When covering any major international summit it can be challenging to get the “real story” beyond the official communiqués and government talking-points, especially at Chinese events where the messaging is often tightly controlled.
James Schneider is a veteran African journalist with extensive experience reporting on African diplomacy, most recently he covered the 2015 Africa Union summit in Ethiopia. He shares his insights on how journalists at this year’s FOCAC leaders summit can be more effective in reporting the story:
- What the editorial traps to avoid.
- How to get the Chinese side of the story.
- How to prepare for covering FOCAC 6.
This special edition of the podcast was produced in association with the Wits China-Africa Reporting Project who collaborated with Eric & Cobus to produce the online journalism training resource www.reporting-focac.com.
