FREEDONIa A Case Study in Investigative journalism Teaching note Alex norris and rod macdonnell Economic Development Institute 1996/1997
FREEDONIA A Case Study in Investigative Journalism Teaching Note Alex Norris and Rod MacDonnell Economic Development Institute 1996/1997
Copyright C 2002 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank 1 818H Street Nw Washington D. C. 20433. U.S.A The World Bank enjoys copyright under protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. This material may nonetheless be copied for research, educational, or scholarly purposes only in the member countries of The World Bank Material in this series is subject to revision. The findings interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this document are entirely those of the author(s)and should not be attributed in any manner to the World Bank, to its affiliated organizations, or the members of its Board of Executive Directors or the countries they represent FREEDONIA: A Case Study in Investigative Journalism Teaching note Alex norris and rod macdonnell 1996. 22 pages. Stock No 37116
Copyright © 2002 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. The World Bank enjoys copyright under protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. This material may nonetheless be copied for research, educational, or scholarly purposes only in the member countries of The World Bank. Material in this series is subject to revision. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this document are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to the World Bank, to its affiliated organizations, or the members of its Board of Executive Directors or the countries they represent. FREEDONIA: A Case Study in Investigative Journalism Teaching Note Alex Norris and Rod MacDonnell 1996. 22 pages. Stock No. 37116
CONTENTS FREEDONIA FREEDONIA FREEDONIA'S Daily Press FREEDONIA -1 FREEDONIA-2 6 FREEDONIA-3 8 FREEDONIA -4 FREEDONIA-5 10 FREEDONIA-6 11 FREEDONIA -7 13 FREEdONIA -8 15 FREEDONIA-9 FREEDONIA -10 FREEDONIA-11
iii CONTENTS FREEDONIA...................................................................................................................................1 FREEDONIA...................................................................................................................................2 FREEDONIA’s Daily Press............................................................................................................3 FREEDONIA - 1.............................................................................................................................4 FREEDONIA - 2.............................................................................................................................6 FREEDONIA - 3.............................................................................................................................8 FREEDONIA - 4.............................................................................................................................9 FREEDONIA - 5...........................................................................................................................10 FREEDONIA - 6...........................................................................................................................11 FREEDONIA - 7...........................................................................................................................13 FREEDONIA - 8...........................................................................................................................15 FREEDONIA - 9...........................................................................................................................16 FREEDONIA - 10.........................................................................................................................17 FREEDONIA - 11.........................................................................................................................18
FREEDONIA Instructors gu Note: For lesson planning purposes, numbers on the upper right-hand corner of the beginning of each exercise component(For example, 1(a), 2(), etc.)represent the number of minutes that each component should take. Text in capital letters is meant for instructors. Text in upper and lower case is the material that will be handed out to participants This exercise is designed to be as interactive as possible. In group discussions, instead of lecturing, try as much as possible to have participants debate among themselves and come ith the best answers to the points being raised But at the end of each discussion, make that, at the very least, the main points of each exercise have been driven home This entire exercise is a work in progress. It was conceived and developed by Danish journalist- consultants to the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank, and later edited and amended. Instructors using it should feel free to amend, shorten or add to it as they see fit Lesson 1(a): Five minutes to explain purpose and ground rules for entire "Freedonia exercise. It should be explained to participants that this is a simulation and that some of the exercises will be amusing, but that participants should treated them as though they were all part of a real, unfolding story Participants should also be warned that the entire Freedonia simulation exercise includes traps that journalists commonly fall into. They should be reassured that it is normal to fall into these traps, that by doing so and discovering afterward that they have fallen into these traps, they will learn how to avoid certain common pitfalls of journalism Participants should also be told that in all freedonia exercises they should work only with the information they have been given in handouts, during simulated press conferences or during the course of the simulation. (that is, they should not invent information or interviews with officials but, rather, should work only with the information that all groups have been given This latter point should be stressed at the beginning of each Freedonia assignment Lesson 1(b): 15 minutes to introduce hypothetical country and its newspapers. 15
FREEDONIA Instructors guide Note: For lesson planning purposes, numbers on the upper right-hand corner of the beginning of each exercise component (For example, 1 (a), 2 (b), etc.) represent the number of minutes that each component should take. Text in capital letters is meant for instructors. Text in upper and lower case is the material that will be handed out to participants. This exercise is designed to be as interactive as possible. In group discussions, instead of lecturing, try as much as possible to have participants debate among themselves and come up with the best answers to the points being raised. But at the end of each discussion, make sure that, at the very least, the main points of each exercise have been driven home. This entire exercise is a work in progress. It was conceived and developed by Danish journalistconsultants to the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank, and later edited and amended. Instructors using it should feel free to amend, shorten or add to it as they see fit. Lesson 1(a): Five minutes to explain purpose and ground rules for entire “Freedonia” exercise: 5 · It should be explained to participants that this is a simulation and that some of the exercises will be amusing, but that participants should treated them as though they were all part of a real, unfolding story. · Participants should also be warned that the entire Freedonia simulation exercise includes traps that journalists commonly fall into. They should be reassured that it is normal to fall into these traps, that by doing so and discovering afterward that they have fallen into these traps, they will learn how to avoid certain common pitfalls of journalism. · Participants should also be told that in all Freedonia exercises, they should work only with the information they have been given in handouts, during simulated press conferences or during the course of the simulation. (that is, they should not invent information or interviews with officials but, rather, should work only with the information that all groups have been given.) This latter point should be stressed at the beginning of each Freedonia assignment. Lesson 1(b): 15 minutes to introduce hypothetical country and its newspapers. 15
FREEDONIA The following story takes place in the country of freedonia and mainly in Palisades, the capital Over the past decade, Freedonians have elected a series of governments which have promised economic and democratic reforms But the efforts to build a sound base for sustainable socio development and prosperity have been hampered by corruption and domestic instability Falling export revenues, poor harvests and mismanagement in the civil service have worsened Freedonia's economic and social problems. During the past two years, however, a process of democratization has gained momentum, catching the attention and appreciation of foreign donor Multi-party elections last year resulted in the formation of a coalition government, which apparently enjoys the backing of the business elite The government, led by the Liberal Party of Freedonia, LPF, has launched an economic reform program aimed at attracting foreign investors and promoting economic growth The government s reform efforts have met strong criticism from the main opposition party in Parliament, the Progress Party of Freedonia, PPF. The PPF advocates a more equal distribution of resources and protection of the rights of the poor and underprivileged
2 FREEDONIA The following story takes place in the country of Freedonia and mainly in Palisades, the capital. Over the past decade, Freedonians have elected a series of governments which have promised economic and democratic reforms. But the efforts to build a sound base for sustainable socioeconomic development and prosperity have been hampered by corruption and domestic instability. Falling export revenues, poor harvests and mismanagement in the civil service have worsened Freedonia’s economic and social problems. During the past two years, however, a process of democratization has gained momentum, catching the attention and appreciation of foreign donors. Multi-party elections last year resulted in the formation of a coalition government, which apparently enjoys the backing of the business elite. The government, led by the Liberal Party of Freedonia, LPF, has launched an economic reform program aimed at attracting foreign investors and promoting economic growth. The government’s reform efforts have met strong criticism from the main opposition party in Parliament, the Progress Party of Freedonia, PPF. The PPF advocates a more equal distribution of resources and protection of the rights of the poor and underprivileged