Day 5 - "Finding Personal Finance Angles on Any Beat"

Friday, May 14 Show them the Money! Finding personal finance angles on any beat

Today’s agenda:
Financial services
Storytelling methods
Show them the money! Finding personal finance angles on any beat

The $even Dimensions of Personal Finance

Question:
We’ve been talking about the Seven Dimensions checklist for a few days now. Have any of you used it to come up with story ideas on your particular business beats?
Please answer Y or N

Finding consumer stories in the financial services sector

Show readers what their accounts cost
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/banking/2009-09-30-checking-account-fees-rise_N.htm

Financial services
Earning
Interest-bearing accounts
Rewards cards, rewards checking
Perks and protection from credit cards
Careers: Know the credentials ~ CFP, CFA, CPA, broker, planner, adviser
Sales vs. expertise

Financial services
Spending:
Deposit account fees
Credit cards
Types of issuers
Secured vs. unsecured
Gift cards, pre-paid cards
Credit card reform – statement formats, etc.

www.creditcards.com

Financial services
Saving:
Deposit accounts, institutions
Online, alternative banks
Promos and perks
Fed and interest rates
Low rates harm savers

Financial services
Borrowing:
Secured loans – home, car, HEL, etc.
Personal loans
Finance companies
Rent-to-own
Payday loan / Cash advance
Pawn shops
Microlending
Islamic lending

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/BetterBanking/BetterBankingDyn.aspx?cp-documentid=23492948

Financial services
Investing
Again, sales vs. advice – much overlap
Markets
Buy-and-hold vs. trading
Types of accounts & hidden expenses
Annuities and insurance as investments
Consumer protection
Non-securities investing – coins, metals, commodities
Beware dispensing investment advice
Experts may contribute to special features, packages

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/retirement/2010-04-30-401k28_CV_N.htm?csp=34

Financial services
Taxes
Taxable vs. non-taxable accounts
Employer-sponsored account policies, procedures
Converting taxable to non-taxable
Inherited retirement accounts
MRDs

Financial services
Risk
Inappropriate or bad advice
Products such as cancer insurance, pre-paid legal
Institutional failure
Investor education
Consumer protection
Death and divorce – pensions, SS, etc.
Scams
Elderly
E-mail

http://finance.yahoo.com/retirement/article/108836/6-ways-employers-will-change-401ks-in-2010?mod=retire-401k

Question:
Does anyone in the group currently write a blog, column, Q&A or other first-person feature?
Please answer Y or N

Big piece of art To readers, nothing is sexier than a dollar sign!

You’ll become a reader resource
Objective stories are helpful, informative
Other styles offer more leeway for advocacy and accessiblity – address the reader directly
Columns – watchdog, humor, umbrage
Blogs – tips, quick hits, informal, interactive
Q & A – access to experts, executives, gurus
Book, magazine and website reviews
Diaries – readers share personal experience
Infographics – digestible, clip-and-save
Calculators , quizzes, checklists
Layer and link related coverage
Personal finance storytelling

http://moneycentral.msn.com/personal-finance/

Personal finance storytelling
Financial makeovers:
Labor-intensive
Strict methodology
Beyond voyeurism
Snapshot
Narrative, personal
Actionable
Follow-up

The $even Dimensions of Personal Finance

Thanks for participating!
Please feel free to e-mail me with additional questions and suggestions at [email_address] .
Show them the money! Finding personal finance angles on any beat

Day 5 - "Finding Personal Finance Angles on Any Beat"

by Reynolds Center for Business Journalism on May 13, 2010

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Day 5 - "Finding Personal Finance Angles on Any Beat" — Presentation Transcript