Five Questions with...Karen Mracek

Karen Mracek, assistant business editor at The Des Moines Register, talks to Kanupriya Vashisht about the business side of the 2008 campaigns, agribusiness reporting and the differences between magazine and newspaper coverage.

By Kanupriya Vashisht

Our target audience is experienced and knowledgeable business leaders in the Des Moines metro community and around the state. We strive to make The Register a place executives and small business owners can go to find relevant business information. Our goal is to tell stories of the people who are pulling the levers and making the decisions that keep the economy in Central Iowa chugging along.

2. How much of your coverage relates to agribusiness, and how is that coverage different from other areas?

We have two reporters devoted to agribusiness coverage, including one based in Washington, D.C., covering the policy side. Fewer Iowans are connected to the farm, but agribusiness - from biotech seed companies like Pioneer Hi-Bred and Monsanto to equipment manufacturers like Deere - are major drivers of our economy. This year has been an exciting time to watch and cover the business of agriculture, with the booming ethanol development we have in the state and the rising costs of commodities such as corn and soybeans and the effect on everything consumers buy. It is our job in the business section to make such changes to the agriculture industry relevant to our readers.

3. Has The Register's business desk been involved in any of the campaign coverage?

The first in the nation Iowa caucuses brings an estimated $25 million to the local economy, so naturally it spawned many different business stories for us. For example, when the parties were discussing the changes to the caucus date, we looked into how that would affect the services and businesses that cater to the crowds ascending on the city of Des Moines. And of course, our reporters and editors pitched in, helping with the debate The Register sponsored and caucus night coverage. On a personal note, this was my first presidential election in Iowa, so I was amazed at the accessibility of candidates. I got to meet with many of them through editorial board meetings and ask them about everything from the mortgage crisis to trade issues.

4. As former editor of a business magazine and now the assistant editor of a newspaper's business section, what do you see as the key differences between the mediums in terms of coverage decisions?

The business magazine I edited was a monthly, regional publication designed for mid-level executives and up. Both at Edge Business Magazine and now here at The Des Moines Register, I try to think of stories from the executive's perspective. I understand that many executives have limited time and most like to use that time to learn something that can improve their business. With the daily paper, you also have to keep in mind the consumer's perspective and the general reader's interests, and of course, the deadlines are pretty different.

5. How is the business section at The Register keeping pace with shifting trends and technology?

As technology trends become more important to business readers, they become more important to the way we cover business. Two of our columnists write regular blogs, and we have used temporary blogs covering a particular business event, like the holiday shopping season. We are continually updating stories on our Web site, DesMoinesRegister.com and can even deliver business headlines via text messages. I personally used LinkedIn to connect with business leaders and even to find sources and story ideas. So while it's sometimes a challenge to keep up technology, it is exciting to expand into all the different platforms our readers want to use to access the news we provide.

Copyright © 2008 Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism