Consumer Reports Announces New Senior Content Team

Consumer Reports Announces New Senior Content Team YONKERS, NY – Consumer Reports today announced four new appointments to help drive the organization’s digital transformation and advance its nonprofit mission to make the marketplace fairer for consumers.  Following last month’s appointment of Jason Fox, former head of global product for Reuters News Agency, as the new Vice President of Digital, Consumer Reports today named Wendy Bounds, who currently heads Consumer Reports’ video division, as Executive Director, Content. Bounds will oversee editorial strategy and content creation for all print and digital products. She joined Consumer Reports after serving at The Wall Street Journal in multiple content leadership and development roles across its digital and print platforms, most recently as managing editor and deputy for a global team of video producers, anchors and technical staff. Erle Norton has been named Executive Editor, Digital, overseeing all of Consumer Reports’ digital content, including its Consumerist blog.  Norton joined Consumer Reports earlier this year as deputy director of video, after a post at ABC News where he was Executive Producer, Digital.  At ABC Norton directed all digital editorial operations, including ABCNews.com, mobile apps and Apple TV. Diane Salvatore, a magazine innovator with more than 20 years of publishing experience, has been promoted to Editor-in-Chief of Consumer Reports magazine. In her new role, Salvatore will reshape the editorial strategy and creative vision for Consumer Reports’ flagship print product, create new opportunities for the magazine’s integration with its digital properties, and continue to expand its coverage of the critical issues facing consumers today. Salvatore joined Consumer Reports in 2013 as Senior Director of Content Strategy and Development. Prior to that she was the Editor-in-Chief at both Prevention and Ladies’ Home Journal.  She succeeds Ellen Kampinsky, who is stepping down after a year at the helm of the magazine. Hired by a prior leadership team to steer the publication through a redesign, Kampinsky helped create a new architecture for the magazine as well as several new editorial features. The organization’s core print and digital offerings will be amplified through social media by a team under the leadership of Kevin Winterfield, who joined Consumer Reports last week as Director of Social Media from IBM, where he was responsible for developing the company’s strategies, standards and processes for social content optimization, and for real-time monitoring and measurement analytics. “We believe these changes will help us deliver what our readers need to know where and when they need it as they face an increasingly complex marketplace and a barrage of competing reviews. By focusing heavily on our digital content and products as well as strengthening our core magazine, we can address what our loyalists want more of and also grow a new and more diverse generation of Consumer Reports fans,” said Marta Tellado, president and CEO of Consumer Reports. As a result of its new digital strategy, Consumer Reports will shift away from smaller print publications, discontinuing ShopSmart magazine and its Money Adviser newsletter but expanding its reach with refreshed and new mobile and web products and services. ShopSmart has 324,000 subscribers and Money Adviser has 135,000.  By contrast, Consumer Reports magazine has 3.6 million subscribers.  There also are more than 3 million subscribers to Consumer Reports Online. About Consumer Reports Consumer Reports is the world’s largest and most trusted nonprofit consumer organization working to improve the lives of consumers by driving marketplace change. Founded in 1936, Consumer Reports has achieved substantial gains for consumers on health reform, food and product safety, financial reform, and other issues. The organization has advanced important policies to cut hospital-acquired infections, prohibit predatory lending practices and combat dangerous toxins in food. Consumer Reports tests and rates thousands of products and services in its 50-plus labs, state-of-the-art auto test center and consumer research center. Consumers Union, a division of Consumer Reports, works for pro-consumer laws and regulations in Washington, D.C., the states, and in the marketplace. With more than eight million subscribers to its flagship magazine, website and other publications, Consumer Reports accepts no advertising, payment or other support from the companies whose products it evaluates.

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Is Charter Communications' bid for Time Warner Cable a bad deal for consumers?

Is Charter Communications’ bid for Time Warner Cable a bad deal for consumers? With all the news about Charter Communications buying Time Warner Cable—as well as the smaller Bright House Networks—a lot of the focus has been on whether the acquisition makes business sense. But what we want to know is, Will the deal be good for consumers?   We’d like to think so, but there’s not a lot of evidence to support the idea that bigger companies do better for their customers. In fact, the opposite is often true, with the biggest companies often notable for high prices, poor service, and disappointing customer satisfaction scores.   That’s why Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, is asking for regulatory scrutiny of the Charter bid for Time Watner Cable. “One of the biggest questions about Charter and Time Warner Cable is whether the deal is in the public interest,“ says Delara Derakhshani, policy counsel for Consumers Union. "Frankly, we’re skeptical. When it comes to cable consolidation, history teaches us to be very concerned about the benefits for consumers. We’re going to meet with federal regulators to make sure the consumer perspective is heard.”   The new deal comes just a month after  Comcast dropped its own bid to acquire Time Warner Cable, after facing resistance from both the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission. Consumers Union and other public-interest groups opposed the Comcast deal. If approved, a combined Charter/Time Warner Cable/Bright House—with nearly 24 million customers in 41 states— would become the nation’s second-largest cable operator, behind only Comcast, which has 27.2 million customers. Charter argues that the merger will enable it to more effectively compete with Comcast and also gain leverage in negotiating with content providers to get better rates for programming. Whether the savings will be passed along to consumers is far from clear; the company will have a lot of debt to repay if this deal is approved. Charter also claims that having a larger national footprint would give it an incentive to invest in areas such as higher-speed broadband, expanded Wi-Fi networks, and new video services. Charter does have some things to recommend it. The company offers relatively fast service, starting at 60Mbps, and unlike some other companies, it doesn’t impose data caps on usage. And it’s come out in support of the new net-neutrality rules, saying it will abide by those tenets regardless of the current legal and legislative challenges to the rules. But there’s no guarantee that these policies will be continued, or applied in new markets. The reality is that cable companies rarely compete in the same markets. In an op-ed piece for Time magazine last month, Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) lamented that even with the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger failing, there’s too little competition in the cable and broadband markets. "As it stands now, 55 percent of U.S. households only have one choice for broadband Internet—and for a majority of those homes, it’s Comcast. Not exactly an incentive for the company to provide first-class service, as many Comcast customers can attest.” His assessment is borne out by Consumer Reports’ annual customer-satisfaction surveys, where larger cable companies typically take a beating when it comes to customer satisfaction. Of the 17 cable providers in this year’s survey, Charter ranked 14th and Time Warner Cable was 16th. The only company to do worse than Time Warner Cable? You gueesed it: Comcast. While most reports have focused on what the deal could mean for TV service, the implications of such mergers are even more pronounced when it comes to Internet service. Many cable companies now have more broadband subscribers than TV customers. And there’s often even less competition among broadband providers, especially where higher-speed Internet service is concerned. That’s something FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler addressed in a speech last September. “Unfortunately, the reality we face today is that as bandwidth increases, competitive choice decreases,” he said. “At 25 Mbps, there is simply no competitive choice for most Americans. Stop and let that sink in … three-quarters of American homes have no competitive choice for the essential infrastructure for 21st-century economics and democracy. Included in that is almost 20 percent who have no service at all! Things only get worse as you move to 50 Mbps, where 82 percent of consumers lack a choice.” That’s why public-interest groups and others are concerned about the rapidly changing, consolidating TV and broadband landscape. While Charter works on its Time Warner Cable deal, AT&T is trying to acquire satellite TV company DirecTV, the country’s second largest pay-TV service, and last week a European telcom operator, Altice, bought a controlling interest in Suddenlink, a small U.S. cable operator. Cablevision is also seen as a possible takeover target, and it’s expected that several other smaller cable companies will come into play. —James K. Willcox Broadband, not pay TV, is what drives most top cable and telecommunications companies. Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

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Take the guesswork out of mattress shopping

Take the guesswork out of mattress shopping Firm or soft? Innerspring or foam? Finding a comfortable mattress is an intensely personal experience. That’s why Consumer Reports encourages shoppers to try any mattress they’re considering by taking the time to lie down on each side, your back, and your stomach if that’s how you sleep. But mattresses also have specific, objective characteristics that can be evaluated in a lab. And that’s where we come in. Here’s how Consumer Reports tests mattresses: Overall score Each mattress we test is awarded a numerical score based on 100 points. Tests for side and back support, durability, and stability carry the most weight. Note that results for adjustable-air mattresses, such as Sleep Number beds, represent an average of firmness levels.   Side sleeping Any mattress you buy should capably support and maintain the horizontal alignment of your spine while you’re lying on your side. To measure this, we use human subjects and graph several points along their spines. With a mattress that scores well in this test, such as the $1,200 Spring Air Back Supporter Natalie foam from Costco, these points remain in line, fairly parallel to the mattress surface. Back sleeping Back strain is one reason you might wake up stiff and sore after a night on your mattress. Our back-support test graphs dozens of points along the spine’s natural curve for a range of adults. Then we record how each mattress maintains that curve while our test subjects lie on their backs. One that did especially well is the $1,500 Charles P. Rogers Powercore Estate 5000 innerspring. Durability Our tests roll years of physical abuse into a few weeks and the best mattresses handle it just fine. Our durability test pushes a 308-pound, cask-shaped roller over each mattress 30,000 times to mimic the typical eight to 10 year lifetime of a mattress. Then we measure for changes in firmness, height (to check for sagging), body support, and damage such as cuts in foam and ripples in areas of typical human contact. One that fared well is the adjustable-air Sleep Number c2 Bed, $700. Stability This is a measure of how much vibration is transmitted across the mattress. With an innerspring, lots of bounciness can result in a restless sleeper on one side of the bed waking up a sound sleeper on the other. We assess this by applying an impact and measuring the number of bounces before the mattress has settled. Models that score decently also get a Yes notation under the “Resists Bounciness “ column under “Features & Specs.” Because some foam mattresses are so soft that you can sink in and find it hard to change positions, we use the same measurements to tell us how easy it is to change sleep position. Here, foam models that score decently are represented in the “Eases Movement” column. Most models we recommend score well on this test. Retains warmth Foam mattresses in particular are criticized for “sleeping warm”—that is, retaining heat. You might want this during the winter, though you’d rather the mattress release heat during the warmer months. We use a temperature-controlled chamber to assess all mattresses for how much body heat they capture. Claimed vs. actual firmness One company’s ultraplush might be another’s supersoft, so we use a machine to apply increasing force to a mattress to measure its firmness. This lets us objectively check claims using precise measurements. We’re testing more models to add to our mattress Ratings, which should help you pre-select models that are tops in back and side support, among other factors. Be sure to see our mattress buying guide before narrowing down your choices. —Ed Perratore (@EdPerratore on Twitter) Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

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Recalled Lincoln MKC gets new shift buttons

Recalled Lincoln MKC gets new shift buttons Late last year, Lincoln recalled the MKC for the replacement of the buttons that make up its dash-mounted shift controls. There was no technical fault that led to this action being taken. Rather, the layout of the buttons that essentially replaced a conventional shift lever were designed poorly. In its original configuration, the start/stop button sits at the bottom of a column of shifter buttons positioned precariously close to the navigation and radio controls. A driver looking to change the radio preset, or perform some other onscreen function, could easily rest his or her thumb on the start/stop button, trying to steady the hand for operating the touchscreen while the vehicle is in motion. At low speeds, this could cause the car to shut off and come to an abrupt halt. This happened to several owners. New parts from Lincoln move the start/stop button to the top of the shift column. After the fix, if you accidentally brace your thumb at the bottom of the shifter, it will hit the S or Sport mode button. We are pleased to see that Lincoln is addressing this design issue, but wonder why the company did not foresee this problem in the car’s development phase. Lincoln is just one of a number of car companies ditching traditional, intuitive driver controls in favor of unique, brand-specific designs. These new shifters might save space, but they can be confusing for the consumer, even potentially dangerous, due to their unusual operation. This is especially a concern for new owners transitioning from the standard design, and for one-time users, like a valet or a friend borrowing the car. We hope that this Lincoln issue, and the fix, serve as a lesson for other automakers designing vehicles with unconventional driver controls. Read our complete Lincoln MKC road test. —George Kennedy Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

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Can hormone therapy really keep you young?

Can hormone therapy really keep you young? Hormone therapy to slow the aging clock sounds enticing. But like anti-aging supplements and many prescription drugs touted to halt age-related decline, taking hormones in the hope of staying youthful longer can not only be ineffective, but it can also be hazardous to your health. Testosterone replacement Ads trumpet the lethargy and lost libido that can accompany low testosterone levels in men. A daily dose of the hormone, the ads suggest, will take care of “low T,” boosting your sex drive and helping you reclaim your more energetic self. Reality check. Testosterone treatments are Food and Drug Administration-approved only for men with diagnosed hypogonadism, a failure to produce enough testosterone because of disorders of the testicles, pituitary gland, or brain. The American Association of Clinical Endo­crinologists and the Endocrine Society advise against prescribing them without a confirmed deficiency. That’s because the therapy has risks. The FDA recently required prescription testosterone (including AndroGel, Aveed, Axiron, Fortesta, and Testim) to carry a warn­ing about the possible higher risk of heart attack and stroke. In June 2014 the agency began to require a warning about blood-clot risks. Other research suggests that the treatment might encourage the growth of existing prostate cancer, boost the risk of sleep apnea, and cause an enlarged prostate, enlarged or painful breasts, swollen feet, and a lower sperm count. If you’re experiencing low energy or libido, see a doctor. Stress, medications, diabetes, obesity, or too little sleep or exercise might be at fault. Learn why you should also skip “anti-aging” pills, and see our Choosing Wisely campaign to find out more about how to avoid unnecessary medical care. Human growth hormones HGH fuels growth in children and adolescents, and helps maintain tissue and organs. Some say that injections of it can increase muscle mass, reduce body fat, aid skin elasticity, and slow bone loss. Reality check. The FDA has approved HGH only for three adult conditions, including growth-hormone deficiency caused by pituitary damage. For anyone else, taking it is a risky proposition. It’s illegal for doctors to write prescriptions for—and distribute—HGH for anti-aging. Any benefits may be modest and tem­porary. HGH can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, swelling, joint pain, organ enlargement, and type 2 diabetes. It may also increase cancer risk. “Stay away from any product that claims it will make you live longer, especially if it’s combined with growth hormone,” says S. Jay Olshansky, Ph.D., a professor of public health at the University of Illinois in Chicago. “Growth hormone may make you live ‘shorter.’ ” Bioidentical hormones Prescription hormone therapy (HT) is generally considered to be a reasonable short-term solution for hot flashes and other menopause symptoms. But some people recommend long-term use of compounded bioidentical hormones to help women look and feel younger, says Margery Gass, M.D., executive director of the North American Menopause Society. (She says that bioidentical hormones are chemically the same as hormones that your body produces. Compounded drugs are mixed in certain pharmacies.) And some claim that compounded bioidenticals are superior to traditional HT because they’re customized. Reality check. Compounded bioiden­tical hormones aren’t approved by the FDA (though some traditional HTs have FDA-approved bioidentical hormones), so there’s no guarantee that they contain safe levels of hormones. Compounded bioidenticals carry the same risks as traditional HT—an increased likelihood of blood clots, breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. And those risks grow with long-term use. Estriol, a type of estrogen, is found in some compounded formulations, but its safety and effectiveness aren’t known. So avoid compounded bioidenticals. If you think that you need HT to ease menopause symptoms, discuss the risks and benefits with a doctor, Gass says. A version of this article appeared in the June 2015 Consumer Reports on Health newsletter. Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

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Pros and cons of gas and electric pressure washers

Pros and cons of gas and electric pressure washers Professional cleaning at a do-it-yourself price has helped move pressure washers beyond the tool-rental shop and into your local home center. Lower prices and less upkeep explain why 60 percent of buyers choose an electric pressure washer. But gas machines have roughly twice the cleaning power, which is the main reason you’ll see fewer plug-in models at the big-box stores, where most pressure washers are sold. Pressure washers use a gas engine or electric motor, pump, and concentrating nozzle to boost water pressure from your garden hose as much as 60 times. That lets them blast away deck mildew, driveway stains, and other grunge a hose can’t touch while cleaning chairs, siding, and other items more quickly and easily than you could with a scrub brush. For as little as $90 for electric machines and $300 for gas, owning one is a tempting alternative to renting one for $50 to $90 per day. Consumer Reports’ previous tests of pressure washers on an array of outdoor surfaces confirmed that gas-powered machines have a clear performance edge over electrics. But more pressure also means more chance of injury with any pressure washer. Especially with gas models, it’s easy to damage what you’re cleaning. We’re bringing in a new batch of pressure washers for testing to see if performance has changed. More power, more risk Water pressure is typically measured in pounds per square inch (psi). Gas-powered models typically put out 2,000 to 2,800 psi of pressure compared with 1,300 to 1,700 psi for electric models. Much higher pressure allowed the top-performing gas machines to clean a grimy concrete patio three times faster than the fastest electrics. Gas models were up to 10 times faster at stripping paint off vinyl siding, a test we used to simulate tough stains. On the downside, all of the gas models required more caution and control than the electrics to avoid splintering and etching wooden tables and other surfaces. Faster is noisier All the gas pressure washers produced at least 85 decibels (dBA), the threshold at which we recommend hearing protection. Electric models averaged 78 dBA when running and are silent with their triggers released, since doing so stops the motor. Protect yourself and your property Injuries involving pressure washers are estimated to affect more than 6,000, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Typical mishaps include chemical burns to the eyes and skin abrasions. You can also be injured by material shot back at you. To protect yourself and what you’re cleaning: • Wear safety glasses or goggles, shoes, and, with gas models, hearing protection. • Start with the nozzle 2 feet away from the cleaning surface and move closer as needed, but no closer than 6 inches. • Set the nozzle to the widest spray angle that removes the stain. • Practice first by cleaning a hidden area. • Point the nozzle away from legs, feet, people, and pets, as well as lights, air conditioners, and other electrical devices. • Be wary of using solid-stream nozzles and settings, which can cause the most harm. You’ll find models from Black & Decker, Briggs & Stratton, Craftsman, Excell, Homelite Husky, Karcher, and Troy-Bilt at home centers and dealers. Gas-powered pressure washers Best for: Quickly cleaning decks, siding, and other large areas as well as whisking away gum, sap, and tough stains. They pump out 2,000 to 2,800 pounds per square inch (psi) of water pressure vs. 1,000 to 1,800 psi for electrics, allowing gas models to clean a grimy concrete patio three times faster than the fastest electrics. But: Downsides include added noise and weight, and the need for pull-starting, fuel-mixing, and tuneups. Pumps must be winterized with anti-freeze in colder areas, since gas machines shouldn’t be stored inside a home. Gas models also require more caution and control than the electrics to avoid injuries and damaging wood and other soft surfaces. Price: $200 to $500. Electric pressure washers Best for: Small decks and patios, furniture, and other lighter-duty jobs that emphasize cleaning over stain removal. They’re relatively light and quiet, require little upkeep, and create no exhaust emissions. They start and stop with a trigger and are small enough to be stored indoors without winterizing. But: Less pressure means slower cleaning. Wands and nozzles are less-sturdy plastic, not metal. And you need to be near an outlet. Price: $90 to $180. A soap tank saves you the hassle of using separate containers. Tool and cord storage is a plus, as are wheels for heavier models. Adjustable nozzles are more convenient than replaceable nozzles; a twist changes spray width or pressure. But replaceable nozzles allow specific spray angles, broadening your options. Wash the car? Maybe not. Practically any pressure washer can handle decks, walks, and other typical cleaning tasks. They’re also forceful enough to harm a car’s paint, which is why we suggest using a hose for cars. Don’t buy solely on specs Retailers and manufacturers often push lofty numbers for water pressure and volume. Some talk about “cleaning units,” which are simply pressure multiplied by volume. —Ed Perratore (@EdPerratore on Twitter) Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

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What's the right size for carry-on luggage?

What’s the right size for carry-on luggage? In the 2009 film “Up in the Air,” George Clooney’s character Ryan Bingham extols the virtue of the carry-on, telling Anna Kendrick’s Natalie Keener that an airline traveler loses a ton of time by checking a piece of luggage and having to get it from baggage claim: “35 minutes a flight. I travel 270 days a year. That’s 157 hours. That makes seven days. You’re willing to throw away an entire week on that?” Even if you travel a small fraction of the amount that Clooney’s frequent-flying corporate hatchet man did, carry-on luggage might still have big appeal to you. Most U.S. airlines don’t charge a fee for one carry-on bag, though most do hit you up to check a bag.  Where it gets tricky is selecting a carry-on that meets an airline’s size restrictions. Use these tips to find carry-on luggage that will measure up. For more information, check our luggage buying guide. Also, find out why buying a new carry-on bag can save you money. Sizing it up When airlines refer to “carry-on luggage” or “carry-on baggage,” they mean the bag that meets size specifications to store it in the overhead bin.  Trouble is, there is no such thing as a standard carry-on size. Every U.S. airline has its own rules. The big three—American, Delta, and United/U.S. Airways—have settled on a uniform size (for now). It’s 22 inches high x 9 inches deep x 14 inches wide—these are external dimensions, including wheels and the handle. A few U.S. airlines are more generous with their carry-on size allowance, but some also impose weight restrictions and/or fees for carry-on baggage. If you are traveling on a foreign airline on a flight that begins or ends in the United States, the rules of the U.S. partner airline apply. However, for flights that begin and end outside of the United States, all bets are off. The U.S. lowest common denominator of 22 inches high x 9 inches deep x 14 inches wide is rarely the right shape or size for out-of-country travel. In general—and it’s always wise to check before you fly—foreign flights without a stop in the United States require a shorter bag, usually 21 inches, but it can often be wider, and it is typical for weight restrictions to apply. What size should you get? It’s easy if you only travel on one airline: Check the allowable carry-on size and buy one that fits. If you don’t play favorites with airlines, you have to decide if you want to buy the smallest bag that will get you onto any plane, or if you want to buy two or more to take advantage of the opportunity to use a larger carry-on on airlines that permit it. How do you know the bag’s dimensions? This is a trickier question than you would think. First rule of thumb: Ignore hang tags, advertisements, and website product descriptions that proclaim something like “Official Carry-On Size.” Even crazier: Ignore the stated measurements listed. Frequently, the measurements are inaccurate. When buying online, ask the seller if the given size reflects the external dimensions including wheels and handles. When buying at a brick-and-mortar retailer, bring a tape measure to check for yourself. Remember: with the bag standing vertically, measure from the floor to the top of the handle (retracted) for height; front to back at its widest point for the depth; and left to right at the widest point for the width. Capacity Once you’ve identified a few bags that meet your size requirements, compare the interior packing space. Get a carry-on that has as much interior capacity as possible. Don’t judge the capacity—measured in cubic inches/centimeters or in liters—based on exterior dimensions: Two bags with the same external dimensions can have wildly different internal capacity. How do you measure the packing capacity? Outside of creating a lab project for an applied physics class, you can’t. So you have to inspect the bag for certain tell-tale signs, such as: Squared edges. Interior volume is sacrificed with curved corners. No protrusions. An exterior, protruding pouch reduces total packing space. Compartments accessible from outside the bag should be configured as inline pockets, not pouches that appear as protrusions. No wheels. If you really need every possible inch of interior space, forgo wheels. While the wheels contribute to the overall dimensions of the bag, they displace potential packing area. Externally mounted handle. This would be a best-case scenario. Most handles are mounted internally. But if you absolutely must be able to harness every square inch of packing space, external is the way to go. Weight A lightweight, wheeled carry-on-size bag will be 7.5 pounds or less, experts say. Weight becomes particularly important on flights outside the United States, where carry-on weight is usually taken into account. Some U.S. airlines as well are beginning to impose weight restrictions on carry-on. You want to avoid heavy bags that, when empty, use up too much of the total allowable weight. —Susan Feinstein Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

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