Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'downturn'

Infomercials Thrive Amid Downturn

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:43:00 EST

A downturn in the economy has provided a boom for infomercials. With the cost of ad time down, and more people watching television, pitches for products such as PedEgg, ShamWow and Snuggie have viewers picking up the phone and opening their wallets. A.J. Khubani, president and CEO of the direct response company Telebrands, talks about the uptick in business.

The Best And Worst Cities To Get A Job

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST

Unemployment data out today paints a grim picture for metropolitan areas across the country. We explore which cities have been hit hardest and which cities are managing to escape the economic downturn.

Postal Service Sees Less Mail In Slumping Economy

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:38:00 EST

Mail volume suffers when the economy suffers, but this economic downturn is hitting the Postal Service particularly hard. The ailing housing and financial sectors, once heavy users of direct mail marketing, are cutting back. In the last fiscal year, mail carriers delivered 9.5 billion fewer letters and packages than the year before.

Credit Freeze Puts A Chill On Startup Companies

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:20:00 EST

Amid prospects of a prolonged economic downturn, startup companies are having far more trouble finding cash. In the first three quarters of 2008, only six venture-backed companies held initial public offerings, compared with 86 IPOs in 2007.

Seattle Laborers Head North To Canada

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 13:48:00 EST

Latino day laborers in the Pacific Northwest are heading north to Canada in search of work. Construction-related jobs, which have been plentiful in cities such as Seattle, have dried-up. But Canada's starting to feel the economic downturn that's already hit the United States hard.

U.S. And China: Different Paths Out Of Downturn...

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 13:27:00 EST

Author Ted Fishman talks about how the U.S. and China are facing similar economic problems: falling growth rates and rising unemployment. But each country has vastly different resources. And that means the U.S. and China will find different ways out of the global economic downturn.

Economic Downturn Hurts Trash Haulers

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 08:05:00 EST

Allied Waste Management, a garbage collector in St. George, Utah, says its clients aren't throwing out as much as they used to. The company says trash tonnage is down 10 percent to 15 percent. St. George has seen an increase in new homes, but many of them are empty. The garbage truck drivers are paid per house and by tonnage, so less trash means drivers are taking home $25 to $50 less each week.

Concert Business Booms Amid Downturn

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

While 2008 was a down year for most industries, it was a boon for the concert business. Live music venues in North America reported an 18 percent increase in gross box office, according to Billboard magazine.

Printer Sees Recession In Black And White

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:43:00 EST

At the Universal Printing Co. in Brooklyn, N.Y., Frank Caracciolo has found a steady source of high-end, profitable work. He's betting that drug companies' orders for fancy business cards will help him weather the economic downturn.

Strip Malls Struggling To Stay Afloat

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

Strip malls are seeing higher vacancy rates with the economic downturn. The empty shops also hurt the appeal of the stores that are still standing. We visit a mall in L.A County to learn from the remaining store owners' creative attempts to make it work.

Toyota Expecting First Losses In 70 Years

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

In a sign that the global economic crisis is hitting relatively healthy companies, Toyota is expecting its first operating loss since it was founded 70 years ago. The vice president of the Center for Automotive Research discusses Toyota's downturn.

Job Recruiting Slows On College Campuses

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

Because of the economic downturn, this year may be one of the hardest for graduating seniors trying to find jobs in their field. Many big employers have suspended their recruiting efforts on college campuses. Some recent graduates have already been laid off and are returning to their campus career centers for additional placement help.

The Best Laid Plans Of Mines And Men

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:21:00 EST

With the economic downturn, the global demand for minerals has decreased. For mining towns like Leadville, Colo., that has meant shelving plans to reopen a nearby molybdenum mine.

Why Is Miami Developer So Determined To Build...

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

A Miami home builder is seeking approval for a 7,000-house development in the midst of the biggest housing downturn since the Depression. And the new community would be built in an area that now is off-limits to big development, just three miles from the Everglades.

The Out/In List: The Great Recession Edition

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:32:00 EST

The financial world is being rocked by downturns and upsets. The global economy is overwhelmed and under siege. Markets fall; anxieties rise. You don't need a weatherman to know the times they are a changing. What you do need, however, is a list of what is In and what is Out.

Recession Tips: The Etiquette For Gratuities

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST

From barbers to bartenders, people who work for tips may find themselves with empty pockets during this economic downturn. Is it OK to leave smaller tips in a recession? And if you rely on gratuities, are you earning less for the same service?

Paycuts... In Baseball...

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Can baseball teams keep handing out contracts in the hundreds of millions of dollars during this economic downturn? Liane Hansen speaks with Sports Business Journal senior writer Bill King about the recession and the impact on Major League Baseball.

Economic Downturn Limits Seasonal Jobs

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

It's not a good time to be looking for seasonal employment. For example, Best Buy, which just had around one million applicants for its 24,000 slots. Many of these applicants are more qualified than your usual holiday temp — but in an down economy, when even retail is cutting back, that doesn't help. Rachael Dornhelm reports

In Rough Times, More People Abandon Their Pets

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

The economic downturn means people are reconsidering the importance of their pets. Consequently, animal shelters are seeing an upswing in abandoned dogs and cats. We examine one program in Chicago that is offering two-for-one adoption specials, organizing pet food banks and accepting dogs from families in foreclosure.

Asia Not Immune To Job Cuts

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

Asian exporters have been hit by the global economic slowdown. Now their employees are feeling the pain. Sony announced it is cutting 8,000 jobs from its electronics business, as part of a larger cost cutting plan. Sony's South Korean rival, Samsung also announced major cost cuts Tuesday — though no layoffs. Computer chip makers in Taiwan put workers on unpaid leave, as they struggle with the economic downturn.

Advertising Firms Retooling In Economic Crisis

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

How do you sell when people don't want to buy? That's the challenge facing the advertising business in an economic downturn. One ad agency in Philadelphia is retooling its approach, while a car dealer is radically down-shifting.

In A Recession, Can Consumers Afford To Skimp...

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:01:00 EST

The confirmation that the U.S. economy is now officially in recession has the potential to shift people's thinking and spending habits. Penny-pinching in response to hard times can have an effect on the real economy, and some economists warn that could make it harder to dig out of the downturn.

Economy, Drug Wars Hurt Cross-Border Business

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:14:00 EST

El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico are economically tightly intertwined. The economic downturn in the U.S. is hurting the hundreds of assembly plants just across the border as a raging drug war that's killed some 1,400 people in Juarez this year is squashing tourism.

Recession Puts Dent In Auto Body Shop's Business

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:44:00 EST

Quality Colors, a well-regarded auto body shop in Dallas, has taken some dings since the economic downturn. While it recently has done roughly $1.3 million a year in business, its bosses expect the nine-person shop will bring in only $800,000 for 2008.

Sports Advice: Copy Hollywood's Business Model

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:36:00 EST

The economic downturn may force pro sports leagues to re-examine their business model, says commentator Frank Deford. And the leagues might look to Hollywood for inspiration: Top athletes would still command huge contracts, but lesser players could see their salaries reduced.