National Public Radio has for decades been heralded as one of the last outposts of unbiased news gathering in the US media. Not surprising then, that one of the most popular news programs, “Marketplace” took an eye-opening look at the truth behind payday loans and how are serving American consumers.

The report was an honest look at how payday loans have become a responsible and necessary form of lending for millions of Americans that need financial relief between paydays. Completely unbiased, the reporting provided all sides of the story, not merely the unsubstantiated view of payday lenders as ‘loan sharks’, which is a popular, if completely uncredited, viewpoint put forth by several ‘consumer advocacy’ groups.

The report, which you can listen to here, took a look at how consumers in states such as Georgia and North Carolina have fared since regulations forced payday lending out of their state. With few, if any, fast cash or legitimate cash advance solutions, consumers in these states paid nearly $38 million in bounced check and account overdraft penalties last year.

The piece came not only as a fair view of how payday loan and cash advance lenders are providing easy and responsible financial options to American consumers, but also as a warning for states that may be pushing for increased lending restrictions in the near future.