Taking a crash course in business journalism
Mark B. Evans, the new editor at Inside Tucson Business, tells John Schuster of the Tucson Weekly that he’s having to take a crash course in business journalism. Schuster writes, “‘I read and know business journalism, but I need a crash course on the bread and butter of business journalism and finding out what the […]
Check financial numbers of private companies before printing them
Business journalist Francine McKenna wishes that more of her industry colleagues would attempt to verify claims of revenue and net income by private companies before printing them. McKenna writes, “Maybe some journalists are intoxicated by access to the non-public numbers some would pay a lot to know for sure. Maybe it’s just too hard. Worst […]
Infamous Bloomberg headlines could be changing
Zach Seward of Quartz writes about how Bloomberg‘s sometimes inscrutable headlines could changing after the report from reviewer Clark Hoyt noted they needed improving. Seward writes, “Most news organizations adopt headline conventions that, over time, become institutional clichés. (The New York Times: In Starting With a Prepositional Phrase, a Way to Sound Intelligent. Business Insider: BOOM: […]
How to get a biz reporter to write about your company
Bryant Ruiz Switzky, a senior staff reporter at the Washington Business Journal, where he covers banking, finance and corporate accountability, writes about what a company should do to get coverage by the business media. Switzky writes, “If you’re trying to get on the good side of the business press, here are some things to keep […]
Jargon, alphabet soup and numeracy problems all bug style guru
Paul Martin retired at the end of July from The Wall Street Journal, ending a 53-year stint at the business newspaper. He had spent the last 27 years running its “Style & Substance” report, which dissected Journal stories for their word usage and phrasing. Martin, who joined the Journal in 1960 as a copyreader, became the […]
Confidential sources:The good, the bad, and the ugly
In this five-part series, we’ll look at some of the challenges that young business journalists face in today’s media landscape. A common theme running through all five installments is the recognition that avoiding errors is a journalist’s first responsibility. News moves faster, farther and wider than ever before, and given the ever-increasing volatility of markets, […]
Biz editor to companies: Let me come work for you
Northwest Florida Daily News business editor Dusty Ricketts has a plea to the companies in his area: Let me come work for you. Ricketts writes, “Thankfully, I haven’t been fired as the business editor of the Daily News, but I am starting a new series that will run monthly in the business section. “Other than […]
Taper is a buzzword overused by biz media
Michael Teague of Equities.com writes about the latest overused buzzford in financial journalism. Teague writes, “But clichés can metastasize beyond their descriptive purpose, and financial journalism and commentary are no less replete with examples than any other faction of the media. This is especially evident in instances where a particular turn of phrase has become […]
Two WSJ editors named for Style & Substance blog
Wall Street Journal managing editor Gerard Baker sent out the following announcement on Wednesday: I’m pleased to announce that two of our top editors, both steeped in the traditions and style of The Wall Street Journal in its various formats, will take over responsibility for the Style & Substance blog, a beacon […]
New Mexico daily launching “Scam of the Week” feature
The Albuquerque Journal in New Mexico is launching a new feature called “Scam of the Week” aimed at helping readers guard against fraud, identity theft and other unsavory business practices. Assistant business editor Nick Pappas writes, “The new feature, which will appear in the Money section, will identify specific scams, explain how they work and […]
