The assistant professor of journalism traveled to the Bay Area this week to produce content for Asharq News, a multiplatform Arabic news service that partners with Bloomberg Media.
With a single comment, Alex Luchsinger put into perspective the magnitude of this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which drew 21 world leaders from Pacific Rim countries to San Francisco. In total, as many as 30,000 people were expected to attend.
“As one might imagine, security is immensely difficult at the summit,” said the assistant professor of journalism, while on assignment Nov. 16. “It was 10 times easier to get into the White House than making it into the Moscone Center where leaders are meeting.”
Luchsinger is in the Bay Area working as a freelance producer, videographer and editor for Asharq News, a multiplatform Arabic news service that partners with Bloomberg Media and its robust network of 2,700 working journalists.
While in San Francisco, the Elon professor is supporting the outlet’s news coverage, which includes a story highlighting the Chinatown community’s views on the meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping of China. The two leaders met for a widely covered conversation on Nov. 15 to discuss several global issues, including the need to combat illicit drug manufacturing and trafficking.
“This is a historic meeting. It is the biggest between United States and Asian nations in the U.S. since 1946,” Luchsinger said. “Personally, it is exciting to see many Asian nations come to San Francisco and participate. And given the tumultuous year between the U.S. and China, involving fair elections and China’s encroachment in Taiwan, this meeting is of great interest around the globe.”
Luchsinger explained that he believes his Elon classes and students gain a real benefit by his continued work in the news industry, covering high-profile events like this week’s summit.
“This chance to come to San Francisco provides a wealth of information to prompt discussions,” he said. “Keeping up with current events and the newest technology is something that lends itself well to the classroom. Case in point, there are a lot of protests here opposing Xi Jinping’s visit, as well as protests about the war in Gaza. Biden has to contend with multiple geopolitical situations, all of which are interesting topics to discuss with students.”
In 2021, Luchsinger traveled to Mexico to investigate what immigrants encounter while seeking asylum in the United States. His news coverage received national distribution, appearing on NBC affiliates and their respective online platforms throughout the country.