Please Help Us Find A Name

Our team has been working behind the scenes for months to build NPR's new narrative approach to global economics coverage.

We have one of the best radio stories I've heard in a long time ready to put on the air.

We have five lovely podcasts ready for your iPod, including one in which my 25-year-old college dropout cousin and an international business expert make me look like both a snob and an idiot.

We have three awesome videos, including one of a Marxist money manager (no joke, he manages many millions) giving a tour of Greenwich Village and telling us which parts Karl Marx would like and which he'd hate.

We are ready to go.

But we can't go. We can't be on the radio or start our podcast or launch our video stories until we have a name.

Help us, please, find a name for our new team approach to economic and business coverage.

Continue reading "Please Help Us Find A Name" »

Adam Davidson

9:27 AM ET | 08-31-2008 | permalink | comments (17) | e-mail post

My Kingdom For A Name

I did not realize how common this naming crisis is.

Adam Davidson

3:19 PM ET | 08-30-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Any Name Will Do?

So, World of Money is taken. Trademarked. A lawsuit waiting to happen.

We need a new name.

As we squander the last weekend of summer doodling and brainstorming the words global and economy, I thought this would make a fun break:

Congress Struggles To Come Up With Cool Name For Anti-Drug Initiative

Adam Davidson

12:03 PM ET | 08-30-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

FAQs About 'Planet Money'

What is "Planet Money?"

"Planet Money" is an NPR multimedia team covering the global economy. It's also the name of our blog, Twitter feed and podcast.

We think a lot of people feel overwhelmed by the global economy. They know it's affecting their lives. But they don't know how to dive in, and they don't find most stories in most media outlets helpful.

We think this because we feel the same way. But we're lucky. We work at NPR and can call the leading economic thinkers and ask them to explain things to us. Slowly.

So we're building what we hope will be a fun, safe, exciting, accessible place for people to explore the global economy and what it's doing to them. We have two rules for ourselves: 1. Everything has to be interesting (and, preferably, fun or funny or poignant or somehow grabby). 2. Everything should be economically smart, but not economically dull.

What can I expect to find here?

Explanations. News. Debate. Slideshows. Audio. Video. Answers to really hard questions, like "Why do malls close?" or "What is money?"

So what is money?

Check back with us on that one, please.

Who posts on the "Planet Money" blog?

Regular contributors include Adam Davidson, David Kestenbaum, Alex Blumberg and Laura Conaway. We're always looking for guest writers with smart takes on the economy.

Who can comment?

Anyone, but play fair, please.

Do you have rules about what can or cannot be said in the comments?

You bet. Please see our guidelines for commenting.

Will blog comments be read in podcasts or radio stories?

That's entirely possible. We want this to be a two-way street.

What if I want to e-mail you privately?

We're all ears, at globaleconomy[at]npr[dot]org.

Can I suggest topics or stories?

We'd love that. Drop us a line.

Can I link to your blog?

That would be great.

Will you link to my blog?

Maybe, if you're writing about the economy. It's worth asking us.

Can you tell me what to do with my 401(k)?

No. That's above our pay grade. For personal finance, we like the Bogleheads.

Laura Conaway

2:29 PM ET | 08-28-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Guidelines for Commenting

We're all in this together. The global economy is made up of complicated, nuanced, prickly stuff. The "Planet Money" team aims to understand it, but we don't pretend to know it all. We expect the same from you.

Be polite. No slandering, no lying, no cheating, no plagiarizing, no threatening, no harassing, no sexism, no racism, no posting other people's private information, no words you couldn't say on broadcast radio.

Ask questions. You have nothing to fear but a lack of curiosity.

Focus, people. Stay on topic. A few paragraphs can usually get any. If you've got something longer to say, let us know and we'll consider finding you some real estate.

If you're trying to sell something -- vacuum cleaners, financial services, conspiracy theories, whatever -- you're knocking on the wrong door.

Support your points -- You'll just look silly if you say someone is a moron without explaining precisely why they are a moron. This also goes for political discourse. We don't want to hear, "Obama is awesome," or "McCain is the right guy for the job." Tell us why. Specifically.

People wishing to read these in rules in longer, more legalistic form should see NPR.org's Terms of Use.

Laura Conaway

3:15 PM ET | 08-20-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post