Crain’s tips for success in business journalism

Steve Jagler, the executive editor of BizTimes Milwaukee, writes about the advice that Rance Crain, the president of Crain Communications and editor-in-chief of Advertising Age, Crain’s Chicago Business, Crain’s New York Business and TelevisionWeek, gave at the Alliance of Area Business Publications summer conference in Nashville.

Here is some of his advice, and how it affected, or could affect, his business news publications:

(7) Be opportunistic. Hearing a speech by a publisher in Houston inspired Crain to publish the Crain’s Chicago Business, which he said was a “game-changer” for his company.

(8) Be optimistic. “Don’t let a few naysayers throw cold water on a hot idea,” Crain said. Crain believes digital video production could provide a great platform for publishers. “It is my belief that video will be the best thing that came out of the Internet. I said a few years ago that it’s like we hit the jackpot and suddenly we’ve got the equivalent of a TV station for free,” Crain said. “I can see the day when we’ll have a Crain TV channel with videos from all our publications playing at specific times throughout the day and night.”

(9) Make your workplace a nice place to work. “And your good people will stay forever,” Crain said.

(10) Have fun. “What’s the point of all the hard work? And if you’re having fun, so will all your people, and what a great place to work that will be,” Crain said.

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