WaPo spins inflation data

Ken Shepherd of the Business & Media Institute notes that the Consumer Price Index, or inflation, data released earlier this week was written in a positive way by most media outlets, including the Associated Press. However, the Washington Post wrote about it with a negative spin.

Shepherd wrote, “Nell Henderson’s article, ‘Cost of Living Gets Costlier,’ commanded the reader’s attention on the front page of the August 17 Business section. After complaining that inflation was ‘eating into people’s paychecks and savings at a quickening clip,’ Henderson cited Georgetown nursing student Linda Dodd’s textbook shopping woes.

“‘I just spent $85 and $90 on two books,’ sighed Dodd. A graphic accompanying Henderson’s article showed textbooks have risen 5.6 percent in price since last year.

“But Dodd was purchasing brand new textbooks from a university bookstore, which is considerably more expensive than shopping online or buying used books elsewhere, a point that Henderson left out.

“As shown in a photograph accompanying the print edition of the story, the books Dodd purchased – ‘Community and Public Health Nursing’ and ‘Critical Care Nursing: A Holistic Approach’ – are $75.61 and $80.06 respectively on textbooks.com. At Amazon.com, used copies of those books can be purchased starting at $55 and $67.50 respectively.

“While Henderson focused on the bite consumers have seen in spending power from rising prices, she missed the good news on the horizon that other media outlets, including her own paper, reported.”

Read more here.