Eight years ago, the country was in financial free fall. Today, the economic landscape is much different. Or so we are told. As we enter the year-long trek to the 2016 elections, Marketplace will be launching a new tool to help us all gain a better sense of what’s really happening in our personal economies: the Economic Anxiety Index.
In the coming days and weeks, you will hear more detail from us about this brand new index – part of a proprietary Marketplace-Edison Research Poll – and what makes it so distinct from all the other polls out there. For the moment, I am pleased to share some key information that I hope you will share with your newsrooms, and ultimately your listeners:
What is the Economic Anxiety Index?
- It’s a number that can gauge the relative anxiety Americans are feeling over their personal economies and how well they’re able to withstand economic turbulence, drawn from the results of a poll of more than 1,000 Americans. This is not “the who’s up-who’s down” kind of polling that dominates the political discussion, but an examination of the issues driving Americans’ worries. And it’s a way to get a street-level view of the economy the next president will inherit, in the manner that Marketplace does best.
When will the Economic Anxiety Index launch?
- October 26th: The Marketplace portfolio of programs will feature extensive cross-platform content for the entire week, kicking off with Marketplace Morning Report and Marketplace evening program on Monday, October 26th. Expect features, interviews and digital elements every day that week, straight through Marketplace Weekend at the end of the month.
How was this index developed?
- Marketplace enlisted Edison Research to conduct a national, statistically significant survey of individuals across the country. It is our intention to conduct similar surveys periodically throughout the election cycle.
What can we expect in terms of coverage? How can my station engage listeners?
Below is a tentative list of stories for the week of October 26. We will provide on-air promos, digital assets and social media options prior to launch. We encourage your station to ask your audience how they stack up to the Index’s poll questions using the hashtag: #myeconomy
Planned stories include:
- Feeling stuck: Why a surprising number of those surveyed said they felt “stuck” in their current financial situation.
- Is the American Dream still alive? And how much do people think that hard work holds the key to their future, as opposed to luck?
- The weight of debt: Many with student debt say it’s difficult to pay off each month, and Marketplace will dig behind the numbers to see why that is.
Looking ahead to November:
This November we will begin a timely series that further taps into these issues: My Economy. Working in partnership with FRONTLINE and PBS NewsHour, we will examine the forces that have shaped this new economy, tell the stories of the people living it, and the decision makers and institutions that got us here.
We hope we can count on your support and engagement for both the Economic Anxiety Index this month and the upcoming My Economy series beginning this November. We think your listeners will value this coverage and be able to relate and connect with both your station and Marketplace on their own personal economies.