Month: August 2025

While the health of local news ecosystems has suffered in recent years, most Americans still say they get their local news from sources they trust. And despite the financial turmoil of local newspaper sales and circulation declines, Americans view their local news outlets positively and see them as doing important work in their communities.

Local TV is also a common source of local news, though Americans are increasingly more likely to get this news digitally, either on local television websites or through apps and social media posts. This trend is a major part of the story of how the digital revolution has transformed the ways in which Americans access local news.

In the United States, most local TV news is produced by local affiliate stations of the nation’s major broadcast networks, such as ABC and CBS. These stations typically produce one or more local news bulletins per day from a local studio, and their content is often modeled on the look and feel of national network newscasts.

Local affiliates may be owned by a single corporation or by several companies working in partnership, such as Sinclair Broadcast Group. As these independent local TV news organizations have been bought and squeezed by national media conglomerates, the variety of opinion and perspective that drew viewers has flattened, and it’s harder to hear the local context that promotes a non-partisan sense of shared investment in community.

A business is an organization that sells goods or services for profit. It ranges from small, privately owned companies to multinational corporations. A person who starts a business is called an entrepreneur. Business news provides updates on markets, mergers, acquisitions, and new company policies. It also informs the public about financial issues such as inflation, stock market trends, and economic outlook. By providing clear information and exposing fraud, business news enables the public to stay safe from scams and make informed decisions about their financial future.

The best way to write business news articles is to focus on topics that resonate with the reader. Using relatable examples, such as how price hikes can affect the cost of food, rent, or gas, is a great strategy for keeping readers engaged. This helps them better understand the implications of an economic trend and makes it more likely they will share your article with their friends and family.

Writing compelling business news requires consistently monitoring fresh developments across industries, identifying stories with wide appeal, and structuring articles clearly. It also involves developing trusted industry sources, optimizing publishing cadence, and promoting articles on social media. By following these tips, you can produce quality business news articles that inform, inspire, and engage your audience.

A business merger is the legal joining of two or more businesses into a single entity. There are many reasons companies choose to merge, including expanding into new territories, adding technologies, reducing costs, eliminating competition and boosting revenue. A merger is also a way to take advantage of tax laws in different countries. The process can be complicated, and there are a number of steps that need to be taken to complete the transaction.

Mergers typically involve both companies transferring ownership of their assets and liabilities into the newly formed company. This may be through a share exchange, where the existing shareholders of each company receive shares in the newly combined entity, or an asset purchase, where the acquiring company buys the remaining assets of the acquired firm. During the first merger wave in the United States, most acquisitions took place between companies in the same industry, but since the third wave, acquirers have been more likely to diversify by purchasing firms that are outside their current market.

Adding additional revenue streams is another reason for companies to consider M&A, particularly when the acquired entity has valuable intellectual property or line of business (LOB) that can be combined with existing products and services to increase market penetration. Economies of scale are another benefit of M&A, as purchasing materials in bulk is usually cheaper than purchasing them individually.

Companies that undergo M&A often face integration challenges, ranging from cultural clashes to a loss of employee morale. In addition, mergers and acquisitions can be expensive and increase a company’s debt.

Corporate earnings are the bottom line of a business, showing how much money is left over after covering expenses like salaries, operating costs and taxes. These quarterly reports give investors a window into the financial health of public companies and are one of the biggest factors influencing stock prices, with positive results attracting investment and negative news driving selloffs.

Corporate profits are an important part of the overall economy, providing a snapshot of private sector productivity and incentivizing firms to invest in growth. Earnings data is also used by central banks to inform monetary policy, as higher earnings can lead to lower unemployment and inflation.

A common misconception is that revenue growth always equates to business success, but this is not the case. Revenue growth is one indicator of a company’s ability to sell, but profitability is determined by a combination of many factors including operating efficiency and cost control. It is possible for a company to have high revenue and still have slim profit margins if they are using discounts or heavy marketing campaigns to drive sales, for example.

A good way to assess a company’s profitability is to compare its net income (profit) with its total number of outstanding shares. This ratio is called Earnings per Share (EPS) and it shows how much of a company’s profits are distributed to each share owner. Companies with a larger number of outstanding shares will have a higher EPS than those with fewer shares.

Developing story is the process of turning a tiny spark of an idea into a fully-fledged narrative with fleshed out characters, immersive settings and powerful themes. Developing story is a key skill for anyone who wants to be successful in journalism or in any creative endeavor. This includes not only writers, but also producers and executives, who must be able to brainstorm set pieces, character motivations, and distill notes into cogent loglines and pitches.

The first step in developing your story is to identify a hot spot, or the point of potential conflict or emotion. This could be an image, a conversation, or an experience that you have had, or even a question that you’ve come up with. Ideally, this is the seed of your story and will help you define its theme and direction.

Next, develop your setting. This will help set the scene and provide an opportunity for you to explore how your characters interact with each other in this unique environment. For example, an Arctic research station could present a great setting for your story, allowing you to explore the isolation, extreme conditions and psychological challenges that scientists face while on assignment.

Characters are your story’s most important elements and must be developed deeply for readers to empathize with them. Explore character motivations and archetypes to create compelling protagonists that drive your narrative forward. Use popular storytelling frameworks like Joseph Campbell’s monomyth or Blake Snyder’s beats to structure your plot and ensure your story stays on track.

Whether you’re working on client events or looking to elevate your broadcast news presence, you need a strong grasp of how to craft impactful media alerts. This article will introduce you to the techniques that will help you captivate and elevate your media relations game.

A media alert is an announcement of a current or upcoming event intended specifically for journalists. Also known as media advisories, they have the purpose of convincing reporters that your event is a genuine news story worth coverage.

Unlike press releases that provide comprehensive details of the news story, media alerts are concise attention-grabbing notices designed to pique the interest of journalists and encourage them to learn more. They typically include what journalists refer to as the 5 Ws – who, what, where, when, and why – so that they can quickly and easily understand the significance of your news announcement.

To maximize your chances of capturing the attention of journalists, it’s important to release your alerts at the right time. Doing your research can help you determine when the target audience and journalist are most active and receptive to your announcements.

Make sure your media alerts are easy to read by including supporting evidence, such as quotes from people who are directly involved in the story or opinions from industry experts. It’s also a good idea to include visual content that captures the essence of your news. To make it easier for journalists to follow-up on your announcements, be sure to include the contact information of one person from your chapter.

Amid heightened political polarization, Americans often feel like they don’t get to hear enough from their candidates. Those who organize debates and those who watch them agree that a better balance of discussion is needed, especially when it comes to addressing complex policy challenges where opinions range widely and solutions are not yet clear.

However, a new study suggests that people misperceive both the frequency and format of political debate. This may contribute to feelings of hopelessness, which previous research has found to predict voting behavior in elections and civic engagement.

In our lab and online experiments, we asked participants to think about a recent presidential or congressional debate they had seen or observed. We then asked participants about whether they thought the debate was informative and if it made them feel hopeful about America’s future. Participants were assigned to two arms of the experiment: an experience arm and a prediction arm. The experience arm asked about their personal experiences with debates, while the prediction arm compared their predictions of how many experienced respondents would say they had the same experience.

We also studied the debate set up, which is largely unchanged since the first CPD presidential debates in 1992. In the current debate format, each candidate is allotted approximately 45 minutes of speaking time and each moderator-posed topic is allocated equal time. A chess clock, displayed in the center of the stage, indicates how much time remains; the candidate can hit it to take control of the floor. When a candidate runs out of speaking time, the debate is over.

Many voters have questions about the process for counting and certifying election results. These articles help you understand the processes and factors that affect when results become final.

The Electoral College is the mechanism that determines the winner of the U.S. presidency based on the number of electoral votes received by each state. Almost all states edict that the winner of the statewide popular vote (‘one person, one vote’) shall receive all of that state’s electoral votes (“winner-takes-all”). A few states use a different method for assigning their electors: Nebraska and Maine award a portion of their electors based on districts. Historically, the winning candidate has usually won all states, but close elections can result in a tie.

In some states, election results are not final until the official canvass is complete. This can take days, sometimes weeks. During this time, election officials carefully examine each ballot to make sure that all votes have been counted correctly.

During this period, election officials might have to deal with requests for recounts. Recount rules vary from state to state, but in most cases the trailing candidate has the right to request a recount if the vote margin between the top two candidates is within a certain threshold. During a recount, ballots are examined by hand or fed back through voting machines to see if the first count was incorrect.

Election results reported on election night are never the final, certified results. That’s why it is important for election officials to communicate clearly to voters how they determine winners and when election results will be finalized.

An acquisition deal is an agreement where one company buys and takes control of another, absorbing all assets and liabilities. It is commonly financed by cash, stock, or a combination. The acquiring company can operate the acquired company as a subsidiary, or fully integrate it. In large deals, the acquisition can affect market competition. It may also require regulatory review, especially in competitive industries.

When a business is seeking to expand into new markets, an acquisition is often the best option for its future growth. However, acquisitions can be costly and should be made with a clear vision of the desired outcome. Failure to do so can lead to a waste of resources, financial loss, and disruption to existing operations.

During the acquisition process, a finance team plays a key role in ensuring that the deal runs as smoothly as possible. This includes assessing and analysing the financial documents to identify and resolve any potential issues that could derail the transaction. In addition, they are responsible for performing valuation analysis, forecasting outcomes and working out the financing for the deal. External advisors or investment bankers can help simplify the process by reducing the time and cost of completing it.

After initial discussions, the acquiring and selling companies usually sign a letter of intent or memorandum of understanding (also known as a term sheet). This document outlines the proposed key terms of the deal. It is not legally binding and can be amended before finalizing the definitive purchase and sale agreement. The parties then proceed to complete their due diligence investigations and negotiate the final purchase agreement.

After winning the party nomination, candidates from both parties spend much of their time campaigning in a series of state primary and caucus contests, trying to win delegates that will represent them on the national ballot. Candidates also participate in televised debates where voters can question them about their plans and positions.

In the final stretch of this presidential race, both Harris and Trump are attempting to rally voters in key battleground states to support their causes. With early voting about to begin in many states and with Election Day less than seven weeks away, the stakes are high for both sides.

For a number of reasons, the presidential race has been exceptionally close this year. Kamala Harris showed up Mr Trump in their only debate and enjoys a financial advantage, but has struggled to close the gap with the former president. In addition, her political legacy is a liability as she seeks to fend off attacks from the right. She is a creature of institutional politics rather than an ideologue and needs to articulate a clear vision that appeals to voters beyond her base.