Business is our beat: Why Chamber Business News is your new go-to business news source

I’m going to start out your Monday morning with some good news. This isn’t a column about Russian meddling in the election. It’s not about a looming trade war. It’s not about North Korea.

Instead I’m pleased to announce the launch of a new digital news platform that will focus on Arizona business news that too often gets overlooked by other media outlets, but that is critically important to understanding what’s driving today’s economy.

THERE’S GOOD NEWS OUT THERE IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK FOR IT

The media landscape is changing. You already know that. The likelihood that you picked up a newspaper from your driveway this morning is a lot lower than it was 10 years ago.

But our need for good, reliable information hasn’t changed. We’re consuming news from dozens of outlets of every day to understand what’s happening in the world, the nation, and our neighborhood.

And yet newsrooms are shrinking, which means there are plenty of stories that are slipping through the cracks. A lot of that is good news about what’s happening in the business world: the innovations that are improving our lives, the leaders who are emerging to shape the future, the jobs being created in entirely new industries.

These stories don’t always get the airing they deserve. That’s too bad. They’re important. They need to be told.

But I’m not talking just about the stuff that shows up in company press releases. I’m talking about the policies that are being debated each day that will determine whether Arizona enhances its competitiveness, or whether it makes growing a business here more difficult and more expensive.

That’s why I’m so excited to announce today that the Arizona Chamber Foundation is launching Chamber Business News, your online destination for news and commentary from Arizona’s business community that will cover the issues and stories important to Arizona’s job creators.

We will unapologetically tell these stories through a Chamber perspective. Job creation is good for all of our citizens. Companies invested in Arizona are the backbone of our civic and volunteer life. If you’re looking for cynicism and clickbait, we’re not your source.

CHAMBER BUSINESS NEWS: BUSINESS IS OUR BEAT

Each afternoon, you’ll get a brief email that looks at what’s happening in business and policy. I know you’re busy. I promise it will be a quick read. But it will also have a distinct voice and viewpoint that makes clear that enterprise, investment, and job creation is something worth talking about and worth celebrating. It will contain original reporting from our stable of writers, as well as a digest of stories from other news outlets. From technology, to tourism, to trade, we’re covering the issues driving our state.

And don’t worry, loyal readers. You’ll still get my regular commentaries on what I’m seeing from my perch as the leader of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In fact, there’s even more Hamer content to come. We’re launching a new online video show, Ham(m)er Time, where I’ll sit down for a freewheeling conversation with some of Arizona’s most fascinating business and policy leaders. We’ve already got a few episodes that will be released in the coming weeks that I know you’ll enjoy.

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

I truly believe Chamber Business News is needed. All across Arizona every day, entrepreneurs are taking risks, established businesses are making big investments, and policy leaders are pulling levers to position our state for success.

Their stories aren’t always getting told, though. Chamber Business News will fill that gap and celebrate Arizona’s good news.

Thanks in advance for reading. Drop me a line and tell me what you think and tell me what stories you think need to be covered.