The economy is one of the most important beats for any journalist. It covers prices, interest rates, trade, unemployment, wages, government spending, taxes, etc. Grant Hannis, who spent 14 years as a senior financial journalist at Consumer magazine, breaks down the basics.
If you’re casting about for a fresh take on jobs and the employment scene, pull up a seat for my annual suggestions for mining the temporary and contract markets. As well as being fertile ground for a variety of stories, from career and personal finance how-tos, to colorful features on quirky and unique job niches, to [...]
With the deadly Oklahoma tornados still top of mind — some meteorologists now say the storm had far more power than the atomic bomb the United States released on Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II — you might want to contemplate another day or so of related business angles. Even if you’re far from the [...]
It’ll be a while yet before the true toll of the past days’ destructive tornados in Oklahoma is known but you may be wondering about how to tackle the business and financial angles of a disaster. I can’t provide as many links as usual to stories you may want to emulate, because they haven’t been written [...]
L.A. Times reporters Jason Felch and Jack Dolan found a 35-year-old law that has contributed to California’s economic crisis. The law allows companies buying business properties to avoid reassessments and the resulting tax increases if “no one acquires a majority stake in a company that owns the property.” For instance, Jason and Jack write: “In [...]
It’s hard to believe we’re only a week away from the start of Memorial Day weekend. As summer activities kick into gear, so do the businesses that serve them, so no matter your beat you’ve got a bonanza of holiday-related story ideas from which to choose. Traditionally, it’s a time for business writers to look [...]
With stock market indices topping records and hitting psychological milestones like “Dow 15,000,” your audiences probably are wondering if it’s finally safe to peek at their 401(k) statements, and what else this bull run means for them. And more to the point, “Can it last?” As CNBC reports, major indices are up by double-digits so far [...]
At this point in springtime, articles about residential real estate sales are logical and appreciated by readers. But about one-third of Americans don’t own, they rent, and they need information about the market they are competing in. So why not buck seasonal tradition with a spring report for tenants and landlords about how your region [...]
The 2013 edition of Fortune’s ranking of the top 500 U.S. companies hits the street today. And while the entries generally are clustered along either coast, most markets across the country boast some member of the list, which likely gives you an automatic instant story for your website. The metrics are fairly standard: Why they gained [...]
May is one of those months bursting with seasonal topics that make for interesting and informative local business stories, especially small business and entrepreneur profiles. Taking it from the top: Cinco de Mayo. Time is tight but if you are feeling energetic today, it’s an increasingly celebrated festival not only in Hispanic neighborhoods but at [...]
