Mark Hamrick, the Washington bureau chief at Bankrate, spoke at the National Press Club Journalism Institute recently about covering the economy.
Here is an excerpt:
What tips do you have for journalists covering the US economy right now?
Hamrick: Choose your words carefully and work to get it right the first time. In our highly politically polarized environment, one must be extremely diligent to avoid embracing the words and alleged stated facts coming from elected officials. A good example in recent days has been falling back on words like “reciprocal tariffs” and “Liberation Day,” neither of which were true on the face of it. All of this isn’t new, but the velocity and volume of mis- and-disinformation is overwhelming.
The same was true during the previous administration when it fell back on false rhetoric like “price gouging” being responsible for inflation, reported as if it were fact. The actual causes for inflation — broadly speaking — are much more complex.
Recently, reporters who had the ability, if not the luxury, to dig in and look for the underlying stories, including the would-be formula used to calculate the since-paused tariffs, provided a great amount of context and value.
Avoid jargon. If you lose your readers and audience members by failing to use language they can understand, you’ve left them behind. Washington-based journalists are particularly at risk of using acronyms that don’t resonate or hold meaning for those outside the Beltway.
Connect the dots. This is a priority in my work and among my colleagues at Bankrate.com
At issue: How do developments and trends affect the finances of individuals and households? Why does it matter if the Federal Reserve makes an interest rate adjustment? It is our job to add context and to explain.
Read more here.
