Help for young people to make sense of world news

A team of former Reuters correspondents is launching an online service to foster global understanding by helping young people around the world come to grips with international news.

The start-up, called News-Decoder, is backed by 29 ex-Reuters journalists who will explain the background and significance of world news for millennials - 18-to-30-year-olds who are swamped with headlines but often lack the historical perspective to make sense of events. 

The correspondents, including former editor-in-chief David Schlesinger, have lived on every continent and covered many of the biggest international news stories in the past half century for Reuters. They are joined by others such as former senior US Defense Department official James Clad who have worked for other major news organisations. 

“News-Decoder will create a community of young people around the world who want to extend their horizons and learn from each other and from our experts,” said Nelson Graves (photo), a former foreign correspondent and educator who founded the not-for-profit venture. 

The service aims to leverage the correspondents’ experience, broad perspective, writing skills and impartiality to clarify complex events for young adults around the world. The correspondents will contribute articles and moderate discussions, debates and round tables on News-Decoder's digital platform. 

“It’s often said that news is the first draft of history. But that first draft can leave young people adrift in understanding what’s going on and why it’s important,” said Graves, who is based in Paris. “The stories that our correspondents have covered include the Vietnam War, 9/11, three Iraq wars, Wall Street meltdowns, the Iranian revolution, Palestinian intifadas, World Cups and Olympics.” 

In addition to a website with original articles, photos and video, News-Decoder will organise virtual debates and discussions, allowing young people around the world to share perspectives on big news events. News-Decoder launched a crowd-funding campaign to raise enough money to underwrite a pilot project to test the novel concept. 

While a number of new digital media have launched in recent months, News-Decoder hopes to stake out new ground with its global perspective and footprint, its emphasis on the interaction of millennials with each other and experts, and its B2B business model with academic institutions and libraries as clients. 

“News-Decoder is a global classroom on current world events,” said Graves, who has lived in the United States, France, India, Malaysia, Italy and Japan. “It will help the next generation of world leaders appreciate different perspectives and combat pre-conceived notions.” 

News-Decoder will earn money through subscriptions to events and content on its digital platform. Its website, www.news-decoder.com, will be free. The eventual aim is to have correspondents on “super stringer” status, earning a fixed monthly retainer plus a fee for each contribution. 

The following former Reuters journalists are involved in the project: 

Charles Aldinger, Tiziana Barghini, Debbie Charles Chisholm, Malcolm Davidson, Pascal Fletcher, Gene Gibbons, Nelson Graves, Janet Guttsman, Richard Hubbard, Patrick Lannin, Jeremy Lovell, Alistair Lyon, Jonathan Lyons, Jane Macartney, John Mehaffey, Barry May, Colin McIntyre, Elaine Monaghan, Barry Moody, Harvey Morris, Julian Nundy, Andrew Quinn, John Rogers, Feizal Samath, David Schlesinger, Enrique Shore, Jonathan Thatcher, Alan Wheatley, Jim Wolf, Betty Wong.

To join News-Decoder’s mailing list, click here. Inquiries can be sent to nelson.graves@news-decoder.com.

To participate in the crowd-funding campaign, click here. ■