Indeed, the City paid a company $48,000 to conduct a study of the project. I've obtained a copy of what the City of Greensboro says is that study (you can see it here) and it contains none of the economic projections the News & Record says it does.
Why would the News & Record report the contents of a study they obviously did not read?
From an article by Joe Killian on December 14, 2013:
"A feasibility study funded by the city of Greensboro projected a possible $6.5 billion in private investment and the creation of 5,349 jobs over the next 20 years. "From an article by Nancy McLaughlin on January 24, 2014:
"A study paid for by the city of Greensboro describes a 3-square-mile campus in eastern Guilford and western Alamance counties that could create more than 5,300 full- and part-time jobs and attract $6.5 billion in private investment over the next 20 years."Those estimations are just not there. Not in the source to which they are attributed. Take a look at the study for yourself. There is nothing that relates to job projections or that estimates investment. The study evaluates available infrastructure: roads, broadband, electricity, etc. It does not make any economic projections and mentions nothing about jobs or private investment.
Why does this matter?
Economic studies, when the do evaluate jobs and investments, begin by making a set of assumptions. We—one assumes that includes local journalists—must have access to those assumptions to evaluate the legitimacy of the conclusions. It is not enough to simply take it for granted that because there was a "study" its conclusions are reasonable and it is certainly not enough to report on the contents of a study without taking a look at it so that we will avoid coming to think it reports something it does not.
It is essential for us to have accurate information in order for us to have a reality-based understanding of our public policy. If local media cannot provide that to us, they have no value and are simply encouraging us to sleepwalk though a dreamscape of illusions.
Shows how lazy the reporters are. They are being fed garbage information and don't bother to verify. The standards of quality reporting have fallen under Gauger.
ReplyDeleteYou'd think by now, they'd have a little more self-respect.
ReplyDeleteSelf respect is not often attributed to criminals and con men.
ReplyDeleteSame issue with the Retail Parity Study by Tabb. Data was flawed, assumptions made, and conclusions had no logical basis.
ReplyDelete