Writing About Business: The New Knight-Bagehot Guide to Economics and Business Journalism / Edition 2

by Terri Thompson

Overview

Drawing upon the experience of some forty of the nation's finest journalists, all alumni of the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in Economics and Business Journalism at Columbia University, this book is a complete guide to writing about business and economics.

Writing About Business begins by demystifying basic concepts of macroeconomics, microeconomics, financial markets, and international economics and trade. Next, it provides practical reporting tips, from how to use statistics to understanding what the government has in its files, from conducting live interviews to using electronic data to generate stories about companies. In closing, the book suggests investigative techniques and strategies for covering specific beats, including personal finance, health care, the environment, labor and workplace issues, media and entertainment businesses, technology, small businesses, and not-for-profit institutions.

To many journalists and public relations professionals, business and financial writing can appear fraught with complexity. With its wealth of practical information, Writing About Business helps these writers with the often daunting task of reporting on business and industry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780231118354
Publisher:	Columbia University Press
Publication date:	11/14/2000
Edition description:	2ND
Pages:	480
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Terri Thompson became director of the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in June 1993. In her twenty years as a business journalist, she has worked for Business Week, U. S. News & World Report, Institutional Investor, and Lear's, among others. She is a former president of the New York Financial Writers' Association and the author of Biz Kids' Guide to Success: Money-Making Ideas for Young Entrepreneurs.

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments
The Guide, by Terri Thompson, Director, Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in Economics and Business Jo
Writing About Business and the Economy, by Chris Welles, fellowship director, 1977-1985
PART I. Basic Concepts
Macroeconomics
1. How Economic Systems Work, by Barbara Presley Noble
2. The Political Economy of Government and Business, by S. L. Bachman
3. Government Regulation and the Regulators, by John J. Oslund
4. Economic Indicators, by John C. Finotti
5. Demystifying the Federal Reserve, by David M. Wessel
Microeconomics
6. Economics of the Firm, by Vincent Chikwendu Nwanma
7. Business Management: Organization of the Firm, by Scott Aiken
8. Sales and Marketing, by Charles Butler
9. Accounting Principles and Practices, by Ovid S. Abrams
10. How to Read Financial Statements, by Susan Scherreik
11. Covering Business in Your Town, by Jacalyn DePasquale Carfagno
Capital Markets, Banking, and Finance
12. Where Wall Street Meets Main Street, by Patrick McGeehan
13. The Stock Market, by Sharon R. King
14. The Bond Market, by John J. Doran
15. Derivatives and Other Exotic Securities, by William Glasgall
16. Hedge Funds, by Jaye Robinson Scholl
International
17. Trade and Global Economics, by Stephen H. Dunphy
18. International Business, by Dave Lindorff
19. Global Financial Markets, by Andrew Leckey
20. Covering the World Bank, by Paul Sweeney
PART II. Practical Reporting and Writing Tips
21. How to Use Numbers and Statistics, by Julia Angwin
22. What You Can Get from Public and Private Companies, by Leah Beth Ward
23. What the Government Has in Its Files, by James V. Grimaldi and Lawrence J. Tell
24. The Freedom of Information Act, by Pamela G. Hollie
25. Internet Resources for Business Reporters, by Robin D. Schatz
26. How to Use Electronic Data to Generate Company Stories, by Michael Molinski
27. Live Sources-How Do You Get Them to Talk?, by Peter Alan Harper
28. Conducting Live Television Interviews, by Jan Hopkins
29. Business Journalism on TV, by Mark Piesanen
30. Online Journalism, by Gerri Willis
31. Ethics in Business Journalism, by Aly Colón
Part III. Getting the Story: Investigative Techniques and Strategies for Covering Specific Beats
32. Personal Finance, by Pauline Tai
33. The Insurance Industry, by Joseph B. Treaster
34. Health Care, by Trudy Lieberman
35. Technology and Telecommunications, by Craig Miller
36. Media and Entertainment, by Michael Connor
37. Real Estate and Urban Development, by John Gallagher
38. The Retail Industry, by Mel Laytner
39. The Environment, by John M. Holusha
40. Labor and Workplace Issues, by Kim Norris
41. Consumer Reporting, by Frances Cerra Whittelsey
42. Taxes, by Sandra Block
43. Not-for-Profit Institutions, by Steve Askin
44. Founding the Fellowship, by Stephen B. Shepard, editor-in-chief, Business Week
Glossary

What People are Saying About This

Myron Kandel

Authoritative and helpful... This book should be the standard for most business and financial journalists, as well as others in business, public relations, and related fields.... It belongs on the desk of every young or aspiring business journalist.

— Myron Kandel, Financial Editor, CNN

Paul Steiger

This book contains everything you need to know to be a successful reporter -- or informed reader -- of business and economic news. It is both comprehensive and an easy read, well grounded in human reality.

— Paul Steiger, Managing Editor, Wall Street Journal

Stephen Shepard

A comprehensive and lively guide to the fine art of business journalism, written by some of the best practitioners of the craft.

— Stephen Shepard, Editor-in-Chief, BusinessWeek

Editorial Reviews

It is a veritable encyclopaedia, offering not only crisp summaries of major fields of economics, finance, and business, but also advice on how journalists can find their way around those fields.

Columbia Journalism Review

It is a veritable encyclopaedia, offering not only crisp summaries of major fields of economics, finance, and business, but also advice on how journalists can find their way around those fields.

Columbia Journalism Review

Alumni of the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in Economics and Business Journalism at Columbia University present 44 essays addressing the challenges of business and economic journalism. Suitable for journalists, as well as students of business and public relations, the essays assume the reader has minimal experience with economics or business terms and concepts. Contributions address background and basic concepts in the field; practical reporting and writing tips; and writing and investigating everyday stories, with strategies for covering specific beats. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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