The economy is so bad that you'll probably lose your job. Just ask "Good Morning America" host Robin Roberts. She reported on ABC January 17 that "countless Americans" are worried their jobs might be at risk.
As proof, Roberts offered a montage of four man-on-the-street-style interviews, in which four expert economists random people expressed concerns about the job market, gas prices and the economy in general.
"The middle class that is suffering the most because you, you're stretched, you know," one woman said. "Every dime of income is to either pay a bill or just to keep a roof and food and gas prices are outrageous as usual."
Another woman complained that "we don't eat out as much, probably, because we're trying to put, you know, more back towards gas money and things like that."
"I think it's a really, really scary time," a third woman poetically declared. "I think that we're only at the precipice
But it's always darkest before "GMA" comes riding in like a knight in shining armor offering tips to "recession-proof" your job - even though it probably won't help and you'll end up losing it anyway, according to the segment.
Roberts suggested workers first look to the media to determine if their company is in trouble, because everyone knows the media do a great job painting an accurate and reasonable picture of the job market.
Contributor Tory Johnson backed Roberts up, suggesting that viewers start "paying attention to media reports, looking externally and seeing the coverage about your company, industry, the area in which you work." She said cancellations of the holiday party or planned conference you were really looking forward to are internal signs of pressure.
Johnson also suggested boasting about your accomplishments and buttering up your superiors as good ways to secure your job. "[Y]ou want to be vocal about your accomplishments. Let everybody know exactly what you're doing and how well you're doing it, so that everyone knows why there's a legitimate reason to keep you there," she said.
"You should also really align yourself to get to know the big wigs in your company or in your department," Johnson added. "Those people can be really helpful at times when there's talk about which positions should be cut, and when somebody knows you and knows how hard you've been working they're more likely to try to save that position."
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I'd love to see some of
January 17, 2008 - 13:16 ET by Chris NormanI'd love to see some of these smug, condescending on-air personalities, like Roberts, laid off some time from the networks, in a "belt tightening move".
did you read the article?
January 17, 2008 - 13:21 ET by seaniepall that they are doing is showing their bosses what a great job they are doing, touting their own accomplishments of fearmongering = ratings, thus ensuring that they will not be laid off
I have to listen to enough of the people I don't like at work talking about the recession . . .
The more I hear of Robin
January 17, 2008 - 18:06 ET by motherbeltThe more I hear of Robin Roberts (here; I don't watch any of the morning shows) the lower my opinion of her intelligence goes.
Great post, Nathan!! Love the reference to expert economists..oops...random people. LOL!
Is this the new standard: doing reports on people's fears and the fact that they can't eat out as often? Oh, the humanity!!!
that's how Roberts got her job at GMA
January 17, 2008 - 13:18 ET by SouthJersey1953When it looked like she was going to wash out as a sportscaster, Robin sucked up to the big wigs at ABCNews to get her current job, pretending to be a journalist.
It's not Right vs. Left; it is Right vs. Wrong
Of course this is what the media thinks
January 17, 2008 - 13:20 ET by EllisWyattI'm willing to bet that many members of the media get ahead by kissing ass, so of course they think that's they way the rest of the world does things.
If you're not outraged at the media, you haven't been paying attention.
I have 3 years to go before
January 17, 2008 - 13:21 ET by Dan The Man 2I have 3 years to go before I retire. I hope they lay me off so I can buy 2 years of pension and get another job. But no one else knows what I do or really cares, all they want is results and those I do produce. 26 years for the City of Dallas.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.
Hilarious!!!
January 17, 2008 - 13:47 ET by Bighead227So clueless and yet So typical. "Roberts suggested workers first look to the media to determine if their company is in trouble" Good thing Bush doesn't look to the media for his economic indicators or the Great Depression II would be upon us.
Oh yes, and don't forget to kiss up to your bosses and rat out those who you think may be a threat to you. Also, a little dirt on your colleagues can go a long way toward your job security... WEASELS!!!
Baffle you boss with BS..
January 17, 2008 - 13:59 ET by rimskyBaffle you boss with BS.. yeah, great idea. These folks are from Mars!
Fear-mongering liberals.
January 17, 2008 - 13:59 ET by rbosqueFear-mongering liberals. First it's the earth burning up, then we're losing in Iraq, cell phones cause cancer, SUVs are destroying us all, blah blah blah... if it's not one thing that's going to kill us it's another. All of it fear-mongering in the hopes we give up our freedoms so that an all-powerful nannystate takes care of us.... Only an idiot will believe all that crap.
Well, now we know how these
January 17, 2008 - 14:09 ET by bassndudeWell, now we know how these people keep their jobs. They suck up to the "big wigs" and lie to the big wigs, telling everyone how great "They" are. I wonder how many of these women got the job they have by "getting to know" the "big wigs" and how well, (wink) they got to know them?
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
scary precipice...eh ?
January 17, 2008 - 16:28 ET by JayTeeI think we are on a pretty scary economic precipice also, when the USA is the ONLY country on the planet not pursuing it's own Vital Oil resources in Country, or exploring our offshore coastline for new discoveries of Oil.
You want reasonable Gas prices ? Well it's certainly achievable if you let the Oil companies do what they do best. By restriction of Oil exploration, you are giving these Oil Companies Huge excess profits....Exxon loves the Environmentalist, they produce big profits when they don't let Exxon produce..... via exploration/development of USA Reserves in the Ground.
If they stay in the Ground, we don't benefit.
Texas population is growing faster and bigger than California's population, and yet Texas has all those polluting Oil wells drilled on land since the early 1900's, and Hundreds of Gulf Coast OffShore Rigs, and yet we don't have "Spills" or Environmental keeping people from moving in, or creating any disasters that would demand plugging all those holes in the Ground.
Just the Passage of the ANWR drilling rights would drive down the price of Gas/Oil. Oil shale in Colorado/Utah/Wyoming would be another boom to the Economy.....both Jobs and eventual production.
Canada does it, Mexico does it, but our Environmental Politicians can't figure it out.
DON"T re-elect ANYONE.
"Barack Obama is a Powerful Speaker—And so is My Bose Bass Amp" Doug Giles
If only Clinton were in, we wouldn't hear the "R" word
January 17, 2008 - 16:48 ET by Gary HallBack in March, 2000, a progressive economist (loved by the mainstream media) well, here's what he said a year before the crash and how he followed up after. Although he is often solicited to bash conservative economic policies by the mediam, they just could not seem to want to talk to him back then - and he did nail that one:
And then President Bush had to take over in the midst of that mess.
Wanted better context -- blacks and Latinos losing their jobs..
January 17, 2008 - 17:01 ET by Gary HallWell, this is a bit better context (to the blog post) than my previous comment. Back in June of 2000 - a couple of months following the beginning of the bubble crash - the downsizing had begun. It would be followed by the closing of doors for hundreds of the major venture corporations that fueled the dot.com bubble - the one that created the very temporary feeling of euphoria and those little surpluses.
Along the way, there were a few normal and good feeling bouce backs in the stock market - sometimes fueled by massive layoffs, or so according to Robert Scheer. The very liberal columnist at the LA Times, in a bit of satire, in quoting the sad shape of peoples lives, took a stab at Wall Street. Fine - but does anyone remember GMA hitting the streets spreading the fear of recession and the need to protect your job? (a bit late for these folks):
Those were big numbers for one week.
Gary, Not to nitpick but
January 17, 2008 - 17:03 ET by LeonGary,
Not to nitpick but this is a recent trend I'd like to put a stop to.
When did people start spelling LOSING with two Os?
I see it all the time and it's incorrect. Let's end this abuse of the English language.
As for the rest of your post, very interesting.
Leoone
January 17, 2008 - 17:19 ET by Gary HallWas thinking of the "moon?" 'OO's noted -- just a slip.
Well, what is more intersting is that the MSM cares a lot more about these issues when R is in the wh. (;~>
Ya where is slip Mahoney
January 17, 2008 - 17:23 ET by Dan The Man 2Ya where is slip Mahoney when you need him to mangkl teh englih language.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.
ABC, your lousy ratings do not translate into
January 17, 2008 - 17:53 ET by JayTeeABC your lousy ratings do not translate into a scary job Scenario for the rest of Americans. I'm sorry that ABC employees themselves cannot be "vocal about your accomplishments" as you recommend. But you really should pursue accomplishing something more than being a "Job advisor" ..... it ain't workin.
Sure, viewers of the MSM are turning off your channel more and more, and choosing to turn on the Internet Computer and view the New Media, but just because you're scared for YOUR job, doesn't mean the rest of America is also fearful of their job and another Recession.....an ABC MSM defined Recession under a Republican president that would be any Democrats wildest Eco Dream.
I do appreciate the short insight into ABC network politics and your survival strategy within your organization and how to manipulate your Dilbert bosses.
"Barack Obama is a Powerful Speaker—And so is My Bose Bass Amp" Doug Giles
"Countless
January 17, 2008 - 17:59 ET by Scout Finch"Countless Americans"?
Wow. How's that for 'factual' information!
OMG, I missed that, Scout!
January 17, 2008 - 18:22 ET by motherbeltOMG, I missed that, Scout! Good catch!!
That's right up there with "Some say...." LOL
What an idiot
January 18, 2008 - 03:01 ET by Zap"[Y]ou want to be vocal about your accomplishments. Let everybody know
exactly what you're doing and how well you're doing it, so that
everyone knows why there's a legitimate reason to keep you there,"
The only thing that boasting like that will accomplish is pissing off all of your coworkers. If its time for some layoffs, and you've managed to get everyone in the office to hate you, who do you think is going to go?
Of course, this doesn't happen in the world of journalists so I can see why this might be mistaken for good advice. Journalists just universally annoy everybody they work with anyway, so pissing off all your coworkers isn't going to matter as long as you suck up to (or off, which I suspect the "reporter" behind this might have done to get her current job) your boss.
Ahh liberalspeak..when they
January 18, 2008 - 05:18 ET by ConservativeRexAhh liberalspeak..when they say "kiss up to keep your job" what they really are describing is how they treat democrats running for office...watch what they do, not say.