Nieman Choice Says Reversal Of Honor Unfair

Kin-ming Liu, a prominent Hong Kong journalist promised a Nieman Foundation fellowship at Harvard, had that fellowship revoked earlier this month.

Now, Liu and his supporters are protesting the foundation's decision, saying the violation of rules that caused the revocation was too minor to be worth such punishment.

Liu, nominated for his work as the top op-ed writer for the Hong Kong Economic Daily and not officially announced as a fellow, had his fellowship revoked because he changed jobs without notifying Nieman judges--a violation of their rules.

Liu left the Economic Daily because of what he called terrible censorship, and moved to Hong Kong's Apple Daily, the second-largest daily in this Chinese territory.

"I quit in disgust without finding another job first," Liu wrote in an e-mail message. "A bit later, I was approached by Apple Daily saying that they wanted to upgrade the paper and created a decent op-ed page."

Liu was notified on May 3, his first day of work at the Apple Daily, that he had been selected as a Nieman fellow for the 1999-2000 academic year to study "libel chill"--the suing of a party that criticizes an agency's product--and press freedom.

Liu was told that he would have to keep his selection confidential until an official announcement later in May.

But on May 6, Liu learned he would not be a recipient of the fellowship.

"I got a call from...the Nieman Foundation...telling me that my change of job has made a `fundamental difference' in my application and they could no longer offer me the fellowship," Liu said.

The fundamental difference, according to Nieman Curator Bill Kovach, was that, "[Liu] applied from one newspaper and then changed jobs, without notifying us."

Liu's supporters said this move hurts both him and Hong Kong newspaper readers, watching as their press makes the transition from British colonial rule to Chinese administration.

James D. Seymour, a senior research fellow at Columbia University's East Asian Institute, has been among those lauding Liu's move to the Apple Daily and protesting the Nieman decision.

"Mr. Liu has been a valiant fighter for pressfreedom in Hong Kong," Seymour wrote in an e-mailmessage. "He changed jobs from a small, ratherelitist newspaper (Hong Kong Economic Times) toHong Kong's number two (in circulation) newspaper,the only really independent daily left."

Seymour wrote that the move, while sudden,would actually benefit the Hong Kong community.

"It was a good move for Liu, and for Hong Kongnewspaper readers. [It is] odd that Nieman wouldwant to punish him for it," Seymour wrote.

Kovach expressed exasperation at thelarge-scale effort on Liu's behalf.

"Either he or his friends are trying to makethis a political appointment," Kovach said. "Thisis not a political process, this is aboutjournalism."

Kovach said he was unsure how to respond to thecriticisms.

"I've never been in this position before, soI'm a little confused about what they want me todo," Kovach added. "This whole idea of lobbying isa little alien to me.

"Mr. Liu has been a valiant fighter for pressfreedom in Hong Kong," Seymour wrote in an e-mailmessage. "He changed jobs from a small, ratherelitist newspaper (Hong Kong Economic Times) toHong Kong's number two (in circulation) newspaper,the only really independent daily left."

Seymour wrote that the move, while sudden,would actually benefit the Hong Kong community.

"It was a good move for Liu, and for Hong Kongnewspaper readers. [It is] odd that Nieman wouldwant to punish him for it," Seymour wrote.

Kovach expressed exasperation at thelarge-scale effort on Liu's behalf.

"Either he or his friends are trying to makethis a political appointment," Kovach said. "Thisis not a political process, this is aboutjournalism."

Kovach said he was unsure how to respond to thecriticisms.

"I've never been in this position before, soI'm a little confused about what they want me todo," Kovach added. "This whole idea of lobbying isa little alien to me.