Description
Book SynopsisAn eye-opening account of how the information gap in business journalism is eroding civic life and impacting the economy––and how we can fix it Business owners, consumers, and employees have long relied on the news to make financial decisions—what to buy, who to hire, and what products to sell. In the twenty-first century, that news has shifted. Only the big businesses and executives can afford expensive subscriptions, while most consumers and small business owners are left scrambling to find the news they need to succeed and thrive. The Future of Business Journalism explores how the field evolved into this divide and offers solutions on how business journalism can once again provide the stories and content that a broad society needs. In The Future of Business Journalism, veteran business journalist and professor Chris Roush explains the causes, reveals the consequences, and offers potential solutions to this pressing problem. Roush delves into how the crisis occurred, from the disintegration of the once-strong relationship between businesses and media to the media’s focus on national coverage at the expense of local news. He reveals how these trends result in major “coverage deserts.” Roush’s proposal for a way forward shows how businesses, journalists, and media can work together to support the economic and financial literacy needed for an informed citizenry. He recommends that media organizations take advantage of technological innovations to provide better business news content, suggests that journalism programs require budding reporters to take more business courses, and encourages businesses to fund journalism school programs. This insightful overview of the current state of business journalism reveals its strengths and weaknesses and shows how Main Street can regain access to the news it needs.
Trade ReviewA work of original, seminal, and detailed research and scholarship. * Midwest Book Review *
Overall, this book offers time-tested and novel solutions to repair business reporting in an era in which access to meaningful, trustworthy news is crucial. * Choice *
Table of ContentsForeword by David Callaway Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: Causes of the Information Gap 1. A Symbiotic Relationship 2. The Business Model Failure 3. The Dominators 4. The Public Relations Factor 5. The CEO Can Do Better 6. Societal Changes and Economic Forces 7. Political Polarization Part II: Consequences and Their Impact 8. The Stock Market Is Overcovered 9. Failing Employees and Consumers 10. Health Care Coverage Is Sick Part III: Solutions to the Problem 11. Using Technology to Improve Coverage 12. The Education Imperative 13. Fixing Business Journalism Appendix: Timeline Notes Bibliography Index
