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Imperfect Central Bank Communication - Information versus Distraction

Author

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  • Athanasios Orphanides
  • Spencer Dale
  • Pär Österholm

Abstract

Much of the information communicated by central banks is noisy or imperfect. This paper considers the potential benefits and limitations of central bank communications in a model of imperfect knowledge and learning. It is shown that the value of communicating imperfect information is ambiguous. There is a risk that the central bank can distract the public; this means that the central bank may prefer to focus its communication policies on the information it knows most about. Indeed, conveying more certain information may improve the public's understanding to the extent that it "crowds out" a role for communicating imperfect information.

Suggested Citation

  • Athanasios Orphanides & Spencer Dale & Pär Österholm, 2008. "Imperfect Central Bank Communication - Information versus Distraction," IMF Working Papers 2008/060, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2008/060
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Frederic S Mishkin, 2004. "Can Central Bank Transparency Go Too Far?," RBA Annual Conference Volume (Discontinued), in: Christopher Kent & Simon Guttmann (ed.),The Future of Inflation Targeting, Reserve Bank of Australia.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    WP; central bank communications; inflation expectation;
    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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