Business & Economy 2005 Archive | PBS NewsHour

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	2005 DECEMBER Dec. 29, 2005 TV-On-Demand Technology Recent advancements in television technology that give viewers control over watching television programs on their own schedule and on portable devices are revolutionizing the way networks distribute their programs.

	Dec. 28, 2005 Enron Plea Deal Former Enron chief accounting officer Richard Causey pleaded guilty Wednesday to a security fraud charge. A reporter discusses the plea deal and how this development will affect the upcoming Enron trial.

	Dec. 23, 2005 Hired for a Day A report examines the tensions of hiring day laborers that may be illegal immigrants with a focus on Herndon, a city in Northern Virginia that just opened a city-funded day laborer site.

	Dec. 22, 2005 California Levees The devastation caused by levee failures in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina has prompted other states, including California, to take a hard look at their own levee systems.

	Dec. 20, 2005 Political Shift in Bolivia Evo Morales was elected president of Bolivia Sunday. He has vowed to reverse a campaign financed by the U.S. to wipe out coca growing and to improve economic conditions in the poor country. Following a background report, two experts discuss Morales' victory and the rise of populist leaders in Latin America.

	Dec. 15, 2005 Rebuilding New Orleans' Levees On Thursday, the White House asked for another $1.5 billion to rebuild New Orleans' levee system, roughly doubling the federal commitment. Following a background report, Donald Powell, the federal coordinator for Gulf Coast recovery, explains how the added funds will be used to strengthen the levee system.

	Dec. 15, 2005 A World Without Borders As rapid advances in technology occur, some experts say globalization has created a new, border-free world that gives more power to individuals and also allows for illicit trafficking. Two authors discuss globalization, and the resulting new world economy.

	Dec. 14, 2005 Wal-Mart's Public Image Campaign Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, rolled out a campaign to combat negative publicity and restore confidence in the chain's heavily criticized business practices.

	Dec. 14, 2005 American Red Cross Troubles The chief executive of the American Red Cross resigned amid criticism of the charity's disaster relief efforts, including its response to Hurricane Katrina. After a background report, a public service professor discusses the problems facing the Red Cross.



	NOVEMBER Nov. 29, 2005 Housing Market Update An expert discusses a Commerce Department report about the housing market, which was released Tuesday.

	Nov. 25, 2005 Money Matters As the holiday shopping season opens, financial experts look at the factors that could impact the economy in the near term, including U.S. job growth and rising natural gas prices.

	Nov. 23, 2005 Airline Woes After a year of rising fuel prices, labor strikes and bankruptcies, the major airlines are struggling to make changes. But passengers will not likely see major fare hikes in the near term, analysts say.

	Nov. 22, 2005 New Orleans Recovery Efforts Following a background report, three experts discuss Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts and the struggles of Louisiana officials to come up with funds to finance reconstruction.

	Nov. 21, 2005 GM Announces Job Cuts General Motors announced it will cut 30,000 jobs and close all or part of its 12 plants by 2008 to make the car manufacturer more competitive on the global market. After a background report, editor-in-chief in Car and Driver magazine discusses the GM's decision.

	Nov. 18, 2005 Analyzing the Budget Cuts Friday morning, the House narrowly passed a deficit-reduction bill. Congressional expert Norman Ornstein discusses the battle on Capitol Hill over spending and taxes. Then, New York Times columnist David Brooks and Boston Globe columnist Tom Oliphant discuss taxes and spending cuts in the budget.

	Nov. 16, 2005 Stern Words for China In Japan Wednesday, during his visit to Asia, President Bush challenged China to expand political and religious freedoms. Following a background report, two experts discuss the president's speech.

	Nov. 9, 2005 Oil Industry Defends Profits Oil industry executives appeared before the Senate to defend record high third quarter profits and deny accusations of price gouging at the pump.

	Nov. 8, 2005 No Resolution in Hemispheric Free Trade Talks The Summit of the Americas in Argentina brought 34 countries together to discuss issues facing the hemisphere but were dominated by talks about a free trade zone. Following a background report on President Bush's role in the conference, two trade experts give opposing perspectives on free market reform in Latin America.



	OCTOBER Oct. 27, 2005 Steel Workers Face Competition Workers at Weirton Steel in West Virginia fear more layoffs at a plant that was once the largest industrial employer in the state and the economic engine of the town. In a 30th anniversary special, the NewsHour returns to Weirton.

	Oct. 26, 2005 Revisiting an Immigrant Family As part of the NewsHour's 30th Anniversary Series, Jeffrey Kaye of KCET-Los Angeles revisits a Mexican-American family of illegal immigrants, whom he first chronicled in 1993.

	Oct. 25, 2005 Revisiting Coverage of NAFTA As part of its 30th Anniversary coverage, the NewsHour returns to Autaugaville, Ala. to take a look at the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, on a small broom factory.

	Oct. 24, 2005 Nomination of New Fed Chair President Bush announced Monday the nomination of Ben Bernanke, the White House's top economic adviser, to replace Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan who will retire in January.

	Oct. 24, 2005 Silicon Valley's Past and Future As part of a series celebrating the past 30 years at the NewsHour, a report revisits coverage of Silicon Valley from the beginning of the dot-com boom to the bursting of the "Internet bubble."

	Oct. 20, 2005 Passenger Rail Line, Green Space Mulled for Mississippi Renewal Mississippi residents packed into town hall meetings this week to offer their views of how to rebuild the coastline damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

	Oct. 17, 2005 New Bankruptcy Law Two experts discuss the new, stricter requirements for filing for bankruptcy in America, which took effect Monday.

	Oct. 17, 2005 Mississippi Approves Onshore Gambling as Biloxi Looks to Rebuild Jutting from the coastline in Biloxi, Miss., casino barges have brought a steady stream of revenue to the area and created thousands of jobs for the once depressed coastal community of some 50,000 residents.

	Oct. 14, 2005 Government Control Over China's Economy Even as China moves toward a more globalized economy, political freedom in the communist country remains restricted. The seventh report on China looks at the difficulty of innovation in a censored environment.

	Oct. 14, 2005 Planners Consider Future of New Orleans Officials in New Orleans, a city twice flooded by hurricanes in 2005, now face the challenge of rebuilding one of America's most unique cities while making it safe for residents to live and work.

	Oct. 14, 2005 Massive Recovery Effort Raises Cost Concerns The devastation left by hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Gulf Coast will require the largest recovery and rebuilding effort ever undertaken by the United States.

	Oct. 13, 2005 Intellectual Piracy in China Merchants selling fake products such as Pfizer's Viagra in violation of intellectual property rights threaten manufacturers who depend on patents to protect large monetary investments in research and development. The sixth report in a series on China's rising economy examines intellectual piracy.

	Oct. 13, 2005 Higher Heating Costs Following a background report, two experts discuss the impact of higher home heating costs this year and how to cut back on energy usage.

	Oct. 12, 2005 Interview With Cheng Siwei Chinese Communist Party official Cheng Si-wei talks to NewsHour correspondent Paul Solman about economic relations with the United States, foreign investment, textile exports and the recent revaluation of China's currency.

	Oct. 11, 2005 Misinvestment in China In recent years, China's government has channeled investment into urban and business development, neglecting its enormous peasant class. The government recently pledged, however, to bridge the income gap.

	Oct. 11, 2005 Bridging the Income Gap in China Two experts discusses a recent shift in economic policy by the Chinese government.

	Oct. 11, 2005 Game Theory University of Maryland professor Thomas Schelling, one of the recent winners of the Nobel Prize for economics, discusses the field of game theory.

	Oct. 7, 2005 Mao's Influence on China Nearly three decades after the death of Communist leader Mao Zedong, the "Great Helmsman" is still nearly omnipresent in China.

	Oct. 7, 2005 Hurricane Katrina Job Losses Two experts discuss the unemployment fallout from Hurricane Katrina.

	Oct. 5, 2005 China's Vast Consumer Class In the second in a series on China, business corespondent Paul Solman of WGBH-Boston examines the vast Chinese consumer market.

	Oct. 4, 2005 China's Rising Economy The first report in a series on China focuses on the Asian nation's economy, which is the fastest growing in the world. But with its booming growth come challenges.

	Oct. 4, 2005 Private Companies Rebuild Gulf Awards to private contractors to aid recovery along the Gulf Coast make the largest transfer of federal fund into private hands. Most of the contracts were awarded with little or no bidding, worrying government watchdog groups. A report from Louisiana gives an overview of their contributions.



	SEPTEMBER Sept. 27, 2005 Insurance for Katrina Damage As hurricane survivors return to their damaged homes, some are facing problems collecting insurance claims. A report from Louisiana looks at the filing process and why wind or flood damage classifications make a big difference.

	Sept. 27, 2005 Sen. Frist's Stock Sales The Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating the timing of Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist's decision to sell his shares in a hospital company a month before stock values fell.

	Sept. 21, 2005 Apprehensive Return A report from New Orleans about the return of city business owners and their hopes that the levees will hold off Hurricane Rita.

	Sept. 20, 2005 Crippled Seafood Industry A report from outside New Orleans about the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the fishing and shrimp industry.

	Sept. 14, 2005 Delta, Northwest File for Bankruptcy Protection Delta and Northwest filed for bankruptcy Wednesday, illustrating the problem airliners are having with soaring oil prices and competition from smaller carriers.

	Sept. 9, 2005 Hurricane Katrina Poses Unique Challenge to Insurance Industry For the nation's insurance companies, the Aug. 29, 2005 landfall of Hurricane Katrina, and subsequent flooding that caused thousands to flee their homes, is shaping up to be the costliest domestic natural disaster in U.S. history.

	Sept. 7, 2005 The Economic Impact of Katrina The director of the Congressional Budget Office and an economist from Louisiana discuss the vast economic impacts of Hurricane Katrina.



	AUGUST Aug. 31, 2005 Hurricane Katrina's Effect on the Oil Industry The president of the American Petroleum Institute assesses the disruption in production and distribution of U.S. oil as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

	Aug. 16, 2005 Rising Gas Prices A gallon of unleaded regular gas rose more than 18 cents in the last week, to a national average of $2.55. Two experts assess the recent dramatic increase in gas prices.

	Aug. 15, 2005 Clyde Prestowitz: "Three Billion New Capitalists" Author Clyde Prestowitz discusses his new book concerning a shift in the global economy towards the East, America's educational institutions and future economic challenges in the 21st century.

	Aug. 12, 2005 Oil Prices Hit Record High The price of crude oil hit a record $67 a barrel as reports of new U.S. refinery outages rekindled fears of a gasoline shortage. Two experts speak about the skyrocketing price of crude oil and gasoline.

	Aug. 5, 2005 U.S. Jobs Picture The Labor Department reported Friday that job growth in the U.S. was better than expected. Employers added more than 200,000 new jobs; figures for May and June were also better than first reported. An economist discusses the report and what these new numbers mean.

	Aug. 5, 2005 Shields and Brooks Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss the recess appointment of John Bolton as the U.S. envoy to the United Nations, mounting casualties in Iraq and other developments in the political arena.



	JULY July 29, 2005 Rush to Recess Congress pushes a series of legislation through, including the passage of a new energy bill and highway spending bill Friday, as it prepares for the month-long August recess.

	July 29, 2005 Shields and Ponnuru Syndicated Columnist Mark Shields and National Review Senior Editor Ramesh Ponnuru discuss the passage of the new energy bill, CAFTA, the gun liability bill and the ongoing labor union dispute.

	July 27, 2005 The Battle Over CAFTA President Bush visited Capitol Hill Wednesday to urge lawmakers to pass the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which some legislators fear will threaten jobs. Experts make the case for and against the trade agreement.

	July 27, 2005 Jobs Nobody Wants Essayist Clarence Page considers if there really are jobs no one wants.

	July 26, 2005 Underground Market Frontline/World presents a report on the case of a Pakistani businessman accused of trying to smuggle nuclear weapons triggers out of the United States.

	July 26, 2005 Pay for On-air Play New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer announced Monday that Sony BMG Music Entertainment will pay $10 million in fines for using "payola," or bribing radio stations with cash, trips and gifts to play specific artists on the air. An expert discusses the frequency of payola in the radio industry.

	July 25, 2005 Teamsters, SEIU Take Away 3.2 Million Union Members with Departure from AFL The International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union announced Monday that they are withdrawing from labor union federation AFL-CIO, citing disputes over the labor movement's future. Representatives from both sides discuss the split.

	July 21, 2005 Chinese Currency Change The Chinese government said Thursday it is moving to a more flexible exchange system that ties its currency, the yuan, to a marketbasket of currencies rather than linking it at a fixed rate to the U.S. dollar. Experts assess the Chinese government's decision.

	July 20, 2005 Farmers Differ Over CAFTA The House is set to vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Some U.S. dairy farmers believe CAFTA will help business, while some sugar farmers disagree.

	July 14, 2005 Corporate Crime Former Qwest Communications chief financial officer Robin Szeliga pleaded guilty to insider trading Thursday, the latest in a long string of business leaders, including WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers, to be successfully prosecuted. Experts discuss the affect of corporate crime cases on the business world.

	July 5, 2005 China's Big Investment As the G-8 leaders debate increasing aid to Africa this week, Lindsay Hilsum of Independent Television News examines the impact of Chinese investment in Sierra Leone and Sudan.

	July 5, 2005 Women and Work Essayist Anne Taylor Fleming reflects on women's struggles in the workforce.



	JUNE June 30, 2005 Senate Debates Central America Free Trade Agreement The Senate is slated Wednesday to vote on the much-debated Central American Free Trade Agreement, which would open the markets of six South American nations to the United States. A look at the conflict over CAFTA.

	June 28, 2005 Some Tsunami-Hit Areas Remain Desolate Six Months Later Residents of Aceh, Indonesia -- one of the areas hit hardest by last year's tsunami -- are still struggling to survive six months later. Millions of dollars in aid have been slow to reach the region, partly because of government bureaucracy.

	June 28, 2005 Ex-HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy Found Not Guilty on All 36 Charges Former HealthSouth CEO and founder Richard Scrushy was found not guilty on 36 charges of fraud, false corporate reporting and making false statements related to the $2.7 billion accounting fraud at HealthSouth.

	June 24, 2005 A State-Owned Chinese Company Submits a Takeover Bid for an American Oil Company CNOOC, a state-owned Chinese company, submitted a $18.5 billion takeover bid Thursday to buy Unocal, Corp., an American oil company. An expert discusses China's oil strategy.

	June 23, 2005 New U.S. Trade Chief Discusses China, CAFTA Rob Portman, the new trade representative, discusses the U.S. trade deficit with China and the controversial Central America Free Trade Agreement.

	June 20, 2005 Credit Card Security Breach After MasterCard International announced that a security breach at CardSystems Solutions Inc., a third-party payment processor, exposed more than 40 million cardholders to potential fraud, CardSystems Solutions admitted it improperly kept consumers' data in its system.

	June 17, 2005 Tyco Trial Guilty Verdict A jury found former Tyco International executives Dennis Kozlowski and Mark Swartz guilty of fraud and grand larceny for stealing $150 million from the company and making $430 million more by manipulating stock prices.

	June 15, 2005 Five-Member Labor Coalition Forms to Force Change The heads of five of the AFL-CIO's largest affiliates announced Wednesday that they would break from the labor union federation to form their own coalition in an effort to boost membership.

	June 13, 2005 African Debt In an effort to bolster struggling nations, G8 finance ministers have agreed to cancel the $40 billion debt that 18 countries owe to the World Bank, IMF and African Development Bank. Two development experts discuss the proposal and what the cancellation could mean for Africa's future.

	June 7, 2005 Members of Congress, Airline Industry Push for Changes in Airline Pension Plans Two airline companies warned Congress that they could go bankrupt if they are not allowed to stretch their pension payments. Ray Suarez leads a discussion on the rising number of failing pension plan.

	June 3, 2005 Political Analysts Assess the Week's Political News Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Jim Lehrer to discuss the revelation of Watergate source Deep Throat, the Guantanamo abuse allegations and SEC chairman nominee Christopher Cox.



	MAY May 31, 2005 Supreme Court Watch The Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned the conviction of now defunct accounting firm Arthur Andersen for destroying Enron Corp.-related documents because of flawed jury instructions.

	May 31, 2005 Russian Oil Tycoon Convicted of Fraud and Tax Evasion A Moscow court sentenced Mikhail Khodorkovsky, founder of Russian oil company Yukos, to nine years in prison after finding him guilty of fraud and tax evasion. President Bush questioned the fairness of Khodorkovsky's trial and expressed concern over Russia's judicial system. Experts discuss Khodorkovsky's trial and conviction.

	May 24, 2005 Famed Economist Galbraith Helped Shape American Economic Policy Business Correspondent Paul Solman of WGBH-Boston looks at the impact of famed economist John Kenneth Galbraith.

	May 23, 2005 Afghan Turmoil Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited President Bush at the White House Monday, where the two leaders discussed the reported maltreatment of Afghan detainees, the spread of poppy cultivation and the autonomy of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

	May 20, 2005 US Air, America West Announce Plans to Merge America West Holdings Corp. agreed to merge with US Airways Inc. in a deal announced Thursday to help the airlines compete with low-cost carriers.

	May 17, 2005 Analyst Gauges Housing Market Boom Following a report on the rising real estate market in Southern California, an analyst discusses the other hot, and not so hot, real estate markets around the country.

	May 16, 2005 Supreme Court on Wine Sales The Supreme Court on Monday struck down state laws banning consumers from buying wine from out-of-state vineyards. The 5-4 ruling called bans on interstate wine shipments discriminatory.

	May 11, 2005 United Airlines Receives Court Approval to Terminate Workers' Pension Plans The day after a bankruptcy judge approved United Airlines' proposal to shed its employee pension plan, the company announced on Wednesday that it lost more than $1 billion in the first three months of this year. Analysts discuss United Airlines next move and the state of the airline industry.

	May 10, 2005 Experts Examine How Brain Makes Economic Decisions Paul Solman investigates what really goes on in our heads when we make economic decisions. Researchers are beginning to understand how the pre-frontal cortex, or more often our "lizard brain," drives our decisions in the stock market.

	May 9, 2005 Job Opportunities for College Graduates Expected to Increase Job creation numbers were unexpectedly high in a new report released by the government Sunday. Experts take a look at the employment picture facing new college graduates and young adults.

	May 9, 2005 New Bankruptcy Bill Increases Regulation on Credit Counseling Agencies Correspondent Jeffrey Kaye of KCET-Los Angeles reports on the potential impact of the new bankruptcy bill on the business of credit counseling.

	May 6, 2005 S&P Lowers Credit Rating for U.S. Automakers General Motors and Ford Standard and Poor's downgraded debt ratings for American automakers General Motors and Ford. The lowered credit rating, now at "junk bond" status, is expected to increase borrowing expenses.



	APRIL April 29, 2005 Congress Approves a New $2.6 Trillion Budget for 2006 Congress this week approved a $2.6 trillion budget plan for 2006, which calls for new tax cuts and spending reductions in the next five years.

	April 28, 2005 The Mixed Blessings of State-Sponsored Gambling Jeffrey Kaye of KCET-Los Angeles takes a look at some troubled gamblers.

	April 28, 2005 U.S. Economy Endures Slowest GDP Growth in Two Years The Commerce Department released a report Thursday, which stated that the gross domestic product increased 3.1 percent from January to March, down from 3.8 percent the previous quarter. Economists discuss the trends taking place in their regions across the United States.

	April 27, 2005 Supreme Court Watch The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a case stemming from the collapse of Enron. Several justices expressed their dismay with the way a jury was instructed before convicting accounting firm Arthur Andersen of obstructing justice.

	April 21, 2005 Former Gangster Tells His Story of Reform In the second of a two-part series on how families are faring in the era of welfare reform, business correspondent Paul Solman of WGBH-Boston looks at the role of fathers and one man's success story.

	April 18, 2005 U.S. Money Markets Slump Amid High Oil Prices and Under U.S. markets last week saw their worst week since August, besieged by an under-performing technology sector and a growing trade deficit. Two financial analysts discuss the struggling stock market.

	April 15, 2005 The IRS Promises to Close the Growing Tax Gap by Targeting Tax Cheats As last-minute filers send in their tax forms before midnight Friday, Mark Everson, commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, speaks about the growing "tax gap" and how the IRS is trying to close it.

	April 12, 2005 Despite Complexity, Millions of Americans will File Taxes by April 15 As the April 15 tax deadline approaches, business correspondent Paul Solman of WGBH-Boston reports on the difficulty of filing taxes.

	April 12, 2005 U.S. Trade Deficit Grew to Record $61 Billion in February The U.S. trade deficit grew to a record high of $61 billion in February, due in part to high oil prices and Chinese imports. Two business experts join Ray Suarez to discuss the growing gap.

	April 12, 2005 Three Men Indicted on Allegations of Terror Plot The U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday that three men have been indicted in connection to an alleged plot to attack financial institutions in New York, northern New Jersey and Washington, D.C.

	April 8, 2005 San Francisco Program Combats Homelessness with Innovation A new program provides San Francisco's homeless with services and housing instead of money.

	April 7, 2005 Community Redevelopment Reforms Spark Funding Concerns The Bush administration has proposed consolidating a federal program designed to rebuild struggling urban neighborhoods with other community development initiatives, prompting concerns that the 30-year-old program may lose part of its funding.

	April 6, 2005 Challenges in China Two members of Congress who recently traveled to China discuss the country's growing economic power, the U.S. trade deficit, and human rights issues.



	MARCH March 30, 2005 Age Discrimination The Supreme Court Wednesday ruled that workers as young as 40 can sue employers for age discrimination. A Supreme Court reporter explains the ruling.

	March 30, 2005 Frank Ahrens Discusses Prospects for the Satellite Radio Industry Frank Ahrens, the Washington Post's business reporter for the media and entertainment industry, discusses the appeal of satellite radio, its emerging business model and the challenges facing the broadcast radio industry.

	March 30, 2005 Little Steven Discusses Satellite Radio's Impact on Commercial Radio Little Steven Van Zant, the longtime guitarist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and host of the nationally syndicated "Little Steven's Underground Garage" on both broadcast radio and Sirius Satellite Radio, discusses how satellite will influence broadcast radio and why the new medium means so much to him.

	March 30, 2005 Scott Greenstein of Sirius Discusses the Growing Appeal of Satellite Radio Scott Greenstein, president of Entertainment and Sports at Sirius Satellite Radio, discusses how satellite radio enables consumers to personalize their radio programming and the company's visions for the future.

	March 25, 2005 The Aceh Province Continues to Struggle in the Aftermath of the December Tsunami Some three months after the earthquake and tsunami devastated the Aceh region in northern Indonesia, an ITN reporter examines the social, economic and spiritual impact of the widespread decimation.

	March 25, 2005 Shields and Brooks Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss the Terri Schiavo case, the president's Social Security plan and possible 2008 presidential candidates.

	March 23, 2005 Treasury Secretary Snow Optimistic on Economy The Consumer Price Index, a key measure of inflation in the United States, rose again Wednesday. Treasury Secretary John Snow discusses inflation, rising energy costs, Social Security and the state of the U.S. economy.

	March 22, 2005 Record Gas Prices Could Harm Economy As average U.S. gasoline prices reached record highs of close to $2.10 a gallon this week, energy and economic experts discuss the factors behind the rising oil prices.

	March 18, 2005 The Bodies of 18 Coal Miners Found From an Underground Blast in Southwest China In southwestern China, the bodies of 18 coal miners were found from a blast that took place Thursday afternoon in the town of Xinzhen. An Independent Television News report on the dangerous conditions in China's coal mining industry.

	March 15, 2005 Bernard Ebbers Guilty of Conspiracy and Fraud Former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers was convicted of conspiracy and fraud Tuesday. A reporter and a formal federal prosecutor who also worked for the Securities and Exchange Commission discuss the verdict and its possible impact.

	March 14, 2005 Disney's Troubled Kingdom For the first time in 21 years, a new chief executive will be running The Walt Disney Co. The company's Board of Directors selected president Robert Iger to succeed Michael Eisner, who announced last year his plans to resign this September. Terence Smith speaks with an author and journalist about the future of Disney.

	March 11, 2005 Judge Cites Trade Secrets in Ruling Against Bloggers A judge on Friday ordered three bloggers to reveal confidential sources in a lawsuit brought by Apple Computer Inc., ruling that they were not protected by the First Amendment because they published trade secrets.

	March 9, 2005 Labor Leaders Look to Revitalize Movement in Era of Decline In an era of downsized unions, labor leaders debate how to revitalize the movement. Jeffrey Kaye looks at the outside hits and internal struggles of labor unions in the United States.

	March 4, 2005 Shields and Brooks Discuss Social Security and Tax Reform NewsHour analysts Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss President Bush's plan to overhaul the Social Security system and a proposal by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan to introduce a national sales tax.

	March 3, 2005 Federal Judge Postpones Reopening of U.S. Borders for Canadian Beef On Wednesday, a federal judge in Montana postponed the March 7 reopening of U.S. borders to Canadian shipments of cattle and beef products. Fred de Sam Lazaro of Twin Cities Public Television looks at the debate.

	March 3, 2005 Consumption Tax Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan met with President Bush's Federal Advisory Panel on Fundamental Tax Reform on Thursday. He said a system that combines elements of consumption and income taxes might be the best way to overhaul the nation's tax system. A discussion on the pros and cons of a consumption tax.

	March 3, 2005 Michael Powell Unplugged Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell announced in January that he was stepping down in March. Powell has been the FCC chairman since 2001 and a member of the panel since 1998. Two experts analyze the FCC's future for the new incoming chairman.

	March 2, 2005 Senate Debates Changes to Bankruptcy Laws A bill up for debate in the Senate will make it harder for people to walk away from personal debts such as credit cards after they have declared bankruptcy.



	FEBRUARY Feb. 28, 2005 Called to Account Former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers on trial for an $11 billion accounting fraud was called to the witness stand by his lawyers. Ebbers categorically denied any involvement in the scandal that resulted in the nation's largest bankruptcy case.

	Feb. 24, 2005 Stealing Identities The Federal Trade Commission estimates that 10 million Americans are victims of identity theft every year. Ray Suarez leads a discussion with two privacy experts about the growing problem of identity theft.

	Feb. 23, 2005 Called to Account Federal prosecutors rested their case against former Worldcom CEO Bernard Ebbers on Wednesday after 16 days of testimony. Ebbers is accused of orchestrating an $11 billion accounting fraud and faces up to 85 years in prison. A New York Times reporter speaks about the Ebbers' trial.

	Feb. 10, 2005 Fallen Star: Carly Fiorina Hewlett-Packard Co. appointed an interim chief executive Thursday to replace Carly Fiorina, who was ousted Wednesday amid differences with the computer company's board. A report on Fiorina's rise and fall.

	Feb. 9, 2005 Is Your Charity Efficiently Spending Your Donation? The Asian tsunami disaster encouraged people around the world to give to relief efforts and non-profit organizations. But is the charity you're giving to using your money the way you specifically requested? A report on the economics of distributing charitable donations.

	Feb. 8, 2005 Congress Opens Hearings on President Bush's Budget Proposal Congress opened hearings Tuesday on President Bush's $2.57 trillion budget proposal. Kwame Holman reports on the emerging battle in the Congress.

	Feb. 8, 2005 Congress Debates President Bush's Budget Proposal For A Second Straight Day Congress opened hearings Tuesday on President Bush's $2.57 trillion budget proposal. Analysts discuss the plan, which faces opposition from many Democrats and even some Republicans, and its prospects for passing in the House and Senate.

	Feb. 7, 2005 President Bush sends $2.57 Trillion Budget Proposal to Congress President Bush sent Congress a $2.57 trillion budget proposal Monday. Kwame Holman reports on the budget plan that seeks domestic cuts and foreign aid increases.

	Feb. 7, 2005 President Bush Submits 2.57 Trillion Budget Proposal to Congress President Bush sent Congress a $2.57 trillion budget proposal Monday. Sens. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., and Kent Conrad, D-N.D., debate the priorities laid out by the plan.

	Feb. 2, 2005 State of the Union 2005 In the first half of his address, President Bush stressed the need to increase the economic opportunities at home by making tax cuts permanent, investing in education as well as reforming the Social Security system.



	JANUARY Jan. 31, 2005 SBC and AT&T to Become Nation's Largest Telecom Firm Telecom giants SBC Communications, Inc. and AT&T announced on Sunday plans for a $16 billion merger. Two telecom analysts explain the merger and the possibility for a "wave" of similar mergers in the near future.

	Jan. 24, 2005 High Oil Prices Have Unexpected Benefits In part two of his two-part series, business correspondent Paul Solman of WGBH-Boston reports on who benefits from high oil prices.

	Jan. 21, 2005 High Prices of Oil Have Surprising Winners and Losers Business correspondent Paul Solman of WGBH-Boston looks at the consequences of high oil prices.

	Jan. 18, 2005 Giant of the Sky Airbus on Tuesday unveiled its Airbus A380, the largest passenger plane in the world. An Independent Television News report on the new airplane is followed by a discussion on Airbus' and Boeing's fight for supremacy in the skies with an aviation reporter for the Financial Times.

	Jan. 7, 2005 Airline Shakeout Major airlines are restructuring fares in what looks to be industry-wide overhaul. Correspondent Jeffrey Brown talks with an aviation industry expert about the major carriers' decision to cut airline fares.

	Jan. 6, 2005 World Leaders Meet in Indonesia for Tsunami Emergency Relief Summit World leaders met Thursday in Indonesia at an emergency aid summit for tsunami relief efforts. Margaret Warner talks with the World Bank director for Indonesia about the meeting in Jakarta.