Fixing the Gaps Between Data, Narrative, and Reality

Economic journalism has drifted into the realm of business headlines and stock tickers, leaving entire societies misunderstood. From China to the UAE, even Nobel laureates are found basing models on text-mined headlines rather than lived realities. The result is misread economies, misguided policies, and distorted public perceptions. This workshop challenges journalists, economists, and content creators to rethink how they interpret and communicate economic stories. How can reporters distinguish between “business news” and “economic understanding”? How can fieldwork, data analysis, and storytelling combine to produce coverage that captures social development as much as GDP growth? Participants will explore real examples of misrepresented economies, learn new techniques for translating complex data into human-centered narratives, and co-create frameworks for cross-audience reporting, from policymakers to the public. Methods: The session would pair short case studies with live group exercises on reframing misleading coverage. Objectives: •⁠ ⁠Unpack why economic reporting often fails to represent true economic and social dynamics. •⁠ ⁠⁠Demonstrate how “text mining,” sentiment analysis, and secondhand data shape biased narratives. •⁠ ⁠⁠Co-design story frameworks that translate economic events into clear, contextual reporting across multiple audiences. •⁠ ⁠Explore how accurate economic storytelling can shape trust, policy, and development.

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