On Demand
Are You Being Gouged? The Results
Monday, June 16, 2008
Brian Lehrer Show associate producer Jim Colgan, breaks down the results. Then we talk to New York Times economics writer David Leonhardt about the economics of price disparities, and then to NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen about what it means for journalism.
View the results:
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| Beer | Lettuce | Milk |
UPDATE: Here is the number for the state department that investigates claims about grocery stores charging excess prices for milk: 1-800-554-4501
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Congratulations on the well-deserved Peabody Award. It is long overdue since the show has been great for, what, 20 years now? Maybe not that long but close.
Perhaps this project can be taken to step 2 this year, especially with the increasing worldwide food prices. The WNYC information gatherers can re-visit all the markets in the survey, and check how the prices have changed on the same items over the one year period.
What I have always wondered about is that in Queens we have these fruit and vegetables stores that will sell a red pepper in bins outside the store for .99 but in the store a red pepper will sell for $1.99. The same with peaches or apples, etc.
Why this disparity within the same store?
In Manhattan, it does seem like you need to go to different markets to get good prices on different food categories. Fruit may be very expensive at one store but beer may be cheap there. Cleaning supplies and the like may be very expensive at one store but other groceries are cheap etc. So I use like at least 4 different sources in my food shopping.
Interesting conversation about neighborhood demographics/income levels vs supermarket placement. Fairways is located seven blocks from the largest NYCHA development in the city but apart from the employees remains an upper class shopper supermarket.
Great show!
I have only been listening since December 2007. Does anyone whom has been listening longer remember, was Dick Cheney's wife interviewed on Brian Lehrer show in the past year and a half or was that a different NRP show?
I want to find the segment but am not sure what show.
Hopped off the F train Bergen st and hit a deli right there...grabbed a pint of low fat milk and a candy bar put it on the counter and he rang it up tossed a five took my change and started to walk out...I then looked at my change and it was lik a buck and 1/2...i turned and said how much is this milk!...2.79!...i said give me my money back...2 doors down it was 1.59..
In relistening to this segment, it occurs to me that there is a fatal flaw in your argument, namely that you assume that people are actuallly buying the product where the highest prices were reported. Just becuase it is offered doesn't mean it is sold.
The next time you conduct a survey like this you might also ask your crowd sourcers to check if there is dust on the bottles.
For the greatest utility and chance for success, people would have to be willing to report prices at the time of purchase.
Has Brain heard of wikipedia, the issues of reliability and checking facts have been addressed in wikipedia. Journalism is an error prone first draft. Likewise, wikipeda ids a first draft at research...
Did anyone check the prices of these foods at the stores' online grocery shopping/delivery services that the big supermarkets have?
I go from store to store to save money. If I go into delis I don't like to carry stuff from other delis because the store owners in the "next" deli always ask why I didn't buy the stuff I have in their deli! They get adamant and rightious. I don't want to deal with it so I find myself going home then going shopping again and over and over sometimes 4x a day. I figure the exercise is good for me. LOL
Please create a crowd sourcing project to report on the extremely high idling rate for vehicles in the city.
I would love to see a follow-up on the idea of crowd sourcing on health care. I am not aware that the BL show ever actually did that. It is one of my favorite subjects and I would love to see it happen.
Another topic for group investigative journalism – How about checking out TRUE accessibility for disabled people in the NYC subway system (and perhaps the city buses).
I live on Roosevelt Island, which has a good number of disabled residents -- folks in wheelchairs, on crutches or with walkers. We also have elderly, frail folks who just cannot climb the five sets of stairs from the subway platform to the street when the elevator or escalators are out of service. (By the way, if someone is looking for a job that will always be available, check out escalator and elevator repair for the MTA! The Roosevelt Island ones are always breaking down.)
What country is Jim from? I love his accient and could listen to him speak all day.
I can relate to the Brooklyn Heights comments. On my way home from work, I would stop by Garden of Eden (which is closer to the train) rather than walk the extra block and a half to the less expensive Key Food. Convenience trumped price for me (probably to my detriment). But motivation is hard to come by after a long day of work.
Jim sounded Scottish or Irish to me. I would think Scottish, probably Highlander accent. He has a bit of brogue.
Thanks Katie. Doesn't he sound nice?
Congratulations on the Peabody! About time!
Possible crowd sourcing project: List the name of your health club (within NYC only), how much your credit card is billed each month for membership, and whether that membership is good for all branches or only one. I know of disparities between some members of the same club adding up to hundreds of dollars per year.
# 19
Oh, yes, he does. I go for voice and he makes me want to melt into the floor.I love men from Celtic backround. Most of my romance novels take place with Scottish heros.
They don't make them like they used to, those highland mideval lords that were so wonderful.
LOL! There is a podcast called coffee break spanish. The teacher must be from the same place, same accient. Lovely!
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