This month we’re talking to Tom Keighley, Editor of Bdaily. The business news network set up to deliver relevant business news, advice and opinion to members.

 1.    Describe your typical working day.

We don’t really have what you might call a typical day at Bdaily, but often it will start with a good scan of the day’s events, and what is in the diary. I will have a catch up with the team and what’s on their agenda. I’ll spend a good portion of the day speaking with our community of columnists, working through the ideas they have and finding out what they are up to. I’m always collecting new contacts, so some of the day will be spent recruiting new ones. I might then spend half an hour in a pre-arranged phone interview, writing, or editing. Then, it might be on to an event where I will meet some of the key speakers, and those in attendance. I’ll inevitably pick up a couple of stories on the notepad too. Between all this there’s the day’s breaking news, so I’ll often be emailing and phoning around for quotes.

2. What’s the best story you’ve ever written?

I think the best stories are the ones that cut all the fat off, and because I’m absorbing so much information throughout the day, it’s always great to read a clean news story through which I feel informed in a matter of seconds. That said, as a business news network our remit is large, and one of the most fascinating parts of my job is doing stories on entrepreneurs with a fantastic idea in its early stages. The challenge is then in communicating their business character; that might be brimming with energy, or calm and measured, and everything in between.

3. What are the hot topics in business at the moment?

There are a few constant themes. Access to finance for SMEs is of course a major ongoing concern, as is policymaking and how this affects SMEs. Policymaking is a recurring theme across all sectors, and a lot of our readers and contributors comment that a lack of clarity and solidity in Government plans is hampering growth.

4. How important is social media in sourcing stories?

It’s part of the mix for us. It can be helpful to keep tabs on what businesses are up to, and sometimes it will spark a story or feature idea. Sometimes the dialogue on social media can bring other commenters on stories we have covered too. I particularly like Twitter to gauge opinion towards key stories and what businesses are setting as their agenda.

5. What do you think businesses need from the media?

I think they like to be informed about opportunities and movements in the business landscape – that includes money, growth and personnel – and practical advice. With Bdaily, we have adapted the traditional news provider model to allow for more engagement. We allow businesses to create their own profile and submit news, views and advice, with the opportunity to become part of the discourse and in doing so, promote themselves in an intelligent way. We’re less about setting the agenda as a news provider, and aim to facilitate the business community on an equal footing, to share their views and keep each other informed. It’s our job as the editorial team to steer and keep the offering focused and useful to business.