Fuelled by years of oil production the Azeri economy is booming. But with a widening wealth gap and high levels of bureaucracy means there has never been a more important time for the media to cover business for the widest audience.
The Foundation took up the challenge in partnership with the British Council and BP Azerbaijan. Now in its second year, the project has built the foundations for higher standards of reporting and a deep understanding of economic issues. A group of journalists representing the breadth of Azerbaijan’s broadcast and print media attended workshops and courses that focused on business reporting skills. But it didn’t end there. Working over several months with a Thomson Foundation expert in training the trainers, several journalists went on to complete a programme in tutor skills, so they can cascade their knowledge to other journalists. The talented group also completed a course in online journalism. The ultimate goal is to create a team that can pass on the media skills to handle the rapidly-changing Azeri economy.