Bloomberg’s Hays: Our content is best it’s ever been

Bloomberg News senior executive editor Laurie Hays was interviewed by Capital New York about the news service’s operations.

Here is an excerpt:

CAPITAL: You joined Bloomberg News in 2008. How has Bloomberg grown in that time? How do you think the industry has changed?

HAYS: Our content is the best it’s ever been. We have significantly grown the number of stories that break important news and provide real value, whether it’s market-moving or award-winning human rights reporting.

The media business is changing dramatically. News travels faster than ever. Scoops are exclusive for mere seconds (we like the ones nobody can match right away so they have to credit us). A story’s impact is immediately calculated by number of hits, which is good and bad. While writing stories that people want to read is good, some news organizations are finding the lowest common denominator a rewarding place to be. Bloomberg’s readership is smart and sophisticated and appreciates important stories.

CAPITAL: There’s obviously been a lot of discussion recently about the role of women in the news industry. What are some of the challenges and obstacles you’ve faced in your career?

HAYS: In my career, I have been lucky to work for managers who have appreciated my skills and encouraged me to pursue my ambitions, first as a reporter and then as an editor. While I haven’t gotten every job I wanted, I have been given bigger and bigger responsibilities. Matt Winkler has been a huge advocate of women’s careers at Bloomberg and I have been most fortunate to have him as my boss. At The Wall Street Journal Dan Hertzberg and Paul Steiger could not have been more supportive of my love for journalism and my aspirations to do more.

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