After the New York Times published an exposé that wiped $12 billion out of Wal-Mart’s book-value Felix Salmon wondered if there was a way for the New York Times to make money from this:

• The newspaper could offer a service where big-name hedge funds could pay to get early access to news stories, letting them take advantage of stories that can move the market.
• This is ethical. Other news organizations such as Reuters gives early access to well-paying customers.
• One problem is that whistle-blowers could potentially be persecuted as inside-traders if newspapers were to engage in such a practice.

To read more including the multitude of people that help write an article, why journalism is increasingly being done by people who have an interest in the stories they’re writing, and how such a process would work operationally, click here.

Source: Reuters

Via: Freakonomics