Comments on: NPR: Layoffs Mount As Recession Gets Worse

By: batmando

batmando — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:21:15 +0000

@ TripleB
I almost included the “This American Life” piece as the exception
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=355

Heard it the morning it was first broadcast and my jaw dropped, impressed by its breadth and depth compared to MSM and to what had come before on NPR, but was still left wondering, why they were so late to the epiphany.
Most of what the piece covered, I’d already read here on TBP, weeks and months earlier.

Thus, my point, had NPR folks been following TBP their reporting might have been not-so-MSM, i.e., behind the curve.

By: Imelda Blahnik

Imelda Blahnik — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 03:43:03 +0000

TripleB,

I listened to that This American Life piece a few months ago, and assigned it to my students (political science classes) for a semi-impromptu class on the credit crisis. Incredibly helpful, illuminating, even kind of funny in a jaw-dropping, “we are so screwed” kind of way.

By: Bruce in Tn

Bruce in Tn — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 02:33:21 +0000

And puleaseee just look at the unadjusted initial claims this week, ok, just humor me….

If they are huge, like they have been….I’m just saying…”core cpi”…ok?

By: TripleB

TripleB — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 02:03:21 +0000

Should have typed: “take issue with the criticism of…”

By: TripleB

TripleB — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 02:00:16 +0000

Nicely done.

Have to take issue with NPR’s coverage of the financial crisis. Their piece on the mortgage debacle (The Giant Pool of Money) was exceptionally well done, should be required listening:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=355

By: Douglas Watts

Douglas Watts — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:06:30 +0000

“layoffs tend to lag recoveries so we can’t draw any conclusions from what we’re seeing today.”

This is an excellent point that is not often heard nor expressed so clearly.

By: leftback

leftback — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:13:52 +0000

Good job Barry, and nice shirt !

By: dead hobo

dead hobo — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:35:50 +0000

BR says:

layoffs are likely to continue for some time to come

restatement:

Your Feet Smell And Your Mom Hates You.

By: batmando

batmando — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:04:16 +0000

After listening to the piece, I emailed NPR to suggest that had their researchers and reporters been following The Big Picture at all (or at least from 4Q ’07), NPR’s reporting of the financial crisis would not have been 6 months behind the curve, as it was all during 2008.

By: MorticiaA

MorticiaA — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:49:49 +0000

Great job. Leave it to NPR to bring us the rational, intelligent view. No wonder I give them money twice a year… One of the few solid investments left these days.

I have two requests for when you start making rounds to promote your book: I hope to see you on Colbert Report and hear you on Wait, Wait’s Not My Job. (The Daily Show would be a close replacement.) If you don’t make any of those, I’ll just have to buy your book without the benefit of hearing you promote it.