Analyzing the new BusinessWeek

Joe Weber, a former chief of correspondents for BusinessWeek who is now a journalism professor at the University of Nebraska, blogs about his impressions of the new version of the magazine unveiled last week by its new owners, Bloomberg LP.

Weber writes, “It also boasts a knockout layout, in some ways a return to the substance and elegance of the mag’s heyday of the 1990s with a contemporary gloss.

“Indeed, the book overall is a refreshing mix of what made BW a winner in the past and some nice new touches. The Back to the Future treatment includes savvy analysis, depth and graceful writing, combined with a renewed focus on corporations, the finance world and politics. It’s a must-read once again! After too many years of thin books with too little to dine on, this new offering is a full-course meal again – complete with dessert (read on for that).

“The new BW isn’t perfect. The Global Economics pages are a confusing jumble, the small-biz section needs work and at least one columnist is off the mark. But the mag overall is sleek and smart and gives readers some insights they won’t get elsewhere – which in the end has always been BW’s drawing card. After all, if the fish isn’t fresh, the wrapper hardly matters, no?

“Overall, give this effort a B+, with expectations that As are on the way in future issues.”

Read more here.