Blaming Gas Prices on “What’s Happening Around the World”

Analysis:

This story is one example of the numerous stories that appear int he local news whenever the price of gas rises significantly. In the three days from Aug 15 through Aug 17, the three local TV stations ran a combined total of seventeen stories on gas prices. Despite the large number of stories dedicated to this topic, very little information is usually offered as to why prices are rising. In this particular piece, a few possible reasons are offered, but with no elaboration. The viewer is told that gas prices are going up because of the London bombings and nuclear power plants in Iran but no clear linkage of these factors is provided. An expert is sourced as the president of IRN, but it is never explained what IRN is. Would it matter to the viewer to know that IRN is a local consulting firm serving the automotive industry? No other independent voices are presented representing consumer advocacy, environmental or alternative energy perspectives. Viewers should ask themselves why does the local news dedicate so much time reporting on gas prices, something that anyone that drives a motor vehicle is certainly aware of.

Story:

WXMI Newsreader – How high will they go? Rising gas prices with no relief in sight. The average cost for unleaded in Michigan is now $ 2.71, that’s up 67 cents from a year ago. Fox 17’s Rachel Calderon is live in Grand Rapids to show how people are coping with it.

Reporter – Amy, the cost for regular unleaded gas at some stations around town earlier today was about $2.55 a gallon, that’s a steal compared to where they are now $2.79 and it also looks like the cost to run a business is on its way up.

The sign at J Morello’s Pizzeria used to say fast and free delivery. Owner Jeff Murell says six months ago that had to change.

Murell – We went from free delivery to a dollar charge per delivery which I give straight to my drivers because of the gas issue with increasing prices.

Reporter – the added fee isn’t sitting well with customers. Explaining why doesn’t get him much sympathy.

Murell – But these guys are driving their own cars and paying their own insurance, I have to charge a dollar to give them something otherwise it cost them money to come to work.

Reporter – Grant Dubridge spent $ 84 filling up his carpet cleaning van. He said raising his rates isn’t something he wants to do.

Dubridge – It’s cutting into my costs, my profits, my ability to pay for my family, my home, my food.

Reporter – High gas prices are keeping kids at Shannon Franklin’s daycare center indoors this summer.

Franklin – We take the kids on outings and stuff like that but we try to cut it down because it’s high.

Reporter – The price around Grand Rapids, $ 2.79 a gallon. On May 27th gas was under 2 bucks. Economy experts say the hikes are a combination of what’s happening around the world, attacks in London, nuclear power plants in Iran, and what those events might do to the worlds oil supply. Key words: might.

Kim Kourth (IRN President) – Nothing Real. Nothing that actually has happened as yet. And then you have some industry structural issues where there are a fair number of refineries that were taken down for repair and maintenance.

Reporter – Kim believes the prices could come down soon but at the BP gas station, another problem.

Elayne Durham (BP Cashier) – You’re busy working at the register and you glance up to check the pumps and they’ll look you right in the eye and get in their car and drive away.

Reporter – The person that did got away with $ 63 in gas. With prices going up, stations say they are seeing more and more drive offs. And driving off is a larceny, if you do get caught you could spend up to 93 days behind bars, a second offense, you could lose your license. Live in Grand Rapids, Rachel Calderon, Fox 17 News at 10.

News reader – thanks Rachel, and we have all been on a roller coaster lately, gas prices going up and slowly falling. A few months ago we found prices for unleaded in Grand Rapids under two dollars, that was back in May. Compare that with today. Some stations jumped more than 30 cents in just a few hours. Last December it was at $ 1.65. and back in 2002 a gallon of unleaded was going for a dollar twenty. The all time high after figuring inflation, way back in 1982 a gallon of gas was over three dollars.