How a Journalist Should Cover the Economy...

DRAFT--PRELIMINARY AND INCOMPLETE...

Possible schedule (you will notice that the semester ends on May 9--not May 23...

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January 17/18: Introduction/Organization

Daily News

January 24/25: The Employment Release: Employment and Unemployment Numbers readings

January 31/1: The Employment Release: Wages and Earnings

February 7/8: The GDP and Productivity Releases

February 14/15: Inflation: The CPI Releases

February 21/22: International Trade Numbers

February 28/1: The Federal Reserve FOMC Meeting

Longer-Run Trends and Policies

March 7/8: The Annual Poverty and Income Release

March 14/15: The President's Budget Proposals

March 21/28: The Spring Budget Resolution

April 4/5: The Fall Reconciliation/Omnibus Process

April 11/12: Long-Run Budget Projections and Entitlements

April 18/19: Trade and the WTO

Skilled Professionals

April 25/26: William Greider

May 2/3: John Berry

May 9/10: Greg Ip

May 16/17: Peter Gosselin

May 23/24: Paul Blustein

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Important Reference Points:

• Who wants to hear these numbers?
  • The wire service stories
    • Asset price reactions: why?
  • The next day's stories: employers, workers, consumers, politicians
• What are these numbers?
• Who needs to hear these numbers?
  • The week-in-review stories