Categories: OLD Media Moves

Switching from business to news

Joe Grimm, who writes a journalism career advice Q&A column for the Poynter Institute, fields a question Tuesday from a business reporter at a weekly business newspaper who wants to switch to covering news.

Grimm’s advice:

“The best trick in your bag is the one you want to lose. So, let’s use it and lose it.

“Daily newspapers have a harder time finding business reporters than they do finding news reporters. So, go after the business reporting jobs to make the switch and to negotiate your entry salary.

“Once in, be a very, very good reporter. Stop interviewing so many suits by phone. Get out there and meet people face-to-face on your best stories and diversify the sourcing on those stories. The people affected by business transactions and turmoil are often the best part of the story. Good work will attract the interest of editors in the newsroom. The city editor will not have many reservations about bringing you from business to news — but only if you’re very good.”

Read more  here.

Recent Posts

Advocate seeks a business reporter in Baton Rouge

The Advocate is looking for a savvy reporter to cover the Baton Rouge business scene…

16 hours ago

MLex seeks a reporter in Washington

MLex, a LexisNexis company, is an independent news organization for breaking news and forward-looking analysis…

16 hours ago

Austin Biz Journal seeks an economic development reporter

The Austin Business Journal seeks a staff writer to cover economic development in one of…

16 hours ago

Forbes journalist in Russia placed under house arrest

A Russian court on Saturday placed Sergei Mingazov, a journalist for the Russian edition of…

17 hours ago

Investor’s Business Daily turns 40

Justin Nielsen of Investor's Business Daily writes about the newspaper's 40th anniversary. Nielsen writes, "When the…

17 hours ago

Fieseler to cover renewable energy, climate and tech for Politico/E&E News

Clare Fieseler has been hired by Politico and subsidiary E&E News to cover renewable energy,…

17 hours ago