Tech reporting workshop for journalists June 1-2

A two-day technology reporting workshop in Kingston from June 1-2 is expected to enhance the capacity of Jamaican journalists to cover a field often considered complex.

The workshop is being hosted by Management Control Systems (MC Systems), the technology member company of the MCS Group, in partnership with the United States Embassy and the Caribbean School of Media and Communication (CARIMAC).

The MCS Group is the non-financial arm of The Jamaica National Group.

The workshop, titled ‘Tech as A Beat’, will be held in the CARIMAC Annex Building II at The University of the West Indies, Mona. The event has been endorsed by the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ).

Dwayne Russell, general manager of MC Systems, said that the main objectives of the workshop are to promote technology reporting as an area of specialisation for journalists and to deepen reportage on technology, which plays an increasingly important role in the country’s economic and social life.

“This workshop will include, but will not be limited to, technology coverage beyond the basics of breaking stories and new-product reviews. It will encourage insightful stories which are investigative in nature, as well as demystify technology issues and make them more relatable to Jamaicans,” he related.

Russell pointed out that journalists will benefit from shared experiences and guidance in the development of technology stories from Alan Deutschman, a 27- year career journalist and professor of journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, USA, where he teaches business journalism and data journalism courses.

Deutschman is the former Silicon Valley correspondent for Fortune Magazine. His articles have also been published in The New York Times Magazine and the Wall Street Journal, as well as Wired, a monthly American magazine that focuses on the effects of emerging technologies on culture, the economy and politics.

Deutschman, the guest presenter, has also been a commentator on NBC’s Today Show; CNBC’s Squawk Box; Bloomberg West; and has participated in documentaries on CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg TV and the Discovery Channel.

He is the author of several books, including The Second Coming of Steve Jobs (2000), A Tale of Two Valleys (2003), Change or Die (2007), Walk the Walk (2009), and How Steve Jobs Changed the World our World (2011).

Dr Livingston White, director of CARIMAC, said the institution welcomed the partnership, noting that it will benefit the industry and open avenues for more reporting on the subject.

“We are happy for the inclusion of student journalists in the workshop as we do believe that they will learn from the interactions with senior journalists in the field and the knowledge that will be imparted,” White said.

George Davis, president of the PAJ, said the workshop would benefit the media fraternity and build capacity in this field.

Eric Khant, chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy in Jamaica, commended the partnership with MC Systems and CARIMAC.

“The US Embassy maintains a long-standing relationship with the Jamaican Government and people through partnerships such as this journalism exchange. One of the vital roles of journalists is to provide citizens with the information they need to make the best possible decisions about their lives, their communities, their societies, and their governments. We are confident that journalists attending the workshop will benefit greatly from the presentations,” Khant affirmed.