Department of Journalism and Mass Communications

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Indira S. Somani, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Research: Indira Somani studies the impact of satellite television on Asian Indian communities. Her latest research was in Melbourne, Australia where she conducted oral histories with Asian Indians who migrated there between 1990 and 2000. Her research focuses on cross-cultural adaptation and how media is used in the adaptation process. Somani uses the integrative communication theory, specifically two concepts that relate to the theory: enculturation and acculturation. Somani's dissertation focused on Asian Indians who migrated to the U.S. between 1960 and 1972. In her dissertation, Somani examined the stereotypes of India on U.S. television; how Asian Indians used American television to learn about the American culture when they first move here; how Asian Indians felt attracted to Indian programming available via the satellite dish, after living in the U.S. nearly 40 years; and how Asian Indians used American television as a filter to judge the quality of Indian programming imported from India.

Documentaries: Somani is a producer of documentary films, which focus on the Indian diaspora in the U.S. Her latest film, “Crossing Lines” is a personal essay about her life growing up in the U.S. as an Indian-American woman and how she has tried to maintain a connection to her Indian culture despite the loss of her father. Other documentaries focused on prominent Asian Indians’ living in the U.S.; thriving Indian businesses in Chicago, and international students on a small liberal arts Midwest college campus.

Expertise: Somani is an expert on the Indian diaspora, specifically the media that has been available to the Indian diaspora for the past 40 years. She has compiled a historical overview of the various kinds of media that have been available to Asian Indians, such as movies, newspapers, magazines, television programs, and more. Furthermore, Somani has lived the Asian Indian diaspora experience by witnessing her own parents struggle to adapt to the United States.

Teaching: Somani teaches "Advanced Electronic Journalism," which is both online and broadcast producing. Washington and Lee's converged newsroom allows students to produce a weekly local news web site and newscast, called The Rockbridge Report in this course. Somani also teaches broadcast reporting where students are in the field covering local stories on deadline. Somani has introduced two new courses called "Media, Race and Gender" and "Cross-Cultural Documentary Filmmaking." Prior to W & L, Somani taught for five years at American University and the University of Maryland.

Experience: In November 2009, Somani reported on the Prime Minister of India's state visit to the White House for India-West. India-West is the largest weekly newspaper on the West Coast covering the South Asian community, established in 1975. This was President Obama's first state dinner. She discussed her experience being back in the field, which includes an audio slide-show and links to her coverage in India-West.

Somani was a news producer for 10 years when she worked in television, most notably with CNBC. While at CNBC she produced around-the-clock coverage of the September 11th aftermath. Her shows included live shots from Ground Zero, The Pentagon, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Prior to joining CNBC, she worked for WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Washington, DC. While at WJLA, Somani traveled to Vietnam and produced live coverage of the 25th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon. She also traveled with the presidential candidates’ wives during the 2000 election.

Awards:

“Honorable Mention”-- Faculty Jury Award- Documentary Category-- Crossing Lines. University Film and Video Association (UFVA) Conference, New Orleans, LA. August 2009

“Best American Documentary,” Crossing Lines. Heart of England International Film Festival, Tamworth, England. June 2009.

Gracie Allen Award Outstanding Documentary, Short Format, Crossing Lines, American Women in Radio and Television, June 2009.

Publications:

"The Indian Soap Opera." In Soap Opera and Telenovelas in the Digital Age: Global Industries, Hybrid Content, and New Audiences, New York: Peter Lang Publishing Group, Editors: Diana I. Rios and Mari Castaneda. (in press, Summer 2010 or Fall 2010).

“Becoming American,” Journal of International & Intercultural Communication, in press, January 2010.

Juried Papers:

"Stereotypes of India on U.S. Television—Effects on Acculturation to Indian Television," NCA (National Communication Association), International and Intercultural Division, Chicago. November 2009.

Conference Presentations:

“Documentary: From creation to DVD distribution,” Documentary Division, BEA (Broadcast Education Association), Las Vegas, NV, April 2010.

“Personal essay documentary—an effective tool for teaching cross-cultural issues,” Documentary Division, BEA, Las Vegas, NV, April 2010.

“Media and Migration: Negotiating Geography, Language and Cultural Identity,” NCA, Mass Communication Division, Chicago, November 2009.

AEJMC, “How Convergence changes everything: Small towns, small programs, big challenges,” Small Programs Interest Group, Boston, MA, August 2009.

ICA, Journalism in the 21st Century: Between Globalization and National Identity Conference.
Enculturation and Acculturation of Television Use Among Asian Indians in the U.S. Melbourne, Australia, July 2009.

Latest Screenings
of Crossing Lines:

International Film Festival South Africa, Dargle, South Africa, November 2009.