PRESS CORPORATION
PRESS
-STUDY GUIDE-
GIIS MUN 2023
-TABLE OF CONTENTSLETTER FROM DIAS
CHAIR FOREWORDS
TIMES OF INDIA
BLOOMBERG
RUSSIA TODAY
CODE OF CONDUCT
INTERVIEWS
PRESS CONFERENCES
PRE-CONFERENCE PRESS RELEASE
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3
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FEATURES OF A SATISFACTORY PRESS ARTICLE
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TYPES OF ARTICLES
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SAMPLE ARTICLES
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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1
LETTER FROM THE DIAS
Greetings Delegates,
The Dias is thrilled to be working with you for GIIS MUN 2023. For those who are
interested in learning more about the journalism industry, the Press Corps provides
an excellent opportunity for you all.
Delegates will not only be tasked with writing compelling articles over the course of
these 3 days, but they will also be expected to think on their feet and hone qualities
such as teamwork, communication, and confidence.
All three of us Press Heads will strive to provide you with constructive feedback,
ensuring that you have a satisfactory experience, while also assisting you as you take
part in the Press Corps.
Incorporating our feedback without being demotivated, maintaining healthy rivalry
between agencies, working as a team but also autonomously, and finally reporting
the truth and the truth only are the main things on the agenda for all the Press Corps
delegates.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions since we pledge to be there
for you every step of the way! We all are ecstatic and excited to meet you all very
soon!
Sanjana, Riya, Prisha,
Press Heads,
The Press Corps
timesofindia.giismun2023@gmail.com
bloomberg.giismun2023@gmail.com
russiatoday.giismun2023@gmail.com
giismunsecretariat.sg@gmail.com
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CHAIR FOREWORDS
Times of India: Riya Garg
She starts her morning off with a hot cup of overly sweet chai or sugarless black
coffee coupled with either the CNA channel on her TV or one of the many news
apps on her phone. Riya is known to be a hyperactive person who always has a
thousand things on her plate. She is beyond excited to have this be her 1001st
thing! Her love for writing and finding clever ways to use language (beware of her
jokes) makes the Press Corps her favourite committee! Although a frequent
member of the debate circuit, this is her first time being a Press Head and she is
ecstatic to make this an unforgettable experience for all the delegates partaking
in this edition of the GIISMUN :) Feel free to contact her in case of any doubts (or if
you want to hear some awful awful jokes, or talk about anything and everything)
Bloomberg: Sanjana Mahesh
Since she started her debate journey in 2019, Sanjana has attended almost every
conference as a delegate of the Press Corps due to her creativity and love for
writing and storytelling, thus making it her comfort committee. She hopes that she
can pass on everything she has learned and the wonderful experience of being a
delegate in the press corps to her delegates in 2023s edition of GIISMUN. Feel free
to approach her for anything and she will be happy to help!!
Russia Today: Prisha Kumawat
Prisha is a bundle of energy, always hyper and super fun to be around. She has a
contagious laugh and often finds herself laughing at her own jokes. She is a big
fan of The Weeknd and Marvel, and can often be found talking excitedly about
the latest movie or album release. Prisha is a dedicated individual who needs her
coffee fix to keep her going. She loves reading press articles and staying up-todate with current events. Currently, Prisha is the press head of “Russia Today”
and is always striving to ensure that the delegates get the most fun experience
they deserve. With her outgoing personality and passion for staying informed,
Prisha is sure to bring a fun and dynamic presence to any setting.
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TIMES OF INDIA
Introduction to agency:
The Times of India, which is often referred to by its acronym TOI, is an Englishlanguage daily newspaper and digital news outlet that is based in India and operated
by The Times Group. With a readership of over 11 million people, it is the third-largest
newspaper in India by circulation and the largest-selling English-language daily in the
world. The newspaper initially bore the name "The Bombay Times and Journal of
Commerce" when it was established in 1838 with the aim of catering to the British
population residing in the western regions of India.
Although rated by Reuters as India's most trusted media news brand in a survey, the
newspaper has been criticised for establishing the practice of accepting payments
from persons and entities in exchange for positive coverage in the Indian news
industry in recent years.
Writing style and bias
The Times of India is widely regarded as a highly influential newspaper in India, with a
reputation for aligning its views with those of the national government. Following
Indian independence, the newspaper's unwavering commitment to accuracy,
avoidance of sensationalism, serious tone, and extensive coverage of international
news bolstered its standing in the country, where it gained recognition as an
intellectual publication. A significant portion of the newspaper's editorial space is
dedicated to comprehensive coverage of global events, a practice that is consistent
with other major Indian dailies. Additionally, the Times of India boasts a wide national
readership, covering a diverse range of topics presented in an aesthetically pleasing
and easily digestible format.
A fairly Conservative agency, it is known to have a Right-Centre bias due to it
favouring the current right-leaning ruling party in India. It is known to exhibit a slight to
moderate conservative bias, frequently presenting factual information in a way that
utilizes loaded language intended to appeal to emotions or stereotypes in support of
conservative causes. While these sources can generally be considered reliable for
factual reporting, their content may benefit from additional scrutiny and research.
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BLOOMBERG
Introduction to agency:
Bloomberg is a large conglomerate which provides financial news and data and
examines the economic point of view of the world's most dire and influential news. The
media produced at Bloomberg is extremely high-tech, data-driven, market-oriented
and cross-platformed in order to solve global problems on a daily. With its
headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, it is a privately owned financial,
software, data, and media firm co-founded by Michael Bloomberg in 1981.
Its four core values are innovation, collaboration, customer service and doing the right
thing and it is the world's top news provider of financial news and data in the 21st
century. By giving transparency to markets, the Bloomberg Terminal changes many
sectors. With quick access to news, data, distinctive analysis, and trading tools that
assist top decision-makers in putting knowledge into practice, it is still at the forefront of
innovation and information distribution more than four decades later.
Writing style and bias
Bloomberg is renowned for its succinct and uncomplicated writing style, which aims to
give readers access to news quickly. The news outlet is renowned for reporting in
straightforward language and eliminating jargon to make it simpler for readers to
comprehend complicated financial ideas.
With a concentration on business and money, in terms of bias, Bloomberg is regarded
as a center-right news source. The media outlet typically supports the corporate and
market interests and impact of the e business community in its reporting.
Bloomberg also works to uphold its standing as a trustworthy and unbiased news
source and makes efforts to guarantee that its reporting is accurate and balanced.
However, Bloomberg is still a valuable source of information for readers across the
political spectrum even though its writing style and business-focused approach may be
more appealing to individuals on the right side of the political spectrum.
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RUSSIA TODAY
Introduction to agency:
Russia Today, commonly known as RT, is a state-owned, government-funded
agency which was founded in 2005. Based in Moscow, RT is fairly biased towards the
Russian government and is against western ideologies, politics, and policies. It has
been repeatedly recognized by numerous international awards competitions and
media organisations, including the Monte Carlo TV Festival Awards, the Cannes
Lions, the Webby Awards, and several more1. It has also been criticised for
spreading false information and propaganda and has even been banned in certain
countries such as Germany.
Despite all of this, RT remains to have a large audience of over 650 million people,
and their work covers major issues of our time whilst giving multiple perspectives for
the readers who wish to question more. RT picks up stories often ignored by
mainstream media to give their work ‘an edge’. They have offices in multiple wellknown cities including Washington, London, Paris, New Delhi, Cairo, and several
more, and have over 1000 journalists worldwide.
Writing style and bias
RT likes to stick to feature articles, as most of their published work gives detailed
information on current events. Their articles extensively use quotes from different
politicians to give readers a range of perspectives, whilst delivering most of their
news from their home country’s point of view. Overall, RT's writing style is aimed at
informing readers about events and issues around the world, with a particular focus
on those that impact Russia and its interests. Needless to say, RT is a biased press
agency, and this bias shows in their work. They are openly against western politics
and are inclined towards the beliefs of the Russian government (seeing as that’s
where they get their funds from). While the network has been criticised for its
perceived bias and close ties to the Russian government, it remains a popular
source of news and analysis for many readers around the world.
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CODE OF CONDUCT
1. Press delegates need to exit committee sessions when a resolution is being
proposed or debated and are not allowed to include it explicitly in their article(s).
2. Press delegates are not allowed to request delegates or chairs to repeat any
speeches or statements, so any important information shared by a delegate or
chair needs to be noted immediately.
3. Non-verbal communication (such as passing notes) is permitted.
4. Interviews may be conducted during an unmoderated caucus or break.
5. Press delegates must remain seated at all times and should avoid moving
around the committee room unless necessary.
6. Press delegates must strictly avoid recording committee sessions; they are only
permitted to record interviews (with the permission of the delegate they are
interviewing).
7. Press delegates are not permitted to write articles or make statements that
reflect poorly on any member of the organising team or the executive board.
8. Press delegates are strictly prohibited to use any derogatory or inappropriate
language during an interview, press conference, or when writing an article.
9. Plagiarism is not tolerated under any circumstances.
10. Press delegates must also be punctual and should be seated in their assigned
committee when they are scheduled to do so.
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INTERVIEWS
Interviews are a means for press delegates to question other delegates
regarding their respective stances, countries, and/or contributions to the
committee. It provides press delegates with a means to be able to collect
information that can be included in their articles, especially for ones that
surround a particular delegate, such as feature articles.
The questions asked in an interview must be thorough and concise to elicit the
most information for the articles. Keeping time constraints in mind, delegates
should not exceed the time limit of 10 minutes during their interviews. Press
delegates may record interviews for future reference, especially as it may aid
them while writing down the article. Press heads must be informed of the
interview before it takes place and delegates may only proceed once they have
received approval.
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PRESS CONFERENCES
Press conferences, which are organized by press agencies, are an exciting
opportunity for press delegates to question other delegates, from different
committees, regarding their respective stances, debate progress, resolutions, and/or
any controversial events that may have occurred in committee sessions. Press
conferences are usually videoed or photographed and published on the Press blog.
The positions of the other delegates can then be expressed and shared by press
delegates via articles.
An entire agency must be present during a press conference and different tasks are
given to most of the delegates. Delegates with the most involvement within the
respective committee during the event would be expected to think of as well as ask
the most questions while other delegates would have the job of recording it as well as
taking down notes for future use.
To make the most of this opportunity, press delegates are required to ask factual
questions that are relevant to the agendas of the committees to allow the stimulation
of further debate while also assisting in the retrieval of vital knowledge. Follow-up
questions are recommended to yield the most amount of information. Press
delegates are required to maintain diplomatic courtesy and professional behaviour at
all times.
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PRE CONFERENCE PRESS RELEASE
This is an article submitted by a press delegate before the event as a substitute for a
position paper. This allows the Press Heads to obtain a deeper understanding of the
writing styles of the delegate before the event. The delegates will be provided with an
agenda on which they must write their press release closer to the date of the event.
Through this article, press delegates are expected and required to portray the stance
of their agency on the respective topic(s) while urging what their particular agency
would want the other delegates to discuss during committee through skillful
presentation of substantial information.
The expected word limit for a pre-conference press release is 250-300 words.
Press delegates are expected to follow these pointers while working on this article:
1. The agenda that is being thoroughly discussed
2. The delegate’s opinion on the agenda (keeping the agency’s stance in mind)
3. What the press delegates expect from the conference as well as possible solutions
that the delegate would like to put forth
The following format should be followed for the submission:
[Title]
[Introduction]
[Body]
[Conclusion]
[Name of delegate]
[Agency name]
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FEATURES OF A SATISFATORY ARTICLE
Factually accurate - Press delegates must ensure that the statements in their articles
are factually correct, and must have proof of accuracy. This could include crediting the
external sources used or using direct quotes.
No personal bias - Whether the delegate morally agrees with their agency’s stance or
not is irrelevant. The article should be written from the perspective of the agency itself. If
the agency is biased, the bias should be shown. If the agency is unbiased, then the
language of the article should be as neutral as possible.
Formal language - Formality needs to be maintained throughout the article and any
use of slang language is not permitted, unless when used in a quote. Any racial, sexual,
or other derogatory slurs are strictly prohibited and can cause an article to be taken
down.
Engaging- To attract readers an article must be engaging. For this to happen, the
article must report current and immediate happenings instead of past events. Any
intriguing article starts with a compelling title and introduction, which should be made
concise. Making puns or other jokes to make an article more entertaining is allowed, but
this depends on the type of article the press delegate has chosen to write. The body
must consist of all the information regarding the event and the conclusion should
tersely sum up the entire article.
Grammar - Vocabulary and grammar are key features that assist in making an article
coherent. Delegates are requested to make use of Grammarly while writing their
articles to improve their quality.
Quotes - Every article must have quotes. During committee sessions, delegates must
clearly make note of the exact quotes along with the speakers’ delegation. The use of
quotes should be balanced with the informative content of the article. Press delegates
must be cautious when quoting a delegate during a committee session. Since they are
not permitted to record a committee session, they must remember the exact quote if
they want to use it in their article. Refrain from quoting another delegate if you don’t
remember the exact terminology they used, as if the quote gets rephrased, it is not a
good look for both the press delegate and the agency they represent.
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TYPES OF ARTICLES
News Article
It is the most typical kind of article that gives information regarding committee
activities. Personal biases shouldn't be employed in this post because it is not
opinion-based. The article's primary goal is to help viewers know the committee
better, thus it should include facts and quotes from committee members to
support those facts. It is advisable that the press representative not directly cite
the delegate in their article if they are unclear about their precise wording.
A minimum of 150 words and no more than 300 words should be used in a news
article; delegates are to strictly adhere to this word limit. The following format
must be adhered to:
[Title]
[Introduction]
[Body]
[Conclusion]
[Name of Delegate]
[Name of Agency]
Editorial Article
An editorial is a piece of writing that expresses an opinion but does so from an
agency's perspective. It gives journalists more leeway, allowing them to be casual
while expressing their views on the subject. Any emotional appeal, including humour,
sarcasm, and irony, may be used in this, although they are not obligatory. Press
delegates must always write credibly and professionally.
A minimum of 80 words and no more than 120 words should be used in an editorial.
The following format must be adhered to:
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[Title]
[Introduction]
[Body]
[Conclusion]
[Name of Delegate]
[Name of Agency]
Feature Article
A feature article goes into considerable detail about a certain person or event. A
feature article's main focus is human interest, which necessitates giving the piece
an emotional tone. It has a well-established point of view, hence skilled writing and
reliable evidence are needed. A delegate may speak with a potential interviewee to
be sure of this. Direct quotes should ideally be used to provide credibility to the
information, and a somewhat colloquial narrative can help to further develop a
personal tone. Overall, it's crucial to elicit a personal response from the reader.
Moreover, the piece should be well-structured with a conclusion that summarizes its
contents and may conclude with a recommendation for a suitable course of action.
A minimum of 80 words and no more than 120 words should be used in a feature
article. The following format must be adhered to:
[Title]
[Introduction]
[Body]
[Conclusion]
[Name of Delegate]
[Name of Agency]
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SAMPLE ARTICLES
Type: News article
Commies Quickly Find Footing
The German Communist Party finally swiftly finds itself on the more productive side of
the political spectrum, where several solutions and ideas are constantly pitched in to
keep up with the rampantly worsening pace of the Great Depression and its effects on
the German economy. Such solutions were skilfully morphed into plans to defame the
ruling Fascists Party and gain the support of the common German people.
One of the more commonly proposed solutions was to alter the currency of the
republic, where several delegates pondered and imparted their thoughts on the
possible consequences of making any changes to the currency. Some time was
wasted on pointlessly attempting to find possible names for the new currency, from the
old ‘Mark’ to the imaginatively named ‘Reich’s Mark’ or ‘C Mark’.
Another focus of the debate was whether to rely on or consult the USSR and its ruling
Communist Party on economic assistance, where both the advantages and
disadvantages of such a bilateral consultation were thoroughly discussed. One idea of
such assistance is the request for loans from the Communist government of the Soviet
Union. Several delegates were in favour of consulting their Communist government, in
addition to bolstering economic and military cooperation with the largest Communist
state. The Chief Ideologist in particular highlighted the advantages of strengthening
ties with the superpower; “Comrades, I fully support the idea of forging ties with the
USSR, an extremely powerful nation”, iterated the minister.
Conversely, a few ministers refrained from supporting the idea of requesting the USSR
for monetary loans, citing Germany’s growing debt and economic inability to repay the
USSR in the long term. “There should be negotiation with the Allied Powers which will
reduce Germany’s dependence on American regulations, so Germany can have
greater control over its economic powers'', lauded the KPD Chairman, undermining the
importance of economic independence and self-reliance of the country.
The German Communist Party showcases promising results in their political battle
against the ruling Fascists, a step in the direction of a more stable and prosperous
Germany.
Trivikram Pattanayak
The Guardian
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Type: Editorial
“NO COMMENTS”
The Press Conference at SPECPOL lived up to its current reputation of a clueless
committee, with the main stakeholders of the agenda lacking any sense of direction.
Delegates, more often than not, were found contradicting their previous statements
and resorting to the phrase “no comments” to escape the fact that they didn’t have
an answer.
The session began with our first question which was posed to the delegate of Tibet
regarding the kind of human rights that had been violated in the country. His answers,
although abrupt at first, were proven to be factually correct - providing reliable
sources.
The delegate brought China into perspective which brought forth our next question to
the delegate of China. Being the main stakeholder of the agenda, it was surprising to
see how poorly the delegate was prepared, as though he had just mugged up
information from Wikipedia the night before the event. His answers lacked specifics
and relied on false information that was proved wrong by the STUDY GUIDE! And to
make matters worse, his way of tackling the question was simply, “no comments”.
We then moved on to the delegate of India, another major stakeholder in the agenda
of Tibet’s sovereignty over China. And just like the others, he could not rise to the
occasion. His answer of “Tibet’s geographical position would help China invade India''
contradicted the first line of the study guide under the subheading ‘INDIA’ (“India
formally accepts the One China policy, which means it accepts that Tibet belongs to
China”). And the “no comments” tactic was once again deployed…
Congo, however, was the only bright side to this press conference. His answers came
with accuracy and a certain honesty - perhaps a bit too much honesty, with
references to the morals his parents passed on to him when asked about what linked
Congo and Tibet together in terms of the importance of their perspective on the
situation faced by Tibet. He had a sense of direction and a will to resolve the issue at
hand, especially after facing the allegations of having an incompetent government by
the Delegate of Turkey.
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Finally, the press conference concluded with a general question - how the committee
would come together to propose a resolution, which received a great response (in
terms of placards being raised - that’s it). However, the only answers we truly got were
from the delegates of Congo and Tibet (guess the rest fell asleep). Tibet and Congo
came up with a feasible solution in terms of having Tibet act as a puppet country,
without losing its heritage or population. And you would never guess what the Delegate
of China replied with…
The SPECPOL press conference was truly eye-opening, in the sense that other
committees need to keep their eyes open and watch out for the press… “no comments”
Vaidehi Bodhankar, Nawan Shaju and B.G.Jeevan
The Associated Press
Type: Feature Article
Xi Jin Pain
While the rest of the delegates of DISEC were ardently driving their committee forward
and providing interesting solutions, the delegate of China had other goals in mind. It
could be said that he was shooting for something higher than just a delegate… "The
Leader of the People's Republic of China," perhaps, as he asked the committee to
imagine him in that role.
With a clear vision in mind, the delegate of China established his status as the
“superior” delegate as he criticized his committee in GSL speeches with a snarky and
cocky tone. Perhaps it was his ego. Or perhaps it was something more?! As we had
stated previously, he was luring everyone into agreeing with him despite being unclear
about his stance. As the committee sessions progressed and new solutions were
brought up, the enigmatic personality of the delegate of China was slowly unravelling
as his true goal finally revealed itself. The goal of the delegate was to bring himself to a
level comparable to the supreme leader, the revered, president, and leader of the
People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping. World leaders of other member states roll their
eyes as they find themselves looking at a delegate with a half-assed statement pitifully
trying to live up to the greatness of his Leader Xi Jinping.
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This brave move by the delegate, who is something of a controversial revolutionary in
the Chinese Media perhaps highlights instability in the central Chinese Government.
With mixed sentiments online, some inspired by this move and some shocked and
disgusted by this strategy, it is no secret that this move has shaken and rocked the
very foundations of the Chinese Authority. With the delegate of China leading the
committee and gaining the support of the member nations, the delegate seems to
lead his coup to dethrone the rule of Xi Jinping and establish himself as the new leader
as he seems to believe that and has stated that “me and him (Respected Leader Xi
Jinping) practically do the same job”.
With the situation in DISEC gaining in complexity as the committee session advanced,
and the Delegate of Sudan and China along with the UK pursuing their agendas, the
future of the committee is as uncertain as it has ever been. With these countries using
DISEC as a tool to carry out their secret plans, the world eagerly has its eyes on the
other member states and how they would react.
The Daily Mirror
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BIBILIOGRAPHY
Times of India
“The Times of India | Indian Newspaper | Britannica.” Encyclopædia Britannica,
2023, www.britannica.com/topic/The-Times-of-India. Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.
“LinkedIn.” Linkedin.com, 2023, www.linkedin.com/company/timesofindia/?
originalSubdomain=in. Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.
“Times of India.” Media Bias/Fact Check, 14 Dec. 2022,
mediabiasfactcheck.com/times-of-india/. Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.
“The Times of India Media Bias Rating.” Biasly, 2021, www.biasly.com/sources/thetimes-of-india-bias-rating/. Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.
“The Times of India.” Facebook.com, 2022, www.facebook.com/TimesofIndia/.
Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.
Bloomberg
Chen, James. “What Is Bloomberg?” Investopedia, Investopedia, 2 Feb. 2023,
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bloomberg.asp#:~:text=Bloomberg%20is
%20a%20media%20conglomerate,detailed%20information%20about%20financial
%20markets.
“Bloomberg Media Bias Rating.” AllSides, 26 Feb. 2023,
https://www.allsides.com/news-source/bloomberg-media-bias.
Bloomberg | LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/company/bloomberg.
“Bloomberg Terminal | Bloomberg Professional Services.” Bloomberg.com,
Bloomberg, https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/solution/bloombergterminal/?
utm_medium=Adwords_SEM&utm_source=pdsrch&utm_content=Terminal&utm_
campaign=732029&tactic=732029&gclid=CjwKCAjw5pShBhB_EiwAvmnNV4Esj1Q
xrzVr0XW30_Q-hy8OiNSPOw_G1dzQuCztF2WAQhQ-qPUjmhoCoyYQAvD_BwE.
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Bloomberg | Company Overview & News.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine,
https://www.forbes.com/companies/bloomberg/?sh=70776fcd74a1.
Russia Today
RT home page (accessed 29th Mar. 2023) https://www.rt.com/about-us
RT LinkedIn profile (accessed 31st Mar. 2023) https://www.linkedin.com/company/rt
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