THREE days of Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS) Business and Economic Reporting workshop held in Apia, Samoa ended successfully yesterday.
The training was attended by regional reporters who are dealing business and economic reporting in their respective media organizations.
ABC Radio Pacific business and economic reporter Jemima Garrett facilitated the training.
The training covered all the difficult bits of economic and business reporting which included the economic forecasting, how to report government budgets and how to deal with those difficult numbers on financial reports.
At the training, the reporters looked at accountability institutions connected to business and economic issues, the use of social media and reporting small indigenous businesses which are crucial for the future of any country.
A number of speakers made presentations during the training.
This was the first time for PACMAS to organise such a workshop for business reporters in the region and is planning to expand this in the future.
Ms Garrett at the training highlighted that economic reporting is important for the future of any country in the Pacific, adding that public needs to understand how businesses and government operate as economic decisions are very important in their lives.
“Journalists need to understand the issues and explain it well for people to understand.”
Most of the participants have expressed satisfaction over the training and thanked PACMAS for the opportunity. They also filled up an evaluation of the training at the closing of the training to give their personal feedback.
Ms Garrett congratulated most of the participants when presenting their certificates at the close of the training yesterday.
“I hope you have learnt something out of it to help with your business and economics reporting.”
Most of the participants will leave Apia and return to their respective countries early tomorrow morning.
Participants came from Fiji, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Solomon Islands.
By MOFFAT MAMU
In Apia, SAMOA
