Regional business/economic reporters have been reminded of their important role in accurately reporting on business and investment stories in their countries.
Mathieu Robbins, who has worked for two of the world’s top financial news services, Reuters and Bloomberg, stressed the importance of business journalists on Monday at day one of the training.
He said regional business reporters have an important role to play in writing and promoting business, investment and economic activities in their countries.
“When investors and businesses see positive business stories about your country it would allow them to make decision to invest in your countries.”
He also highlighted the need by reporters to build relationship with the companies and organisations so that over time they can have trust.
Mr Robbins also encouraged regional business journalists not to be scared of, numbers and economics.
“Financial journalists should not be scared to address economic issues as their role is actually a crucial one to attract foreign investment.
“Both your country and investors in your countries will be counting on you to get it right.
“One thing we would like to do is give people here confidence in their business reporting to take it forth and improve it,” he said.
The training organised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) brought together more than ten reporters from around the region.
It is being held at the Fiji Reserve Bank in Suva.
Training sessions over the past days included ways to cover the economy, the role of the Central Bank – Monetary Policy and ways to help steer an economy, and the International Monetary Fund’s work and economic issues in Pacific region.
Mr Robbins, together with his colleague Lincoln Feast were from one of the world’s top financial journalism training organisations, the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
One of the aims for the workshop was to allow financial journalists to exchange their experiences and learn from each other.
The facilitators hope they can then better understand economic issues and also understand from a journalistic point of view how to cover them.
Dezhi Ma – a former Associate Director for the World Economic Forum from the International Monetary Fund will today make presentation about the work of IMF and link up the reporters.
The training will end today.
By MOFFAT MAMU
In Suva, FIJI
