Business Journalism

1
Business Journalism

• Tremendous growth over past decade.
• More difficult, lucrative than other beats.
• Growth has been in broadcast, Web, newspapers and
  magazines.
• Specialized knowledge is important.
• Audience is smart, has money, wants to consume
  biz news.

(c) 2001 by Russell G. Todd
2
Why?

• Retirement programs give individuals control.
• Collapse of communism.
• Regulatory policies loosened.
• Integrated global economy.
• Technology democratizes information.
• General dog-eat-dog view of life.

(c) 2001 by Russell G. Todd
3
Jobs in Business Journalism

• Wires Associated Press, Reuters, Bloomberg, Dow
  Jones, Xinhua
• Financial Papers WSJ, Investors Business Daily,
  Austin Business Journal
• Dailies NYT, Austin American-Statesman
• Business Magazines Fortune, Forbes, Smartmoney,
  Business Week

(c) 2001 by Russell G. Todd
4
Jobs in Business Journalism

• General Magazines Time, Newsweek, Texas Monthly
• Trade Magazines Texas Counties, Computer,
  Information Week
• Broadcast Networks CNBC.
• Web marketwatch.com, thestreet.com
• Financial Specialty Pubs Bond Buyer,
  Institutional Investor, American Banker

(c) 2001 by Russell G. Todd
5
News Sites for This Course

• http//biz.yahoo.com/apf/
• http//www.marketwatch.com/
• http//www.smartmoney.com/
• http//biz.yahoo.com/reuters/
• http//www.nytimes.com
• http//www.xinhuafinance.com/en
• http//bloomberg.com/intro3.html

6
The Spot-News Model

• What happened?
• Why did it happen?
• Supporting quote (when appropriate)
• Consequences?
• Context Uniqueness, trend, pattern.
• Key measures of what happened
• Other details, quotes.
• Whats nextlook to the future.

(c) 2001 by Russell G. Todd
7
Sources to Consider

• Publicists
• Analysts
• Traders
• Regulators
• Bankers
• Elected officials
• Lobbyists

• Academic experts
• Consultants
• Think-tanks
• People affected
• Corporate executives
• Workers, labor groups
• Competitors.

(c) 2001 by Russell G. Todd