St. Joseph's U. offers biz reporting course

St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia is now offering a business journalism course taught by Philadelphia Inquirer business reporter Joe DiStefano.

A story on the school’s site states, “Students enrolled in DiStefano’s course, Business Research and Reporting, will learn about the precarious financial state of the news media and how hyperlocal business reporting is fueling the engines of newspapers and local companies.

“DiStefano says the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis has shifted the type of stories business writers explore in their reporting. When stocks were doing well, reporters wrote ‘cheerleader stories,’ he says. ‘Now, we’re responding to reader concerns about the economy and writing stories focused on the job market, loans and foreclosures, and other vulnerabilities within the industry.’

“At the conclusion of the course, DiStefano says he wants students to have a stronger idea of what kind of news becomes news. ‘For business students, this course will familiarize them with data and information commonly reported by the media. I want these students to learn how to evaluate this information and share it with others,’ he says.”

Read more here. Interestingly, the class is being offered in the Haub School of Business, not through a journalism or communications program.