http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wium/local-wium-980261.mp3
Macomb, IL – The panelists discuss why they think coverage of America's space program declined over the years.
The Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs were extensively covered by the media from the late 1950s through the mid-70s. Coverage of NASA dropped off during the Shuttle missions unless disaster struck.
The panelists say it's possible the public started considering the missions to be routine, even though space travel remains a complicated undertaking.
Panelist Mike Murray also points out the space program was once considered an important part of national security. But the threat disappeared once the Soviet Union fell in the late 1980s and early '90s.
In the coming years, it might be more difficult to cover space flights if they're increasingly done by private companies rather than a government agency.