States is driving up the cost of Mexico's staple food.
Posted April 18, 2008

Landless Brazilians Demand Food And Land From Government
Stephanie Beasley, class of 2007, writes for Reuters about how landless peasants in Brazil are pushing the government for more resources.
Posted April 16, 2008

What Every Freelancer Should Know
Catherine Price, class of 2006, writes in Salon about tips every freelancer should take to keep their finances in check -- and stay sane in the process.
Posted April 15, 2008

Fantasy Meets Reality
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, writes about dioramas on display at an art gallery in Walnut Creek, Calif. for Diablo Arts magazine.
Posted April 14, 2008

From The Grassroots Up: Lawyer Sees a Green Future
Sarah Terry-Cobo, class of 2008, writes in The Oakland Tribune about local civil rights and social justice activist, Van Jones. This profile was part of a larger package on the growth Green Jobs in Oakland.
Posted April 14, 2008

East Bay Children's Theatre Celebrates 75 Years
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, writes for The Montclarion and The Piedmonter about a local theater troupe's 75th anniversary.
Posted April 11, 2008

Tibetan Protester Arrested at Olympic Torch Relay
Kara Andrade, class of 2007, photographs pro-Tibet protester Tashi Dorjee being arrested by police after he rode his bike into the marching line of the Olympic torch relay in San Francisco on April 9, 2008.
Posted April 11, 2008

Tibet's Moment
Alison Lee Satake, class of 2009, and class of 2007 alumna, Charlotte Buchen write and produce two video dispatches for PBS FRONTLINE/World on the Beijing Olympic torch relay in San Francisco and the new Tibetan youth movement.
Posted April 11, 2008

Torch Disappearing Act Disappoints
Lisa Pickoff-White and Rhyen Coombs, class of 2009, covered the Olympic torch rally and protests in San Francisco with a video for the San Francisco Bay Guardian.
Posted April 10, 2008

The Road to Beijing
The WashingtonPost.com has published a report produced by Digital Television and the World's April Dembosky, Marnette Federis, Julie Johnson, Alison Satake, Ian Sherr and Kerry Seed. The joint production was the result of a one-day multi-camera shoot about the Beijing Olympic Torch's appearance and disappearance in San Francisco.
Posted April 10, 2008

J-School Alums Win IRE Award
New York Times video journalists Brent McDonald ('04) and Rob Harris ('05) have won an IRE Award for The Times' investigative series "Toxic Pipeline." The series included four video documentaries, including "The Panama Syndrome" (which is also nominated for a Webby Award). "Toxic Pipeline" also won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize.
Posted April 10, 2008

The Revolution Will Not be Pasteurized
Nathanael Johnson, class of 2005, writes in Harper's Magazine about the crackdown on black-market milk and the increasingly fractious relationship between humans and microbes.
Posted April 8, 2008

J-school Professor and Alum Nominated for 2008 Webby Award
Professor Mimi Chakarova and Sachi Cunningham, class of 2005 have been nominated for a 2008 Webby Award in the Online Film & Video, News and Politics: Individual Episode category for their FRONTLINE/World story, "Dubai: Night Secrets." Vote for the People's Voice Awards before May 1st.
Posted April 8, 2008

J Schoolers Part of Pulitzer-Winning Coverage
Michael Chandler (Class of 2005), Sandhya Somashekhar (2006), and Nick Miroff (2006) were among The Washington Post staff members who have been awarded a Pulitzer prize for breaking news coverage. The three were part of the reporting team that traveled to Blacksburg following last year's shooting rampage at Virginia Tech.
Posted April 8, 2008

Women Rise Up to Tackle the Water Crisis
Rhyen Coombs, class of 2009, interviews environmental advocate Melinda Kramer about women's leadership in the global water movement. AlterNet picked up the podcast, which she produced for World Pulse Magazine.
Posted April 6, 2008

Young, Asian American, and Christian
Kathleen Richards, class of 2007, writes in the East Bay Express about why many UC Berkeley students are increasingly drawn to evangelical Christianity.
Posted April 5, 2008

Elementary Students To Learn About Africa
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, writes for The Piedmonter about three Piedmont, Calif. elementary schools' efforts to learn about Africa.
Posted April 4, 2008

Crunching Bugs On Your Phone
Cathy Bussewitz, class of 2007, writes for Forbes.com about the great games that may one day be available for your cell phone, and why most mobile games still appear to be stuck in the 1980s.
Posted April 2, 2008

Spring Is In Air At Tulip And Art Festival
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, writes about a Piedmont, Calif. tulip and art festival. The story is published in The Montclarion, The Piedmonter and The Oakland Tribune.
Posted April 1, 2008

Michael Reich Weighs in on Labor Issues
Sonya Hubbard, class of 2008, interviews Michael Reich about labor issues for the East Bay Business Times. Reich is a professor of Economics at UC Berkeley and serves as director of the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment.
Posted March 27, 2008

Dellar Drops Anchor in Lafayette
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, interviews Bay Area restaurateur Michael Dellar about his new eatery in Lafayette, Calif. for Diablo magazine's April 2008 issue. She also writes about Tilden Park plants for the magazine.
Posted March 23, 2008

Brides of March 2008
Rhyen Coombs and Lisa Pickoff-White, class of 2009, produced an audio slideshow for the San Francisco Bay Guardian on the tenth annual Brides of March event.
Posted March 21, 2008

College Prep Reading Program Going International
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, reports for The Montclarion on an Oakland, Calif. high school's efforts to learn about other countries and cultures.
Posted March 21, 2008

Hard Lessons of High School
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, reflects in UC Davis Magazine on the antics of the "popular girls" she taught during a summer working with high school students.
Posted March 20, 2008

5 Years Later: Cpl. Jeffrey Reffner's Story
Five years into the Iraq war, thousands of injured U.S. soldiers are travelling a long road to recovery. Meghann Farnsworth, class of 2007, interviewed four wounded veterans at Walter Reed Medical Center about their time in the military and in Iraq. This is Cpl. Jeffrey Reffner's story. As a warning, this slide show contains graphic images.
Posted March 20, 2008

Safe Haven
Sierra Filucci, class of 2009, writes in the San Francisco Chronicle Magazine about an Oakland outreach worker who helps immigrants gain access to desperately needed health care.
Posted March 17, 2008

Enter the Dragon Head
Mary Spicuzza, class of 2003, won an award from The National Council on Crime and Delinquency for her "Enter the Dragon Head" article in SF Weekly about Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow.
Posted March 14, 2008

How "eco" is the Ecopod?
April Dembosky, class of 2008, reports for Marketplace on the down sides of biodegradable coffins.
Posted March 13, 2008

North Korean Refugees: Radio Series
Matthew Bell, class of 2000, produced a radio series on North Korea's refugees for PRI's The World.
Posted March 6, 2008

Bad Moon Rising
John Gorenfeld, class of 2001, has published his first book, "Bad Moon Rising," about the Reverend Moon, billionaire conservative publisher and self-proclaimed King of America.
Posted March 5, 2008

Diablo Magazine: March 2008
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, works as an editorial intern at Diablo magazine. Check out the March 2008 issue, a digital version of which is on the Diablo Web site in a format that allows readers to "turn" its "pages" like the print version.
Posted February 27, 2008

How Can an Airline Ticket, CD, DVR, and 411 be FREE?
Steven Leckart, class of 2007, wrote and reported five pieces exploring the economics behind free or practically-free goods and services. The case studies accompany Wired Magazine's March issue cover story: "FREE! Why $0.00 Is the Future of Business."
Posted February 25, 2008

An Editor Like Bernard
For the See How We Are blog, Sara Catania, class of 1993, writes an appreciation of emeritus J-school professor Bernard Taper, who turns 90 this month.
Posted February 20, 2008

Domestic Violence in Mongolia
Daria Tsagaan produced this multimedia project about domestic violence in Mongolia. Video testimonials, graphs and plenty of photos. Clear, shocking, insightful, and interactive. This was her full report to Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley as she was one of 12 selected fellows.
Posted February 19, 2008

Film Raises Troubling Questions About U.S. Students
USA Today wrote about alumni Chad Heeter (class of 2005) and Adam Raney's new documentary "Two Million Minutes." Heeter and Raney followed six students in India, China and the United States to see how these countries prepare their for the global workforce. It is gaining wide coverage in other outlets such as U.S. News and World Report and The Washington Post.
Posted February 18, 2008

Pick Something Different for This Valentine's Day
Sarah Terry-Cobo, class of 2008, writes in The Oakland Tribune about a local non-profit's campaign to promote Fair Trade Certified roses for Valentine's Day.
Posted February 14, 2008

IRAN: Candidate Purge Smacks of a "Vendetta", Critics Say
Omid says in his piece for the IPS News Agency that the mass disqualification of reformist parliamentary candidates by Iran's Guardian Council, which oversees the electoral rolls, has diminished the possibility of fair elections on Mar. 14.
Posted February 13, 2008

Count The Delegates, If You Can
"Ian Sherr writes a humor column for the San Francisco Chronicle in which he tries to understand the Democratic convention delegate system."
Posted February 13, 2008

Chavez's J200 Final Project--A Look at the Millions Spent on Tutoring
For our final project in J200, students dug deep to undercover how millions of federal tutoring dollars in No Child Left Behind are poorly administered by California's State Education Department. The reporters read applications in Sacramento, looked at court files and interviewed parents, teachers and administrators to complete the project. They wrote the stories , developed the graphics and then worked on the project again once it was sold to the East Bay Express.
Posted February 13, 2008

What If There Were An eBay For News?
Sindya Bhanoo, co-founder of reporterist.com, an online exchange for news, was recently interviewed by the Online Journalism Review. Romenesko, mediabistro and other major bloggers picked up the story. reporterist.com ran its alpha at the J-School in the fall, and is now opening up to other journalists.
Posted February 12, 2008

What Can Obama do for Kenya?
Edwin Okong'o, class of 2007, speaks on CBC radio program, Dispatches, about what Kenyans expect of a future President Barack Obama.
Posted February 11, 2008

The Anonymity Experiment
Catherine Price, class of 2006, writes for Popular Science about whether anonymity is a thing of the past.
Posted February 11, 2008

Students Put Global Warming In The Spotlight
Kate Cheney Davidson, class of 2007, writes for chinadialogue about a new US campaign to galvanize students, teachers and policy-makers on climate change.
Posted February 8, 2008

Decision 2008
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, reported election results from the Registrar's Office in Sacramento County, Calif. throughout Super Tuesday as a stringer for The Associated Press.
Posted February 7, 2008

Aspiring Stars Getting Some Air Time
Christi Chidester, class of 2008, writes in the Alameda Journal about an innovate class at Alameda High School that is giving students the power to create and broadcast original television programs.
Posted February 5, 2008

The Final Push
For Newsweek.com, Charlotte Buchen checked in with California Democrats - both the campaigns and the voters.
Posted February 5, 2008

China: Green Dreams
America's most prominent green architect led the design of a rural Chinese eco-village–yet few farmers have any interest in moving in. Frontline/World investigates why in a three-part audio slideshow produced by Timothy Lesle, class of 2008.
Posted February 5, 2008

Web of influence
A story by the Center for Investigative Reporting and ABCNews.com shows that lobbyists for foreign countries are top fundraisers for presidential candidates. Carrie Ching, class of 2005, produced the multimedia presentation.
Posted February 4, 2008

Fate of Non-Gaming Tribes Affected by Feb. 5 Vote
The future of the Manchester-Point Arena Indians may lay in the hands of voters, writes Jessica Meyers, class of 2008, for Capitol Weekly.
Posted January 31, 2008

Dublin's Little Asia
April Dembosky, class of 2008, reviews a new collection of Asian restaurants in Dublin for the February issue of Diablo magazine.
Posted January 30, 2008

Libido Rx
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, interviews an Oakland women's health doctor who gives her best tips for improving a woman's sex drive, just in time for Valentine's Day. The story appears in the February 2008 issue of Diablo magazine.
Posted January 28, 2008

RIGHTS-IRAN: Gov't "Leading by Fear", Activists Say
For IPS News Agency, Omid Memarian, class of 2009, says that Iran's recent use of extreme punishments such as amputations and public executions has deepened concerns about the situation of human rights amid the strict enforcement of Islamic law, which has worsened since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's hardliner government came to power in June 2005.
Posted January 28, 2008

Are Iran And the U.S. Ready to Bite the Bullet?
Omid Memarian, class of 2007, has written an OP-Ed piece in the San Francisco Chronicle about the US-Iran relations after the release of National Intelligence Estimate. He says why it's time for Iran and the US to initiate serious diplomatic negotiations for the sake of security in the Middle East.
Posted January 15, 2008

Introducing a New Blog, Creative Capital
Spencer Ante, class of 1995, has just launched a new blog inspired by his forthcoming book, Creative Capital: Georges Doriot and the Birth of Venture Capital. The blog covers the intersection of finance and technology, and will be updated regularly. Please check it out when you get a chance.
Posted January 15, 2008

Kenya: Playing the Tribe Card
In the wake of the ongoing ethnic violence that has erupted in Kenya following the disputed outcome of the December 27 presidential election, Frontline/World journalist Edwin Okong'o, a Kenyan, explains the tribal rift in his country and how it has been exploited by rival politicians.
Posted January 10, 2008

History is Hot
Ever wonder why Tabasco is so ubiquitous? For Forbes.com, Malia Wollan, class of 2008, reviews Jeffrey Rothfeder's book McIlhenny's Gold: How a Louisiana Family Built The Tabasco Empire.
Posted January 10, 2008

How I Got the Story
Loretta Tofani, class of 1982, writes on CIR's The Muckraker Blog about leaving journalism to run an import furniture store, and witnessing dangerous working conditions in China's factories. What she saw led her back to journalism: Tofani's investigative series "American imports, Chinese deaths" appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune in October.
Posted January 8, 2008

Remembering Madison in 1968
Patrick Keeffe, class of 1981, writes in the Wisconsin State Journal about college life during one of the most volatile years of the Vietnam era.
Posted January 4, 2008

Raise Me, Boss
If you're thinking about asking your boss for a raise, you had better consider whether he or she is happy first, according to researchers at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, reports in California magazine's January/February 2008 issue.
Posted January 3, 2008

Youtube University
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, writes for Diablo magazine about UC Berkeley's recent decision to post course lectures on YouTube. The piece appears in Diablo's January 2008 issue, now on newsstands.
Posted January 3, 2008

A New Start
For the Patriot Ledger, April Dembosky, class of 2008, produced the audio track of this photo slide show, which documents a man's weight loss following gastric bypass surgery.
Posted January 2, 2008

Some of India's 'Tsunami Brides' Fare Better than Others
Sindya N. Bhanoo, class of 2008 reported on "tsunami brides" in Tamil Nadu, India for the San Francisco Chronicle's World section.
Posted December 26, 2007

Stores Turn Holiday Photos Into a Pet Project
Kate Macmillan, class of 2008, finds that pets are the new kids this holiday season. She writes in the The San Francisco Chronicle about the Bay Area trend of taking pet photos with Santa.
Posted December 20, 2007

The Gift of Reading
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, contributes to SF Weekly's holiday book gift guide with travel guides to Oakland and San Francisco.
Posted December 19, 2007

Chinese Voices
washingtonpost.com has published a Digital TV and the World series of reports by Brian Aguilar, Laurie Burkitt, Mason Cohn, Cynthia Dizikes, Susa Lim and Jason Witmer (class of 2008). The series takes a look at Chinese living an American experience in America and those in the Pearl River Delta city of Guangzhou.
Posted December 17, 2007

Political Nutcracker
April Dembosky, class of 2008, produced a radio piece for KALW's Artery about an alternative Nutcracker that takes on immigration, environmental destruction, and class conflict.
Posted December 13, 2007

Foreclosure-ville
Nicole Hill, class of 2006, photographs and produces a multimedia feature for the Christian Science Monitor about families loosing the American Dream in Modesto, California due to the high rate of housing foreclosures.
Posted December 11, 2007

Coming Home: Soldiers And Drugs
Robert Lewis, class of 2008, reports for ABC 20/20 on drug use in the military. The piece will air at 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, 2007.
Posted November 30, 2007

Hidden Wounds Lead To Drugs
Robert Lewis, class of 2008, writes for ABC News about the link between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and drug use that has many veterans' organizations and social service providers worried. This story is the third in an online series leading to a special 20/20 piece at 10 p.m. ET, Friday Nov. 30, 2007 on ABC.
Posted November 28, 2007

Tale Of Three Medics
Robert Lewis, class of 2008, writes for ABC News about three medics in Iraq who turned to drugs as a way to cope with the stress of war -- one never made it home, dying from a drug overdose in a Baghdad ER. The story is part of an ABC online series leading up to a special 20/20 piece at 10 p.m. ET Friday, Nov. 30 (2007) on ABC.
Posted November 27, 2007

An Innovative Program Helped Turn a Richmond School Around
Jessica Meyers, class of 2008, writes for the West County Times about a "MicroSociety" elementary school where students take on roles as mayors, restaurateurs and peace-keepers. The unusual program aims to merge real-world opportunities with basic learning skills.
Posted November 26, 2007

Schools Want Parents To Foster Healthy Eating
Jessica Meyers, class of 2008, writes about school nutrition for the West County Times. She found that campus initiatives to improve student health have expanded to include efforts to get parents on board, too.
Posted November 26, 2007

High At The Mountain Post
Robert Lewis, class of 2008, writes in ABC News about soldiers turning to drugs to cope with the physical and psychological trauma they endured in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the first in a series of articles leading up to a 20/20 special at 10 p.m. ET Friday Nov. 30, 2007 on ABC.
Posted November 26, 2007

River Roots Run Deep
Patrick Keeffe, class of 1981, writes in the Wisconsin State Journal about an unexpected encounter with family history.
Posted November 20, 2007

Services Set For Students Killed In Crash
Talia Kennedy, class of 2009, was a stringer for a Contra Costa Times obituary for two UC Davis students from Contra Costa County who died in a Nov. 9 car accident.
Posted November 16, 2007

Saving the Birds
For Newsweek.com, Charlotte Buchen, class of 2007, follows a Berkeley couple as they ferry birds from the San Francisco Bay to a rescue center where the birds will be scrubbed clean of bunker oil.
Posted November 14, 2007

Berkeley's Hare Krishnas
Sindya N. Bhanoo, class of 2008, reports for KFOG's Beat of the Bay about Berkeley's Hare Krishnas.
Posted November 10, 2007

Asia's Growing Gambling Addiction
Ling Woo Liu, class of 2006, writes in TIME Asia about the rise of gambling addiction in the wake of Asia's casino boom.
Posted November 5, 2007

eDump Documentary
Michael Zhao, class of 2007, publishes his newly cut 20-minute documentary film about electronic waste dumping from the developed world to developing countries on his personal site. This film is a side product of his 2007 master's thesis, a multimedia presentation also available on his site at michaelzhao.net/edump.
Posted November 4, 2007

"Officer Tsukamoto" Canadian Premiere
Officer Tsukamoto, Ling Liu's 2006 thesis documentary, will screen at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival on November 4, 2007. The film examines the unsolved murder of a Berkeley police officer in 1970.
Posted October 30, 2007

Parents Hold Forum Over School Calendar
Robert Lewis, class of 2008 writes about heated debates over school calendars for The Piedmonter.
Posted October 26, 2007

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