Talking Biz News Today – Jan. 13, 2015

Some of Wednesday’s top business news stories:

The Wall Street Journal

Disney to open first theme park in mainland China in June

MetLife looks to divest big piece of U.S. life-insurance unit, by Leslie Scism 

Bloomberg

VW CEO flubs interview with apology tour off to rocky start, by Naomi Kresge and Cristoph Rauwald

Ford shares slump on profit outlook despite special dividend, by Keith Naughton 

The Associated Press

Auto show: Some see sales slowdown; Fuel economy quandary, by Dee-Ann Durbin

Oil keeps falling. And falling. How low can it go?, by David Koenig 

Reuters

Fed’s Lacker: China not affecting fundamentals of U.S. economy, by Lindsay Dunsmuir

MetLife plans to separate U.S. retail business; shares rise, by Nikhil Subba and Sudarshan Varadhan

Fortune

Google taps former high-ranking Obama official as policy chief, by Leena Rao 

U.S. solar jobs boom while oil, coal struggle, by Katie Fehrenbacher

News about business journalism:

WSJ hires Greene to cover Microsoft

Rutenberg named NY Times media columnist

Reuters TV finds value in giving its content to other publishers

American Lawyer parent buys Legal Week

Bloomberg names chief of staff of news, Hong Kong and LA bureau chiefs

Ex-CNBC.com ME joins MassMutual Financial

Journalist stands by story removed from Atlanta Business Chronicle site

This date in business journalism history:

2013: How the financial press has failed America

2015: Quartz strategy begins to crystallize

Business journalism birthdays: 

Jan. 13: John Corrigan with LA Times