Skills required to analyse leaks

In an age of large-scale digital leaks, including the Panama Papers, there is a strong need for journalistic skills to interpret that data, and to show the public why they should care about it.

Associate Prof Giovanna
Dell'Orto, of the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication, made that point in a "round-table'' panel discussion and later interview at the University of Otago's 51st annual Foreign Policy School at the weekend.

More than 100 people are attending the school, this year devoted to global politics and the effect of traditional news media and new social media on aspects of foreign policy.

Prof Dell'Orto was joined in the panel discussion on "The Panama Papers and whistle-blower journalism'' by Wellington investigative journalist Nicky Hagar, Associate Prof Pradip Thomas, of the University of Queensland, and English Guardian journalist Luke Harding, who participated through video link.

Mr Harding said while ordinary citizens duly paid their taxes, a class of wealthy people were finding new ways of hiding their assets, including using overseas trusts, to avoid paying tax.

Some were becoming "more and more creative'', using the names of relatives or school friends to hide their true identity.

Prof Dell'Orto emphasised the importance of traditional journalistic skills in making sense of the huge amount of data in the Panama Papers.

But she was "worried'' that "an enormous amount of work'' and good judgement by experienced journalists was required, at a time when journalism itself was under threat.

Prof Dell'Orto also gave a further talk on "The critical importance of foreign news to policy-making''.

She said a "business crisis'' in traditional media had recently already reduced the number of traditional journalists in the United States by about a third, and the news media were "slashing'' their overseas coverage.

Governments had a duty to investigate and deal with any abuses highlighted through the Panama Papers.

 

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