Press Corps Background Guide
EagleMUNC Website: www.EagleMUNC.org Boston College Model Editor in United Nations March 18-20, 2016 Conference Chief:
Tory Sivco
Press Corps
Letter of Introduction Dear Distinguished Journalists, Welcome to EagleMUNC IV! My name is Tory Sivco and I have the distinct pleasure of serving as the Press Corps Editor-in-Chief. I am from Sandwich, Massachusetts, a small town on Cape Cod and I have been involved in MUN since my freshman year of high school. Today, I am a sophomore in Boston College’s Morrissey School of Arts and Sciences majoring in Political Science with a minor in International Studies. This will be my second EagleMUNC and as your Editor-in-Chief, I am thrilled to guide you in your reporting and writing throughout the conference. This is our most unique committee this year! As a member of the Press Corps, you have chosen an exciting journey, distinct from all other roles at EagleMUNC. The press is an essential element of modern democracy, providing an array of diverse perspectives and linking global communities. As a delegate in this conference, it will be your challenge and responsibility to maintain this connection. Please note that this committee will require delegates to bring a laptop or tablet to committee sessions. As this committee will be more writing-intensive than most, I would like interested journalists to submit a writing sample prior to attending the conference. To prepare for this committee, I advise journalists to become familiar with current events and general information about the other EagleMUNC IV committees. Additionally, please continue to check the Press Corps page on eaglemunc.org for preparation materials, such as sample articles and templates. I look forward to meeting you in March, and in the meantime please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns at [email protected]. Best, Tory Sivco
Press Corps
Terminology
Editor in Chief – This individual will oversee the committee, guide in the reporting throughout the conference, and serve as a resource for the delegates.
Delegates or Staff Journalists – These are each assigned a character, all of who are current journalists. These high-ranking journalists have been pulled from an extensive list of both national and international news outlets. It is recommended that delegates maintain the writing styles and personal opinions of the respective characters.
“In the Office” – This term refers to the time allotted for debate in the committee room.
During this time, delegates will enter a continuous moderated caucus and follow the Rules of
Procedure. It is encouraged that delegates address the subtopics of this committee and deliberate upon corporate decisions with one another.
“In the Field” – This term refers to the time allotted for individual research and writing.
Delegates will be allowed to enter and observe committee rooms during debate. At the beginning of the conference, delegates will be assigned a committee to report on. Afterwards, delegates may choose to select a committee or several committees to focus on based on continued personal interest.
Background
Traditionally, Press Corps committees require delegates to be constantly reporting and are meant to chronicle the issues and decisions taking place in each committee throughout the
Model United Nations conference. In lieu of that model, Press Corps at EagleMUNC IV endeavors to present a realistic representation of the intersection of news reportage, politics,
Press Corps and business. Designed as an energetic and interactive committee, the Press Corps committee will challenge its delegates to better understand the role of journalism, as well as the way it influences the public opinion.
In the true spirit of Model United Nations, during the weekend of the conference, delegates will abandon their own identities and personal views. The year is 2016 and all forms of journalism have never been so accessible. The media has always had a strong influence on politics, and in turn, public opinion. The use of technology has challenged the traditional print media as well as revolutionized the way news is presented to the people. Eagle International
News was created with the vision of accommodating the demand of the modern day reader and delivering swift and reliable news. Despite its promising beginning, this media outlet has yet to attract the strong reader base or influence that the Board of Trustees desires. As part of a strategic structuring plan, renowned journalists from various news agencies were recruited and hired to form the primary press team. Every journalist is tasked with writing a minimum of three articles for each session spent “in the field” regarding the status and events taking place in each committee. These could come in any form ranging from opinion pieces to editorials, video interviews or photojournalism updates. Initially every member of the press team will have the opportunity to observe and report on any of the other committees at the conference.
However like any journalist, all delegates will find an area or topic that especially piques their interest. Eventually, every journalist will choose a committee to focus on and report mainly on that particular topic.
As this is a newly established news agency, journalists will also be involved in the promotion and growth of this business. In this innovative simulation, delegates will be working
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“at the office” and “in the field”. They will be writing articles and making business policies to help improve the reputation and credibility of this Eagle International. With unprecedented access to all of our other committees, Press Corps delegates will be chronicling each and every development with the use of print and digital media forms. Delegates are also encouraged to explore journalism and its subfields, such as investigative journalism and photojournalism.
Part of running a successful paper and establishing creditability is having a diverse mesh of opinions and perspectives. Eagle International plans to achieve this very goal by recruiting journalists of news agencies from different regions of the world, each with different histories and biases. The different political journalists and editors comprising this delegation are as follows:
ABC – George Stephanopoulos (Political Correspondent and Journalist)
Al- Jazeera – Mehdi Hasan (Political Journalist)
Associated Press – David Scott (Political Editor)
BBC – Laura Kuenssberg (Political Editor)
Buzzfeed News – Ben Smith (Editor-in-Chief, former Political Editor)
CNN – Dana Bash (Chief Political Correspondent and Journalist)
Huffington Post – Michael Calderone (Senior Media Reporter, former Political coverage)
Le Monde – Jérôme Fenoglio (Editor-in-Chief, International Outreach)
New York Times – Jonathan Martin (Political Correspondent)
Politico – Glenn Thrush (Chief Political Correspondent)
The Globe and Mail – Ryan MacDonald (Political Correspondent)
The Guardian – Nicholas Watt (Political Correspondent)
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The Washington Post – Erik Wemple (Political, Media, Opinion Journalist)
USA Today – David Callaway (Editor-in-Chief)
Xinhua – He Ping (Editor-in-Chief, News Branch Representative)
Procedure:
Debate “In the Office”
Every committee session begins and ends “in the office.” The structure of this committee is a continuous moderated caucus with occasional crisis updates following the
Rules of Procedure. The Editor in Chief is the chair of the committee as well as an advisor and a copy editor. During this allotted time, delegates are to work together in creating the credibility of the agency, whether by establishing a code of ethics, discussing how to raise readership or proposing promotional maneuvers. Use this time as a way to familiarize yourself with the work produced by your fellow staff journalists. Approach this as a team effort to create a credible and successful newspaper as a whole. Keep in mind that collaboration and contributions to the agency is important in reaching the goals set by the Board of Trustees.
Reportage “In the Field”
After spending time “in the office,” delegates will be free to begin their reportage. As technology is a large component of this committee, it is required that all delegates have a laptop or tablet to work with. Please note that all delegates must communicate with the Editor in Chief during this time. With great independence comes great responsibility.
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Articles and social media updates are required of delegates while they are “in the field.”
As this is a writing intensive committee, note that delegates will be required to write a minimum of 3 articles during each session “in the field.” These articles are credited to your character and will be made available to the public through WordPress and print. Templates and additional information about articles will be made available online at eaglemunc.org.
Social media updates are in the form of Twitter and Instagram. These accounts are to be used to chronicle the goings-on of other committees as well as to promote the news agency.
At the first committee session, delegates will first be assigned committees to report on; afterwards, they may choose to focus on a specific committee or committees. Delegates may work together to produce articles and social media updates. Delegates are also encouraged to be creative and think out of the box – modern media capabilities can be some of the greatest strengths to an evolving industry. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of the great amount of resources you will have. Delegates are encouraged to do something new and bold that will bring a big name to the new agency as well as represent the ideas and style of the reporter delegates will become during the conference. With the supervision and instruction of the
Editor in Chief, Press Corps delegates may directly communicate with other committees; otherwise, they should maintain an observer status.
Topics to Consider
Following this year’s conference theme of Liberty and Security, and more specifically the sub-category of “The Challenge of Liberty and Security,” consider the role journalism has in its promotion, or obstruction. As journalists in a modern technology-based world, how do you
Press Corps ensure that you have early access to news and information? Closely related is the issue of security; how do you uphold and protect the confidentiality of your sources, the physical and digital security of your journalists, and the security of the enterprise.
As previously mentioned, delegates should be reminded that there are certain expectations and goals set by the Board of Trustees in the form of business matters. As important as it is to produce articles and social media updates, it is equally important to promote the agency and introduce growth as well as credibility. In order to reach those goals, this news agency will have to approach topics such as ethics and confidentiality. Additionally, how can this news agency appeal to modern readers? Centering your focus on these topics and discussing possible solutions will contribute to establishing a code of ethics and set of standards for the news agency.
Ethics in Journalism: When it comes to the foundations of journalism, often there is debate in the prioritization of journalistic morals and the duty to report the news. While there are a variety of existing codes that have differences, almost all share fundamentals in the principles of truthfulness, precision, impartiality, neutrality, fairness, and public accountability.
These basics apply to the way a journalist might collect information, report information, and credit their sources. These standards are generally considered the “code” by which journalists should operate under – but there is still much debate and many details to discuss from one organization to another.
On one side of this issue, there is a prioritization of rules over opinion or style. Some may find it more important to uphold these codes of conduct than to express an idea. On the other side, there is a large problem with the strict structure of journalism ethics when it comes
Press Corps to political writings, sources, and biases. Some agencies influenced by money or public figures may struggle to balance credibility and morals when presented with controversial societal issues or people. Sensationalism and inaccuracy of information are also important to keep in mind when reporting.
Questions to Consider:
1. How does one avoid the common problem of reporting incorrect information? How can data or quotes be verified without destroying their primary source integrity? 2. How many sources of information determine credibility? 3. In areas without the freedom of press, how can journalism reflect the truth against government propaganda? 4. What are some ways to combat personal views in strictly objective yet provocative pieces? 5. What auxiliary media pieces (photos, soundbites, videos, etc.) help or harm the credibility and neutrality of journalism?
Attracting Modern Readers: The news industry has been experiencing difficulty in maintaining readers in an age with evolving technology. Ten years ago, people did not read articles on mobile platforms – the paper form could still capture an audience. As technology has been improved, the newspaper industry must revolutionize the way it delivers its content. Some organizations have moved to internet or mobile device platforms. With the importance of social media, other organizations have been shaping their content to fit the structure of outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and even Snapchat. By moving media to an online platform, however, there is a new struggle for monetary gain. Online subscription versus Ad revenue and free content is another debate within the modern news transitions.
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Questions to Consider:
1. What platforms should be utilized to display the news? 2. Should revenue be generated off of subscriber bases or off of advertisement space? 3. What are some innovative ways to display the news to a variety of audiences? 4. Where is there room to improve upon the creativity of news reporting and what new ideas can be brought to the table to “revolutionize” the industry?
Security of Journalists in Conflict: Journalism is not all about sitting in an office. Some of the greatest sources and topics are in areas where media is not always as free and safety cannot be guaranteed. There is a duty to report the news from interesting and controversial perspectives, but there is also an increasing risk for journalists in dangerous fields. When it comes to wars and governments against the press, there can be severe risks for journalists who are intent on reporting the truth. Imprisonment can be common when reporting in areas or on subjects against the government’s judgement. In fact, less than 14% of the world’s countries have the freedom of press. UNESCO has discussed this issue as well, recommending, “Particular attention should be given to safety of local journalists. A specific goals of any security strategy should be to provide safety training for local journalists, as international journalists are often heavily equipped and protected.” While safety for journalists itself if a widely supported concept, the question of how to do so effectively and efficiently remains.
Questions to Consider:
1. Can reporters be efficiently prepared, and by whom, to face the dangers of reporting in zones of conflicts? 2. Have the countries, the international organizations, and media institutions put in place all possible means to limit the risks incurred by war correspondents? 3. Can a strategy be determined to protect the rights of a journalist who may be reporting in an area that does not hold those same rights? 4. What strategy could be developed for a reporter travelling and reporting in areas of conflict like Syria, North Korea, Iraq, the Philippines, or Pakistan (all ranked very high on the most dangerous places for journalists in 2014 and 2015)?
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Works Cited
"The Internet: How It Changes Everything About Journalism." Nieman Reports The Internet How It Changes Everything About Journalism Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
"Is the Internet Making Journalism Better or Worse? Yes." Gigaom. N.p., 21 July 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
"Journalism Ethics Researching Ethics The Nature of Journalism Ethics." Journalism Ethics Researching Ethics The Nature of Journalism Ethics. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
"Less than 14% of World Lives in Countries with Free Press." Global Investigative Journalism Network. N.p., 07 May 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
"Philippines: A Deadly Country for Journalists - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
"Security and Safety of Media Professionals | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization." Security and Safety of Media Professionals | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
"Society of Professional JournalistsImproving and Protecting Journalism since 1909." SPJ Code of Ethics. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.