An Unfiltered Look at Public Finance, Media, Politics and Sports
Business Biography
Date Published: November 28, 2022
Get unfiltered broadcasting and career advice with this biting and
provocative firsthand account of working in media.
Paul Burton has 45 years under his belt, including 10 as a regional editor
for New York City-based trade publication, Bond Buyer, and he’s
survived—and thrived—to tell the tale. From his humble
beginnings to his rise in the industry, Burton covers a lot of ground in his
stories, from dealing with people in media and finance to workers in tech
and personnel. He not only gives honest insights about financial news but
also reveals the controversial internal politics of journalism and
publishing that run rampant.
Burton’s wisdom on topics such as covering hot-button issues and
fighting against negative stereotypes proves that a career in media is just
like the news itself: eclectic, bold, and unexpected.
Take part in the drama and missteps that are a part of success in one of
the best journalistic memoirs about business on the market.
EXCERPT
“I got a writeup in my personnel file that falsely accused me of ‘repeatedly throwing objects at co-workers.’ I never threw anything at anybody. The author of the letter lectured about being a professional, but his behavior at company conferences was anything but.”
About the Author
I am a retired journalist and author of two books, the most recent,
“Fiascoes and Foibles: An Unfiltered Look at Public Finance, Media,
Politics and Sports” (Elite Authors). It came out last Nov. 28. My
earlier book was “Tales from the Newsrooms: An Offbeat Look”
(Create Space), in 2011.
“Fiascoes,” a collection of anecdotal essays, reflects largely
on my coverage of U.S. public finance over the last 10 years of my career
– as a regional editor for a business publication in the shadow of
Wall Street – against the backdrop of my 45 years in media. They
capture drama, missteps and intrigue I encountered with color and biting,
irreverent humor. Plenty of attitude. Topics range from
transit/infrastructure to media and politics, and also include broadcasting
and podcast dynamics, the alarming clout of tech bureaucracies, the abject
failure of open-plan office layouts in the workplace and how my early days
in sports journalism shaped and benefited my career.
Unique to my perspective is my blue-collar background. The media employs
precious few people from working backgrounds these days. I didn’t go
to Harvard, Duke or Stanford and prance right into the New York Times or
Wall Street Journal. I was the son of a bartender who navigated a winding
road, often working for small-to-medium media outlets who punched above
their weight class, and frequently landed a rewarding knockout punch.
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