Columbus Dispatch business reporter Samantha Hendrickson writes about how she covers her beat.
Hendrickson writes, “What exactly is a business and consumer issues reporter?
“I took on this newly crafted beat for our newsroom a year ago. I had started at The Dispatch in April 2024 as a health care and medical business reporter, but as our world shifted, so did audience needs. So, I’ve spent 2026 building a beat focused on ‘consumer issues,’ issues that directly impact the every day individual.
“That still includes health care, as costs continue to rise and central Ohio has been pummeled by illness and severe weather. It also means looking at energy and utilities, like how data centers impact your electric bill and who the key players in that dollar number are. And if we’re talking about consumer issues, groceries and their spiking prices are top of mind for any Ohioan.”
Read more here.
