PBS NewsHour & Patchwork Nation: The Economic Divide

PBS NewsHour Economics Correspondent Paul Solman travels to central Ohio to paint a portrait of a growing economic divide in two neighboring counties. Thirty years ago, Delaware and Crawford counties had roughly the same income. Today, one has sweet homes, good jobs and trendy cafés; the other, empty factories, heroin addiction, copper stripped everywhere for cash. Why the dramatic difference? In a word: location.

Tune in to the PBS NewsHour on Tuesday, March 15 for the full report. In the meantime, watch a preview here.



Paul Solman (photo left)

The report is part of the PBS NewsHour’s collaboration with Patchwork Nation, a multimedia project which uses demographic data to divide the nation’s counties into 12 community types to get a better understanding of the socio-economic, political and cultural shifts coursing through the country.

READ To break down the impact of the economic shifts of the last three decades, Patchwork Nation looked at median family income in all of the nation's 3,141 counties in 1980 and 2010 for the April issue of The Atlantic Monthly. The results showed that, on average, families in seven of the 12 county types in Patchwork Nation were making less now than then when the numbers were adjusted for inflation, while a few had done quite well.

WATCH For a real-world portrait of what those numbers mean in real places, Paul Solman and the NewsHour explore two different counties in Ohio that had gone in dramatically different directions over that period -- Crawford County, a struggling "Emptying Nest" and former manufacturing town, and Delaware County, a "Monied Burb" bordering Columbus that has leveraged its proximity to Ohio State University and the state capital to become smarter and wealthier.

INTERACT Join the conversation about America ’s growing inequality crisis via an online chat – March 17 at 3 p.m. In a discussion moderated by PBS NewsHour Correspondent Hari Sreenivasan, Paul Solman and Patchwork Nation's Dante Chinni will answer questions about their reports and the growing economic inequality in America . Submit questions ahead of time via Facebook or Twitter.

Tags: PBS NewsHour, Paul Solman, Patchwork Nation, “Making Sen$e” of financial news..

PBS NewsHour: Making Sen$e of How-To Economics

Be sure to watch a terrific new feature posted on PBS NewsHour Economics Correspondent Paul Solman’s “Making Sen$e” blog.

Starting Monday, February 14, Paul unveils a new tool called “How-To Economics” that will explore the decisions we make everyday – big and small. Sometimes our decisions go badly. Sometimes we do things that aren’t in our own best interests. How can we help stop that from happening? How can we help people live better lives?



Paul Solman (photo left)

Paul invites experts from the fields of psychology, economics, behavioral economics and others for hot tips on how to live more fulfilling lives. What choices will make us happier, healthier and better? Paul Solman investigates.

In a Preview Video, Paul and Dan Ariely, a Duke University professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics, web chat about the project, and why you should take a look.

Tags: PBS NewsHour, Paul Solman, How-To Economics, “Making Sen$e” of financial news..

PBS NewsHour: Making Sen$e of the Foreclosure Crisis

Financial news dominated the headlines of 2010. All next week, (December 27 – 31, 2010) PBS NewsHour presents a 5-part series of encore reports by Paul Solman on the housing crisis, its impact on individuals throughout the nation, and the response of both the government and the private sector. It’s all part of his ongoing coverage, “Making Sen$e” of financial news.

Winners and Losers of Florida’s Foreclosure Crisis:

Paul Solman explores how the economic crisis has affected attitudes toward government with a report from Florida on people who lost homes to foreclosures and the buyers who are snapping up the properties.

Watch the video of Winners and Losers of Florida's Foreclosure Crisis

Homeowners Express Frustration with Government Loan Modifications:

Many struggling homeowners rely on loan modifications from government programs to keep afloat on their mortgages. Paul Solman speaks with homeowners who say they are running into problems with these services.

Faulty Paperwork Prompts Deepening Foreclosure Problem:

As foreclosures mount, Paul Solman reports on attorneys general who have launched an investigation into claims of faulty lender paperwork.

Boston Firm Offers Homeowners a Second Chance After Foreclosure:

For those who have lost a home they could have afforded at market rate, Boston Community Capital offers an avenue to regain ownership. BCC imposes strict regulations, but none of the 90 properties they have financed have defaulted so far. Paul Solman reports.

Winners and Losers in Home Mortgage Modification:

Paul Solman follows up with questions and viewer reaction surrounding mortgage modifications as part of his reporting on Making Sense or Financial News.



Paul Solman (photo left)

Coverage Continues Online

Dec 27 – Dec 31:

* Alyssa Katz: How Government Is Failing the Homeowner

New thoughts from author and journalist Alyssa Katz, who has covered the financial and housing crises

* The American Dream Deferred: What Befell our Strategic Defaulters?

Strategic Defaulters Update: Jason Welsh and Josh Barlett from April 2010 piece

* The Loan Mod Squad: A Request to Business Desk Readers

Business Desk viewer Q&A

* Foreclosure Fight? Bankruptcy Is Best, Says the Dean

Business Desk viewer Q&A

Jan. 3 – Jan. 5

* Monday, Jan 3: Should You Swim Away From an Underwater Mortgage?

A KQED ‘You Decide’ widget asks the question: Should you walk away from an underwater mortgage?

* Tuesday, Jan. 4: A Mortgage-Backed Security Map: The Fantastic Fate of One Man's Loan

One person mapped the history of his mortgage, including who owns it. The process took him more than a year.

* Wednesday, Jan. 5: Strategic Default: Right or Wrong?

Paul Solman talks with Brent White, Luigi Zingales and Bill Valenti in three separate web chats.

Tags: PBS NewsHour, Paul Solman, Housing foreclosure crisis, “Making Sen$e” of financial news..

PBS NEWSHOUR Paul Solman: U.S.-China Currency Clash

PBS NEWSHOUR Business and Economics Correspondent Paul Solman explains the U.S.-China Currency Clash.

Paul Solman visited the currency exchange desks at Nomura Securities, to show how the U.S. dollar and other currencies, have fared against the Chinese renminbi over time.



Paul Solman, Business and Economics Correspondent (photo left)

The transcript of Paul Solman's discussion of The U.S.-China Currency Clash

The video is also available on YouTube

Tags: PBS NewsHour, Paul Solman, U.S.-China Currency Clash, webcasts.