How to Write Business News

Business news is the part of journalism that tracks and records business, economic and financial activities and changes in society. It is the largest of the hard news branches and covers topics such as stock market fluctuations, globalization, unemployment, inflation, GDP growth and corporate mergers.

Many of the same guidelines that apply to writing news articles also apply to writing world business news pieces. For example, it is important to be clear about your purpose and audience. This helps readers understand your article’s main idea and ensures that you are covering only the most relevant information. It is also important to follow the inverted pyramid model when writing an article, which places the most important information at the top of the piece.

Often, when reporting business news, it’s helpful to include visual aids like charts and infographics. This makes the piece more interesting and catches the reader’s attention. In addition, the brain processes images better than words. This is known as the picture superiority effect.

It is also important to avoid using jargon when writing business news articles. This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to confuse terms like “profit,” “loss,” and “revenue” and can mislead readers. Instead, use words that are more familiar to your audience, such as “dollars,” “pennies” and “cents.” Also, be sure to double-check all of your facts and figures. Small mistakes can damage your credibility, especially if you’re reporting about numbers and statistics. Also, be careful not to mix up data sets — for example, comparing a Chinese government-produced manufacturing index with an independent index from the Caixin business news outlet.

How to Protect Your Business From a Cybersecurity Threat

Cyber threats are a significant and growing business risk for organizations of all sizes, across every industry. These attacks affect employee productivity, customer loyalty, and company reputation – and can lead to costly legal and operational consequences.

Threats can take many forms: Data breaches, phishing attacks, malware, and hacking are common examples. A data breach occurs when unauthorized individuals gain access to sensitive information, including personal and financial data such as credit card numbers and bank accounts, or intellectual property like source code. These attacks can cost businesses millions of dollars in fines, lost revenue, and damaged relationships with customers and partners.

Malware is any software program that exploits or damages a computer system, and includes viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, adware, and ransomware. Malware attacks are among the most common cyber threats, resulting in the loss of confidential information and compromised system security. A recent cyberattack on shipping firm CMA CGM, for example, caused the firm to lose control of its servers and prevented employees from accessing work systems.

Some attackers are looking for money or information, such as credit card or personally identifiable information (PII), while others want to disrupt critical infrastructure like gas pipelines and power grids. And some are simply seeking notoriety in the hacker community or revenge. With e-commerce, remote collaboration, and cloud data storage becoming essential to modern life, it’s critical that businesses adopt robust cybersecurity measures to ensure the safety of these services and their users.

How to Write a News Feature

A news feature is a longer, in-depth story which is often presented as a whole segment or program on a radio or television show. It usually includes interviews with the people involved and is intended to inform or entertain the listener or viewer. Unlike a regular news story, there is usually scope for the journalist’s writing style to show through – but this should be kept in check.

The main ingredients of a news feature are human interest, impact and relevance. People love to hear about other people and what they do, so stories with a human angle always attract attention. Even non-human events can be newsworthy if they affect people, for example an explosion on a distant star can become news if it impacts the Earth’s atmosphere.

Relevance is another important factor – the more relevant a story is, the more likely it is to be broadcast. For example, a story about the effects of global warming on local forests would be unlikely to find a home in a local news bulletin, but one on an AIDS prevention project might fit well into a health programme.

It is important to consider the length of a news feature, especially if it will be presented in a radio or TV program. A programme editor will want to ensure that it is not too long or too short, and that it fits into the regular schedule of the program. It is also essential to think about the availability of studios and editing suites (or equivalent facilities), and how many people you will need to interview and record.

Mergers and Acquisitions – What You Need to Know

A business merger is a strategic move that can boost growth and profitability. However, the merger process requires careful planning and cultural compatibility to ensure that it achieves its goals. In this article, we’ll explain the difference between merging and consolidating, discuss key benefits and risks, and offer tips for navigating the process.

A key element of business merger success is transparent communication with staff and customers. Rumors can cause anxiety among employees, and a lack of clarity can lead to dissatisfaction and lower productivity. To avoid these issues, leaders should ensure that they communicate clearly to everyone from top management down to frontline workers.

Mergers may take many forms, including a product-extension merger (two companies that sell similar products in different markets), a market-extension merger (two competitors), or a conglomeration (companies with nothing in common). The key is to find a partner that complements your company and aligns with your business goals. Due diligence should include a comparison of policies, contracts, intellectual property, financials, and IT systems. You should also investigate any legal and tax implications of the deal.

M&A can create short-term gains, but they’re often accompanied by unintended consequences. These problems can range from overpaying for a target to not realizing the full benefits of synergies. To reduce risk, make sure that you have an expert on your team to oversee the M&A process and help your company reach its strategic goals.

Electric Vehicle (EV) – More Connected Than Ever

Electric vehicles (EVs) are powered by motors that draw electricity from onboard batteries, and they can be recharged at home or at public charging stations. EVs are more than just cars—they’re technologically advanced connected devices inside and out. They’re quieter than gas engines and produce zero tailpipe emissions. They’re also more durable with fewer moving parts, and they typically require less maintenance.

With the help of scientists and engineers who’ve crammed more energy into ever-smaller batteries, EVs now have driving ranges comparable to those of gasoline cars and SUVs. They also feature sleek styling and a host of high-tech features, including advanced infotainment systems, advanced safety systems, and more.

EVs are increasingly popular worldwide, and a growing number of models are available from manufacturers around the world. In 2023, global sales reached a record 1 million EVs, up from just 770,000 in 2012.

In addition to the traditional car, truck, and van models that can be charged at home or at public stations, many companies have developed vehicles with modular battery packs that can be mechanically switched in minutes between full and empty. This technology is known as “battery swapping” and may eventually be offered for commercial applications such as delivery trucks and airport shuttles.

As EVs become more common, they could reduce global receipts from fossil fuel taxes by as much as $55 billion annually. This would create a fiscal challenge for some governments. But a switch to EVs could also save drivers money and give them more choice in their mobility options.

The History of National News

National news is the media coverage of events that have a significant impact on a large audience in a country. Such events include politics, government, culture and sports. It is an important aspect of journalism and plays a key role in shaping public opinion and influencing discourse. The national news has a greater reach than local news and is often used as a barometer of public opinion.

Before modern telecommunications, it was difficult to share information from distant places. This changed with the advent of newspaper publishing and printing, which expanded beyond the cities of 17th-century Europe. Newspapers could quickly and inexpensively be distributed across a nation. As a result, they became profitable powerhouses of advocacy, muckraking and sensationalism. But they also became platforms for serious and objective news-gathering.

The emergence of the telegraph and later telephone facilitated the rapid spread of news. As the world grew more interconnected, the first news agencies were founded like AFP, Reuters and Wolff (now DPA). In addition to traditional wire services, television and the internet have made it possible to instantly share current events worldwide.

In many countries, major networks have national and regional news departments that broadcast stories based on local events. For example, in the United States, cable TV networks such as NY1 and WJLA provide a local news bulletin each hour. A similar service exists in the Netherlands where a national network shows a local news opt-out each morning during its simulcast of the main news program Rapport. In addition, some commercial broadcasters like CTV have regional news programs.

What is a News Outlet?

A news outlet is a source of information, usually in written form, that’s published regularly. It may cover current affairs, business, entertainment or sports. In the past, most news outlets were print media like newspapers or magazines, but today they can also include television, radio, online and social media. In addition to a traditional print format, many of these outlets have also developed special applications or augmented reality (AR) to provide additional visuals.

The first major news outlet to change the world was CNN, which ushered in the idea that news should be available around the clock instead of being limited to the evening news. It was followed by a host of other 24-hour news channels.

Many of these have specialised coverage, such as world or local news, financial news, sports news and weather. They have won countless awards and accolades over the years, including Pulitzer Prizes.

The BBC is one of the most recognizable names in news and they’ve switched things up to keep up with how people get their news nowadays. They’re putting more energy into TikTok, YouTube and Instagram and they’re also boosting their global health and development coverage.

A big concern about how news is reported today is that too often it focuses on personalities and politics, rather than the facts and the implications for society. This can distort how we view the world and it can have a negative impact on our health. Research shows that most people agree on a few key points about what qualifies as news: It must be timely, accurate and important to their lives.

The Difference Between Front-Page and Back-Page

In journalism, front-page typically refers to the first page of a newspaper or magazine that contains major news stories and headlines. It may also refer to the front page of a website or online publication. Generally, front-page stories are important and relevant to large numbers of readers. In a sports context, a player’s five wickets or a century often become front-page news.

Back-page, on the other hand, usually refers to the pages of a newspaper or publication that are buried or less prominent. This could include articles or ads that are not as newsworthy or important to as many readers, or it could simply refer to the section of a website where less critical material is found.

For example, in a guidebook, the back pages could contain information about local attractions or businesses. In fiction, a story’s back pages might tease the reader to find out more about characters or plots that appear on the front page.

Front-page (full name Microsoft Office FrontPage) is a WYSIWYG HTML editor and Web site management program that was developed by Microsoft for Windows line of operating systems. It was a component of Microsoft Office from 1997 to 2003. FrontPage was replaced by Microsoft Expression Web and SharePoint Designer.

In 2014, three Jane Does who were sex trafficked as minors sued Backpage, alleging that their traffickers used the website to post ads offering them sex for money. They argued that Backpage’s business and editorial practices were facilitating sex trafficking, which violated the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, and that their rights were protected under CDA Section 230. The court denied their motion to dismiss, and the case is now proceeding to trial.

Blockchain News for Journalists and Media Companies

Blockchain news is all the rage, but it’s also a moment of reckoning for journalists and media companies. Its shiny new thing veneer masks a powerful and complex technology that freezes time by securely signposting edits to a shared database. At its core, it’s a technology that’s both potentially monetizable and deeply disruptive to traditional business models.

While the most well-known blockchains are tied to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, they can be used for much more. Blockchains are essentially shared, tamper-proof databases of digital records that can store many types of data in addition to money. The core data stored in each block includes a version number, the Merkle root, a timestamp, and a header hash (the output hash of the previous block). A special cryptographic algorithm scrambles these numbers together to create a unique fingerprint that links one block to the next, making them difficult to change once written.

News organizations can use targeted solutions that leverage blockchain to improve the efficiency and integrity of their editorial and sales workflows. Examples include using blockchain to secure and validate timestamps for publication dates, or ad tracking systems that can prevent advertisers from paying for inflated ad impressions. Blockchain-based solutions for these problems can help journalists maintain a level of transparency that is hard to replicate in centralized and proprietary systems.

More sophisticated newsrooms are adopting hybrid solutions that introduce cryptocurrency into the equation, transforming their journalistic business models to some extent. For example, Civil is a blockchain platform that offers a CMS for its participating journalism organizations to build and host their websites, but it also uses the blockchain to support journalists through micropayments that are recorded as blocks in the blockchain. The value of these tokens is determined by a network of stakeholders, and participants can use their stake in the system to propose or challenge the organization’s rules.

Small Business – The Backbone of Our Economy

About 34.7 million small businesses – from solo entrepreneurs and family-run shops to large growing companies – are a critical part of our economy. They drive innovation, job creation and economic resilience nationwide.

The official definition of a small business varies worldwide, but generally speaking, these independently owned and operated for-profit businesses are smaller in terms of employees and annual revenue than larger enterprises. Small businesses can be structured as corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships and they may operate in a wide range of industries. They are often referred to as the backbone of our nation’s economy.

To qualify as a small business, they must also meet certain criteria defined by the federal government, such as employee size standards and minimum annual revenues or sales for some industries. The government defines a small business as one that has fewer than 500 employees for manufacturers and less than $7.5 million in annual revenue for non-manufacturing firms. These size standards are used to determine if a company can qualify for government contracts by applying the appropriate North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and referencing the Small Business Administration’s table of size standards by industry.

It can be challenging to juggle the many hats that are required for running a successful small business and to manage the cyclical nature of the economy, but those who persevere can find success. After all, the Walt Disney Corporation started out as a small animation studio, and Richard Branson built his empire on the strength of his Virgin brand.