The best beat on the business desk

Jonathan Cox, who covers the economy for The (Raleigh) News & Observer, spoke to my Economics Reporting class on Tuesday and argued that he has the best beat on the business news desk.

Cox, who previously covered technology for the paper, says he enjoys covering the state’s economy because it allows him to look at the big picture instead of focusing a lot on the daily stories that need to fill the paper. He also noted that almost everybody cares about the economy, and virtually any story is a story about the economy.

However, Cox also said he gets a kick out of covering one of the most basic stories about the economy — the monthly unemployment figures, because it allows him to dig into the numbers and see what’s really going on.

For example, Cox noted that a recent state news release detailing the September unemployment figures noted that North Carolina had gained jobs while the country had lost more than 200,000. Cox, however, noted that the state had lost jobs during the past year, and that nearly 40 percent of those who entered the labor market in the state in September were unable to find a job.

Cox also offered this advice on covering the economy: Talk to as many people as possible. He says he talks to people at bars and restaurants about their jobs and their companies to get a feel for what’s going on. He also counts cars in shopping parking lots. Those give him clues on where to look for stories.

Having gotten an MBA while writing for the News & Observer, Cox says that the advanced degree has made his reporting easier. (He got a D in accounting as an undergrad.) It’s also opened doors for him when talking to executives.