Money Matters: Story Idea - Retirement Worries

The recession has made it more likely that many Americans won't be as well off when they retire as they are now--if they can even afford to retire, that is.

A new study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College shows more American today are at high risk of not having enough money in retirement. The survey found that about half of Americans will be unable to retire at 65 with the same lifestyle they enjoy today. That's up from 44 percent in 2007. The major reason: A sharp drop in home prices coupled with investment losses.

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Also see: Story Idea: Homebuyer Tax Credit

The tax credit for first-time homebuyers may be extended, making millions more Americans eligible. That makes this a good time to look into how the program has worked so far and what might be in the offing.

Real estate groups like the National Association of Home Builders say the credit has revived home sales, driven prices up, and created hundreds of thousands of jobs. WPBF-TV in West Palm Beach, Fla., reports that local real estate agents are thrilled about the possible extension. Some agents say half their sales in the past several months have been to first-time buyers, according to WAFF-TV in Huntsville, Ala.

View From Washington: As the Berlin Wall Collapsed, Up Rose RIAS Journalist Program

By Barbara Cochran, RTDNA President Emeritus

On Nov. 9 Germany and the rest of the world will commemorate an important moment in history – the fall of the Berlin Wall. It has been 20 years since the brutal dividing line between East and West Germany collapsed, signaling the last days of the Soviet empire.

As a journalist, I remember those days well. And, thanks to an RTDNF exchange program for journalists, I had a remarkable opportunity this summer to visit Germany and see first-hand where these historic events occurred and to assess their lasting impact.

In fact, you could say that without the fall of the Berlin Wall, I might never have made the trip. I’ll explain in a moment and tell how you too can travel to Germany, but first a little history.


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RTDNA Holds Its First Webinar For A Capacity Crowd

The Radio Television Digital News Association launched its new webinar series today, with “Video Free For All,” a discussion of how to build a successful online video strategy, featuring experts from YouTube, The Associated Press and Current TV.  The webinar was hosted by Lane Beauchamp, Region 11 RTDNA Director.   The webinar was free to RTDNA members and non-members were charged a small fee to join; 100 people joined the webinar.  RTDNA will offer these free webinars on a monthly basis to its members as a member benefit. 

RTDNA Members: Click here to log in and view the webinar

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RTDNA Ethics Guidelines for Video, Audio Editing

The public is greatly affected by how you edit sounds and images for radio, television and online news stories you publish. Photojournalists, editors and online producers should exercise the same level of ethical professionalism and accuracy in editing sounds and images as reporters and producers are expected to exercise in their choice of words, soundbites and facts.

Added sounds and music in television, radio and online stories have the power of setting the tone for a story and can even change the meaning of the piece. Often the public remembers the visual images in a story long after they forget the story's narrative. That is testament of the underlying power of "the visual." 

For a refresher on RTDNA's Guidelines for video and audio editing, click here