ABC sees student loan
crisis, ignores hot job market
NBC and USA Today report best market
in four years for college graduates.
By Ken Shepherd
Business & Media Institute
May 17, 2006
ABC News is giving the class of 2006 a graduation gift
this year: nightmares about the student loan crisis. Both networks
ignored a story NBC and USA Today picked up that shows the good news
a strong job market for graduates.
Student debt is at an all-time high. Last year's
graduates owed more than $17,000 on average, for a bachelor's
degree, ABCs Gigi Stone complained on the May 14 World News
Tonight.
Stone focused her stories on the complaints of people
who choose to work in rewarding but low-paying jobs in the
not-for-profit sector. The students getting hurt are those with the
best intentions, who want to go into fields like social work and
teaching, Stone pouted before complaining that many of these
people are being forced to choose higher paying careers.
Later in her own story, however, the ABC reporter
admitted that lenders are often flexible for students in low-paying
jobs. You may be able to get your loan forgiven if you work in an
area where there is a shortage of teachers or social workers, Stone
noted. Negotiate your payments, she added, because some companies
are willing to base payments on your income.
While ABC exaggerated individual complaints to warn of
a crisis in student loans, NBC picked up on a strong job market for
graduates.
The beneficiaries of the good news in the labor market
are this year's college grads. One survey finds businesses plan to
increase their hiring of grads by almost 14 percent, NBCs Anne
Thompson reported on the May 5 Nightly News.
Thompson was referring to a study by the National
Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). USA Today picked up
the study 12 days later.
Employers expect their college hiring for 2005-06 to
surpass 2005 levels by nearly 14%, reporter Stephanie Armour
wrote, citing the NACE study in the
May 17 USA Today. found that more than 20% have raised, or
plan to raise, their starting salaries and that increased
competition means grads can be pickier with job offers.
The NACE study echoes previous
print reports documenting job growth in industries hiring
highly-skilled workers.
The bottom line for the class of 2006? Its the best
(college job market) in four years, Armour quoted NACEs Andrea
Koncz.
The Business & Media Institute has previously
documented the medias
downplaying job growth while questioning the
quality of the jobs being created.
