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We break down complex business news to help you understand how money moves in Chicago and how it affects you.
I’ve spent my entire career in business journalism, and I’ve lost count of the number of people, including family and friends, whose eyes glazed over while I explained what exactly business reporters do. And when other reporters and editors learn that I’ve always wanted to cover business, I often get looks of surprise.
Business news often carries a stigma of being too complex, boring, or disconnected from the daily struggles of the average consumer. However, I have always been attracted to this job because business has a huge impact on our daily lives, from the inconvenience of not being able to find a clerk to help, to the excitement of a company giving you your hard-earned salary. Ta.
That’s why we’re excited to announce that the Sun-Times is launching a new Money section on New Year’s Day Monday. I’m its editor-in-chief. You’ve probably seen this new section online or in Monday’s print edition.
To be fair, business articles and research from Sun-Times reporters, including the now-retired David Roeder, who wrote the popular Chicago Enterprise column, are posted on the website, and sometimes It has also been published in the paper. (He will continue to report for us as a contributor.)
But something is different about this section. I don’t want people reading the “Money” section to have that glaring look on their faces. We want our readers to be interested.
Under the direction of Sun-Times Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Coe, the newsroom has added staff and expanded coverage to better serve our readers. After hearing from many community members who wanted to learn more about consumer issues, personal finance and the local economy, the Sun-Times committed to creating a Money section focused on everyday consumers in the Chicago area. We established the Money team and took steps to strengthen our online and print presence through this launch.
Honestly, that’s a reckless promise. It’s no secret that the news industry has been hit hard. Employment firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas last month announced that the news industry would cut 2,681 jobs in the 11 months to November, more than 1,808 in all of 2022 and 1,511 in all of 2021. It was reported that
The nonprofit Poynter Media Institute described 2023 as “the worst year for the news industry since the pandemic.” Last year’s layoffs weren’t a record number, but every time a layoff is made on paper, it means the community is left uninformed. A report released in November by Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism found that more than 130 newspapers will close or consolidate in 2023. And by the end of this year, the country is expected to have lost a third of the newspapers it has published since 2005.
So it’s important that the Sun-Times puts its community first and has taken steps to invest in its newsroom. That’s why I joined the paper as money editor in May, without ever having visited Chicago or Illinois. After 11 years of reporting and editing business in Southern California and Nevada, I am excited to return to reporting on business in a newsroom that cares deeply about Chicago and has a long history of holding those in power accountable. I thought this was an opportunity to help me reconsider.
This means going beyond traditional views of business news to explore how money intersects with the issues our viewers care about most, from housing to crime, politics, stocks and more. We want to give our readers the tools they need to understand why business is important to them and make better decisions with their money.
When readers read our stories, they will feel empowered and better understand how they can help their communities thrive. Our upcoming coverage will focus on how Chicagoans can better manage their money, stories that explore how neighborhoods are changing, and the small businesses that are the economic engine of every city.
Please support us by reading this section and checking out our print edition Sunday through Friday. If you have any feedback, please email money@suntimes.com.
You can also support the Sun-Times by donating or becoming a member at suntimes.com/become-a-member or by subscribing to the newspaper at suntimes.deal.com.
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