1. Economic Development: A Journalist’s Perspective Prof. Lou Ureneck Boston University [email_address]

2. Private (organic) development; government-sponsored development The combination of laws, policies and practices that contribute to economic growth and a higher standard of living.

3. What is it our readers and viewers need and want to know? Taxes Opportunity (jobs) Quality of life

4. We ask the questions that they cannot --We stand in for our readers Who benefits? Why this project or initiative and not another?

5. Other questions too What is the investment, what is the return? What are the sources of capital? Why this project or initiative and not another?

6. And more generally What are the obstacles to private development – Ukraine and Belarus?

11. Deep thinking about economic development Amartya Sen, Jeffrey Sachs

12. Amartya Sen With Mahbub ul Haq, he originates the Human Development Index, which includes: Life expectancy Education Standard of living (GNI) Remember the question, “Who benefits?”

15. Evaluating a government-sponsored project or initiative Return on investment: What are the costs? What are the returns? EURO 2012 US example: Giants Stadium, 1972- 2010, $301M, $110M remains

16. Returning to the concept of comparative advantage What would seem to be the natural targets of investment for Ukraine and Belarus, based on the comparative strengths? In Ukraine, agriculture: investments in logistics, or getting goods to market.

17. The Journalist’s Role Putting forward a context for understanding economic development from the perspectives of our audiences … In general, the benefits of reforms … And specifically, the facts of particular projects and especially return on investment. Our agenda: We are objective the interests of our readers.

18. Development narrative In both Ukraine and Belarus, there are core issues of economic development. In Belarus, the pace of privatization, loosening of central control of the economy and development of external trade. In Ukraine, the difficulties of doing business in the country: tax policy, low-level corruption and high-level cronyism. In both countries, the sources and cost of energy.

19. Journalism as a tool for reform The narratives you tell create a way of explaining the issues, and making events or issues that at first seem disconnected or complex understandable to your readers and viewers. These subjects require repetition: only through consistent and constant explanation of the issues can the media, through journalism, move the public toward understanding and the government toward action.