Missouri J school planning online biz news service

A business news service is under development at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, and the online publication could launch as early as June.

Jacob Barker of the Columbia Daily Tribune writes, “Randall Smith, a journalism professor at MU, has been raising money for the project since the fall, he said, and he hopes to turn it into a resource for the entire state tentatively named Missouri Business Insider. Smith said private contributors and the university have kicked in money. ‘My goal is to provide another news platform here at the university, much like the Missourian and KOMU, but this one for business journalism,’ he said.

“The idea began germinating after a conversation Smith had last year with Regional Economic Development Inc. President Mike Brooks and Boone Electric Cooperative CEO Todd Culley, who is also REDI’s treasurer. Brooks and Culley worked in Indiana, where a statewide business publication landed in their email inbox twice daily. Brooks said the newsletter was a quick way to stay up to date on statewide business happenings.

“‘The beauty of that particular product is it’s literally two minutes’ to scan for relevant articles, he said.

“Smith said Missouri Business Insider would take a similar approach, sending out two emails a day to subscribers and maintaining a website without a print product. He has hired five staff members, and the content will be produced by students and professional contributors, he said. Smith said he hopes to set up curriculum and classes surrounding it.”

Read more here.