NEW YORK, March 26, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Wall Street Journal Online today announced the launch of the "Deal Journal" blog, an up-to-the-minute take on deals and deal-makers. The Journal's top M&A reporter Dennis Berman will lead the blog with former Bloomberg reporter Dana Cimilluca, with additional reporting from Journal reporters in New York, London and Hong Kong; editors from WSJ.com; and private equity reporters from Dow Jones Newswires.
The blog is freely accessible to Journal subscribers and non-subscribers at http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/ and is the centerpiece to an expanded arena of deals coverage by the Journal, with additional community tools, graphics and video to launch in coming months. An example of its timely, in-depth reporting is last week's coverage of the Blackstone IPO filing, including five posts in two hours on Thursday night and breaking news about the ticker symbol on Friday: "Blackstone's Ticker Symbol: It's BX (As in Bucks)."
"Deal news itself is quickly commoditized on the Web," said Dennis Berman. "Where the Journal provides value is our insight, experience and intellect. Our collective observations on a given situation are what make all the difference - and we hope to deliver a bit of humor and entertainment, too."
Also launching this month is a blog companion to Carl Bialik's "Numbers Guy" column that was introduced in January 2005 and is now available as a biweekly feature on the Journal's Marketplace section front. Available at http://blogs.wsj.com/numbersguy, the blog examines the way numbers are used by companies, advocacy groups, reporters and others, telling the story behind the stats.
WSJ.com has offered numerous free blogs since early 2006. Accessible at http://blogs.wsj.com, they include:
- The Law Blog: Law reporter Peter Lattman keeps it moving with posts like "The Taxman Wears Prada," and "Scooter Libby Trial Lesson: Zip It!" alongside an image of Dr. Evil. Launched in January 2006; memorable post: The Law: A Profession, a Trade or Both, Part III
- Washington Wire: Reporters from WSJ's Capital bureau offer political news, analysis and gossip from inside and outside the Beltway in an extension of the weekly Washington Wire in the print paper. Launched in January 2006; memorable post: Alito Expresses Doubt About Starr's Argument
- MarketBeat: David Gaffen finds market-moving news and regularly points readers to the blogs his team is reading. Launched in November 2006; memorable post: Vonage's Woes Continue
- The Juggle: Sara Schaefer Munoz looks at the choices and trade-offs people make as they juggle work and family. Launched in December 2006; memorable post: Do You Have to Work to Be a Role Model?
- Wealth Report: With features like "Estate of the Week" and descriptions of billionaire birthday bashes, reporter Robert Frank provides an inside look at the culture of wealth in America. Launched in January 2007; memorable post: Is Paul Allen Giving Enough?
- Energy Roundup: Headlines like "Biofuels vs. Beer" add levity to the daily news analysis of everything from oil to gas, from ethanol to wind power. Launched in February 2007; memorable post: Dubai-Bye-Bye
Added Bill Grueskin, managing editor of WSJ.com: "We've seen how powerful blogs can be in building community and acting as an important feedback mechanism for Journal reporters and editors. The Online Journal's blogs are turning into a powerfulmedium for breaking and analyzing news, and for opening our content beyond our 811,000 subscribers."
WSJ.com also features timely, event-driven blogs including the Davos Economic Forum, the Auto Shows, the Consumer Electronics Show, and "Heard on the Runway" covering the international fashion shows. These archived blogs are also available at http://blogs.wsj.com.
About The Wall Street Journal Online
The Wall Street Journal Online at WSJ.com, published by Dow Jones & Company (NYSE:DJ) (www.dowjones.com), is the largest paid subscription news site on the Web. Launched in 1996, the Online Journal continues to attract quality subscribers that are at the top of their industries, with 811,000 subscribers world-wide as of Q4, 2006.
The Online Journal provides in-depth business news and financial information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with insight and analysis, including breaking business and technology news and analysis from around the world. It draws on the Dow Jones network of nearly 1,900 business and financial news staff -- the largest network of business and financial journalists in the world. The Online Journal also features exclusive content, including interactive graphics and video on business and world news, and online-only columns about the automotive industry, technology, personal finance and more.
The Wall Street Journal Online network includes CareerJournal.com, OpinionJournal.com, StartupJournal.com, RealEstateJournal.com and CollegeJournal.com.
The Wall Street Journal "Online" logo is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2637
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