Does Anyone in the press understand economics?

I just read an article put out by Reuters under the headline, "Data shows economic recovery still on track". Being charitable to the reporter Lucia Mutikani, it was written by someone who was completely unaware of the meaning of what she was writing. Here is a sample: "A weak labor market has been undermining the economy's recovery from its longest and deepest downturn in 70 years, but a few rays of light are starting to poke through the dark cloud of unemployment." In truth, a weak labor moarket is a direct result of the failure of the economy to recover from the recession. The lack of jobs stems from the lack of economic activity and not the other way around. The article's statement is akin to a war correspondent writing that the high casualties in war are undermining the chances for peace when, in truth, it is the lack of peace that leads to high casualties.

Here is another gem: "A widening trade deficit weighs on growth because it shows more domestic demand is being met by overseas production." Another distortion. A widening trade deficit could be the result of faster growth in the economy that is causing higher incomes among consumers to result in more imports. the real truth is that a widening trade deficit by itself tells us nothing about growth prospects in the economy.

It would be a waste of time to give a full critique of this article. The point, howeer, is this: major news organizations have reporters covering economic topics who have no idea at all about the subject matter they are covering. It makes no sense for this to be done this way. Indeed, all that happens is that reporters just spread whatever they are told as some sort of gospel. The result is never good.