Strasser chased news stories around the globe
By Lisa Behrns
J Alumni News staff
After 25 years of globetrotting for Newsweek International, Steven Strasser retired in August.
Covering the Chinese invasion of Vietnam, the bombing of Marine barracks in Beirut and the Reagan-Gorbachev summits, Strasser has seen a world of change.
It's a change not only in the world scene, but also in the methods journalists use to cover the news, he said.
"The medium has definitely changed in the past years," said Strasser who has worked hard to keep up with the fast pace by which news is delivered today.
"There still is no substitute for traditional journalists who can get the facts straight," Strasser said.
Strasser graduated from UNL with a degree in political science and journalism in 1973. He worked as a reporter at the Miami Herald from 1973 to 1977. Strasser took a year to earn his master's degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism before joining Newsweek International.
Strasser joined Newsweek's staff as an associate editor in the foreign affairs department and became a senior writer in January 1981.
He and his wife, Joyce Barnathan, also a Newsweek correspondent at the time, moved to Moscow to cover the Gorbachev era and worked on joint cover stories. Strasser served as Moscow correspondent from May 1985 to August 1988.
They returned to New York and later relocated to Hong Kong when Strasser accepted a position as Hong Kong bureau chief and Asia regional editor. It was the first time Newsweek stationed its Asia regional editor on the continent instead of in New York.
"We were there during an exciting time," Strasser said. "This was a period of rapid growth in China, and we were getting people interested around the world."
Strasser became the national affairs editor in May 1999 then stepped up to the role of managing editor of Newsweek International in October 2000.
Through his career, Strasser remembered the education he received at UNL.
"Nebraska gives you a sense of professionalism," Strasser said. "They made a religion of taking pride in doing a job well."
Strasser's enthusiasm for journalism was encouraged by Jim Patten, a former UNL professor.
"He helped build the excitement for what I could do in the field." Strasser said.
Patten remembered his former student; the two had remained in touch through the years.
"He was so talented, the only thing I could do was encourage him," Patten said, recalling the days when the journalism college was still a journalism school.
"We just tried to keep him interested," Patten said.
Strasser also credited his undergraduate internships and experience at the Daily Nebraskan for giving him an opportunity to expand his knowledge.
"You're able to learn so much from covering everything from fires to obits," Strasser said. "It's a life of variety."
The life of variety has taken on a new form since Strasser retired from a career covering the world's news.
Ready for a change, he has no intentions of sitting around waiting for something to happen.
"I'm planning to look for something else," Strasser said. "But, something with fewer deadlines."
Profile box: Steven Strasser
Date of birth: Dec. 31, 1946; Ann Arbor, Mich.
Place of residence: New York, N.Y.
Education: Bachelor's degree in political science and journalism, UNL; Master's degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism
Current job: Retired Aug. 17, 2002, from Newsweek International as managing editor
Family: Wife, Joyce Barnathan, assistant managing editor of BusinessWeek; two sons and a daughter
Mentors: Jim Patten, former UNL journalism professor.
