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WSJ’s Page One Commodities

The Journal’s front-page business stories are run-of-the-mill this morning, far from the glory days of yore. One reports that banks are competing to draw deposits by...
November 14, 2008

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The Journal’s front-page business stories are run-of-the-mill this morning, far from the glory days of yore.

One reports that banks are competing to draw deposits by raising interest rates.

Another news story, what the paper calls a page-one “extra”, says Wal-Mart is doing well in the bad economy.

Boring.

These could have run in any paper—or inside the pre-Murdoch WSJ. The paper’s front page has been somewhat commoditized. But not totally: The Alzheimer’s story hints at the good old days.

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Ryan Chittum is a former Wall Street Journal reporter, and deputy editor of The Audit, CJR’s business section. If you see notable business journalism, give him a heads-up at rc2538@columbia.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @ryanchittum.