BusinessJournalism.org Reynolds Center for Business Journalism » Tutorials

Former NYT reporter Leslie Wayne’s tips on covering multinational companies

Reynolds Staff — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:19:00 +0000

Leslie Wayne

For more than 20 years, Leslie Wayne was an award-winning New York Times business reporter, covering a broad swath of corporate America. In spring 2010, she was the Reynolds Visiting Professor in Business Journalism at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

While at the Times, she specialized in investigative and enterprise reporting on Wall Street, corporate governance, municipal finance, military contractors and the Pentagon budget. She also covered multinational corporations, including reporting on the Paris Air Show.

She uses her experiences to illustrate this lecture delivered March 4, 2010, to an audience of 23 international journalists. The visitors were studying business and economics reporting in the United States at the invitation of the U.S. State Department. | Video and presentation: Leslie Wayne: Covering multi-national companies.

Wayne has an MBA in finance from Columbia University, where she was a Knight-Bagehot Fellow in Economics and Business Journalism.

How to access public records with UA prof David Cuillier

Linda Austin — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:35:28 +0000

University of Arizona professor David Cuillier stopped in Phoenix to explain how to access public records as part of SPJ's Access Across America tour.

University of Arizona journalism professor David Cuillier offers advice on how to unlock the power of public records. In this video, he provided tips at Arizona State University’s Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication as part of a 45-day tour of the United States called Access Across America. The 2010 training tour is funded by SPJ’s Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, the National Freedom of Information Coalition and the University of Arizona.

You can use his PowerPoint, which is next to the video, to skip to different parts of the lecture.

Cuillier is the co-author with Charles Davis of a new book, “The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records,” and researches the psychology of getting access. He blogs about news and tips on public records. You can reach him by e-mail or at 520-626-9694.

Cuillier is handing out this 33-page booklet called, “Unlocking the Power of Public Records,” while on tour.

Podcast: Former WP Editor Len Downie outlines history of U.S. investigative biz reporting

Reynolds Staff — Thu, 20 May 2010 01:21:35 +0000

Leonard Downie Jr.

Leonard Downie Jr. spent 44 years at The Washington Post, serving as executive editor from 1991 to 2008, a tenure during which the paper won 25 Pulitzer Prizes. He was an investigative reporter, editor on the local and national news staffs, London correspondent and managing editor and helped supervise the newspaper’s Watergate coverage.

He is vice president-at-large of the Post and Weil Family Professor of Journalism at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He gave this lecture, outlining the history of investigative business journalism in the United States on March 4, 2010, to 23 international journalists, studying business and economics reporting in the United States at the invitation of the State Department.

Beat mapping: Three approaches for the business reporter

Reynolds Staff — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:15:14 +0000

By Joe Grimm

Some reporters pan for the nuggets on their beat. Others use maps to find the buried treasures. Joe Grimm, who writes the “Ask the Recruiter” column for Poynter.org, explains three styles of beat mapping.

One maps relationships, one charts coverage plans and one details the insides of organizations or industries.

Take a look through the descriptions, resources, tools put together by Joe Grimm to get a better understanding of ways to beat map.

Networking tips for better business stories and jobs

Reynolds Staff — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:01:49 +0000

As a master of the art of networking, former newsroom recruiter Joe Grimm shared his secrets on how to connect with the sources who will improve your coverage, as well as those who can help you take the next step up professionally.

In his 18 years as the recruiter for the Detroit Free Press, Grimm helped hundreds of journalists make the connections that got them their next job.

In 1997, Grimm launched the JobsPage, a journalism career site. He spun off a journalism careers blog,Ask the Recruiter, in 2003; it became part of Poynter Online’s Career Center in 2006. He has been a regular contributor to Editor & Publisher magazine, the Newspaper Association of America’s Fusion magazine and UNITY: Journalists of Color. Joe Grimm is a visiting journalist at Michigan State University’s School of Journalism. He was a newsroom recruiter and staff development editor at the Detroit Free Press from 1990 until 2008.

RESOURCES FROM GRIMM’S WEBINAR

One-hour Webinar recordings:
Day 1 – Using networks to better cover the business beat and advance your career.
Day 2 – Making strategic connections.

POWERPOINT – DAY 1

Networking for Better Business Stories, Jobs – Day One

POWERPOINT – DAY 2

Networking for Better Business Stories, Jobs – Day Two

Tips for fast-paced business writing for the Web

Reynolds Staff — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:12:51 +0000

The fast-paced world of the Web places special demands on writers and editors. That’s especially important when posting fast-breaking news or handling complex information – numbers, cumbersome titles, misunderstood terms, precise attribution. This Webinar will help writers and editors write with clarity, efficiency, brevity and transparency. Participants will study story approaches and language use that enhance the readability of Web copy.

J. Banaszynski

On Feb. 8-9, 2010, Pulitzer Prize-winner Jacqui Banaszynski shared ways to write complex, breaking business news stories for the Web. Banaszynski, the Knight Chair in Editing and Reynolds Fellow at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, is a regular presenter at APME NewsTrain and the National Writers Workshops. She has taught at American Press Institute, the University of Kansas and the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, and has served as a Pulitzer juror.

RESOURCES FROM BANASZYNSKI’S WEBINAR

One-hour Webinar recordings:
Day 1 – Deadline breaking basics for fast-breaking business online
Day 2 – Going fast and going deep: How to plan for layered coverage that helps organize your reporting and writing online POWERPOINT – Day 1

Writing Business News for the Web – Day One

View more presentations from Reynolds Center for Business Journalism.

POWERPOINT – Day 2

Writing Business News for the Web – Day Two

View more presentations from Reynolds Center for Business Journalism.

WRITING FOR THE WEB HANDOUTS (PDFs)

Lit Forensics: Reynolds Center, Writing for the Web (PDF)

Writing business news for the Web, Reynolds Center (PDF)

Archive of ‘Tracking the Economic Recovery’ workshop blog

Linda Austin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 03:06:04 +0000

From left: My-Ly Nguyen, business editor, Press & Sun Bulletin; Shawna Turner, business reporter, Williamsport Sun-Gazette; and Lee Miller, career columnist, New Jersey Star-Ledger.

We were in Philly Friday, Jan. 22, for a daylong workshop on “Tracking the Economic Recovery in Your Town.”

Sessions included one from Ryan Sweet, senior economist with Moody’s Economy.com, who talked about which local economic statistics are worth following.

Sweet was joined by Melissa Preddy, who brainstormed story ideas and identified resources for local economic stories. Preddy is a blogger for BusinessJournalism.org and a former business reporter, editor and columnist for The Detroit News.

Ron Nixon, projects reporter for The New York Times, talked about ways to follow the economic-stimulus and TARP money coming out of Washington, where he is based.

On Twitter, we used the hashtag #BizJ.

Tracking the Economic Recovery in Your Town

Reynolds Week 2010 seminar videos – Day 4

Reynolds Staff — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:32:50 +0000

These classroom videos are from Reynolds Week 2010, Day 4 lectures. The videos are captured by automated equipment in the classroom and are unedited. You can fast-forward through breaks and there is a notation after each VIDEO link that points out when in the video the lecture begins.

Click on the link and then click on whether you want to view the video a high-speed or slow-speed version.

FINANCIALS SEMINAR

1. ‘Credit Crisis and Market Crash of 2008: What’s Next?,’ Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 8, 2010, 8:15 a.m.
VIDEO – this session begins at about 19 minutes.

2. ‘Credit Crisis and Market Crash of 2008: What’s Next?,’ continued, Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 8, 2010,10 a.m.
VIDEO – the session begins at about the 10-minute mark.

PROFESSORS SEMINAR

1.’Finding Business in Every Beat,’ Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 8, 10 a.m.
VIDEO -the session begins at the 21-minute mark.

Reynolds Week 2010 seminar videos – Day 3

Reynolds Staff — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:18:15 +0000

These classroom videos are from Reynolds Week 2010, Day 3 lectures. The videos are captured by automated equipment in the classroom and are unedited. You can fast-forward through breaks and there is a notation after each VIDEO link that points out when in the video the lecture begins.

Click on the link and then click on whether you want to view the video a high-speed or slow-speed version.

FINANCIALS SEMINAR

1. ‘Decoding Financial Statements, ‘ Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 7, 2010, 8:15 a.m.
VIDEO - the lesson begins at about 35 minutes, nearly at the end of this first video.

2. ‘Decoding Financial Statements’ continued, Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 7, 2010, 10:15 a.m.
VIDEO – the lecture is in session at the start.

3. ‘Investing in a Time of Uncertainty,’ Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 7, 2010, 3:15 p.m.
VIDEO – the lecture begins at about 21 minutes.

PROFESSORS SEMINAR

1. ‘Mission Possible: Assignments that Build Skills,’ Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 7, 2010, 8:15 a.m.
VIDEO – the session begins at about 44:30.

2. ‘Preparing Students for Business Journalism’s Future,’ Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 7, 9:45 a.m.
VIDEO - the event is in session at the beginning of this video.

3. ‘What They Don’t Tell You about Teaching Business Journalism,’ Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 7, 11 a.m.
VIDEO – the session starts at the video’s beginning.

4.‘Teaching the Effective Use of Data in Business Coverage,’ Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 7, 1:15 p.m.
VIDEO - the session begins at about 24 minutes.

5. ‘Covering Business and Government after the Financial Debacle,’ Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 7, 3:15 p.m.
VIDEO - the session begins at about 15 minutes.

Reynolds Week 2010 seminar videos – Day 2

Reynolds Staff — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:10:23 +0000

These classroom videos are from Reynolds Week 2010, Day 2 lectures. The videos are captured by automated equipment in the classroom and are unedited. You can fast-forward through breaks and there is a notation after each VIDEO link that points out when in the video the lecture begins.

Click on the link and then click on whether you want to view the video a high-speed or slow-speed version.

FINANCIALS SEMINAR & PROFESSORS SEMINAR – combined groups

1. ‘Financial Statements I,’ Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 6, 2010, 8:15 a.m.
VIDEO - the session begins at about 27 minutes.

2. ‘Financial Statements I’ & ‘Securities and Exchange Commission Filings’ continued. Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 6, 2010, 10:15 a.m.
VIDEO – the session begins at about 25 minutes.

3. ‘Financial Statements II : Tools for Analysis,’ Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 6, 1:15 p.m.
VIDEO – the session begins at about 38 minutes.

4. ‘Financial Statements II : Tools for Analysis’ continued, Reynolds Business Journalism Week, Jan. 6, 3 p.m.
VIDEO - in session from the beginning.