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AnalysisOnline, a service of The Communications Institute, provides objective, non-partisan analysis from leading academic and research institutions on critical public issues.

Headlines

Analysis Online Headlines

May 11
Energy-Related Carbon Emissions Plunge
CO2 emissions were down 7% in 2009 representing the largest decline in recorded history.

May 10
Another Interesting Day on Wall Street
AnalysisOnline provides an economic update after the U.S. stock market posted its biggest one-day gain in over a year on Monday.

May 9
New Arizona Immigration Law: The Result of Years of Problems
The new Arizona immigration law is the result of years of problems and issues in the state. The Arizona Republic publishes a helpful timeline.

May 6
Containment on Sea Floor to Cope with Gulf Oil Spill
BP's Containment Vessel is on the sea floor to curtain the release of oil in to the Gulf

Reports

Immigration
Change in Make-Up of CA Immigrants
A new study predicts that Los Angeles, a favored destination for many immigrants, will become majority California-born by the time the 2010 census is completed.

Economy
California Budget: Issues Remain
California’s budget accord contains program cuts, but fails to address revenue volatility or prepare for looming future needs, according to research by the Public Policy Institute of California.

Energy
Buyer Perspective: Solar Panel "Bargain"
With state rebates, federal tax credits, and price cuts from manufacturers due to depressed demand, solar energy systems are as much as 50 percent off the original price without incentives.

Healthcare
Killing Jobs Through National Healthcare Reform
A new study from Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University uses cost estimates data from the CMS Acutary at the Department of Health and Human Services to find possible job losses from the new health care legislation that could go as high at 700,000.

CBO: Healthcare Reforms Won't Restrain Costs
Healthcare costs are pushing government spending unsustainably high – and there is nothing in Congressional healthcare reform bills that would change that.

Risk
Cutting the Cost of Risk
Some states are dropping expensive reinsurance coverage, which is designed to pay out when disaster pushes claims over-the-top. AnalysisOnline looks at this topic and gives a year-so-far review on risk.

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Mission Statement

The Communications Institute was founded to enhance the ability of society to confront critical public policy issues and make informed decisions. This is achieved through the communication and application of objective, non-partisan research.

Who We Are

The Communications Institute is a consortium of academic and research institutions and scholars with expertise in economics, energy, science, engineering, health care, risk analysis, law, and communications.

Philosophy

Citizens and their elected representatives face important choices in their local communities and at the state and national levels. Sound public policy, a healthy economy, and technological growth rests on informed private decisions and knowledgeable leadership in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. All of these players have an impact on policy decisions, and they need the knowledge to evaluate issues analytically.

During the past half century, traditional media including newspapers and television were the central sources of information for citizens and leaders at all levels, providing vital information and perspectives. That has all changed as the development of a mature Internet has completely and dramatically changed the media landscape.

The 2008 Presidential Election confirmed this fact. Traditional large newspapers and network television are no longer the prime sources of information by voters. Check out this TCI report from the Pew Center.

What We Do

The Internet and new media are at the core of the Institute’s efforts to provide information to thousands of users through its websites www.communicationsinstitute.org and www.analysisonline.org, in addition to in-house video productions. Communication and information sharing are driven by 24-hour news on demand from both old and new media, and the Institute’s programs are geared to that reality. Millions of new sources of information have emerged in the last decade, including internet news and video and interactive forums, and they are of strategic importance to the relevance and growth of the Institute.

In addition to the Institute’s communications initiatives, the organization also conducts educational programs and symposiums working with leading academic and research institutions to enhance the quality of decision making in public policy. The symposiums are attended by policy makers, members of the public and private sectors including leaders from the business and nonprofit arenas, and members of the media. These supplement our new media and publications programs.

Finally, the Institute also conducts research on critical public policy issues jointly with other academic/research institutions. In 2008, the Institute and Arizona State University released its first study focused on energy with the research team coming from Penn State and ASU.

Goals

In this ever-changing and advancing environment, citizens, elected officials, community leaders, and the media play a vital role in how society addresses the critical issues ahead. All of these players have an impact on policy decisions, but they need to be better equipped to evaluate issues analytically.

The United States has a tremendous source of knowledge in its major academic and research institutions that can provide public, private and independent sectors such information to evaluate issues and thereby make informed judgments. The Communications Institute seeks to bring this knowledge to the forefront, thereby improving the decision-making process in the larger society.