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The role of financial journalists in the expectations channel of the monetary transmission mechanism

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  • Monique Reid
  • Pierre Siklos
  • Timothy Guetterman
  • Stan Du Plessis

Abstract

Monetary policy relies on managing the inflation expectations of the public in order to influence prices (inflation). Relying on the South African experience we argue that most of the general public are only exposed to the communication of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) via the media. This state of affairs is fairly typical around the globe. We explore the role and biases of the journalists in transmitting the SARB’s communication to the rationally inattentive general public. Our aim is to obtain insights about the factors that influence media articles that deal with monetary policy issues. Using interviews and qualitative content analysis, we explore the extent of the journalists’ knowledge about inflation and monetary policy, their views concerning the credibility of the SARB, the sources of information they use, and the constraints and incentives they face in writing the articles.

Suggested Citation

  • Monique Reid & Pierre Siklos & Timothy Guetterman & Stan Du Plessis, 2020. "The role of financial journalists in the expectations channel of the monetary transmission mechanism," CAMA Working Papers 2020-37, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    • Handle: RePEc:een:camaaa:2020-37
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Monique Reid & Stan Du Plessis, 2010. "Loud And Clear? Can We Hear When The Sarb Speaks?," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 78(3), pages 269-286, September.
    2. Olivier Coibion & Yuriy Gorodnichenko, 2015. "Is the Phillips Curve Alive and Well after All? Inflation Expectations and the Missing Disinflation," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(1), pages 197-232, January.
    3. Monique Reid & Stan Du Plessis, 2011. "Talking to the inattentive public: How the media translates the Reserve Bank’s communications," Working Papers 254, Economic Research Southern Africa.
    4. Monique Reid & Stan du Plessis, 2011. "Talking to the inattentive Public: How the media translates the Reserve Bank’s communications," Working Papers 19/2011, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    5. Alberto Cavallo & Guillermo Cruces & Ricardo Perez-Truglia, 2017. "Inflation Expectations, Learning, and Supermarket Prices: Evidence from Survey Experiments," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 9(3), pages 1-35, July.
    6. Kabundi, Alain & Schaling, Eric & Some, Modeste, 2015. "Monetary policy and heterogeneous inflation expectations in South Africa," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 109-117.
    7. Matthew Gentzkow & Bryan Kelly & Matt Taddy, 2019. "Text as Data," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 57(3), pages 535-574, September.
    8. Helge Berger & Michael Ehrmann & Marcel Fratzscher, 2011. "Monetary Policy in the Media," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(4), pages 689-709, June.
    9. Monique Reid & Zinette Bergman & Stan Du Plessis & Manfred Max Bergman & Pierre Siklos, 2020. "Inflation and Monetary Policy: What South African Newspapers Report in an Era of Policy Transparency," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(3), pages 732-754, July.
    10. Binder, Carola Conces, 2015. "Whose expectations augment the Phillips curve?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 35-38.
    11. Alberto Coco & Nicola Viegi, 2019. "The monetary policy of the South African Reserve Bank: stance, communication and credibility," Working Papers 788, Economic Research Southern Africa.
    12. Monique Reid, 2009. "The Sensitivity Of South African Inflation Expectations To Surprises," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 77(3), pages 414-429, September.
    13. Pierre L. Siklos, 2018. "Has Monetary Policy Changed? How the Crisis Shifted the Ground Under Central Banks," Working Paper series 18-10, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis.
    14. Tambini, Damian, 2010. "What are financial journalists for?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 28840, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    15. Alan S. Blinder, 2018. "Through a Crystal Ball Darkly: The Future of Monetary Policy Communication," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 108, pages 567-571, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Christian P Pinshi, 2022. "Ciblage des prévisions d'inflation : Un nouveau cadre pour la politique monétaire ?," Working Papers hal-03548273, HAL.
    2. González, Maximiliano & Guzmán, Alexander & Tellez-Falla, Diego F. & Trujillo, María Andrea, 2021. "Determinants of corporate tone in an initial public offering: Powerful CEOs versus well-functioning boards," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    3. Arnold Segawa, 2021. "Sentimental Outlook for the Monetary Policies of South African Reserve Bank," International Journal of Finance & Banking Studies, Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 10(3), pages 37-56, July.
    4. Pejman Peykani & Mostafa Sargolzaei & Amir Takaloo & Shahla Valizadeh, 2023. "The Effects of Monetary Policy on Macroeconomic Variables through Credit and Balance Sheet Channels: A Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    monetary policy; central bank communication; journalists;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies

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