Give Average Consumers a Voice to Liven Up Economic Reporting

By Chris Roush
October 24, 2006

I want to continue to advance an idea I discussed briefly in my last rant. As the students in my Economics Reporting class will tell you, there is one pet peeve I have when it comes to writing about unemployment, inflation, consumer confidence and other basic stories about the economy: Too many of them only quote economists.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with a good economist. They have a right to be quoted in the business section just as much as anyone else. And there are plenty of economists around the country who can offer incisive quotes about what economic statistics mean.

Having said that, I see the same economists quoted over and over again, and sometimes I wonder whether they’re just paid to talk to the press and whether they really know what’s going on in the real world.

The problem isn’t just with the economists. Too many stories about unemployment and inflation, just to name two, don’t quote average people who are dealing with these situations on a daily basis and know first-hand what it’s like to struggle to find a job or to pay for a tank of gas.

Are economics reporters too lazy to find these people? Sometimes I wonder. But it’s not that hard. A quick call to the local unemployment office – see, you don’t even have to leave the newsroom – typically will yield a number of people seeking gainful employment. The employees at these offices are more than happy to put someone on the phone for a reporter.

Regular people can work in other economics stories as well. Here is a lead from Molly Hennessey-Fiske, a reporter at the Los Angeles Times, about inflation written in September that effectively explained a complicated topic:

A report Friday showing tame consumer inflation, coming amid falling energy prices, raised hopes that the economy may be entering a "soft landing" of moderate growth without recession.

If that happens, it could be because of consumers like Ellen MacArthur.

She and her husband, David, cut back on running errands in their suburban South Florida community when gasoline prices shot up earlier this year. But as pump prices dropped in recent weeks, MacArthur started running weekend errands again, even stopping for lunch along the way. And she notices she's not alone.

Remember to look for average consumers the next time you write about the economy. They help liven up what can be a dull story – particularly if you’re just talking to economists.

Copyright © 2008 Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism