Releases : Business

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- One of the biggest national issues as the November, 2006 election approaches is the talk of raising the minimum wage. Six states--Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and Ohio--have measures on the ballot to raise their state's minimum wage. But the director of the Center for Economic Development and Research at the University of North Texas says it won't help the average worker.

"My personal view is that it's a bad idea," says Dr. Bernard Weinstein. "It doesn't really help raise overall wages, and it prices people out of the market who have low levels of ability and educational attainment. The percentage of people who actually earn the minimum wage is very low, even in those places where the state or local minimum wage is higher that the federal one."

Twenty-two states, the District of Columbia, and several major cities already have state minimum wages higher than the federal level of $5.15 an hour, set in 1997. Texas' minimum wage law ties it to the federal minimum wage. The state of Washington has the highest minimum wage in the country, $7.63 an hour. Five states have no minimum wage law at all.

Weinstein points out in this election season with a number of tight races, talking about raising the minimum wage may be a strategy to engage parts of the electorate.

"Wages understandably vary from company to company, and from labor market to market. In states with low unemployment rates, you typically find higher minimum wages. Many states now have minimum wage laws higher than the federal minimum wage," Weinstein says.

Weinstein thinks the talk about raising the minimum wage is a "stalking horse" for an old idea, a guaranteed minimum income. He says, "It would guarantee that everybody who works would be assured a minimum income. The idea was last proposed in the 1970's, when Richard Nixon was president, but it hasn't been considered since."

Dr. Weinstein can be reached at his office, (940) 565-4049 or by cell phone, (214) 707-1834.

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- The chair of the department of radio, television, and film at the University of North Texas says NBC Universal's decision to save $750 million by cutting jobs and relying more on unscripted television shows for programming shows how tough it is to make a profit running a TV network.

Dr. Alan Albarran says the growing fragmentation of audiences, and the changing economics of network television, are forcing the networks to look closely at ways they can trim expenses and become more efficient.

"In the case of NBC Universal; there are considerable savings the company can make in the area of news, as it has maintained separate news bureaus for NBC Nightly News, MSNBC, CNBC, and Telemundo," Albarran says. "The company will move to ‘hub' these news operations, and while it will mean a loss of some employees, in reality it probably won't impact what viewers see."

NBC Universal is planning to cut 750 jobs throughout the company as part of the broader effort to save $750 million by the end of 2008. The company's operating profit has dropped 10 percent in each of the past three quarters. NBC's fall from first to fourth place in prime-time TV has in part driven the slump.

But Albarran says NBC's decision on prime-time programming--to rely more on game shows, news magazines and unscripted "reality" programming during the first hour of "prime time" evening viewing--is much more revealing. "Traditionally, the first hour of prime-time has been critical to network strategy. By eliminating high-cost programs in this first hour, such as dramas or situation comedies, the network will have to focus on game shows like "Deal or no Deal," reality programs (which NBC has a mediocre record of achievement) and possibly news magazines," he says.

Albarran does not think, however, that this will ultimately impact television producers as they "pitch" their shows to NBC. "Obviously it cuts out seven hours of programming a week, so that can be interpreted as less inventory being available for shows," he says. "But, in reality, they are not doing things that are that much different from the other networks." Albarran points out that NBC's broadcast competitors have scored sizable audience hits with reality shows like "Survivor" on CBS, "Dancing with the Stars" on ABC, and "American Idol" on Fox.

Albarran can be reached via his office, (940) 565-2537, or on his cell phone, (972) 989-7513.

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- A professor of applied gerontology at the University of North Texas says Wal-Mart's plan to sell nearly 300 generic drugs at $4 per prescription in the Tampa, Florida area may be good news for senior citizens struggling to pay for medicines.

Dr. Stanley Ingman says, "It sounds like a contribution to the complex problem of drug reform plans. Anything to help will be a welcome addition."

Wal-Mart--the largest retailer in the United States--plans to introduce the $4 generic drugs first in Tampa, Florida, and then expand the program statewide during January, 2007. A national expansion would then follow. Ingman says the program would be most helpful to senior citizens who are enrolled in Medicare part D prescription drug plans. Those plans have a "donut hole" in the coverage, forcing senior citizens to pay for all of their prescription costs once their out-of-pocket costs reach $2,500.

"Drugs versus food is a common scenario with many senior citizens; they are forced to pick between the two," Ingman says. "With the "donut hole" problem of Medicare part D, we are seeing that problem more and more. Plus, since different policies only cover specific medicines, when a doctor changes a patient's prescription drugs and the new drugs aren't covered you see additional problems."

Target, the nation's second largest discount store, has announced that it will match Wal-Mart's generic drug prices. Ingman predicts that other retailers may also be forced to adopt the pricing strategy so as not to lose customers.

"They will have to do something to respond to the challenge. Major national pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens can't afford to not have all those seniors in their drugstores, filling their prescriptions," Ingman says.

Ingman can be reached through his office, (940) 565-2298, or on his cell phone, (940) 206-7473.

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- When the CBS television reality show "Survivor" premieres Sept. 14 (Thursday), several of its longtime advertisers won't be sponsoring the show--and some media watchers speculate the decision of show producers to split up competitors into teams by race may have played a factor. But an associate professor of journalism at the University of North Texas says the decision may have really come down to costs and declining ratings.

Dr. Jim Albright says, "I don't believe the (breakdown of the teams on the show by race) had much to do with the companies' decision to pull advertising. I think the competition of the media market, and where companies ultimately decided to spend their money, are a bigger factor."

The sponsor withdrawals total more than $26 million in ad sales. But Albright points out major corporations who had pulled ads from "Survivor" including General Motors, Proctor and Gamble, Coca-Cola and Home Depot also advertise during televised sporting events, and the costs to do that are rising.

"Advertisers want to go after a young audience, and live programming including sports are among the best ways to do this, " Albright says. "But it's extremely expensive. It's a case of simple economics--spend more money where the viewers are, and less where they aren't."

Even though "Survivor" is expected to perform strong in the ratings, it has seen a decline in viewership since its first two seasons in 2000 and 2001. Albright adds, however, content is a key factor for companies when they buy ads.

"In all forms of advertising, people who choose where to place their ads do so based on editorial content. For example, you probably wouldn't see the same company advertise in both the Wall Street Journal and Playboy magazine."

Albright has been a copywriter, broadcast producer and/or creative chief/group head for several ad agencies in the Dallas area. He can be reached at (940) 565-4916.

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- Computer maker Hewlett-Packard and its board chair Patricia Dunn are facing state of California and federal investigations after Dunn had data brokers obtain telephone records of board members and journalists to look for media leaks. A professor of management at the University of North Texas says the spying sends a bad message to employees and creates a liability issue for H-P.

Dr. Vicki Goodwin says, "It's certainly fine to investigate leaks, but certainly not the way (Dunn) did. She has created trust and legal problems by doing what she did the way she did it. It will be hard for her to continue functioning as a company executive." However, Dunn claims several H-P board members want her to stay on the job.

After discovering that his phone records had been improperly obtained, a member of H-P's board quit in protest. At least nine reporters also had their phone records accessed by the investigators hired by H-P, leading to state and federal probes.

Goodwin says management needs to have a "proportionate response" to any given problem to have effective change. " When you have people doing unethical, if not illegal things, it takes away from the focus on the problem," she says.

Goodwin adds that Dunn's response to the media leaks was excessive. Combined with the secretive nature of the company's investigation, it has likely generated ill will between Dunn and the remaining board members.

"There is nothing wrong with doing things in the open," Goodwin says. "You have to be upfront with what you want to do. Ultimately, the buck stops with (Dunn), and ethics start at the top."

Goodwin can be reached at her office at (940) 565-4766, or on her cell phone at (817) 366-0469.

As you plan your coverage for the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America on Sept. 11, 2001, consider these University of North Texas experts who can discuss a variety of topics related to the event.

Economic Impact of 9/11:

Dr. Bernard L. Weinstein, professor of applied economics and director of director of UNT's Center for Economic Development and Research, is an expert on public policy, business and economic trends. He has often been quoted in The Dallas Morning News, The New York Times and international publications as an economic forecaster for the U.S. and abroad.

Cell phone number: (214) 707-1834 (first option)
Office phone number: (940) 565-4049
E-mail address: budw@scs.unt.edu  

Talking to children about 9/11:

Dr. Sue Bratton is the director of the UNT Center for Play Therapy, the largest play therapy training program in the world. The center counsels children dealing with difficult situations by helping them to express their feelings through toys. Bratton is also an associate professor of counseling at UNT. An internationally renowned expert and respected lecturer, she has extensive experience in individual and group play therapy, activity therapy, and filial/family play therapy. She served on the Association for Play Therapy board of directors for six years and is a past president. Dr. Bratton is also co-author of the textbook, "Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT): A 10-Session Filial Therapy Model," and the CPRT Treatment Manual and CD-ROM, and "The World of Play Therapy Literature," as well as numerous research publications and book chapters on the topic of play therapy.

Office phone number: (940) 565-2063
E-mail address: bratton@unt.edu

Dr. Garry Landreth, Regents Professor of counseling, development and higher education, is the founding director of the Center for Play Therapy and is a licensed professional counselor.

Office phone number: (940) 565-2916

Emergency response to 9/11:

Dr. David McEntire, an associate professor in UNT's emergency administration and planning degree program, traveled to New York City two weeks after Sept. 11 with two other faculty members in the program to study the activities of private businesses in responding to the attacks on the World Trade Center. They determined that although more than 2,800 people in both World Trade Center Towers died, thousands more exited safely before the towers collapsed, thanks to emergency management plans set in place for businesses following the 1993 bombing of the center. They also studied the significant role that private businesses played in responding to the disaster by donating office space, increasing security, restoring communications and providing food for search and rescue teams.

Office phone number: (940) 565-2996
Home phone number: (940) 321-2440

Dr. James Kendra, coordinator of UNT's emergency administration and planning degree program and an assistant professor, traveled to New York City two days after Sept. 11 with a colleague and a field team at the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center, where he was then a researcher. He and his former colleague recently received a three-year $350,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to research the successful evacuation of 300,000 to 500,000 people from lower Manhattan via water transport to New Jersey, Staten Island and Brooklyn. He also studied the reestablishment of New York City's emergency operations center, which was located in the World Trade Center and was destroyed on Sept. 11.

Office phone number: (940) 565-2213
E-mail address: jmkendra@unt.edu

Terrorism:

Dr. Robert Taylor, professor and chair of the UNT Department of Criminal Justice, is currently a consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice on the State and Local Anti-Terrorism Program and the U.S. Department of State Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program. He is internationally known for his knowledge on terrorism and lectures extensively throughout the United States and the world. His specialty is the Middle East and Southeast Asia, concentrating on the al-Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiya, Hezbollah and HAMAS groups. He is a former police officer and major crimes detective and has several leading textbooks in the discipline. He has conducted numerous international and national media interviews.

Office phone numbers: (940) 565-4475 or (940) 565-2562
Cell phone number: (972) 529-7890

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the Middle East:

Dr. Adrian R. Lewis, associate professor of history and chair of the UNT Department of History, is a former infantry officer and instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He retired from the Army with the rank of major and is the author of the forthcoming "The American Culture of War: World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedom." He is also currently writing a book about the Mediterranean Theater during World War II.

Office phone number: (940) 565-2288
Home phone number: (972) 317-3992

Dr. Geoffrey Wawro, director of UNT's Military History Center and the Major General Olinto Mark Barsanti Professor of Military History, can discuss al-Qaeda, U.S. policy and strategy in the Middle East and current capabilities of the U.S. military. A professor of strategic studies at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., before joining the UNT faculty last year, Wawro is the host and anchor of the History Channel and History International programs Global View, Hardcover History, Hard Target, History's Business, and History versus Hollywood. He is writing a book called "Quicksand: America's Pursuit of Power in the Middle East from the Balfour Declaration to the Bush Doctrine."

Cell phone number: (214) 514-7224

Dr. Emile Sahliyeh (ee-MILL s-LAY-yuh), professor of political science, is the author of "The PLO After the Lebanon War;" "In Search of Leadership: West Bank Politics Since 1967;" and the forthcoming "The Predicament of Democracy in the Arab World." He has also written chapters in several anthologies on Middle Eastern politics. A former Brookings Institute fellow in Middle Eastern studies, Sahliyeh has presented invited papers, lectures and workshops at the Brookings Institute, Defense Intelligence College, Harvard University Center for International Affairs, U.S. State Department and Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Sahliyeh is frequently quoted by the media in regard to incidents in the Middle East, Israel and Palestine.

Office phone numbers: (940) 565-2314 or (940) 565-2276
Home phone number: (940) 320-2020

American foreign policy related to 9/11:

Dr. James Meernik (MIR-nick), professor of political science and chair of the UNT Department of Political Science , is the author of an article on domestic politics and the political use of military force by the United States that appeared in "Political Research Quarterly," and an article on public opinion and support for U.S. presidents' foreign policies that appeared in "American Politics Quarterly."

Office phone number: (940) 565-4233

The Patriot Act, Constitutional rights and military tribunals:

Dr. Kimi Lynn King, associate professor of political science, researches civil rights and liberties, constitutional law, the American presidency and foreign policy issues. She is a former fellow at the Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Office phone number: (940) 565-4984
Cell phone number: (940) 597-4802

Middle Eastern perspective of 9/11:

Dr. Nancy Stockdale, assistant professor of history, researches the Middle East in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the histories of Palestine and Israel, Israeli-Palestine conflicts and Islamic-Jewish relations. She specializes in women of the Middle East in the 19th and 20th centuries, and is the author of an upcoming book on encounters between English and Palestinian women from 1800 to 1948.

Office phone number: (940) 565-4209
E-mail address: stockdale@unt.edu

Immigration policies after 9/11:

Dr. Idean Salehyan (eye-DEAN suh-LAY-he-on), assistant professor of political science, published an article on U.S. asylum enforcement in the "Journal of Peace Research" and an article of refugees and the spread of civil war in "International Organization." He also has expertise on transnational activities of terrorist groups and is currently working on a project which examines transnational rebel organizations and the opposition activities of diaspora groups. He is fluent in both Spanish and Farsi.

Office phone number: (940) 565-2317
Cell phone number: (619) 301-8444
E-mail address: idean@unt.edu