Missouri School of Journalism receives Reynolds endowed chair in business journalism

Randy Smith has been named the Donald W. Reynolds Endowed Chair in Business Journalism at the Missouri School of Journalism and will begin at the school Aug. 24.
Smith will work with the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute and
the Society of American Business Editors and Writers chair. He will also aid the college in expanding its business journalism courses for bachelor's, master's and doctoral students.
Smith is a former president of SABEW and has 30 years of journalism, editing and business experience from his time at The Kansas City Star. He is also the vice-chair of Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships.
From the Missouri School press release:

"We can no longer be content to simply cover business. We must be active in inventing the business models of the future," Smith said. "My goal is to put students at the forefront of strengthening the financial fundamentals of journalism. And to do that, you've got to understand business, particularly your own."

View the press release here.

IMAGE CREDIT: journalism.missouri.edu

We're on Facebook!

The Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism is now on Facebook!
To celebrate, we’re holding a competition. The Reynolds Center is always looking for new ways to help journalists, so starting Aug. 17, the first 100 people to do the following will be eligible for a prize:

1. Become a fan of the Reynolds Center page on Facebook AND then

2. On our wall:

- Post a suggestion for a tool or resource that would help you cover business
OR
- Link to a tool or resource that you’ve found helpful in reporting on business

The first 100 new fans to post to the Reynolds Center wall will be entered into a drawing for a satchel filled with books that no business journalist’s library should be without. We’ll contact the winner through Facebook for his/her mailing information and announce the lucky winner on Facebook and Twitter.
So check out our page here, become a fan and start gaining the resources to become a better business journalist.

Reynolds Center gets new Web managing editor

Robin J. Phillips, a journalist with a rich background in business news and online journalism, has joined the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism as Web managing editor for its site: www.BusinessJournalism.org.

Phillips comes to the center at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication from a job as online community manager for www.azcentral.com, the Web site of The Arizona Republic in Phoenix. She has also served as deputy business editor at The Republic and Newsday, as well as editor for BusinessWeek Online’s small business channel.

She was an adjunct professor of new media at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York and has presented at various journalism organizations on the use of social media as a reporting tool.

“Robin brings the perfect combination of skills for elevating our Web site to the next level,” said Linda Austin, executive director of the Reynolds Center, explaining that the center provides free training in business journalism both online and through regional workshops. “She will expand and enhance our online training offerings, as well as make our site even more timely and interactive.”

Phillips, an early advocate of the journalistic uses of social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, will be using her skills in that area to advance the quality of business journalism, Austin said.

“The past few years have shown us the importance of business journalism and how essential it is for all journalists to understand how to tell business stories,” Phillips said. “I am thrilled at the opportunity to expand the reach of the Reynolds Center and to help journalists tell those stories in whatever form they take: print, broadcast, digital or any combination of the three.”

Phillips, who holds a degree in journalism and political science from the University of Hawaii, joins the center Aug. 10. She can be reached at 602-496-9190 or robin.phillips.1@asu.edu.

The Reynolds Center on ASU’s downtown Phoenix campus is funded by a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, based in Las Vegas, Nev. More than 8,000 journalists nationwide have attended the center’s free business journalism workshops since its founding in 2003. BusinessJournalism.org draws about 15,500 unique monthly visitors. Follow the center on Facebook and Twitter.