Media Coverage

Shortages and rationing are foreign concepts to most Americans.  But the Covid-19 pandemic has shocked our nation of plenty as Americans scrambled to stock up hand sanitizer and facial masks. Young and healthy citizens find it a nuisance to search for these materials, but they can still protect themselves to a great extent by wearing a cloth face covering, washing their hands with soap and following social distancing guidelines. However, social distancing is not possible for the sick and elderly requiring long-term care from healthcare workers. Hence, the dire shortage of essential personal protective equipment (PPE) such as N95 masks (known for filtering at least 95 percent of airborne particles) can be disastrous for this group of vulnerable people.

Is the reporting of media outlets biased in favor of firms that advertise with them? A new study looked at the relationship between advertising by car manufacturers in U.S. newspapers and news coverage of car safety recalls in the early 2000s. The study found that newspapers provided less coverage of recalls issued by manufacturers that advertised more regularly in their publications than of recalls issued by other manufacturers that did not advertise, and this occurred more frequently when the recalls involved more severe defects.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported that between March 22 and April 22 of 2020, 58 firearms were seized in passenger carry-on baggage. This compares to 346 firearms during the same period last year. When the TSA started crunching the numbers, they found that 1.24 firearms were detected per 100,000 passenger screenings this year, compared to 0.46 firearms detected per 100,000 passenger screenings in 2019. Is this a moment for celebration, or a cause for concern? The TSA has so far offered no explanation.

Traffic congestion is a serious problem in the United States, but a new analysis shows that interactive technology -- ranging from 511 traffic information systems and roadside cameras to traffic apps -- is helping in cities that use it.

Shortly after the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned Gov. Tony Evers' stay-home order last week, pictures of people drinking in bars ricocheted around social media, creating the impression among some that the state was wide-open for business.