Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Why So Few Stories about Jobs ?

Calculated Risk asks why there was so little media coverage of jobs and unemployment on Labor Day. Usually I do not defend the media, but this time I will. The answer, I think, is that there is frustratingly little fresh data out there that tells the story. Sure, there are the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly Employment Situation reports, but so little has changed in those numbers over the months that there's nothing new or revealing about them. The most recent Monthly Labor Review is dedicated to an analysis of jobs and unemployment, but it is so academic and full of acronyms that it is nearly impossible to understand, let alone report.

The media are looking for the story, but finding a jumble of letters. It takes time for stories to be written, and unfortunately this story is still unfolding.

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