Lilongwe, Malawi2 June 2016Jessica van OnselenStrategic Communications specialistAfrican Minerals Development Centre (AMDC)UNECA

Reporting on mining:Tips, tricks, approaches and ideas

Presentation outlineI. What is the role of the media?

II. Why is covering mining so hard?

III. Four of the tensions which need to be balanced with communicating on mining

IV. The risks of Groupthink

V. Some tips and approaches to communicating about mining

VI. The Golden Rules for strengthening mining coverage

What is the role of the media?

1) Reporting the news

2) Serving as a watchdog

3) Providing analysis over time to serve society by informing citizens, enabling them to make informed judgements on the issues of the time.

Why is covering mining so hard? Technically, mining processes can be difficult to understand It often involves economics It often involves policy It can be politically sensitive Mining has complex financial flows with many actors

involved Mining takes decades and decades, instead of a few days It’s difficult to capture good visuals of mining Dedicated coverage requires resources and the ability to

travel

When communicating about mining, there exist a number of tensions which need to managed

1: The tension between national and local interests

The Africa Mining Vision highlights the power of well managed reveune and tax streams to drive development (mining income to the government driving the provision of schools, hospitals, roads) – NATIONAL interests

Local communities feel the impact of mining environmentally and on the local economy and want to feel the benefit for having mining on the doorstep – LOCAL interests

How do you balance (and report on) the two?

2: The tension between local & international audiences

Your primary audience is local/ in Malawi But regional and international audiences are watching

developments as well- including other African governments and potential investors

Information has spread more quickly than ever before via the internet, social media and television

This gives the media both the power to give and the power to take away

… means you can’t only write for ‘home’ anymore

3: The tension between long term & short term reporting

Journalism often demands the ‘right now’ But mining’s effects and impact are measured over years

and even decades Long term analysis requires the ability to recognise

patterns, remember promises, and work across years Keeping an eye on policy can take decades Requires longer lead times, more research, more

analysis, and more data Understanding the difference between the urgent and the

important…. requires patience and the long view

This is what can be missed …

Tonn

es

Tanzania: gold production, 1994-2007

If we don’t look nationally and long-term….

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 20080

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Tanzania: GDP per capita (US$)

4: What constitutes ‘balanced’ reporting? Few concepts more debated in the world of media right

now – from Donald Trump to South Africa to the Koreas Media ownership also hotly contested Which narrative you choose to highlight carries weight

and significance Putting yourself in other’s shoes one of the simplest and

best tests for balanced reporting Asking tough questions of both sides Don’t only speak to your friends

“Never let the truth get in the way of a good story!” – Mark Twain

There are seldom clear ‘answers’ to these tensions, we can only be aware of them and try to balance them in a

reasonable and equitable way when communicating about mining

The risks of ‘Groupthink’….

Groupthink, a term coined by social psychologist Irving Janis in 1972, occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of “mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment.” Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups.

… can affect everyone

The risks of ‘Groupthink’….

Don’t be afraid of policy

Policy is for the people If you don’t understand it, ask questions – of everybody! How will policy affect the situation in the short term, medium term

and long term? How much will it cost? How will policy affect different stakeholders?

Government Communities Investors Ordinary Malawians

.

Engage a broad network of different voices …

Communities Subject matter experts (academics or technocrats) –local and

international Government officials Umbrella bodies and organisations Civil society

Cultivate your network all the time. Keep in touch. Stay interested. Ask for their opinions.

… to avoid Groupthink

Bring their perspectives to life….

Spend time with experts Don’t be afraid to ask basic questions – if you don’t understand

the answer, your audience won’t either Build up more knowledge about mining bit by bit Don’t be intimidated Experiment with longer form journalism and pieces In depth interviews are one way to deepen understanding Try your hand at analysis pieces

Through interviews, profiles and human interest stories

Experiment with long form interviews

A great way to build up knowledge is long form interviews and profiles on those people working in mining: if you are unable to access national politicians or civil servants, draw on your experts

This is particularly suited to radio, but it can be used in print too Don’t be afraid of analysis over time: comparing results and

indicators year after year Look to other countries and see what their stories have been:

Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia

… and comparative case studies

Use international resources and the internet International Council of Mining and Metals has a number of excellent

case studies and essays Some Chambers of Mines have good websites Mining specialist publications Mining focussed research centres (the Fraser Institute, the Vale Centre

of Sustainability and Mining in New York, the AMDC, etc) Corporate annual reporting by mining companies

The Golden Rules of covering mining:

• Bear in mind the long term: both mineral policies and their impact can take years if not decades

• Bear in mind national impact as well as local

• Hold governments accountable against that mineral policy and their international commitments (such as EITI)

• If you don’t understand it, your audience won’t either

• Don’t get distracted from the key issues

Thank You & Questions

jessica@jvoconsulting.com

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Enabling mineral resources to play a greater transformative role in the development of the continent