Opinion: Summertime means 2007 editorial calendar planning

Well, we’re having A LOT of fun at SBJ, putting out our weekly editions, planning our special events, and encouraging the journey of our sister publication, Joplin Tri-State Business. And, before we know it, the New Year will be here – ready or not. We will be ready!

We’re in the midst of planning the 2007 editorial calendar. The lineup, of course, will include 52 issues chock-full of local business news, the weekly lists and our annual Book of Lists. Our job now, however, is to determine an In Focus topic for each of those 52 weekly editions.

Of course, there are some topics that remain constant – construction, architecture & engineering, real estate, banking, financial services, health care and small business are among them.

All of those industries year after year generate a lot of news – which is to say that there’s plenty happening that’s ripe for coverage. On the other hand, we also look at sections that we might want to exchange or replace. The good thing is that even if some section topics don’t make the 2007 lineup, information from those industries can – and will – be worked into our other coverage.

Another issue is determining potential new Focus topics, and while our staff has many good ideas, we’re also curious about what our readers think we should zoom in on during the year. That’s really just a fancy way of saying that if you have suggestions or ideas about possible Focus topics, we want to hear from you.

Within each focus are our lists, which also are published in the aforementioned Book of Lists. This is also the time of year when we discuss revamping existing lists or adding new ones to the roster. 2006 brought several new lists including nurseries, local clothing stores and women-owned firms. I’m betting we find some new areas to cover in the lists for 2007, and I know that our list researcher, Joyce Embree, is up to the task.

SBJ Editor Eric Olson has set a calendar deadline of Sept. 1. It’s going to take a lot of work between now and then. Readers, there’s plenty of time to voice your opinions, and we’ll need them by Aug. 15. I hope you’ll take the opportunity.

Even as we’re finessing our 2007 coverage, we’re also looking at our special events for 2007: Dynamic Dozen, 40 Under 40, Economic Impact Awards and Most Influential Women. These will continue to be vehicles for us to honor the movers and shakers in business and in the community. However, we’ve agreed that it’s time to shake those up a bit, and we’ll be looking at everything from the criteria to the applications to the special publications that are presented in conjunction with the events.

Having been with SBJ for nearly seven years, one of the best things about my job is that it is NEVER boring. Business in the Ozarks continues to move along, providing plenty of fodder for the weekly editions. And even though we’ve not hammered out our 2007 calendar just yet, and I don’t have a crystal ball, I know that 2007 is going to be ripe for news about southwest Missouri businesses and the people who operate them.

2007 is going to be a busy year. Stick around for the ride!

Maria Hoover is SBJ features editor.