Media

The media has recently neglected coverage of student loan issues facing many students today. A Tyndall Analysis Report showed that between 2008 and 2013, there have been only 27 news stories on student loan debt between the top three news networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC.

According an annual report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, student loans have increased by $53 billion in the past year alone, for a total of $1.08 trillion in debt as of December 2013. Student loan debt has now surpassed auto and credit card loan to make up the largest part of non-housing household debt. However, the ratio of media coverage on college loan debt to that of credit card debt is 1:8, according to a 2012 article on Forbes.

In order to put the student loan crisis at the forefront of Congress’ attention, much more extensive media coverage of the student loan debt issue than is now found is necessary. Media stories by the nation’s top networks are able to grab the attention of the country and help put student loan debt on the agenda with a strong force of public opinion.