TRACKING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY

Accelerating globalization is meshing together economic forces quickly and journalists need to identify and explain trends when there is every potential for economic forces to collide with political hopes. Participating journalists will be introduced to current economic developments, the impact of global change and some visions of the future. This workshop places journalists in teams of three or four, charged with reporting on a major international economic policy meeting where they will be expected to cover statements from leading international policymakers, NGOs and behind-the-scenes negotiations that could lead to a clash between the developed and the developing worlds.

Journalism skills addressed during the course

1. •News judgment
   

2. •Accuracy, speed and freedom from bias
   

3. •Teamwork in both sub-editing and reporting
   

4. •Handling official statements and negotiations accurately
   

5. •Orchestrating a file of stories to explain complex issues
   

6. •News editing or participating at a major conference
   

7. •Interviewing decision-makers
   

8. •Breaking exclusive stories
   

9. •Knowledge of legal dangers
   

10. •Handling breaking stories
    

11. •Re-working complex material around a news angle
    

12. •Injecting context into copy.
    

Financial terms explained during the course

This will depend on current international economic issues; the course is updated before it runs. The course also explains the IMF, World Bank and constituent international organizations, special drawing rights, economic growth rates, employment, inflationary expectations, business cycles, budgets and fiscal policy, central bank operations, corruption, money laundering, yield curves, balance of payments, foreign exchange reserves, devaluations, international debt and defaults.

Course Objectives 

After completing the course, participants can expect to be able to:

1. •Write with authority about currently topical international issues
   

2. •Explain how to use teamwork to achieve results
   

3. •Offer suggestions to improve successful team participation
   

4. •Interview leading decision-makers with authority
   

5. •Explain the workings of major international institutions and who to contact
   

6. •Explain the impact of globalization themes
   

7. •Outline current developments in currency movements and international reserves.
   

Course Outline

This advanced four or five-day workshop for financial journalists exposes them to the news editing problem of sifting inbound raw material at a major conference, giving them confidence to explain current economic affairs. The course is built around a major case study that reflects a major financial news event such as an International Monetary Fund/World Bank annual meeting. Competing teams of journalists working non-stop during the day in a simulated newsroom must decide from speeches, news conferencesa and statements which are important for their media outlet. Copy coaches offer feedback throughout the workshop on both teamwork and writing to participants taking turns to act as news editors, sub-editors and reporters. Television trainers, if requested, will give feedback on media presentations.

Pre-work/Pre-requisites

Pre-course reading, learning agreements and a short evaluation to establish existing knowledge of international economic affairs.