Atlanta paper to cut stock listings beginning next week

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will announce in tomorrow’s newspaper that it is cutting the stock listings in its daily newspaper beginning next week, joining a list of metropolitan dailies across the country that have made similar cuts to their business sections since the beginning of the year.

The AJC’s public editor, Angela Tuck, right, wrote in a column already posted on the paper’s Web site that, “The change will make room for expanded coverage of national business news, something readers tell us they want more of.

“Starting Tuesday, the thousands of stock listings the newspaper has run will be reduced to hundreds. They will be displayed on a revamped inside page called ‘Market Movers,’ which replaces the ‘Daily Investing Report.’

“‘The Market Movers page will offer a powerful, jampacked summary of everything you want to know about what happened in the markets the day before,’ said AJC business editor Mark Braykovich. ‘In one quick look, you’ll get more information than ever before in the AJC. It will appeal to a broader section of readers.’

“The ‘Market Movers’ page will include a chart of mutual funds prices — a new feature — as well as listings on more than 100 Georgia stocks, commodity and currency prices and the latest interest rates.”

Among the other papers that have cut stock listings in recent months are the Chicago Tribune, Newsday, Providence Journal, Rocky Mountain News, The (Raleigh) News & Observer, Cincinnati Enquirer and Orlando Sentinel. Most newspapers say they’re cutting stock listings to lower the newsprint expense. In many cases, the business news hole is also slashed.

In addition, Tuck disclosed some changes to the Sunday business section. She wrote, “Readers will also notice some changes in the Sunday Business section, which is getting a new look and additional features on March 12.

“‘Private Quarters,’ a column by Julie Hairston that shows unique and often lavish homes in and around metro Atlanta, will move from Fridays to Sundays. The column is extremely popular with readers, who will now get to see more pictures from the properties featured.”

Disclosure: Braykovich is a SABEW board member running for re-election this year. And I worked with Tuck while at the AJC from 1994-97.

Read Tuck’s Saturday column here. Registration is required.