Entertainment biz pub Variety sold to Deadline owner
The Hollywood trade paper Variety has been acquired by Penske Media Corp. and its financial backer, hedge fund Third Point, for about $25 million, in a power shift for the world of show business and a transformation of the industry’s most famous news brand, writes Ben Fritz of the Los Angeles Times. Fritz writes, “Santa […]
Welch stops contributing to Reuters, Fortune
Stephen Gandel of CNNMoney.com reports that former General Electric CEO Jack Welch has stopped writing commentary for Reuters and Fortune magazine in the wake of the controversy last week about him criticizing the federal government’s unemployment data. Gandel writes, “Welch said he will no longer contribute to Fortune following critical coverage of the former CEO […]
The importance of quality business journalism
Pat Wenstrom and Chuck Wenstrom write for the Freeport Journal-Standard in Illinois about the importance of quality business journalism. The Wenstroms write, “One consequence of the change is the decline in labor coverage and the increase in business articles. The authors say that the labor beat was once an important beat in large or mid-sized […]
Earnings predicted to be crappy again
Despite the better-than-expected jobs numbers last week, most analysts are predicting an across the board drop in corporate earnings this quarter. From a Bloomberg story: Third-quarter profits and sales for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (SPX) probably fell in unison for the first time in three years, according to analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Per-share earnings […]
What we need from energy journalists
David Roberts writes on ThinkProgress.org about the type of journalism that needs to be practiced in terms of covering energy companies. Roberts writes, “There are finance and business journalists who cover energy as a commodity business, tracking global supply and demand flows, prices, futures trading, all that sort of stuff. There are business and tech […]
SABEW seeks freelance biz journalist salary info
The Society of American Business Editors and Writers is conducting an anonymous survey of freelance business journalists throughout the country to determine their pay and the type of work they perform. The results of the survey will be made available to all SABEW members by the end of the year on its site, and the […]
FT: Pink, salmon or bisque?
Chirstine Haughney of The New York Times examines that critical business journalism issue that has left us all sleeping at night – just what color newsprint is The Financial Times printed on? Haughney writes, “According to The Financial Times’s Web site, the paper is a ‘distinctive shade of salmon pink.’ The paper, first published in […]
Cooking the books?
Last week’s drop in the unemployment rate to 7.8 percent from 8.1 percent seemed like good news no matter which side of the political spectrum you’re on. Or was it? Several influential business leaders – think Jack Welch – and financial blogs accused the government of changing the numbers to benefit President Obama. Many in […]
Florida paper to print chamber content
The Daytona Beach News-Journal in Florida will publish content from the local chamber of commerce, according to a story on the paper’s website. The story states, “The joint effort was announced in September by Chamber chairman Garry Lubi and Daytona Beach News-Journal publisher Ron Wallace. “‘The Voice’ will be available as a four-page pullout section […]
Lex Fenwick remakes Dow Jones
Jennifer Saba of Reuters profiles new Dow Jones & Co. CEO Lex Fenwick, who is changing how the parent company of The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s operates. Saba writes, “Fenwick has been called a master salesman and business builder whose hard-charging style often runs roughshod over colleagues and subordinates. His makeover of Dow Jones […]
