Tatge talks business journalism writing

Ohio University professor Mark Tatge recent compiled “The New York Times Reader: Business & Economics,” published last month by CQ Press.

The book uses stories from the New York Times business desk to explain complex business topics in a way that the average person can understand.

Tatge’s book looks at how these reporters balance compelling analysis and historical perspective, showing readers specific ways to practice the craft of business writing. Delving into the fundamentals of covering the beat, the book is divided into two sections—one on the economy (inflation, jobs, wagers, debt and taxes) and another on business (Wall Street, mergers, profiles and investigative reporting).

Tatge talked about his book via e-mail with UNC-Chapel Hill professor Chris Roush. What follows is an excerpt of that talk.

What do you think readers will learn from the interviews with the business reporters?

Actually, this will probably be one of the most interesting and best read features in the book. Readers will be able to examine firsthand how these very talented individuals do their jobs. It will give them insights and ideas into business reporting. I also personally feel it is always interesting to see how people get to where they are at. One of the most astonishing things I came across in some of the interviews is the fact that some of these very accomplished, talented journalists don’t have college educations. They also don’t have backgrounds in business, yet these journalists are top reporters at the New York Times. I think this is great. It also says that students don’t need to be economists or accountants to write about business. Understanding the topic is crucial, but some students shouldn’t be intimidated by the topic.

How do you think this book will be valuable to students interested in business journalism?

The book is a sampler of relevant topics that teaches students about business journalism by offering great examples of business journalism. It will give them a broad overview of the landscape. They first get a sense for the technical aspects of a topic – like writing about inflation or unemployment. They also can see how these stories are written. The book breaks down the building blocks needed to assemble particular stories — on mergers, earnings, unemployment – and offers a paint-by-numbers diagram of what a young reporter needs to make the story sing.

Read the entire interview here.