Director Greg David discusses the
Business & Economics Reporting Program
Patrick Clark (2011) explains why
he chose the business concentration
Money is at the center of every human endeavor and crucial to every area of journalism—whether politics or government or foreign affairs or social issues or the arts. The Business & Economics Reporting Program at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism teaches journalists how to cover money no matter what their ultimate specialty.
Who chooses the concentration?
Two types of students choose the business concentration.
One group studies business and economics because they know that expertise in the economy, financial markets, how companies work, and how to cover local economies will be valuable and give them a competitive advantage in the job market. This can be especially true for those who seek careers in broadcast or interactive fields, where business reporting has expanded rapidly in recent years.
The second group wants to become business journalists. The CUNY program provides as much training as any graduate program in the country and more than most. The School’s location in the business and financial capital of the U.S. means that students interact with nationally known business journalists, meet leading executives, and have the opportunity for internships and jobs at the most prestigious business publications in the country.
The state of business journalism
Business journalism is flourishing. U.S. business journalists reported a median salary of $56,220 for 2010-11, a recent survey by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism found.
While some daily newspapers have cut back on their staffs, electronics services and wire services such as Bloomberg, Dow Jones, and Reuters are all expanding. The Wall Street Journal is also adding to its staff and The New York Times continues to field an impressive section each day. Broadcast outlets such a CNBC and Fox Business News continue to solidify their place in the marketplace. Meanwhile, new interactive operations exemplified by such New York-based operations as the Business Insider and or the enormously successful Dealbook of The New York Times or the Alphaville blog at the Financial Times provide an entirely new group of opportunities for business journalism. A Friday newsletter called Gorkana (available from the J-School’s Career Services office) can give a snapshot of the opportunities available.
