Business news is the area of journalism that covers all commercial activities and changes in the economy. It is typically reported in newspapers, magazines and on radio and television news programs. The information is gathered and reported by professional journalists, who may specialize in particular areas of the field or work on a wide range of topics.
The information contained in business news is intended to inform and educate readers about the economic world in general. The subject matter is diverse and can range from current events in the business world to specific company or industry analysis, and often includes speculation about future financial trends. In its broadest sense, business news can include anything relating to the financial market and the economy, including the stock market, commodities, currencies, international trade, banking, and investments.
Businesses exist to make a profit by providing goods and services that meet the needs and wants of people in society. A business can be as simple as a sole proprietorship or as large as a multinational corporation. No matter the size of a business, it is crucial that it is structured in a way that meets its goals of generating revenue and making a profit while operating within legal constraints.
A successful business can be measured by the amount of money it makes in a certain time period, the number of customers or clients it has, and its reputation in the marketplace. It can also be measured by the ethical standards of its employees and managers. A successful business should be sustainable, allowing it to grow and prosper over a long period of time.
The history of business journalism can be traced back to 1700s, when Daniel Defoe, best known for his novels, began publishing and selling information about the business world through his “The Daily Telegraph”. More recently, the famous muckraking journalist Ida Tarbell, who exposed wrongdoing in the Standard Oil Company, is considered the founder of modern investigative journalism. Today, there are many newspaper, magazine, online and TV channels that cover business news.
This guide was developed by Library of Congress specialists in Business Reference Services. It includes general resources for researching business news, as well as lists of business publications available in microform or in print at the library. If you need additional assistance, contact a librarian through Ask-A-Librarian. This service is available in-person at the library, on the phone, or via email from anywhere in the world. Please note that while this guide provides information on major international business news sources, you will need to use more specific search strategies for finding regional and local news sources. You can find tips on how to do this at the Search the Library’s Catalog page of this guide.
