The stocks paradox: what is the impact on business-news sections and business-news staff when newspapers cut stock listings?

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Newspapers have been a major source of financial information. Based on the understanding from media sociology, the impact of news routines on content, and political economy, this thesis investigated why stock listings were cut and the impact that it had on business-news sections and staff. In-depth interviews of 19 business editors, 18 of whom cut stock listings and one who did not, were taped over 25 days, between July 17 and August 10, 2007. The routine of running stock listings was ending at the same time that economic pressures made the cuts a smart business decision. The research demonstrated that in some cases, business-news section fronts also were cut. Many of the business editors worried about losing section fronts. Staffing declined as a result of other economic factors, but business-news sections declined because they no longer had the heft to remain sections. Cutting financial agate became a print problem.