Economics coverage and the New York Times

Two University of Manitoba economics professors are about to release a book assessing the economics coverage in The New York Times that could change many people’s perceptions about how the paper of record writes about the economy.

“The Gatekeeper: 60 Years of Economics According to the New York Times” is written by Robert Chernomas and Ian Hudson.

The book’s publisher, Paradigm Publishers out of Boulder, Colo., notes that “The Gatekeeper” argues that The Times, instead of its liberal perception, can more accurately be characterized as supporting long-run profitability for U.S. business, which involves both liberal and conservative policies in different contexts.

Through a thorough examination of the Times’ star commentators and its coverage of the issues of macroeconomics, regulation, foreign policy and the 2008-2009 economic crisis, “The Gatekeeper” refocuses the debate about the bias of the most venerable institution in U.S. journalism.

Chernomas, in an e-mail to Talking Biz News, said Thursday that the book will be out in hardcover next month and softcover in September.

The book was brought to my attention by Nikki Usher, a Ph.D. student at the University of Southern California, who is writing her dissertation on the transformation of the transformation of business news in a digital age.

Usher has used in-depth field ethnographies of three sites: The Times’ business desk (five months), Marketplace (five months) and TheStreet.com (one month). She’s been asking questions about professionalization, change, news rhythms and values, the definition of business news, the role of the audience, etc.