Giving heft to an important coverage area

Nancy Barnes, the editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, writes Sunday about how the paper is increasing its coverage of important areas, including business.

Barnes writes, “Around this time last year, Eric Wieffering, a veteran business reporter, writer and editor, left the paper to work in the business community. He returned to journalism two weeks ago to take on the role of business columnist, a job that can be done only by someone intimately familiar with Minnesota’s vast business landscape. His column will appear every Sunday, starting today, and once or twice during the week, depending on the news. His task is to deliver commentary and insight into Minnesota’s business news in a smart and nuanced way. I expect that he will also break news in his column.

“We’re delighted to have Wieffering rejoin the staff. He brings journalism chops that would be welcome at any news organization in the country.

“As Wieffering and I discussed his return to the paper, he told me that he had enjoyed his year outside the newsroom but that he knew his heart was in business journalism.

“‘Minnesotans care about business and the economy, and we are fortunate to have one of the richest and most diverse business communities in the country,’ he said. ‘I’ve always said this is one of the best communities in the country to be a business reporter, and a column is a great opportunity to provide the kind of context and perspective that our readers expect.'”

Read more here.