Fish Food

Walls with built-in aquariums and a fully stocked kitchen : these were the highlights of today's much-too-early field trip.

I admit, I'm growing accustom to hitting the metro before rush hour has even begun - to hobnobbing with the scattering of overachieving office-workers.

Accustom to, not fond of, mind you.

We got to Bloomberg's Washington Bureau at 8:45am, just in time for the breakfast rush.
Breakfast rush, you ask? In a newsroom?

Why yes, friend. Bloomberg does have a fully-outfitted kitchen, complete with a cereal bar, microwave meals, snack bars, an assortment of fresh fruits, bagels ... shall I go on?

Needless to say our class was a wee bit preoccupied with the loads of free goods. A little too preoccupied, I might add, to fully comprehend the reason behind the generous office offerings. Why might a newsroom be so well-stocked, so bomb-shelter-esque? Well, when your staff is working 16 hour days, such accommodations are hardly an option - and according to the young journalist, Phil, who answered some of our questions, 16 hour days are hardly a rarity at Bloomberg.

The company is known for really working its employees hard, he said. They're also pretty much the only growing news service left nowadays. By the end of this year they'll have hired 100 new employees, and next year might bring 200 more - at least that's what Bureau Chief Michael Tackett told us. The $18,000/yr they charge for one of their "Bloomberg Terminals" combined with the generous initial contribution of New York's very own Michael Bloomberg, the upstart news agency's mission to digitize Wallstreet appears to have worked out a lucrative financing system. As it should have, being a hub of financial reporting and all.

Terminal (a real one has 4 screens)

Subscription based, and "not burdened by ink, paper and trucks", Bloomberg's ahead of the game when it comes to information distribution.

And wall construction. Did I mention that they have fish in the walls?

So prospective interns, apply your hearts out. Visit their website to find more info about internships. Just keep in mind it's financial journalism (until they expand into other areas - as they are currently in the process of doing) - so read up on your...um.....number...stuff.

Professor Klein and Michael Tackett

Professor Klein (and fish). :)