November 29, 2011
BOSTON—MassINC, The MassINC Polling Group and CommonWealth magazine provided the featured content for WGBH’s recent week-long, multi-media look at the American Dream in Massachusetts. Running throughout the week of November 14, the partnership included special segments of ‘Where we Live,” WGBH’s radio, TV, and web series that examines how the recession is impacting Massachusetts communities. Additionally, Greater Boston, The Emily Rooney Show, The Callie Crossley Show, Morning Edition, and All Things Considered featured MassINC’s new content and aired interviews with MassINC and CommonWealth magazine experts throughout the week.
The media partnership with WGBH was based on the fall release of four major products:
- In early November, CommonWealth released its Fall 2011 issue focused on the American Dream in Massachusetts, and featured stories on the stark income inequality between rich and poor, a growing gender achievement gap in education, the changing meaning of retirement, an unforgiving housing market, and the experiences of immigrants, all analyzed through a Massachusetts lens.
- A major research report, written in conjunction with Northeastern University’s Center for Labor Market Studies (CLMS), draws the most detailed picture possible of how residents in Massachusetts are faring when it comes to attaining middle class pillars like housing, education, and financial security.
- A public opinion poll designed by MassINC and CLMS detailed how middle class families say today’s challenging economic conditions are affecting their family life, career, personal finance, and confidence in business and government.
- A first-of-its-kind Middle Class Index that measures Bay State residents’ experience reaching goals that make up the American Dream. The index provides an important benchmark to evaluate the impact of future economic change on families across the Commonwealth.
Research director Benjamin Forman joined Emily Rooney on Greater Boston throughout the week of November 14 to lend his analysis to WGBH’s “Where we live” series. Forman also gave an hour long interview on The State of the American Dream which ran throughout the week as featured content on WGBH radio morning and evening news programming. CommonWealth magazine editor Bruce Mohl also appeared on Greater Boston to discuss the Middle Class Index, and what it tells us about the state of the middle class.
As part of the partnership, CommonWealth staff writers were featured on The Emily Rooney Show on WGBH radio to discuss their Fall 2011 feature stories. Discussions focused on income inequality, the growing gender achievement gap, retirement insecurity, and the exclusive housing market.
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About MassINC - MassINC is a nonprofit, independent think tank and publisher of CommonWealth magazine that uses non-partisan research, civic journalism and public forums to stimulate debate and shape public policy. Our mission is to promote a public agenda for the middle class and to help all citizens achieve the American dream.