“The most surprising thing about journalists is how little they know about the businesses or industry in which they work,” said an NUJ staff member who happened to be sitting opposite me at lunch.
It made me want to scream.
I prompted the comment by admitting I wasn’t au fait with all of Trinity Mirror’s digital acquisitions in the last three years.
I am all too painfully aware of my ignorance in this area and it is something I’m working hard to change.
A lack of business knowledge is, I think, one of the greatest threats to local and regional journalists, especially in this tough economic climate.
After all, if we don’t understand how our market is created, nor how we best make money out of it, then I would argue we know little about serving it properly
Despite having been told in the past that my arts and journalistic background may offer me a “creative” or “unusual” take on the fortunes of the industry, I don’t really buy it. You don’t understand anything unless you understand how the money works.