On February 24, 2015, Meredith Artley, editor-in-chief of CNN Digital, spoke to a full house at the Shorenstein Center. Based in Atlanta, Artley leads the CNN’s digital content creation worldwide, and also manages the programming of CNN.com and the network’s other websites.
Journalism’s crucial role in helping democracy function is sometimes forgotten amid the clamor of partisan debate and the messy nature of the news business. But anyone who stops to examine recent examples of journalistic success — and the substantial civic impacts of various news media investigations — cannot help but be impressed by the vital role of the press.
Tell a journalist that understanding how to read a financial statement could lead to some story ideas, and they’ll likely run as far away as possible. He or she got into writing for a living to avoid numbers.
This report was written by Thomas E. Patterson, Bradlee Professor of Government and the Press at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. It has been adapted from the originally published version.
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The following is an introduction to a Brookings Institution research project and 2012 book, Whatever Happened to the Washington Reporters, 1978-2012, examining the career paths of journalists. Also see the video conversations with journalists at bottom.
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Journalist’s Resource encourages using scholarly research as a lens through which to see local events. Stories on a variety of topics — from immigration to water quality — can be enriched by referencing scholarly research and findings. Such data and insights can provide meaningful context that can elevate a reported piece and give it greater resonance.
Browsing research can also help stimulate new story ideas.
The economic situation in the country during the past three years means that many companies, and many consumers, have struggled financially. And when these businesses and individuals can no longer pay their bills, they head to the closest location of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
A profile of a company or CEO is a staple of business journalism. Fortune magazine developed the concept back in the 1930s, and today virtually every business publication and section produces these stories. Why profiles? They’re a good way to give readers context, explaining whether a company is performing well or poorly, and whether the CEO’s strategy is working, and what is means for the firm.
With 1,701 deals worth $362.3 billion announced in the first half of 2010, according to Mergermarket, it’s no wonder that covering mergers and acquisitions is an important aspect of business journalism.
