MIC, NGC webinar readies journalists for energy reporting

THE Media Institute of the Caribbean (MIC) hosted a two-week energy journalism training programme to help local and regional reporters become better-prepared for writing about the energy sector.

The webinar was sponsored by the National Gas Company (NGC) and sessions were held every Wednesday from June 3 to July 8. It included presentations by various resource professionals including NGC president Mark Loquan, Noah Brenner, Houston Bureau Chief, Energy Intelligence, journalist and energy analyst Dr Canute James, among others.

In a press release on Wednesday, NGC said, “Each session covered a specific aspect of energy reporting and was intended to increase awareness of the main issues in the regional energy sector and to promote journalistic best practices in the coverage of the industry.

“NGC sees this initiative as a step toward building a cadre of media professionals with a stronger understanding of the energy sector, which may appear to be mysterious to many non-energy professionals. The role of the media in shedding light on this industry cannot be overemphasised with the wider society relying on journalists to provide the information and insights that assist in increasing their understanding of the industry.”

The sessions addressed topics such as new angles in the energy sector, energy contracts and reporting, finance and the economy, and energy reporting from a multimedia perspective.

Loquan said, “As citizens of this country, we must all be made aware of the importance of the energy industry in building our nation, as well as in the larger picture of Caribbean development. This sector is the backbone of our economy, and with better understanding of the sector our local and regional media practitioners can provide clear, concise and accurate information to the public.”

He said the company was “heartened” by the positive feedback on the virtual sessions.

MIC president Kiran Maharaj shared similar sentiments, saying, “NGC allowed our region's journalists a unique opportunity to gain better insight of the energy sector from some of the best in the media and energy sectors. The participants were very appreciative and said that what they learned surpassed other such training series. MIC is proud to have partnered with NGC.”

Broadcaster and journalist Vernon O'Reilly Ramesar, a participant, said the sessions helped to highlight the need for more investigative journalism on the energy sector.

“The webinar provided a broad range of perspectives that helped to shed light on the present and future of a complex industry. It also guided journalists on sources and methods for deep diving into a key sector of the economy that is often shielded from investigation,” he said.