Dave Reddy of the “Pressing Matters” podcast interviewed San Francisco Business Times editor in chief Jeremy Owens about his new job and his career in tech journalism.
Owens has been in journalism for 24 years and previously was MarketWatch.com bureau chief in San Francisco. He said developing relationships in the industry helped him land his new job.
“The care and the number of people who reached out and took me to coffee…that really was huge for me,” said Owens. He had spoken to American City Business Journals, which owns the Business Times, in the past. “That certainly helped,” he said.
Owens said his editing job is to take hard-to-understand topics and turn them into a story that is easy to understand, which is similar to being a teacher — a job that his parents both held.
He saw editing as a way to make more money in journalism, starting out by working at local newspapers in the Bay area. He later worked at the San Jose Mercury News, which had 15 journalists on the business news desk but now has two.
“That’s what we’re dealing with in local journalism,” said Owens. “It’s been slammed, and it’s sad to watch.”
Owens said he learned how to be a business journalist at the Mercury News when he became online business editor and wrote an afternoon business newsletter.
To listen, go here.
