Biz writers too negative, need to improve attribution
Hal Morris, writing Monday on his Grumpy Editor blog, argues that business reporters are being too negative right now and they’re using too many anonymous sources. Morris writes, “Grumpy Editor notices one of the big problems with some business writers these days is lack of attribution. They just like to pump in their own crystal […]
The business news myth that came true
Orange County Register business columnist Jon Lansner writes Sunday about how the Business & Media Institute included reporting about the risks in the housing market among its “myths” in business coverage the past three years, but not this year. Lansner writes, “I laugh that some media critics now want to know how business journalists couldn’t […]
The NPR reporter, covering the economy, who was laid off
Stephanie Clifford of the New York Times writes for Monday’s paper about NPR senior correspondent Ketzel Levine, who was reporting a series of stories about how people were handling the economic turmoil when she was laid off. Clifford writes, “Ms. Levine, who has worked at NPR since 1977, said she decided the final episode, and […]
Wall Street Journal falls short in covering economic crisis
Dean Starkman, a former Wall Street Journal reporter, writes Wednesday that the paper’s performance in covering the current economic crisis leaves something to be desired. Starkman writes, “Senior Journal leadership may dismiss this idea, but at least a few among the rank-and-file have expressed to me a gnawing sense that paper has buried itself in […]
Tracking the criminals in the mortgage industry
Ryan Chittum of Columbia Journalism Review interviewed Miami Herald reporter Jack Dolan, who has been writing a series about criminals in the mortgage industry in Florida. Here is an excerpt: TA: I like the matter-of-fact tone in this series. You guys called a spade a spade when you found wrongdoing or gross negligence. I think […]
How business journalists missed the biggest story on their beat
Dean Starkman, who critiques the business media for Columbia Journalism Review, writes in the January/February issue of Mother Jones that business journalism missed warning readers about the current economic crisis. Starkman writes, “Personality profiles, critical as they may be, are comfortably within the narrowing business-press discourse. Plus, they’re a lot easier, and less risky, than […]
Real estate reporting contest now seeking entries
A new category for investigative reporters and more prize money for freelance journalists highlight the National Association of Real Estate Editors‘ 59th Annual Journalism Competition aimed at staff writers, columnists, editors, and freelancers covering mortgage finance, foreclosures, commercial and residential real estate, green building, home design and myriad other topics in the broad field of real estate. With […]
Take gas, car data out of retail sales reports, please
TheStreet.com media critic Marek Fuchs writes Monday that the business media focused too much on reporting Friday the overall retail sales number, which includes gas and car sales, without looking specifically at retail only. Fuchs writes, “Look at the abject hopelessness, the grinding disappointment of this MarketWatch headline: ‘Retail sales fall 1.8% in fifth straight […]
How did we get here?
Yvette Kantrow of The Deal writes that the business media hasn’t done a very good job of explaining to consumers how the economic crisis go to where it is right now. Kantrow writes, “Unfortunately, the media, like everyone else from Henry Paulson on down, didn’t really have a clue. But various explanations, usually of the […]
Covering the mortgage industry
Ryan Chittum of Columbia Journalism Review interviewed Mike Hudson, an investigative reporter who now works for the Center for Responsible Lending, about how business journalists have covered the mortgage meltdown. Here is an excerpt: TA: How has the press done in its job over the last decade or so — you’d know the timeframe better […]
