The Reynolds Center has announced its 2008 fall workshop schedule.
Select a workshop and register from the drop-down menu below.
The Reynolds Center has opened registration for select 2008 free online seminars.
Topics include:
*Intermediate Business Journalism
*Covering Private Companies
*Business Journalism Boot Camp
The conviction of former Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski has sent a resounding message to corporate executives across the country. This message has not been lost on business reporters.
Continuing a trend of corporate accountability playing out in the courtroom, Kozlowski and former Chief Financial Officer Mark Swartz were convicted Friday of conspiracy, securities fraud and falsifying records for their roles in stealing millions of dollars from the manufacturing and service company.
The Kozlowski verdict follows the high-profile convictions of WorldCom's Bernie Ebbers and Martha Stewart. The trial of former HealthSouth chief Richard Scrushy is also in its final stage of deliberation and Adelphia founder John Rigas was sentenced today to 15 years in prison.
"The verdict is the latest in a string of federal and state prosecutions that followed the bursting of the stock market bubble in 2000 and the disclosure of massive accounting fraud at Enron Corp.," writes Jeffrey Krasner in The Boston Globe.
Just as Enron was glorified by the majority of the media, the fall of Kozlowski underlines the need for business reporters to maintain a healthy skepticism associated with apparent success. Before he was indicted, BusinessWeek magazine had named Kozlowski one of America's top 25 managers.
But it is also important to note that not all corporate executives who enter the courtroom suffer the same fate as Kozlowski and Swartz. This suggests that business journalists should be careful not to jump to any conclusions.
"In recent weeks, the Supreme Court overturned the obstruction of justice conviction of onetime accounting giant Arthur Andersen, in a case stemming from the collapse of Enron," according to a report in TheStreet.com. "Last week a New York jury, sitting in a courtroom right across the hall from the Tyco jury, acquitted former Bank of America broker Theodore Sihpol for alleged violations in the mutual fund trading scandal."
No matter the ultimate verdict, keep in mind that your daily coverage during what may be a lengthy trial will help build readership loyalty. To help you along the way, sources are crucial to coverage of corporate executives on trial.
To provide perspective, turn to legal analysts and accounting professionals. These minds can offer expert context to readers in cases involving allegations of fraud and conspiracy.
Copyright © 2008 Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism
