WSJ hires Barba as deputy spot news editor

Bankrate.com’s Robert Barba has been hired by The Wall Street Journal as a deputy spot news editor.

He starts his new job on May 29. The spot news desk serves both the Dow Jones Newswires and The Journal.

He has been at Bankrate since August 2017 as a banking and fintech writer and analyst.

“I’ve very much enjoyed writing about personal finance and the future of banking for consumers here at Bankrate,” said Barba. “After a decade of writing about banking for bankers, it was exciting to write for a totally different audience. I’m thrilled to join Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal and am looking forward to working with Bow Tweh and the reporters on the Spot News team.”

Before joining Bankrate, Barba was the technology editor at American Banker. He also served as deputy editor of American Banker’s dealmaking and strategy section. He joined American Banker in late 2007 as a community banking reporter, just in time for the financial crisis.

Barba played a lead role in covering community banks’ struggle for survival in the years following the downturn.

Prior to joining American Banker, Robert was a general business reporter at Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers in Stuart, Florida. He began his career as a business desk intern at The Denver Post and Boulder Daily Camera.

Barba is a board member of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers.