Roush Rant by Chris Roush

Chris Roush, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a senior presenter for the Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, writes a twice-monthly blog for BusinessJournalism.org.

Roush is also Director of the Carolina Business News Initiative and is a former business reporter for BusinessWeek, Bloomberg News, The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Tampa Tribune.

Feel free to post your comments related to Roush's opinions and general trends in business journalism!

The New Skill Set

May 20, 2009

Business journalists must increase their expertise in new media to remain relevant to readers. Chris Roush offers a checklist of skills to add to your toolbox.More

A Fresh Approach

May 12, 2009

In a year packed with layoffs and closing publications, Chris Roush highlights entrepreneurial journalists who are molding the future of business reporting.More

The Pulitzer Lesson

April 24, 2009

Since stories from the economic crisis garnered no Pulitzer Prizes, Chris Roush says it’s evident that consumers of business news aren’t going to newspapers first for their information.More

Journalists and Financial Advice

April 9, 2009

After the recent Jim Cramer and Jon Stewart showdown on The Daily Show, Chris Roush questions if and when journalists should dispense financial tips to their audience.More

The Breaking News Debate

March 27, 2009

A recent memo sent to staffers at The Wall Street Journal that asks reporters to break more news created a frenzy. Chris Roush weighs in on the organization’s changing approach to coverage.More

Proxy Digging

March 16, 2009

Proxy season is almost here and Chris Roush offers tips to help journalists navigate through these SEC filings.More

Winners and Losers

February 24, 2009

During an economic crisis there are always winners and losers. Chris Roush shares his list from the world of business journalism.More

Handling Story Tips

February 12, 2009

In light of Harry Markopolos claim that The Wall Street Journal ignored his information about the Madoff fraud case, Chris Roush offers some suggestions for handling story tips from sources.More

PR Protocol

January 26, 2009

Chris Roush urges all business reporters to reassess their relationships with corporate spokespeople. More

Get Personal

January 13, 2009

Chris Roush gives journalists a New Year’s resolution: provide more personal finance coverage for consumers. More

What Matters Most

December 19, 2008

Chris Roush urges journalists who are trying to keep up with high-tech gimmicks not to forget what’s most important for quality business coverage – the reporting and the facts. More

Staffing Solution

December 5, 2008

Chris Roush laments the affects layoffs and cutbacks are having on business journalism. He also offers a suggestion to help prevent such staffing shortages from significantly affecting the quality of a paper's business coverage. More

Open Reporting

November 17, 2008

Chris Roush says that off-the-record business events, like the conference with Wall Street power players that happened earlier this month, are clouded by ethical questions. He urges news organizations to address this topic in their ethics codes. More

Promoting Diversity

October 28, 2008

Chris Roush says the journalism industry, and business journalism in particular, isn't doing enough to recruit minority reporters. He feels diversity in the newsroom is an integral part of ensuring that the paper covers stories that affect a wide variety of people. More

Correct Lingo

October 17, 2008

As the market continues to fluctuate, what verbs should you use to describe what is happening on a particular day? Chris Roush offers a guide for when to use words like "dropped" or "crash." More

Committing to Coverage

October 8, 2008

Many newspapers are cutting back on business news coverage, but editors at The Wichita Eagle have committed to the opposite approach. Chris Roush talks to the team about how they’ve made their business coverage stronger. More

A New Model

September 22, 2008

Chris Roush says it's time for news organizations to once again charge for the content they pay to produce - and the best place to start is the world of business journalism. More

A Destructive Trend

September 10, 2008

With the latest release of an old business news story on United Airlines, Chris Roush is worried that a trend of errors is developing, a trend that must be stopped. More

Coveted Skills

August 22, 2008

Chris Roush says business journalists have specialized skills that set them apart, knowledge that is now coveted in a variety of other industries. He wonders why media companies can't appreciate their own best assets. More

Quoting Message Boards

August 6, 2008

Technology is changing business journalism faster than ethical guidelines can adjust. Chris Roush shares his views on how journalists should handle message board discussions. More

Disclosure is Best

July 22, 2008

Sometimes journalists need a refresher course in sourcing ethics. Chris Roush offers his suggestions on proper etiquette. More

The Business of Bankruptcy

July 8, 2008

Bankruptcy filings are up, but business journalists aren't always on top of the story. Chris Roush offers tips on covering bankruptcy and navigating courts. More

Warning: Don't Slash Business Coverage

June 27, 2008

What journalists-and managers or media properties-seem to be forgetting is that there is no more important story to tell consumers than that of business and the economy. More

Hooked on Kindle

June 17, 2008

Chris Roush has found a new way to read business news. And it fits in the palm of his hand. More

Naming Business Sections

June 2, 2008

Choosing the name for a business section is an important task. Chris Roush shares his top choices. More

The Changing Journal

May 21, 2008

Chris Roush has watched The Wall Street Journal morph into a different newspaper under Rupert Murdoch. More

Looking on the Bright Side

May 5, 2008

Why is Chris Roush optimistic about where business journalism is heading even in a sea of negative, pessimistic journalists? More

Explain it Like a Pulitzer Winner

April 14, 2008

When writing about a complicated business topic, think to yourself, "How would Pulitzer Winner Steve Pearlstein explain this?" More

Say No to Offering Advice

April 1, 2008

"Never, ever give investment or financial advice to your readers, viewers or listeners, " rants Roush in his latest post. More

Imitating the Weekly

March 13, 2008

Chris Roush asks, "Why don't you dailies start copying what works for the weekly business papers?" More

Search and Research: Five Web Favorites

Feb. 26, 2008

When it comes to really manipulating the Internet's search functions and databases, Chris Roush says many business reporters fail to utilize the Web to its fullest potential. Here, he lists his top five favorite Web functions. More

Embracing a New Paradigm

Feb. 13, 2008

For the future of business journalism, we must realize that the information that attracts readers doesn't necessarily always come from journalists. More

Journalists: Please Remember Ethics

Jan. 22, 2008

Recent incidents in business journalism show that ethics codes still need some work. More

Are Newspapers Missing the Mark?

Jan. 15, 2008

With stocks gone and business sections folding into other parts of the paper, Chris Roush questions newspapers' recent decisions. More

Why We're Losing Good Journalists

Dec. 28, 2007

What forces a business journalist to leave the profession for a job in public relations or another position in industry? Several factors appear to be at work. More

Resolutions to Ring in the New Year

Dec. 4, 2007

BusinessJournalism.org blogger Chris Roush offers up his resolutions for the New Year tailored to make your business coverage stronger and smarter in 2008. More

Roush Giftbag: Cool Business Features

Nov. 20, 2007

BusinessJournalism blogger Chris Roush shares yuletide generosity by pointing readers to five business features he finds amusing and fun. Oh yeah, they keep him coming back. More

New Business Journalism Ventures Fill a Void

Nov. 6, 2007

What the critics fail to acknowledge is a consumer desire for more business and economics coverage, asserts BusinessJournalism.org blogger Chris Roush. More

Creating a No-Spin Zone.

Oct. 26, 2007

Business reporters too often fall for corporate P.R. as legitimate news, especially if it's delivered as an exclusive, says BusinessJournalism.org blogger Chris Roush. Worse yet, some media outlets are using the same corporate tactics to promote themselves. More

Dear Rupert Murdoch...

Oct. 8, 2007

BusinessJournalism.org blogger Chris Roush offers up his thoughts on coverage areas Rupert Murdoch’s new Fox Business Network could zero in on to distinguish itself from the pack. For that matter so could CNBC. More

New Ventures Need DepthTo Gain This Reader's Time

Oct. 1, 2007

Fox Business Network, Conde Nast Portfolio and WSJ's Pursuits magazine among the new entries. Just which one will gain blogger Chris Roush's precious time and loyalty depends on which will provide more in-depth, quality journalism. More

Hard-hitting Reporting Needed During Boom

Sept. 4, 2007

More critical reporting on mortgage lending was needed during the housing boom rather than the current Monday-morning quarterbacking going on now, says BusinessJournalism.org blogger Chris Roush. More

Finding Ways to Beat Summer Doldrums

August 17, 2007

The dog days of summer are a time when many business journalists take vacations because the news flow tends to be slower. But I'd argue that the summer is also a good time for a business reporter to work on improving skills and becoming a better journalist. More

News Corp. Deal with Dow Jones Got Too Much Ink

August 6, 2007

News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch's $5 billion agreement to acquire Dow Jones & Co. signals a glaring problem with business journalism today. More

Time Has Arrived to Step Up Non-Profit Coverage

July 19, 2007

Now is the time for all business desks to think about improving their non-profit coverage. Non-profits have six months after the end of their fiscal year to file the Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service. More

Newsroom Reorganizations Provide Business Education Opportunity

July 2, 2007

I hope that the business reporters and editors take reorganization as an opportunity to educate their brethren who have never written about finance. More

Some Aspects of Business Journalism Need Improvement

June 14, 2007

I like a lot of what I see in business journalism. But there are many things that I don't like as well. Here are some of the things that bother me in the world of business journalism. More

Magazine Should Stick to Business Journalism Basics

May 23, 2007

The debut of the new business magazine Conde Nast Portfolio means many good things for the business journalism field. But I have a problem with what I read from the first issue. More

"Brought to you by..."

May 8, 2007

The Philadelphia Inquirer's decision to couple space paid for by advertisers with independently gathered news threatens the integrity of newspapers. More

Columnist Resignation Shows Guidelines are Needed

April 10, 2007

The resignation in early April of Marketwatch tech columnist Bambi Francisco after it was disclosed that she had been allowed to start a tech company on the side while still writing for the business news Web site should be a wake up call for business journalism. More

Student's Work Shames Business Press

March 28, 2007

An enterprising college student's look at SEC filings on a merger between the nation's largest pork producers may bode well for the future but weak news coverage of the deal has troubling implications, says Chris Roush. More

Heeding Lessons Already Learned

March 6, 2007

The recent coverage of deals such as Google buying YouTube, XM Satellite Radio and Sirius joining forces and others has me wondering about something: Have business journalists forgotten about the 1990s? More

Bartiromo's Plane Ride Raises Ethical Questions

February 15, 2007

CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo's $50,000 plane ride from China on a Citigroup jet sparks an ethics debate among business journalists. More

Record Bonuses Should Raise Compensation Radar for Business Journalists

January 31, 2007

Recent coverage of multi-million dollar bonuses given to the CEOs of Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs should serve as a warning to business journalists to pay more attention to compensation in the coming months. More

Big-Time Business Journalism Fails in Company Coverage

January 2, 2007

The differences between business journalism organizations in New York and other major metropolitan outlets and those in smaller cities and towns sometimes gets lost when those who talk and think about business reporting get together. More

Place These Gifts under the Business Journalist's Tree

December 7, 2006

Now that the gift-giving season is upon us, I've been reflecting on what would make a good present for a business journalist. Here are some ideas -- real and imagined -- if you're struggling to find that perfect idea. More

Deliver Unique Reporting Angles to Readers this Holiday Season

November 13, 2006

With the holiday shopping season right around the corner, here is what's on my wish list: Retail shopping stories that take unusual angles to what has become a tried and often boring story. More

Give Average Consumers a Voice to Liven Up Economic Reporting

October 24, 2006

As the students in my Economics Reporting class will tell you, there is one pet peeve I have when it comes to writing about unemployment, inflation, consumer confidence and other basic stories about the economy: Too many of them only quote economists. More

Annual Comparisons, Shopper Perspective Help Bolster Retail Reporting

October 11, 2006

Here's what bothers me when I read retail sales stories: They compare the results to the wrong time period, and too many of them quote economists instead of shoppers. More

HP Scandal Provides Wake-Up Call for Business Reporters

September 25, 2006

The disclosure (that HP obtained phone records of some of its board members and some journalists) should be a wake-up call not only for companies, who need to assess how they work with the journalists that write about them, but also for the business reporters. More

Exercise Caution with Ad Placement on Front Pages of Business Section

September 11, 2006

The announcements this summer by major newspapers such as The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and The Sun in Baltimore that they will start selling advertising on the front page of their business sections troubles me, but not for the reasons you might expect. More

Adopt Essential Earnings Writing Rules

August 22, 2006

Late July and early August is prime earnings season, when companies whose fiscal year coincides with the calendar year have reported second-quarter earnings. And earnings stories are the bread and butter of business journalists. More

Breaking Business News Online Helps to Win Readership

August 7, 2006

I'm surprised lately at how many newspaper business sections I look at online and still see, particularly late in the afternoon, headlines and stories from that morning's paper instead of breaking news. More

Make Plans Now for Business Journalism Interns

July 24, 2006

I'm often amazed at how little the business journalism profession does to try to promote the field. One of the best things that it can do is offer internships, yet few pros understand that the summer is too late to be making such decisions. More

Steps Business Reporters Should Take to Avoid the Next Enron

June 27, 2006

For the past five years, the name of one company - Enron Corp. - has come to personify what went wrong in business journalism in the late '90s and early part of this decade. More

Don't Sell Your Readers Short in Source Disclosure

June 6, 2006

The issue that has gripped business journalism in the last couple of months is the use of short sellers as sources. It came up during the Enron trial, and it's been at the heart of the Securities and Exchange Commission subpoenas of some business reporters as part of an investigation. More

Universities Must Enhance Business Journalism Course Offerings

May 22, 2006

As we come to the end of another academic year, I think it's important for those in the world of business journalism to realize why the field is in the state it's in: Blame your local universities and colleges. More

Blog Your Real Estate Coverage for Greater Exposure

May 8, 2006

How many of you have ever seen a newspaper real estate reporter blogging? I've looked and can't find any. Blogging is where real estate reporting should be headed. More

Business Sections Struggle to Define Audience

April 20, 2006

Ideally, a daily newspaper business section should try to strike a balance between providing content that will be of interest to the average consumer and offering stories that will also be read by the business executives in the readership area. But too often, I don't see that. More

Reduced Stock Listings May Translate to Less Respect for Business Sections

April 7, 2006

I have a problem with daily newspapers cutting stock listings in an attempt to improve profits. More than two dozen papers with circulation of nearly 5 million have cut or revamped stock listings since the beginning of the year. More

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