Of Consuming Interest

Of Consuming Interest is a weekly show examining the most important consumer issues today.


  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Herb Weisbaum, contributing editor at Consumers’ Checkbook Magazine, who discusses wiping personal data off devices before recycling them, the questions to ask before joining a gym and the move to…
    February 24, 2024
  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Tom Gordon, the executive director of Responsive Law, who discusses actions being taken to make the legal system more accessible and affordable to consumers. In addition, he describes the need…
    February 17, 2024
  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with WalletHub’s Cassie Happe, who discusses a study on the most dangerous cities in the country and some of the factors that contribute to the ratings. While homicides have seen a…
    February 10, 2024
  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Mike McCartin of Joseph W. McCartin Insurance to discusses travel insurance, ways to save on your auto insurance and the importance of reading the fine print.
    February 3, 2024
  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Debra Berlyn, the executive director of the Project to Get Older Adults onLine (Project GOAL), about what the latest consumer electronics show in Las Vegas has to offer the cyber-savvy…
    January 27, 2024
  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Tom Gordon of Responsive Law, who discusses the push for better and more affordable access to the legal system. He outlines things that are positive in this direction as well…
    January 20, 2024
  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Christie Matherne, an editor at Wallethub, to discuss a Federal Reserve report that found credit card debt increased by $1.27 trillion in 2023, a 6 % increase over the previous…
    January 13, 2024
  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Daniel Turner, the founder of Power the Future, who discusses how the drive to eliminate the use of fossil fuels could affect production of thousands of items we depend on,…
    January 6, 2024
  • Host Shirley Rooker talks with Kevin Brasler of Checkbook Magazine, who discusses the difficulties facing homeowners trying to remodel their homes, including shortages of supplies and workers. He also talks about the importance of finding…
    December 30, 2023
  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Ben Lieberman, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. He discusses the push to make household products such as air conditioners and washing machines more energy efficient and the negative effects…
    December 23, 2023
  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Debra Berlyn, the executive director of The Project to Get Older Adults onLine (GOAL), about innovations at the The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), that could make life simpler for consumers, particularly for seniors…
    December 16, 2023
  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Wayne Crews of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, who discusses the tens of thousands of federal regulations which cost $1.939 trillion annually. The guest offers reforms designed to get control of…
    December 9, 2023
  • Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Mark Jamison of the American Enterprise Institute, who discusses the reasons government regulation of what we see on social media is a threat to democracy.
    December 2, 2023
  • Host Shirley Rooker speak with WalletHub’s Jill Gonzalez to discuss a study that found consumers are willing to go into debt for the new iPhone. However, there are plans that will reduce the cost. And…
    November 25, 2023