Press Corps Background Guide
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Press Corps Background Guide EagleMUNC Website: www.EagleMUNC.org Boston College Model Editor in United Nations March 18-20, 2016 Conference Chief: Tory Sivco [email protected] 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 Press Corps “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) Press Corps 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. Press Corps 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.