Change of Scene

On August 1, my wife Mei and I boarded a plane in Beijing. We shook the dust off our shoes (literally), took the last bites of some of the best cuisine in the world, and made the big move back to the United States.

Our new home: Venice, California, and a nice modern bungalow near the beach where the sun shines bright and the sea air welcomes you each morning with a cool relaxing breeze. I’ll be taking up a new post as associate professor and director of new media the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Journalism.

I’ve always said I like to go where “interesting problems” are. For the last six years in Asia, I got to observe the growth and impact of the Internet in the region, especially while living in China. I also had the chance to write a book, the book, about Wikipedia while traveling the world to meet enthusiastic volunteers contributing their slice of human knowledge for free. It’s been a great ride.

As a journalist and educator, right now, there is no more compelling place to be than the US where the news industry is facing an incredibly tough challenge as it looks for ways to survive an era of digital economics with Craigslist, hyperlocal content, and rapidly changing subscriber and revenue models. It will require smart analysis, enthusiastic practitioners and a unique new role for the academy to help determine how the news industry remains solvent and relevant in the 21st century. I’m thrilled to be with USC to help figure out that future. It’s a city I never imagined I’d live in, but have been impressed and excited at every turn.