What writers owe their audience

Alex Knapp writes on Forbes.com about the relationship between business journalism and their readers.

Knapp writes, “I think the answer to this question gets to the heart of branding in the world of internet journalism. What is Forbes now? Is it a business magazine focused on business journalism? I’d say that the print magazine mostly is, although it definitely explores some different areas from time to time – which is why I like to read it.

“But I think that Forbes.com is more expansive than that, especially since it acquired True/Slant. One of the reasons why I was so excited to become a contributor here at Forbes is because of the huge reach of its contributors in a variety of different areas, from politics to technology to investments to leadership and so on. But what makes Forbes more than just the breadth of its topics is the diversity and intelligence of the writers here. The editorial hand here is very light, which is why I have the pleasure of reading intelligent conservatives like Avik Roy and Lawrence Hunter while also reading intelligent liberals like Rick Ungar and Erik Kain without having to leave the site.

“And there is what, I think, distinguishes the Forbes.com brand from a lot of other online publications. They trust their contributors to write smart things, and they trust their readers to be smart enough to come along for the ride without handholding or pushing.

“But what does that mean for the writers here? Well, I can’t speak for anyone else, but I can tell you my approach to this. My focus, here at this site, is primarily on the technology of the future – what’s coming next? What research advances are out there? What products are being developed? In addition, I’m also looking at the intersection of technology and culture – how is technology being used? How will it be used? What are the pitfalls and the possibilities?”