Reporting on Job Growth in West Michigan
Analysis:
These two pieces were both about an economic report by the Upjohn Institute on job growth in West Michigan. The WXMI segment ran during their Business download feature and was rather short, being about 45 seconds. In the piece, the newsreader states that Michigan is lagging behind the rest of the nation in job growth and that job growth in the state has been less than projected. The story then cuts to report author and economist from the Upjohn Institute George Erickcek who says Its good news and I think the Grand Rapids Muskegon Holland area is growing. I think thats positive. The challenge is, is that we are still an area that makes things. the economist is not given any more air-time to explain why being an area that “makes things” is a challenge. Rather, the piece ends with the newsreader stating that productivity advances are hurting manufacturing companies and that most job growth is expected in the service sector.
The WZZM 13 piece was much longer, being about two and half minutes long and it framed the issue as one of education. In the story the reporter says that , according to this new report Your job prospects improve a lot in our state and else where if you have a college degree. The Reporter goes on to interview students at Grand Valley as well as show a clip of Governor Grandholm and report author George Erickcek. While both stories state that the slow job growth in Michigan is a factor of losing manufacturing jobs, the only reason given for the loss of manufacturing jobs in Michigan is an increase in productivity, meaning companies require fewer workers to produce the same amount of stuff. No mention is made of outsourcing of jobs to lower cost labor markets. In the WZZM 13 piece this is obliquely referred to when one of the Grand Valley students interviewed says The way its going its turning into a global economy so were just going to have to look at it in that light now. This is rather typical of the local news which usually frame the outsourcing of jobs as a natural and unavoidable phenomenon. Almost never in the local media is the outsourcing of jobs discussed withing the framework of the international financial institutions, policies and treaties, such as CAFTA, the IMF or World Bank that have had an active role in creating what the student refers to as the Global Economy.
Story:
WXMI Newsreader – The latest predictions for the West Michigan economy unveiled today, that tops our business download. Folks from Six West Michigan counties were on hand to hear the results of the annual report produced by Right Place Inc. It showed that Michigan is dragging behind the national average when it comes to employment growth and while its up from last year, its only half as much as economists were hoping for.
George Erickcek (Upjohn Institute) Its good news and I think the Grand Rapids Muskegon Holland area is growing. I think thats positive. The challenge is, is that we are still an area that makes things.
Newsreader The study shows that productivity advances are hurting manufacturing companies, they simply dont need as many people. Most job growth in 2006 is expected to occur in the service sector.
Total time: 45 seconds
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WZZM 13 Newsreader #1 A new economic forecast for West Michigan estimates well show, well see some slight job growth next year about point six percent.
WZZM 13 Newsreader #2 And the man who wrote the forecast says things do look good for some people, as Peter Ross reports.
Reporter Your job prospects improve a lot in our state and else where if you have a college degree. The big house holds over one hundred thousand people. The people who have lost their jobs in Michigan in the past five years would fill Michigans stadium nearly three times. But, as some Grand Valley students took their final exams
Student #1 Im not really concerned, I know there is a lot of engineering jobs around here.
Reporter Some look forward to working for one of Michigans car companies.
Student #2 I believe that the manufacturing will go overseas but if we can keep thinking and you know designing here, I really believe in that.
Reporter These are the students the Governor spoke about when she celebrated the expansion of Grand Valleys engineering school. People she said will help transform Michigans economy.
Governor Granholm You are so smart, smart for choosing the career that you have chosen, smart for the state of Michigan too.
George Erickcek (Upjohn Institute) If you look at the future and you say what kind of jobs do you want to go for, the only jobs not to are those that do not require education.
Reporter Economist George Erickcek wonders if we can handle what he calls the double edged sword of productivity.
Erickcek The problem is were making these increases due to productivity gains and we just dont need workers. So were expecting employment in manufacturing in Grand Rapids to stay flat in 2006 and 2007.
Reporter There are other factors.
Student #1 The way its going its turning into a global economy so were just going to have to look at it in that light now.
Reporter Its a big test for Michigans economy, and just by being here, these kids will have a better chance of succeeding in it.
Student #1 Thats the bottom line, you need an education.
Reporter Economists Erickcek forecast for last year, a bit too optimistic. He predicted point seven percent job growth for the Grand Rapids area. He said today that actual growth was only point four percent due to bigger than expected decline in factory jobs.
Total Time: 2 minutes 30 seconds
Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy 
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