Electrical products, processed foods, furniture, metal goods, and a variety of other items are produced in Jackson. Assisting the citys business climate is the still important natural gas industry.In recent years, telecommunications has had a significant impact on the citys commerce. This is still an important hub in the South, equidistant from Memphis to the north and New Orleans to the south; the same is true for Dallas to the west and Atlanta to the east. Being the states capital, public employees make up a major segment of the areas workforce.Major employers include Allstate, Michael Baker Jr., Inc., PCS Tritel, Inc., Bellsouth Telecommunications, Cisco Systems, Jackson State University, Delphi Packard Elec. Systems, Mississippi Baptist Health Systems, Trustmark National Bank, and MCIThe Mississippi Business Journal is in the Jackson, MS DMA. The Mississippi Business Journal is part of the City Business Journal Network and offers ROP and insert advertising opportunities in its daily circulation. Echo Media has direct relationships with over 7,500 newspapers providing tremendous local coverage.