Section outline

  • INTRODUCTORY NOTE FROM INSTRUCTOR


    I welcome you all to the course Print Media Lab. This course will be based on practical work and occasion lectures. As per the assessment style, there will be 3 quizzes, assignment, presentation, attendance, Mid-term and Final examinations under the 100 marks (3 credit). Apart from class work, there will also be some home works to sharpen the skills required to complete the course. I am available during office time for any queries related to the course. I wish you all the best! :) 


  •   

    Welcome to the course

    BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC REPORTING

    Instructor:
    Anayetur Rahaman
    Lecturer, Dept of JMC 
    Email: anayetur.jmc@diu.edu.bd
    (profile)




             



    COURSE DESCRIPTION
    Many of us want to know "Can Bangladesh become like Singapore and Malaysia? Or, can Bangladesh develop as rapidly as Malaysia or Singapore did? An analysis of economy and related realities can give some reasonable answers. The knowledge about economy and development can help us understand whats are needed for Bangladesh to develop as fast as the Asian Tigers. 


    COURSE OBJECTIVE

    The course is about reporting business and economy in mass media. The business and economy is a vital element of the society. A huge responsibility, therefore, lies with the journalism to present this issue to people in a way so they can better understand the trends. As this demands specialized knowledge and skills, the course aims to make students able to clearly explain the matters. This course enables the students write and report about business/economy in a reader-friendly way.

    LEARNING OBJECTIVE

    The course will cover basics of economy, economic development, business, globalization,  international trade, impacts of globalization in local business, financial markets, stock markets, researching business/economy and reporting numbers. This will also help you earn skills of writing economic facts, figures and terms in simple language understandable for all audience and readers. The course will also give a chance to learn graphic presentation of different figures and data for easy communication to the public.

    COURSE OUTCOME

    At the end of the course, the students can better deal with the economic numbers and figures and translate them into more easier versions for the mass people. They will be able to explain economy, financial market data, stock markets, business growth figures and international trade situation. They will earn skills to write reports on these matters. The students will be able to generate their own business or economic story ideas, research on them and gather information by interviewing leading figures in the business or economic sectors for their reporting. 


    • Marks Distribution



      • Writing About Business, Terri Thompson
      • News Reporting and Writing, Melvin Mencher
      • Business Journalism: How to Report on Business and Economics, Keith Hayes

  • Lesson 01

    An Introduction 


    Lesson Objectives

    This lecture aims to understand business for reporting or journalism purpose. This also explores the topics in business journalism and nature business reporting. This defines business and economic reporting and gives a look at the context in Bangladesh.

    Lesson Outcomes

    After the lecture, the students will know about business and economic journalism, its types and difference between business reporting and economic reporting. It will also educate the students about the business and economic journalism with special reference to Bangladesh.



  • Lesson 2

    Business and Economic Basics


    Learning objectives

    This lesson is to provide you with basic knowledge on business and economy usually required for reporting on the issues. This will give a brief summary on different major economic factors, financial sector, major industries and business in Bangladesh, wheels of Bangladesh economy and some basic business/economic terms.

    Learning outcomes

    At the end of this session, you will be expected to have basic knowledge on business and economic factors, particularly in Bangladesh. You will also know which sectors help Bangladesh economy leap. You will also be familiar with a few common business and economic terms that will help you write on the issues.  


    Reading:

    Chapter 14: Macroeconomics; Book: Keith Hayes, Business Journalism: How to Report on Business and Economy

  • Lesson 03 

    Understanding Areas of Business/Economic News


    Learning objectives

    This lesson will help you understand areas of business/economic stories. It will discuss what issues are considered in selecting business/economic news topics. It will show techniques and practices in the field so that you can understand the writing style and the topics that are usually covered.

    Learning outcomes

    After the session, you will expect to have an understanding business/economic news areas and select  business/economic issues for reporting. They will know the major issues in the field. Students will be able to apply the techniques and knowledge to generate ideas of and produce business stories for mass media. 



  • Business News Writing Exercise

    • a. Write an intro from this press release. Click

      b. Write a business news story on the basis of this press release. Click 

  • Lesson 04

    Reporting Numbers


    Lesson objectives

    This lesson aims to discuss how numbers are reported in the news and how they can be given meaning to the readers or audience. This will examine different numbers that may appear in different economic and financial situations of a country.

    Lesson outcome

    After the lesson, the students are expected to understand and analyse economic, financial and business numbers. The students will be able to translate the numbers to their readers or audience with their importance.


  • FIRST QUIZ

    Syllabus: Lessons 01-03


  • Lesson 5

    Economic News: Ideas and Sources


    Learning objectives

    This lesson aims to help you learn how to identify business and economic news sources and also how to collect information for the stories. It will extensively discuss relevant sources,  techniques of collecting information and use of computerized data for reporting.

    Learning outcomes

    At the end of the session, you will be expected to collect business information efficiently from different related sources, apply techniques to collect them and utilize computerized to produce business/economic stories.

     

  • Enterprises and Corporate Sector


    Lesson objectives

    This lesson will intend to examine the enterprises, corporate business and service sector for reporting purposes. The lesson will explore different aspects of this sector with special focus in Bangladesh and exercise how a reporter makes stories on this field for his/her outlet.

    Lesson outcomes

    At the end of the session, you may be expected to understand corporate business, its possibilities and contribution for the economy, loopholes and drawbacks. You will also be able to find news ideas on the sector and write or produce reports on different issues in this field.  


  • Lesson 06

    Banks and Financial Institutions


    Lesson objectives

    This lesson aims to explore the purpose, functions and economic contribution of banks and financial institutions. It will also examine the banks' performance performance in Bangladesh. The lesson will also look at the powers and responsibilities of banks' regulatory body- the Central Bank (Bangladesh Bank).

    Lesson outcomes

    At the end of the session, you may expect to understand the banking system especially in Bangladesh, its participation in economy, financial governance and performance. You will also understand the responsibilities and regulations of Bangladesh for financial management of the country. 



  • MIDTERM EXAM


    Midterm topics:

    • Basics of economy (GDP, per capita income, different economic sectors e.g. industry, agriculture, service)  
    • Purpose of business and economic journalism 
    • Areas of business and economic reporting
    • The sources for business and economic reporting, e.g. export news, agriculture reporting, price hike news)
    • Comparing figures between the periods and writing intros (GDP growth, export news and price hike news)  


    How to participate in exam: video 


  • Lesson 07

    Reporting Stock Markets


    Lesson objectives

    This lesson will aim to explore different aspects of bond and stock markets and its contribution to economy. This will examine functions, technicalities and terms used in stock and bond markets. The lesson will also examine the performance of these systems in Bangladesh.

    Lesson outcomes

    At the end of the session, you may expect to be familiar with the functions, technicalities and terms of stock and bond market systems. You will also know the participation and contribution of these systems in an economy. You can also understand and analyze state of Bangladesh stock markets and also bond markets. You will be able report these market systems comfortably and skillfully. 

    Reading:

    Chapter 16: Stock and Bond Markets (Book: Keith Hayes, Business Journalism: How to Report on Business and Economies) 

  • SECOND QUIZ



  • Lesson 08

    Reporting Industry



    Objective
    The lesson aims to discuss about reporting industry and indusrial impacts on a country's economy. It will also give a particular focus on garment industry in Bangladesh as this is the country's largest industry. 

    Outcome
    After the lesson, the students will know the importance of industry in economy and disfferent industrial issues for reporting as a business journalist.


    A BBC video report: Impacts of pandemic on Bangladesh garment industry jobs 




    • Why is the garment industry important for the Bangladesh economy? (write within 50 words)

    • Watch the BBC report above, then summarize it (within 100 words).
  • Lesson 09

    Use of Numbers 

     

    Learning objectives

    This lesson aims to help the students learn the use of numbers, figures and statistics in the business and financial stories. This will discuss with examples about meaning of numbers and use of numbers in headlines and intros. 

    Learning outcomes

    At the end of the session, the students will expect to understand the use of numbers, figures and statistics in the business and financial stories. Thy will also know about meaning of numbers and use of numbers in headlines and intros. They will be able to skillfully handle the numbers in business or financial stories 

  • THIRD QUIZ

  • ASSIGNMENT 

    Instructions

    • Write a business/economy report on any topic of your choice (Not the same ones you did for other class works). Language can be either English or Bangla. 


    Sample business reports (Bangla)

    Sample business reports (English)

  • PRESENTATION


    Prepare a video presentation 3-5 mins about the report you submitted as assignment. In presentation, mention what is the report about, what sources you used and what interesting facts you have found in the report.


  • FINAL ASSIGNMENT 



    Topics:

    1. Bangladesh garment industry's contribution to export sector (read different reports on the sector, like this)

    2. Functions of banks and financial institutions in economy (useful article. Also see the lesson section)

    3. Central Bank (definition)

    4. Reporting stock market (see chapter 16: Keith Hayes, Business Journalism. Also see the lesson section)

    5. International Trade (a useful article and see chapter 15: Business Journalism. Also see the lesson section)

    6. SMEs and the economy ( See the chapter 20: Business Journalism. Also read the article.)