A business is a commercial enterprise that buys and sells goods or services. It is also used in a more general way to refer to an activity or industry: ‘the business of music’; ‘the sports business’. Business news refers to information about businesses and their activities as a whole. This news is typically published in newspapers and magazines, or online, and may focus on specific industries or the overall economy. A specialized type of business news is provided by trade publications, which cover events and trends within a particular field. This information is important for investors and other stakeholders in the business community, as it helps them make informed decisions about their investments.
The history of business news goes back to the 1700s, when Daniel Defoe (author of Robinson Crusoe) began publishing newspaper articles about the stock market and the commercial world. In the 1880s, Charles Dow and Edward Jones began a wire service to deliver business news to investment houses along Wall Street. This was the beginning of the modern business news industry. In the 1900s, muckraking journalist Ida Tarbell became famous for her reporting on the Standard Oil Company, which led to a series of lawsuits against the corporation and helped spur the development of the modern business news media.
This guide was prepared by the business reference team at the Library of Congress. Its focus is on news sources in the United States, although major international business news outlets are included where appropriate. To find additional sources, consult the list of print and microform resources available through the Newspaper and Current Periodicals Room at the Library of Congress or ask a librarian for assistance.
Skye Schooley is a writer for Business News Daily with a specialty in human resources news and products. She conducts research and interviews with business owners to create content about how companies can manage employee performance, improve communication and foster workplace diversity. Prior to writing for Business News Daily, she gained B2C experience performing content marketing, analytics and search engine optimization at a software company.
Eric Noe is the editor-in-chief of Business News Daily, overseeing all editorial content operations. He has 15 years of experience managing digital content teams in traditional media and the startup world. His work has spanned global and business news, philanthropic social impact campaigns and brand-building content.
Kayla St. Germain leads the growth marketing and sales enablement initiatives for Business News Daily. She is an analytical, results-driven marketer with more than eight years of experience across multiple sectors, including SaaS and technology, all-in-one agencies, education, and healthcare. Before joining the company, she worked in marketing at RSA Security and consulted for several SaaS startups on their go-to-market strategies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and linguistics. She is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.