Daily Archives: 01/24/2012

(Community Matters) Senator Kirk Watson has organized a committee to coordinate the expansion of medical services, education and research in Central Texas. This afternoon, a group of us who have been discussing the quality and comprehensiveness of cancer care in Central Texas agreed to serve as the working group studying and recommending on oncology.

Our first order of business (which we were prepared to do last year but held off until understanding more about the Senator’s initiative) is an environmental assessment.We know there are good assets already here. We don’t know if they are configured optimally nor if we have all that would ensure comprehensive cancer care for Central Texans.

Good overview from Kirk about the initiative. I hadn’t realized how significant a problem we already have re: too few physicians – about 600 fewer than we need to serve the amount of people already here (ie., about 15% fewer than the 3,600 estimated already operating here). This problem will escalate as more people have access to primary care through health care reform.

(Community Matters) Wall Street Journal – Hill Top Views in Austin

(Community Matters)  In a 2010 Pew survey: roughly a third of Americans get their news online, another third from radio and slightly less from daily newspapers. Online jumps to 44% when cell phones, email, social networks and podcasts are added in. Radio and tv have declined precipitously since 1991 (when they accounted for 54% and 56%, respectively). Three quarters of Americans followed the news. Rather than replacing sources, Americans have integrated. More than half of those in their 30s rely on digital platforms for their news.

For some news audiences, such as regular NPR listeners, no single reason [ *]stands out as to why people watch, read or listen: 28% of regular NPR listeners cite several, or all, of the reasons listed, while nearly as many say they listen for the latest news (21%) or for in-depth reporting (20%).

* latest headlines, in-depth news, views & opinions, entertainment, mixed and all

When it comes to radio, Democrats (14%) and independents (14%) are more likely than Republicans (6%) to say they regularly listen to NPR. Nearly a quarter of liberal Democrats (23%) regularly get news from NPR, compared with 10% of conservative and moderate Democrats, 8% of moderate and liberal Republicans and 6% of conservative Republicans. [ the big news here is that 6% of Rs regularly listen to NPR – as opposed to only 14% of Ds and 14% of Independents – thus, Rs are a big demographic of NPR listeners]

Sources: Pew Research Center

(Community Matters) David Armbrust’s son John has launched an East Austin charter school. John’s impressive story in a Duke University newsletter.