Seems to me that the bubba news awareness campaign is now beginning. The sharks (Geraldo, MSNBC etc) haven't made the leap yet, but I think it's comming. Seems to me that someone turned a switch and said "OK it's time to tell 'em how it really is." The coverage has taken a decidedly negative and realistic turn.

If you don't believe me check out Yahoo coverage for this week: http://headlines.yahoo.com/Full_Coverage/Tech/Year_2000_Problem/

Have you all been seeing increased coverage in your home areas as of late? If so has the slant been more accurate? We need to measure this public awareness carefully as timing is everything in preparations.

Let me know what you're seeing in your local papers.

-- Gordon (g_gecko_69@hotmail.com), July 24, 1999

Answers

Gordon, I dunno. This was the week in which the State Dept. IG revealed that all is blotto abroad, so I think a lot of bad news came from that, but I don't think the tide has turned yet. The mind can still go, "Oh, OTHER countries." It just wasn't the wake-up call, IMHO.

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), July 24, 1999.

See my earlier post today Y2K makes headlines. It's been months since Y2k made the front page. Back in March the Orlando Sentinel was putting Y2k headlines across the front page in red. Then all of the sudden very little or nothing was said about it until today. Bookworm

-- Bookworm (bookworm_2@hotmail.com), July 24, 1999.

Well, the San Francisco Gate (S.F. Chronicle, Examiner & KRON NBC-TV) search for Y2K news is here...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/ keyword/fastfind.cgi?jump=1&word=Y2K&word_option=or&Go.x=63&Go.y=4

And here...

SF Gate Special: Y2K - Approaching the New Millennium (Usually a couple days behind in their linking)

http:// www.sfgate.com/technology/specials/1999/y2k/

Latest story headlines appear to be...

Many countries face Y2K risks, official says
GEORGE GEDDA, Associated Press Writer
Friday, July 23, 1999

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/ article.cgi?file=/news/archive/1999/07/23/national1754EDT0738.DTL

Poll: Three in 10 Americans will stock up in anticipation of Y2K problems
Friday, July 23, 1999

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/ article.cgi?file=/news/archive/1999/07/23/national1453EDT0656.DTL

San Jose Mercury News (Silicon Valley) has a decent set of recent Y2K articles at...

http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/y2k/prep/index.htm

Check out the side bar info...

No one knows for sure what will happen on Jan. 1, when computers are forced to calculate the year 2000. But more than 50 local agencies responding to a Mercury News survey say they will be ready. Below are their answers about the progress they've made in getting ready for Y2K.

(Have to click at the site to launch the remote windows )

 Phone Companies
 Power Companies
 Water Companies
 Airports
 Mass Transportation
 Schools
 Universities
 Cities
 Counties

The Merc Seven Day Search capability seems to be hung up... again.

http://www.mercurycenter.com/resources/search/#sevendays

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 24, 1999.

So far nothing of substance. One letter to the editor last August. No concern from local government or the churches either.

-- a (a@a.a), July 24, 1999.

The Washington Post has done three stories in the last three weeks. The first one was about how FAR behind the city is. The second one was last week, were a reporter interviewed the founder of ASCII. The third was this week in the Food section on how to prepare.

The interesting thing about the Post articles is that they almost seem choreographed. On the front of the articles they practically ridicule y2k then as you turn the pages into the parts where most people don't go-they get to the serious stuff.

For the life of me I don't understand why the stores are not packed after the interview with the ASCII guy. He basically was explaining to the reporter that he has moved from the city and then showed the reporter two water filters that cost him $500.00

-- David Butts (dciinc@aol.com), July 24, 1999.

We had a half or 3/4 page article (back page) in the county daily from the local OES about a week ago on summary of problem and recommendations for preps. We also had a front page on the county seat's rediness and potential problems with its water system and what contingency plans were being put in place.

Prior to that, except for a "prudent prep" article by the UC Extension Home econ. advisor in Feb-March, there were only scattered fillers on the business page.

The weekly rag did a series last Dec.-Jan. Nothing current. It's haying season here, recreation is in full swing and it's Fair Time. Most people don't have time to read the paper anyway.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), July 24, 1999.

Have been noticing the same thing within past two weeks in my area. Good article today in local paper(Saturday edition in fact) from Dallas Morning News about y2k and increase in gas prices at the end of the year. Interesting how still potential problems are being presented sans the "nothing to be worried about" tone that I've noticed previously.

-- Barb (awaltrip@telepath.com), July 24, 1999.

My small city newspaper had an incredibly infantile Sunday section on y2k - local origin - in March, followed by one lone letter to the Editor in irritation at the spin (mine). Nothing since. Our y2k "contact individual" listed on some Gov sites for our area says he's tried to get newspaper announcements of scheduled community y2k meetings & a little coverage - they won't even print announcements. Hard to believe. Total lack of concern & awareness here.

-- Scat (sgcatique@webtv.net), July 24, 1999.

Phoenix Area --

Both major papers covered the survey release that stated 35% were concerned and 25% were going to take out cash. Both papers have begun to increase coverage, and the tone has gotten somewhat more serious.

Barry Young took the survey and ran on Friday during drive time. (910 AM, KFYI). He was lighthearted for the most part, but did seem to focus alot on the bank run angle. "25% of YOU are planning to run the banks, take out cash!". He stated that he was stocking up on the little airline bottles of booze so he would be able to make change in the future barter society. KFYI is planning a show on Monday morning dealing with Y2K. May be a good chance to raise some real questions.

-- ariZONEa (now@home.com), July 25, 1999.

Central NC - some increase in articles, but Raleigh News & Observer Business Editor today says:

http://search.news-observer.com/plweb-cgi/fastweb?getdoc+nao-daily2+na o-daily+151443+0++%28y2k%29%20AND%20%28not%20index%29%3Akeywords%20AND %20%2819990725%29 Sunday, July 25, 1999

Dan Barkin: The real problem with Y2K

More than a trillion dollars has been spent in the past few years by governments and businesses globally to fix their computers so they won't mistake the year 2000 for 1900 and go haywire. An army of programmers and testers has been mobilized in an historic effort to fix this hugely expensive problem. Daily, these same institutions -- banks, airports, utilities -- churn out press releases declaring that their systems are now bulletproof. Trouble is, there's no convincing some people. One recent survey, by U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray of Minneapolis, shows that as much as 25 percent of the American people are worried that the Y2K bug will affect their investments. Another survey, by CDB Research & Consulting of New York, said that 26 percent of high school graduates are concerned about potential disruptions to their daily lives by Y2K problems. It's not terribly surprising, for two reasons. First, Americans have been getting two messages. Even as they are being told that everything is going to be fine, really, they're reading stories and hearing stuff that sow doubts. Example: The Federal Reserve Board just voted 5-0 to approve something called the Century Date Change Special Liquidity Facility. In other words, if worried depositors start pulling their money out of a bank before New Year's Eve, or if some computer glitch wallops a financial institution after Jan. 1, the Fed will be ready with temporary cash. The faithful reader wonders: Is there something I should be worrying about? Example: Half the technology managers surveyed by InformationWeek Research said they wouldn't feel comfortable flying in a commercial airliner between Dec. 30 and Jan. 2. These same managers said they plan to have 69 percent of their staff on call for the weekend beginning Friday, Dec. 31. The faithful reader wonders: What do these people know that I don't know? Example: A survey of investment managers who oversee more than $8 trillion in assets told Merrill Lynch that they expect the world's economy to get a real boost in the second half of this year because consumers and companies will be stocking up on goods, anticipating that the Y2K problems will disrupt supply channels. The F.R. wonders: Am I the only person not stocking up down at Sam's Club? But there's another, more unpleasant reason for skittishness. People don't have as much confidence in their institutions as they once did. After nearly 40 years of the U-2, Vietnam, Watergate and Iran-Contra, it's little wonder a chunk of the populace feels like the truth may be out there, somewhere, but they're not hearing it. I don't foresee planes falling out of the sky, elevators crashing to the basement, stock markets unable to trade, PCs locking up. There may be some isolated problems, but nothing on a dramatic scale. I'm pretty much persuaded that the biggest impact of the Y2K bug in the United States will be the consequences of anxiety, not computer glitches.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), July 25, 1999.

The first y2k article is quite a while appears in todays Chicago Tribune Business Section, the headline is...get ready..."Worries over Y2K bug a waste Bankers stress".

I stopped watching T.V. last spring when the Senate Report was released & the local T.V./Radio reported the opposite of what was actually contained in the report.

Just my view from Chicago Met. area.

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), July 25, 1999.

I think so, but my area is better off than some others.

Today's front-page story: Dallas News on July 25th

-- Anita (spoonera@msn.com), July 25, 1999.