How “Marketplace” creator Russell helped Brancaccio find his voice

Tyler Falk of Current writes about the legacy of Jim Russell, the creator of “Marketplace” who died earlier this week. Falk writes, “David Brancaccio, now host and senior editor of Marketplace Morning Report, said Russell ‘took an enormous risk’ when he hired Brancaccio as host of Marketplace at age 33. “Russell had a ‘reputation of being very intense,’ […]

Russell, creator of “Marketplace,” has died

Jim Russell, the creator of the public radio business news program “Marketplace” in 1989, has died in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He was 76. Russell envisioned “Marketplace” as a business news show that would appeal to a mass audience, not just executives and investors, and he produced it in California, away from the traditional New York […]

Saracevic, former SF Chronicle biz editor, dies at 52

Al Saracevic, who was business editor of the San Francisco Chronicle from 2005 to 2009 and most recently director of news and sports coverage at the San Francisco Examiner, died early Saturday at the age of 52. Jeff Elder of the Examiner writes, “In more than a quarter century of serving San Francisco with gutsy journalism, […]

Grant, two-time Loeb winner, dies at 82

Linda Grant, a longtime business journalist who won two Gerald Loeb Awards during her career, died Aug. 11 at the age of 82. An obituary states, “Linda resettled in New York in 1971 and joined Fortune as a researcher/reporter for seven years.  There she became a leader in the fight for women’s rights, joining hundreds […]

Remembering former Morning Call biz editor Hirsch

Mike Miorelli of The Morning Call in Allentown, Pennsylvania, remembers Mike Hirsch, who died earlier this month and was once the paper’s business editor. Miorelli writes, “After Mike was diagnosed with ALS in late fall 2019, he came up with the mantra, ‘ALS will kill me, but it won’t break me,’ and he stayed true to that […]

Keough, business journal pioneer, dies at 81

Donald Keough, who helped launch weekly business newspapers around the country, died earlier this week at the age of 81. Keough was key player in the development of more than 20 local business newspapers around the country. He was the founding editor of the Kansas City Business Journal. He founded American City Business Journals in the […]

Friend, CEO of real estate news service Bisnow, dies at 33

Will Friend, the CEO of commercial real estate news service Bisnow, died Sunday at the age of 33 after being struck by lightning. Ethan Rothstein and Mark F. Bonner of Bisnow write, “Friend was the CEO of the company for the last seven years, overseeing its growth to include 650 annual digital and live events in 50 international […]

Tadesse, former Reuters correspondent in Ethiopia, dies at 92

Tsegaye Tadesse, a former Reuters correspondent in Ethiopia who had a front row seat to history, has died at 92. Barry Malone and Tiksa Negeri of Reuters write, “But it was at Reuters news agency, which hired him in 1975 and where he would work for almost 35 years, that Tsegaye believed he did his best […]

Aldinger, who covered the Pentagon for Reuters, dies at 84

Charles Aldinger, who spent 25 years covering the Pentagon for Reuters, died June 27 at the age of 84. An obituary states, “He turned his love of storytelling into a 50-year career in journalism. His early days as a cub reporter for the Charleston News and Courier introduced him to seasoned colleagues who taught him essentials […]

Hooker, former editor of New England Business Magazine, dies at 79

Kenneth Hooker Jr., longtime editor of New England Business Magazine, died June 20 at the age of 79. He was also a business editor at The Hartford Courant. A Courant story states, “Hooker’s ex-wife, Elaine Jackson, said Wednesday that she recalled both were hired at The Courant in September 1969. “‘He got obits and was […]