Columbus paper moves business to back of sports

The Columbus Dispatch will move its business section during the week into the back of the sports section, joining three other papers that have made a similar move in recent months.

The other papers that have cut their standalone business section are the Reno Gazette-Journal, the Cincinnati Enquirer and the Akron Beacon-Journal.

Dispatch editor Benjamin Marrison wrote in Sunday’s paper that it was also dropping its printed stock listings and moving them all online. He stated, “To test the results of the market survey conducted by MORI Research of Minneapolis, we have made changes in the past few months and watched for your reaction. So far, the results have supported the data. For instance, the research told us that the stock listings were unnecessary, because only one-tenth of the people in central Ohio monitor their investments through the newspaper.

“We dropped about 380 listings a few months ago and I didn’t hear a complaint. So instead of publishing page after page of listings that readers don’t use, we’re going to make the stock listings available at Dispatch.com. Those who don’t use a computer can call 1-800-555-8355 for stock information.”

Later, he added, “And the Business section will change. The daily Business pages will be published on the back of the Sports section, much as The Flip Side now runs on the back of Life. The location is new, but the amount of daily coverage will remain the same. And we will provide more business news than ever in The Dispatch on Sundays. On Sunday, Business will have its own section, and it has been revamped to be more useful to you.”

Read more here.