|
Sir
Geoffrey Owen, the former editor of the Financial Times and current professor
at the London School of Economics, lectured at College Hall on January
6, at the invitation of the School of Business. His lecture was entitled:
"Managing a Business Newspaper in a Globalized World." Below
is the text of his lecture.
The Financial
Times now sells nearly half a million copies per day, two thirds of
which are outside the UK. The process of internationalization began in
the 1970s with the launch of a European edition of the Financial Times,
printed in Frankfurt. This was followed by the decision to print the FT
in the US (1985) and Japan (1990).
The strategy has been to produce a single newspaper, edited in
London, but to tailor the regional editions -- European, American and
(from 2003) Asian -- to the needs of the regional audiences. Thus there
is less UK news and comment in the overseas editions, which also include
some items written specifically for each region. The differences between
editions are likely to increase in coming years, but all versions of the
paper will be infused by the values and principles on which the FT depends
- accuracy, objectivity, high-quality comment and analysis. These principles
are underpinned by a recruitment policy which aims to ensure that the
FT attracts and retains the brightest young journalists both in the UK
and, increasi, in continental Europe, the US and Asia.
The FT has been greatly helped by the fact that English has become
the language of international business -- we have successfully ridden
the wave of globalization which has transformed world business over the
past thirty years. A policy of specialization and internationalization
has served the paper well.
Another important element has been stability of ownership. The Pearson
group acquired the FT in 1957, and has proved to be the best possible
owner - -supporting the FT's expansion even during economic downturns,
and never interfering in editorial policy. In recent years Pearson has
been increasing its commitment to business journalism through buying and
launching local newspapers in Europe -- Les Echos in France, Expanson
in Spain, FT Deutschland in Germany.
For the FT itself, the most important recent development has been
the launch of the on-line service, FT.com . Introduced in 1995, this service
has involved a substantial investment, principally in people, and has
made it necessary for the FT to acquire new skills -- for example, updating
news coverage throughout the day, and organizing an interactive dialogue
with FT.com users. Although the initial ambitions for FT.com were probably
too ambitious (advertising revenue was lower than expected) it has established
itself as a reliable and widely used website, complementary to the printed
newspaper.
The future success of the FT, both the newspaper and FT.com, depends
on its ability to retain the trust of its readers. This means, among other
things, a willingness to innovate, and a continuous drive to improve the
product: more exclusive stories, better analysis and sharper comment,
better signposting and improved graphics. Above all, we need experienced
editors, with the experience and flair to pick out the information that
matters; intelligent reporters capable of finding out new things and presenting
their stories clearly and accurately; and commentators who are expert
in their field and open the reader's eyes to new ideas. These are old-fashioned
journalistic virtues which are just as important in the era of globalization
and the internet as they were in the past.
Born
in 1934, Sir Geoffrey Owen first became a journalist at the Financial
Times in 1958 and served as a feature writer, industrial correspondent,
US correspondent and industrial editor.. He left the paper in 1967 and
returned in 1972 for an 18-year period that culminated in his becoming
the newspaper's editor from 1981 to 1990.
Reconciliation
Walk Meets with SRC
The
Reconciliation Walk, a network of Christians who aim to fulfill the biblical
command for reconciliation and peace, has started a campaign of dialogue
between East and West. A group of 16 students from Europe, New Zeeland,
and the USA toured the Middle East to meet with members of various faith
communities. At their stop in Lebanon, they chose to meet with students
of AUB.
In a one-day workshop in Ada Dodge Hall organized by the Office
of Student Affairs on January 13, 2003, the 16 students met with members
of the SRC and a few AUB students. The workshop was inaugurated by Dean
Kisrwani who said that reconciliation is possible by those who have a
clear vision of continued conflicts. Mr. Abbas Halabi, a renowned Reconciliation
activist, introduced the content of the workshop. VP of USFC, Yusuf Haddad
welcomed the participants and hoped for a fruitful assembly. Finally,
Ms. Cathy Nobles, one of the organizers of and an activist in the Reconciliation
Walk, thanked the participants for their cooperation and involvement in
the event.
|
|
---------------