Having worked at the Atlanta Fed for nearly a quarter of a century, I think I understand the Bank’s place in the Federal Reserve System and its role in contributing to the nation’s monetary policy making process pretty well. Realizing that not everyone has this insider’s view, our research and public affairs departments collaborated on a short animated video, “The Fed Explains Regional Banks,” to explain how the Federal Reserve's decentralized structure helps the central bank form a "big picture" view of the U.S. economy.
The latest video, along with others in the series, is part of The Fed Explained feature on the Bank’s website. The page brings together publications, videos, and other content to shed light on the Fed’s work and help a general audience understand key economic concepts.
Each of the Atlanta Fed’s six offices contributes to national monetary policy making by gathering grassroots information about economic conditions across the Southeast. The systematic approach we use here in the Sixth Federal Reserve District is known as REIN, or the Regional Economic Information Network.
In addition to the resources that REIN provides through the Bank’s website, there are other ways to connect with the Atlanta Fed, including subscribing to regular emails that highlight new content. These include speeches by Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart and economic commentary from research director Dave Altig through his avidly followed macroblog. You can also request a speaker for an event: Atlanta Fed staff economists and regional executives give hundreds of presentations each year throughout the Southeast.
The Atlanta Fed’s role in the national monetary policy making process and our broader outreach efforts are part of the Bank’s overall strategy to inform and engage the public regarding Federal Reserve roles and policy decisions. We also strive to promote transparency and accountability on behalf of the nation’s central bank. Being viewed as an unbiased, straight-shooting resource of choice for the citizens of the Southeast, and across the country, is what our outreach efforts are all about.
By Mike Chriszt, a vice president in the Atlanta Fed’s public affairs department