Des Moines daily to group business beats

Dave Elbert of The Business Record in Des Moines, Iowa writes about how the Des Moines Register is reorganizing its newsroom, including the business news desk.

Elbert writes, “The Register’s business beats are largely unchanged with one exception. There is no business editor. The five business beats are grouped under two new departments called ‘Quality of Life’ and ‘Close to Home,’ raising the question of whether the Register’s two daily pages of business news will cease to exist.

“Future business stories could appear on general news pages alongside other local content. That’s probably not a bad idea, given how weak the other local coverage will become.

“The new organization includes two positions for investigative reporters and one slot for a storyteller, which seems odd to older journalists who believe all reporters should have investigative and storytelling skills.”