Media pays more attention to economic issues Wanted: Good business reporters [Archives:2002/22/Business & Economy]

YASSER AL-MAYASI
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
Business reporting plays a pivotal role in delivering business related information with a view of highlighting any positive or negative economic change. Until recently, Yemens business media was totally nonexistent, though thats changing. More media are paying more and more attention to economic issues.
To this end, a meeting between economic editors and industrialists was held in Sanaa May 5 to discuss the role of media in boosting the national economy. The meeting was held under the title, Economic Correspondent Diary.
Ibrahim al-Ashmawi, former correspondent of the London-based al-Hayat al-Iqtisadiyah newspaper, talked about the knowledge that is needed for any economic editor, saying that economic editors should know every component of the economy.
Good economic editing skills as well as neutrality and being new and to the point information are the foundations for good economic stories, he said. Mr. Ibrahim pointed to the importance of maintaining an easy-reference archive, since it constitutes the source of information and the authoritative reference for any economic editor.
Hamoud Munasar, correspondent of the France-Press Agence (FPA), highlighted the significance of the press and its different forms as well as its role in building up publics awareness.
Muhammed Abdu Saeed, chairman of Yemeni Industrialists Association, spoke on behalf of the business community, and pointed out to the importance of media in communicating the concerns of the business community to the decision-makers.
Media will continue to be a forum for change, if its employed well.
Yet, economic reporting occupies a good space at the Yemeni press for its vital importance in their respect, said Iskandar al-Asbahi, foreign information officer at the Ministry of Information.
Al-Asbahi commented that we cant claim that we have economic media in Yemen so far, adding that its influence is still not that strong.
On the same topic, the director-general of the Yemeni Industrialists Association talked on the role of business reporting in the development of nations. He added that the difficult economic conditions encountering our economy should be tackled through the media.
Highlighting this issue through the press would help form an overall strategic national vision for a developing economy. This role can not be carried out but with the help of the different forms of the mass media, he said.
The overall conclusion of the meeting was strong and straight forward: Without accurate and professinoal business reporting in our media, it would be almost impossible to achieve an economically developed Yemen.

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