The business of priorities

The Akron Beacon Journal has joined at least one other mid-sized daily in announcing that it plans to tack business news on to the back of the sports section instead of running a standalone section. Chris Roush, in a blog on "Talking Biz News," speculated that it may signal the demise of business sections in U.S. newspapers. He asks: "What is more important to people, knowing information about their jobs and the economy, or knowing whether their favorite sports team won last night? ... At some point, newspapers will have to decide whether they want to improve society or not." The answer to Roush's question may not matter as much as the fact that circulation directors at many daily papers would likely agree that sports, not business, puts money in newspaper racks.