TheStreet CEO Callaway remains optimistic about journalism

David Callaway, the CEO of TheStreet.com, spoke with Paul Blanchard on the Media Matters podcast about his career in business journalism.

Callaway said he grew up idolizing the lifestyle of journalists and found out in high school that he was a good writer.

“I like the romanticism of it,” said Callaway, who was editor in chief of USA Today before joining TheStreet. “I liked to travel and do interesting things.”

His original goal was to be a reporter. After working as a securities industry reporter for Bloomberg in London, Callaway came back to the United States and moved to California, where he helped launch the online financial news site CBS MarketWatch.

“I never thought I would be an internet journalist,” said Callaway. “I didn’t know what that was.”

Callaway said that he didn’t intend to be a financial journalist but found that he liked it. “I liked how fast things move,” he said. “There’s a lot of personalities. There’s winners and losers.”

Callaway says he remains optimistic about journalism.

“One thing that hasn’t changed is the public’s demand and desire for good” journalism, he said.

To listen to the podcast, go here.