Slate and NPR’s Planet Money used a Plain English tool recently to translate the Federal Reserve’s periodic statement explaining how the Fed’s leaders view the economy and how they plan to act in the coming weeks and months. The Fed: “Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in September confirms that the pace [...]
If you’re burned out on holiday coverage, how about an update on people who are burned up over the looming loss of light bulbs? The federally mandated shift from incandescent to compact florescent lamps (CFL) had slipped my mind until I read this confession, “Rage against the dying of the light(bulbs),” the other day from [...]
Intimidated by business stories? In these days of smaller staffs and tighter deadlines, journalists are increasingly called on to be experts on all things great and small. This free Webinar aims to bring business copy into your comfort zone — or at least closer to it — by exposing the biggest pitfalls editors and reporters face in dealing with business topics. In one hour, we’ll cover 15 essential points that can cause you to reach for that big bottle of Excedrin.
As you no doubt are aware by now, on Monday a new health care reform stumbling block emerged in the form of a federal court ruling that the “individual mandate” — which will require most Americans to purchase some form of medical insurance — is unconstitutional. Whether this is a “major blow” to the Obama [...]
Google spreadsheets are powerful tools for business journalists. They combine the strengths of traditional spreadsheet software, such as Excel, with the ability to import data from Excel or input your own data and then share it with others.
Stumped by the difference between a mean and a median? Unsure when to use percent versus percentage point?
Maybe you went into journalism to avoid math, but fear not. Most analysis in business journalism involves just basic arithmetic. Review the formulas in this tutorial, and in 20 minutes, you’ll be up to speed on how to calculate percent of a whole, percentage change, average, median and mode, plus how to round.
Blog for Reynolds Week 2012: 36 fellows, 4 days of intensive study in business journalism Two sets of fellows – 20 journalists, 16 professors – will attend separate, all-expenses-paid seminars Jan. 2-5, 2012, at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Phoenix. AGENDAS: Strictly Financials | Business Journalism Professors RESOURCES: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day [...]
An informal survey completed by 67 freelance business journalists indicates they make an average of $25,000 to $30,000 a year, and two of every five were laid off.
The Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) asked freelancers to respond to the survey in October and November.
Time is ticking on one provision of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 that might be giving a slight year-end boost to auto dealers, equipment sellers and even building contractors in your area. The law, signed in late September by President Obama, includes a number of financial boosts for small businesses – including an [...]
