Not for All Markets

TLDR: A t times, especially following a major crisis in the nuclear industry or an attack on the global cyberinfrastructure, the office becomes a little media market and reporters contact us seeking a comment that’s provocative, insightful, or counterintuitive, depending upon their tastes.

Abstract: A t times, especially following a major crisis in the nuclear industry or an attack on the global cyberinfrastructure, our office becomes a little media market. Reporters contact us seeking a comment that’s provocative, insightful, or counterintuitive, depending upon their tastes. In exchange, they offer a brief moment of fame, a boost to the ego with a personal appearance on Great Day Pocatello! or a quote in an obituary for someone who might once have been famous. My colleagues and I generally try to approach these transactions rationally, attempting to provide informative answers for educational and policy purposes. However, when the choice is difficult, especially when we’re facing deadlines or working on other tasks, we throw the request onto the trading floor and ask if this question is truly worth our time and effort.