New guidebook helps biz journalists cover corporate governance

A newly released new guidebook shows reporters how to better cover the business world and ways to spot trends in companies’ financial activities that could lead to more impactful stories.

Daniel Guerra of the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas writes, “Written by the International Center for Journalists and the International Finance Corporation’s Global Corporate Governance Forum, the guidebook ‘Who’s Running the Company: A Guide to Reporting on Corporate Governance”’ looks at how reporters can look beyond the financial statements and organizational charts of a company and seek meaningful stories on how companies operate.

“An objective of the guidebook is to help business journalists ‘pay attention to companies’ leadership and ask whether directors and management are making the right decisions, and how their actions connect to their company duties.’

“‘Corporate governance is at the heart of what goes right and wrong in business. Understanding it is vital for good business journalism,’ said John Plender, contributing editor for the Financial Times and member of the Global Corporate Governance Forum.

“Among the tips provided for business journalists are how to better define corporate governance, maximize contacts at a company’s stakeholders meeting, and identify potential irregularities in a company’s paperwork.

“The guidebook also provides insight into state- and family-owned enterprises, the compositions of companies’ board of directors and its relationship with its stakeholders, and how to better write stories on financial events and make them more accessible to readers.”

Read more here.