When the Brian Lehrer Show team put their heads together to figure out how to cover the worst economic crisis in their lifetimes, they didn’t really expect Your Uncommon Economic Indicators to last long. It was more of a first response, designed to help listeners share signs of the times. But the site is still up and functioning after passing the 1-year mark, and continues to receive new information about economic change and, thankfully, recovery.
The page became a portal between listeners and producers, and fostered new ways of engaging our audience in the work we do at the station. Your Uncommon Economic Indicators doesn’t accommodate membership or comments, but on other websites where WNYC has a presence, YUEI contributors came together. The group we created on Youtube has 25 members who added 22 Uncommon Economic Indicator videos to a contest. WNYC’s Flickr page has a group devoted to YUEI that boasts 102 members who have submitted 260 Uncommon Economic Indicator photos.
On the WNYC website, as of 12/30/09, Your Uncommon Economic Indicators had 833 submissions that are browsable on a 39-page story archive or on a story map. (This first time tool doesn’t include a search for viewers, only for producers.) From those listener-created stories , a total of 31 on-air segments occurred for The Brian Lehrer Show during 2009. You can hear the audio from any one of these, and hear how we included the project in our promotion and reporting, by clicking on the links below.
1/29/09
Project: Uncommon Economic Indicators
The launch of the project
2/2/09
Is “Broker” a Dirty Word?
A picture of a Monster Truck named “Broker” sparks a call-in
2/4/09
YUEI: Bright Spots
Some good effects of the recession are increased library traffic and local tourism
2/5/09
Generation Debt: Credit Cards
YUEI is part of this larger discussion
2/9/09
YUEI: Price of Cheese
A listener spots a sign in a pizza shop and sends it to YUEI asap.
2/11/09
Generation Debt: Student Loans
2/12/09
YUEI: Mental Recession
Coping with all the fallout from debt stress to layoffs
2/17/09
YUEI: Plan B
If you lose your job, then what?
2/20/09
Brown Bag Lunches: Caviar Taste on a Peanut Butter Budget
Office refridgerators around the metro area become packed with lunchs–how to avoid a daily PB&J
2/23/09
YUEI: Pets at Risk
A caller points out that animals depending on our incomes may be in trouble
3/26/09
In Our Back Yard
Volunteerism on the rise inspires on young woman to connect the labor with the gardens
4/08/09
YUEI: Street Art
Street Art posted to YUEI and its place in a recession
4/13/09
YUEI: Drinks that won’t do-in your Wallet
Repeat reports of stores selling out of $3 bottles of wine prompts us to get some advice for listeners
4/20/09
YUEI: Food Stamps
More New Yorkers than ever join the roll
4/24/09
YUEI: Home Grown; Gardening for Food and Community
New York City Parks officials offer safety tips to would-be veggie growers
4/27/09
YUEI: Museum Cutbacks
A phone shot of a museum posting its cut-back hours prompts a call to discuss budget cuts for the Arts in NY and NJ
5/4/09
YUEI: Billboard Art
Empty billboards become a place to make recession comments
5/11/09
Property Values
A NJ Realtor talks about plunging property values thanks to couples’ financial difficulties
6/02/09
YUEI: Video Contest!
A well-know society reporter talks about the decline of party swag, and evaluates WNYC’s video prizes
6/12/09
YUEI: Do-it-yourself Lawn Care
More suburban home owners try mowing to trim the budget and we bring them advice
6/23/09
YUEI: Doubling Up
An effect of the recession on those already at risk: sharing the rent
7/15/09
Stalled Development
A look at the unfinished or unsold condos in Brooklyn and talk about what to do next
7/29/09
YUEI: The (G)old Standby
Beware of the gold parties growing in popularity–what you need to know about that old jewelry
7/30/09
YUEI: Video Contest Finals
7/22/09
YUEI: Job Talk (live chat)
We hosted a weekly discussion on employment in July with job recruiter Nick Corcodilos. He was originally contacted to respond to the YUEI posts about the difficulty consultants have in the down economy and how they are not represented in employment figures. In his role “Ask the Headhunter”, Nick addressed those posts and discussed navigating the job market. He took many listener calls. He also participated in a live chat in the Scrapbook blog and appeared on stage in the Green Space with Brian for the final installment on July 30th.
8/19/09
YUEI: EMS
A talk about what happens to the first responders when towns cut the budget
8/27/09
YUEI: Asbury Park Under Under Construction
Following the Stalled Development map
12/03/09
Your Uncommon Economic Resolutions
YUEI’s One-Year Mark, a revisit
12/07/09
Uncommon Economic Follow-up: Reconnections
A regular contributor reconnects with friends after being on our show
12/10/09
Uncommon Resolutions: Reaching Your Financial Goals
A listener posts her new way of reaching her New Year goals
12/21/09
Uncommon Resolutions: Helping Hands
We ask the IOBY founder how her site has done at connecting volunteers to jobs
