I want to understand the history
A timeline of the business press from 19th-century London publications to Russian business dailies of the late 20th century.
an independent magazine about the history and workings of the business press
Delpressa: a magazine about the history and workings of the business press
A business newspaper can look dry: figures, charts, company names, abbreviations. Yet behind that dryness lies almost two centuries of history and a perfectly understandable structure. Delpressa is an independent magazine about how business publications emerged and developed, the genres of business journalism, how to read business news, company results and stock indices in the headlines, how to tell news from analysis and advertising, and where to look for old back issues.
People read the business press for the numbers, but they understand it through the way those numbers are presented. That presentation is what we teach you to read.
Where to start
I want to analyse an article
A step-by-step breakdown of a business article and a table of signs that set news apart from analysis and advertising.
I'm curious about the newsroom
Who prepares a story at a business publication and how to read the byline, the masthead and an “advertisement” label.
I'm looking for old materials
The magazine's sections, a note on the domain's former pages and how to search for copies in a web archive.
Magazine sections
- Articles
Magazine topics: business press history, genres, company results and indices in the news, trade journals, archives. Plus the article catalogue.
- History
A timeline of the business press from the founding of The Economist in 1843 to the Russian daily Vedomosti in 1999.
- People and authors
Roles at a business publication and how to read a byline, the masthead and an “advertisement” label.
- Collections
Themed collections of magazine sections for a first introduction to the business press.
- Events
Which events the business press covers, how the business calendar works and how to check a news story about an event.
- Analysis
How to break down a business article step by step and tell news from analysis and advertising.
- Archive
The magazine's sections and what is known about the old materials on this domain.
How to read a business news story in five steps
Find the key fact
Sum up in one sentence what happened: a company published its results, a regulator made a decision, a trade fair opened. Everything else in the text is detail and interpretation.
Check the source
Look at who the author is citing: an official document, a company announcement, the newsroom's own sources or another publication. This determines how firmly you can rely on the information.
Check the figures and the period
Find out which period the figures cover and what they are compared with. Growth “by a third” means little without the period and the basis of comparison.
Separate fact from opinion
Words such as “record”, “disastrous” or “unexpected” are judgements. They may be justified, but they are the opinion of the author or the people quoted, not the fact itself.
Look at the genre and labels
A news story, an analytical review, a column and an advertorial are built differently. Reputable publications label advertising and sponsored content, so look for that label.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the former business press portal that used to run on this domain?
No. The domain used to host a portal with materials from trade publications. The current magazine is not connected with it and does not restore or reproduce its articles.
Are you the editorial office of Lizing Revyu (Leasing Review)?
No. We are not the editorial office of that or any other publication. For current issues of trade journals, please contact the publications themselves.
Do you give advice on where to invest?
No. We explain how business texts work, but we do not give investment advice, forecast exchange rates or prices, or recommend companies, banks or leasing firms.
Where do your historical facts come from?
From the official histories of publications, the texts of laws, archival documents and encyclopaedic sources. Source lists appear at the bottom of every page.
About the project
Delpressa is an independent magazine about the history and workings of the business press. This domain previously hosted a business press portal with materials from trade publications. The current magazine is not connected with it; the old articles are neither restored nor retold.
We write about how business publications came about, how the genres of business journalism work, how to read company results and stock indices in the news, how trade journals operate and where back issues are kept. We do not name living people, do not compile rankings of publications and do not cite figures that cannot be verified: where information is missing, we say so.
Related sections
- History
A timeline of the business press from the founding of The Economist in 1843 to the Russian daily Vedomosti in 1999.
- Analysis
How to break down a business article step by step and tell news from analysis and advertising.
- Articles
Magazine topics: business press history, genres, company results and indices in the news, trade journals, archives. Plus the article catalogue.
Sources
- The Economist: history of the publication
- Financial Times: history of the publication
- Dow Jones: history of the index
- Encyclopaedic sources on the history of the press
Historical information is based on open official and encyclopaedic sources. Laws and publication policies may change, so always check the current versions in official sources.