Remember the price of eggs? Remember how it dominated the news late in 2024? Remember how it became the standard for determining inflation’s effect on consumers, so much so that it became a critical issue — especially on news/talk radio — in the presidential campaign? Remember all of that?
Eggs cost a little less these days, but the rest of your grocery bill has skyrocketed. At least, it has around here, where everything at the already-expensive Publix seems to be even more pricey. (Even Aldi and Walmart prices seem to have risen to the point where hard choices have to be made.) Gas is down, but food is way up, other consumer goods are up, the cost of living is rising, and it’ll get worse before it gets better (coughTariffscough).
Why isn’t that worth the same attention from the news media that eggs got when avian flu led to shortages? Why isn’t talk radio talking about the ultimate bread-and-butter issue, namely the cost of bread and butter?
Okay, there’s a lot going on. Much of it is intended to deflect attention from the Epstein Files, but you’re capable of covering more than one topic in one show or in one publication or social media account. It’s strange, however, that we, collectively, just abandon stories at random.
Or is it random? It makes me wonder who or what determines the agenda for the news media. Political parties and campaigns have always influenced what talkers talk about and what reporters report about, but they didn’t outright direct the coverage.
Now, they’ve found the secret: keep throwing shiny objects out there and everyone will follow. The increasing cost of living, an eye-level topic that affects everyone but the 1%, is yesterday’s news already? Guess so, because we’re about fifty scandals ahead of that now. The one topic that seems to be impervious to the pace of changing the subject is the Epstein Files. This is where a good assignment editor or producer comes in handy. I hope you have one.
There’s so much more to talk about. How about the state of health care, from the slashing of Medicaid and closing of rural hospitals to the quality of care and impossibility of getting an appointment within a month or two?
How about the miserable state of public transportation in many cities, with no money to fix the problems and traffic on the (deteriorating) roads getting intolerable? How about schools and local governments being pressured into whitewashing their curricula? Or how about the job market, which in reality is far worse than the numbers the feds release, especially for experienced white-collar workers who just aren’t going to work on an assembly line for a pittance?
None of that is more important than Cracker Barrel changing a logo most people didn’t even notice? What are we doing here?
Don’t let the whirlwind pace of “news” distract you from the topics directly affecting your audience. What’s being pushed as news today will be forgotten tomorrow, just like eggs. You have the time and capability to handle more than one topic. There’s room for reporting on the cost of living AND the Epstein Files. Do that.
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Perry Michael Simon is a weekly news media columnist for Barrett Media. He previously served as VP and Editor/News-Talk-Sports/Podcast for AllAccess.com. Prior to joining the industry trade publication, Perry spent years in radio working as a Program Director and Operations Manager for KLSX and KLYY in Los Angeles and New Jersey 101.5 in Trenton. He can be found on X (formerly Twitter) @PMSimon.
