ShareBy Faten Omar
KUWAIT: Kuwait Times, the oldest English-language newspaper in the Gulf region since 1961, concluded the second edition of its Summer Program for 2023, which was held in strategic partnership with Boursa Kuwait from Aug 6 to 31, 2023. During the four-week course, 20 interns were exposed to different work processes in journalism, and were diligent, hardworking and result-oriented. Kuwait Times’ team improved participants’ understanding of the field of news production, reporting, photography and social media to train future journalists on how to use their skills and talents to improve their stories.
The participants of the KT Summer Program embarked on an enlightening field trip to Boursa Kuwait, an iconic institution deeply woven into Kuwait’s financial history. Stepping into this bustling hub of economic activity, they were transported through time, tracing the rich tapestry of the country’s stock market. As they explored the intricacies of stock trading and investment strategies, the participants were not only imparted a profound understanding of Kuwait’s financial landscape, but also underscored the indispensable role of the stock market in driving economic growth and prosperity.
During the Summer Program, several lectures were held by Kuwait Times’ team and journalists from local and international news agencies. In the first week, Kuwait Times Deputy Managing Editor Faten Omar explained how to collect, verify and deliver news to the public, in addition to how to prioritize stories that matter to the audience while adhering to ethical standards. Kuwait Times PR and CSR Manager Jana Alnaqeeb made a social experiment on creative photography with an open discussion afterward.
Kuwait Times Executive Director for Marketing for Hawrah Al-Yakoob saw that participants learned the fundamentals of communication and public speaking to get their message across and connect with the audience clearly and effectively. Content creator Dhoha Al-Issa gave a class on “FUNdamentals of social media” and let the participants dive into the dynamic world of social media, while unlocking its hidden secrets and exploring the fundamental pillars of social media success. Meanwhile, the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) conducted an interactive class for participants of the KT Summer Program titled “Mastering the Social Media Game”.
During the interactive class, NBK Digital Communications Manager Farah Bastaki delivered a presentation on the importance of social media as an integral part of modern business strategies due to its significant impact on brand visibility, customer engagement and overall business growth, and explained how social media has become the metric against which every business is measured. Kuwait Times had the privilege of hosting a diverse group of international journalists, each bringing a unique perspective and a wealth of experience to the table.
Salima Label, who works for Aljazeera and AFP, explained her experience as a journalist for international news agencies. “Working for global media, any mistake can be very costly. You have to be very accurate in your sources. Your news must be balanced and include the viewpoints of all parties to enhance your credibility,” she said in a brief. Ahmed Hagagy from Reuters said there are several characteristics of a good financial journalist, adding a “business journalist must be accurate and fully knowledgeable of the topic to be presented, and be able to obtain private reports and differentiate between regular news and advertisements”.
He stressed a business journalist must focus on important stories and not rely on public relations and media departments’ press releases, noting he also has to know about banks in Kuwait, the stock market, investment companies and the oil sector. Rabab El-Gohary, a business journalist at Al-Anbaa newspaper, said there is an art of interviewing important individuals in the field of business. “The journalist must prepare with regards to the interviewee’s background, achievements and relevant information, along with a list of well-thought-out questions that cover the key points,” she said.
“Also, determine the interview type, such as in-person, by phone, video call or email. Ensure you have the necessary equipment. Be an active listener and ask follow-up questions. Remember to be professional, respectful and prepared,” she added. Finally, Kuwait Times allowed the participants to work on the newspaper under the supervision of local editor Nebal Snan, page makers Rajesh and Sreenu Madi , proofreaders Sabastian Dsouza and Mohamed Hasan and photographer Yasser Al-Zayyat. After the successful completion of the course, Kuwait Times awarded the students certificates, in addition to an article published in the newspaper.
Group photo at Boursa Kuwait.
