How to be well-liked as a business reporter

Silas Lyons, the editor of the Redding Record Searchlight in California, writes about the paper’s business writer David Benda and how readers like his writing more now that the economy has turned around.

Lyons writes, “For a while, I don’t think I went a day without someone suggesting David should be fired.

“For his part, David kept his head down, kept his cool, and kept doing his job. It wasn’t flashy bravado, but it took real courage to keep writing fairly and honestly about what was happening.

“That, of course, is what we owe our readers, and our community. Doesn’t mean it’s easy, when you’re under constant attack.

“And now?

“Well, I have to say David has made a remarkable turnaround.

“Several different times recently, unsolicited, I’ve had people tell me they see a real difference in David’s writing. He’s so much more positive, they say. He really seems to be writing stories that are uplifting, and shine a positive light on the business community, they say.

“What have you been putting in his coffee?

“If only journalists truly had the power attributed to them.

“I’ve worked pretty closely with David for more than five years now, through all the worst of the economy, and now watched as the green shoots of improvement have emerged. You want to know the secret about him? He hasn’t changed one bit.”

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