[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> WELCOME BACK TO A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE EDITION OF "OFF THE RECORD."
SIT IN WITH US AS WE GET THE INSIDE OUT, "OFF THE RECORD."
♪ >>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELCOME BACK TO THIS PRE-RECORDED EDITION OF "OFF THE RECORD," AS WE ARE RECORDING ON THE FRIDAY LAST, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET IN THE STUDIO TODAY.
WE FORMER MEMBERS OF THE CAPITOL PRESS CORPS WHO USED TO SIT AROUND THIS TABLE, AND THEN THEY ABANDONED ME, THEY WENT OFF AND TOOK WITH THEM -- CHECK THIS OUT, GUYS -- 88 YEARS OF POLITICAL COVERAGE EXPERIENCE.
ERIC, WHY DID YOU BAIL?
>> I WENT ON STRIKE WITH THE NEWSPAPER UNIONS AND ENDED UP FREELANCING FOR A YEAR, AND THEN JOINS THE FACULTY FULL-TIME, AND HAVEN'T LOOKED BACK.
>> MR. DAVID?
>> I WAS INTERESTED IN BECOMING A CITY EDITOR AT SOME POINT, AND IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM TO BE HAPPENING AT THE SPEED THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN MAKING IT HAPPEN, SO CHOSE A DIFFERENT PATH, AND TOM FIELDS WAS NICE ENOUGH TO GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY.
>> KATHY?
>> THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY WAS REALLY SHRINKING BY THE TIME I LEFT IN 2012, AND IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD TIME TO MOVE ALONG AND TRY ANOTHER CAREER, SO I MOVED INTO PUBLIC RELATIONS.
>> WERE YOU BURNED OUT?
>> NO, I WAS NOT.
BUT THE STAFF SHRUNK, AND IT WAS OVERWHELMING.
>> OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAISED.
>> BUT IT WAS A GREAT CAREER.
>> AND JOHN, WHY DID YOU BAIL?
>> I HAD BEEN A REPORTER, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR.
BUT I ALSO REACHED A POINT WHERE IT WAS TIME FOR THE BLOOMER TO WALK AWAY, AND GET THE GEN X-ERS AND MILLENNIALS TAKE OVER.
>> DID ANY OF YOU THINK, I AM WALKING AWAY FROM A JOB WHERE I HAVE EXPERIENCE, AND IN JOURNALISM, DAVID, EXPERIENCE DOES COUNT FOR SOMETHING, DOESN'T .IT?
>> YEAH, IT DOES.
BUT I WOULD ARGUE ALSO SO DOES CHANGING PEOPLE AROUND.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME VALUE IN TERMINATED REPORTERED -- PRESENT COMPANY ACCEPTED -- >> THANK YOU.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> BUT, YEAH AS WE LOOK AROUND AT THE LOCAL PAPERS AND STATE-WIDE PAPERS, THAT EXPERIENCE IS LACKING IN TERMS OF REPORTERS, AND EDITORS THAT CAN HELP YOUNG REPORTERS, AND EVEN MORE EXPERIENCED REPORTERS LEARN THEIR WAY AROUND TOWN AND HOW TO IMPROVE A STORY.
THAT IS JUST GONE.
>> ERIC WHAT ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE THING?
>> I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT IS OVERRATED, BUT IT IS NICE TO HAVE FRESH EYES COME IN SOMETIMES.
IF YOU ARE AN EDITOR THERE IS A LOT TO TEACH, AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE NOT JADED BY, OH, I KNOW THIS GUY HAS BEEN LYING IN THE SENATE FOR DECADES, AND THIS COMMISSIONER YOU CAN'T TRUST, AND THIS MAYOR -- THAT CYNICISM I DON'T THINK THE NEW REPORTERS COME IN WITH -- THEY MAY DEVELOP IT, BECAUSE CYNICISM AND SCEPTICISM IS IMPORTANT FOR JOURNALISTS, BUT THAT'S WHY NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS CHANGE PEOPLE ON BEATS EVEN WHEN THEY ARE NOT BRINGING NEW PEOPLE IN.
>> KATHY DO YOU AGREE WITH THESE GUYS?
>> WELL, I THINK EXPERIENCE DOES HELP, BECAUSE I THINK YOU CAN PUT THINGS IN CONTEXT MORE, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE LOSING TODAY WITH EVERYBODY JUST TWEETING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHERE YOU SEE ONE THING AND DON'T SEE THE TOTAL CONTEXT.
BUT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, I LEARNED A LOT FROM OUR YOUNGER STAFF MEMBERS.
AND I CERTAINLY DO AS A PR PRACTITIONER.
THE WAYS WE'RE COMMUNICATING ARE CHANGING ALL THE TIME.
AND NEWER YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE QUICK TO ADAPT AND TEACH US WHO ARE A LITTLE SLOWER, AND I THINK THAT IS A GOOD THING.
>> DO POLITICIANS TAKE ADVANTAGE F F -- OF REPORTERS WHO ARE INEXPERIENCED?
>> OH, I THINK THEY TRY TO.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE A TALENTED PRESS CORPS RIGHT NOW WHO DO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON, AND WHO CAN'T BE TRUSTED.
I LEARNED THAT YOU COULD GO TO THE NEWS CONFERENCES FROM THE OTHER REPORTERS AROUND YOU, SO YOU LISTENED TO WHAT THEY DRILLED DOWN ON, AND I THINK THAT STILL GOES ON RIGHT NOW.
>> I REMEMBER A FORMER REPRESENTATIVE ONCE SAID TO ME, I HAVE ALL OF THESE NEW REPORTERS COMING IN, AND ASKING ME WHAT QUESTIONS THEY WANT ME TO ANSWER.
THAT IS A POLITICIAN'S DREAM COME TRUE, IS IT NOT?
>> IN MANY RESPECTS, YEAH, AND IT IS DIFFICULT -- WE DO HAVE VERY GOOD REPORTERS WORKING IN THE PRESS CORPS, BUT THE PRESS CORPS NATIONALLY OVERALL IS TRENDING YOUNGER AND YOUNGER, AND THE ONLY THING WRONG WITH THAT IS THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF TO LEARN, AND YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO PICK UP AND LEARN AND ADD TO WHAT YOU ARE KNOWING.
THAT IS ONE OF THE DISADVANTAGES OF JOURNALISM IN ONE RESPECT.
YOU KIND OF HAVE TO BE A FIVE-MINUTE EXPERT.
AND -- AND -- IN OTHER WORDS YOU NEED TO LEARN ENOUGH TO BE DANGEROUS.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> AND -- AND -- LYNN WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, AND -- AND IT IS ONE THING THAT I HAVE ALWAYS TOLD REPORTERS IF YOU ARE GOING TO GET INVOLVED IN A BEAT ON ANYTHING, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS, BUSINESS, SCIENCE, SPORTS, YOU HAVE GOT TO SPENDING A MINIMUM OF A COUPLE OF YEARS FOLLOWING IT, AND LEARNING ABOUT IT, TALKING TO PEOPLE AND LEARNING ALL YOU CAN.
>> DAVID, WHAT IS DIFFERENT -- >> I DON'T THINK -- >> YEAH.
>> TIM, I DON'T THINK THE ISSUE IS REALLY EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR CURRENT PRESS CORPS.
I THINK THE ISSUE IS MORE THAN NUMBERS, WHICH ARE DOWN DRAMATICALLY.
THE SIZE OF THE NEWS HOLE THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO, AND THE EDITORS THAT HAVE MOVED ON, BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A TREND THAT IF YOU ARE 55 AND IN THE NEWSPAPER BUSINESS THESE DAYS, YOU ARE A DINOSAUR AND THEY TRY TO BROOM YOU OUT TO SAVE MONEY.
IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WE HAVE SOME REALLY TALENTED REPORTERS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A WAY TO GET A LOT OF THE THINGS THEY ARE DOING OUT, AND THEY PICK AND CHOOSE THEIR STORIES.
THE DAY-TO-DAY STUFF ISN'T COVERED.
AND QUITE FRANKLY PART OF THAT IS IN A CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM YOU SEARCH FOR EYEBALLS, AND STATE NEWS HAVEN'T VERY WELL APPRECIATED UNLESS IT INVOLVES SCANDAL OR SOMETHING THAT IS EYEBALL CATCHING, AND I THINK IT'S EVEN WORSE AT THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER LEVEL.
THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE RUBBER IS REALLY HITTING THE ROAD IN TERMS OF PROBLEMS.
>> ERIC ALL OF US SITTING AROUND THIS TABLE VIRTUALLY, I REMEMBER AT ONE TIME IT WAS 13 PEOPLE?
>> WE HAD 13 PEOPLE.
INCLUDING A FULL-TIME COLUMNIST, AND A FULL-TIME PHOTOGRAPHER.
>> AND YOU ALSO HAD A BARTENDER, DIDN'T YOU?
>> THAT WAS THE LIBRARIAN.
>> OH, BARTENDER/LIBRARIAN.
I GET IT.
OKAY.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> WHAT THAT DOES, IS IT GIVES YOU -- WHEN THERE IS A DISASTER -- YOU REMEMBER THERE WAS A PLANE THAT CRASHED ON MIDDLE BELT, AND LIKE, EVERYBODY COULD GO AND DO DIFFERENT ANGLES ON IT, OR IF THERE IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE LIKE WITH VOTING RIGHTS OVER TIME, THERE IS AN INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY YOU DON'T HAVE WITH ONE OR TWO PEOPLE.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO THINGS THAT THE SMALLER BUREAUS COULDN'T DO.
WE COULD LOOK AT THE AGENCIES.
WE COULD HAVE SOMEBODY IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, AND SOMEBODY FOLLOWING THE GOVERNOR, AND SOMEBODY COVERING AG, AND AG BUSINESS, SOCIAL SERVICES, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE PRISON SYSTEM.
SO WE WERE COMPETING FOR THAT NEWS HOLE, BUT THE NEWS HOLE WAS BIGGER.
AND WE HAS A PRESTIGE TO THE BUREAU.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE WANTED TO SPEND THEIR ENTIRE CAREER IN THIS ISOLATED OUTPOST -- [ LAUGHTER ] >> WE SEE THE SAME THING.
SO HAVING THAT LARGE FORCE -- AP USED TO HAVE FOUR PEOPLE, INCLUDING A FULL-TIME PHOTOGRAPHER.
THE FREE PRESS HAS THREE, FOUR, FIVE.
WE HAD SIGNIFICANT COLLECTIVE INDIVIDUAL, AND COLLECTIVE ACROSS AGENCY COVERAGE THERE, AND WE COULD CHASE EACH OTHER AND ALSO DO THINGS THAT THE OTHERS COULDN'T DO.
>> TO KATHY -- GO AHEAD.
>> WHEN I WAS AT THE BOOTH BUREAU, WE HAD SEVEN PEOPLE, AND WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR COVERING THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE STATE, AND THE PAPERS THAT WERE ALL OVER THE STATE, IF THEY HAD SOMETHING THEY WANTED US TO FOLLOW THAT DAY, WE COULD GO OUT AND DO THAT, AND SERVE THE NEEDS OF THOSE NEWSPAPERS -- THE NEEDS OF THOSE READERS.
NOW QUITE FRANKLY MOST PEOPLE HAVE NO CLUE WHO THEIR STATE LEGISLATURE IS.
THEY TAKE EXTREME POSITIONS THAT IF THEIR CONSTITUENTS ACTUALLY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING, WOULDN'T BE SUPPORTIVE OF, AND THEY ANSWER TO A SLIM GROUP OF VOTERS, AGAIN, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO REALLY DELIVER DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL.
THE SAGINAW NEWS, THE BAY CITY TIMES.
WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE STAFF, OR THE SIZE OF THE NEWS HOLE TO PROVIDE THAT TYPE OF SPACE.
>> KATHY, PART OF -- GO AHEAD.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO ARGUE -- I WAS AT WHATEVER NEWSPAPER, PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WHO THEIR STATE LEGISLATURES WERE THEN, EITHER.
I MEAN, IT'S GOOD -- I THINK -- I AGREE THERE IS LESS COVERAGE.
I THINK THE REASON PEOPLE ARE FEELING LIKE THEY CAN TAKE MORE EXTREME POSITIONS IS BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE POLITICS ARE THESE DAYS, AND IF YOU ARE MORE EXTREME YOU GET MORE COVERAGE THAN LESS.
SO I'M GOING TO DISAGREE WITH DAVE -- EVEN THOUGH WE WORK TOGETHER.
>> WELL, YOU DID UP UNTIL NOW.
>> YEAH, THAT'S TRUE.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> BUT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION TO THINGS, UNLESS YOU TELL THEM WHY IT EFFECTS THEM.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO PICK UP A NEWSPAPER AND SEE THAT THIS IS THE REASON I HAVE 600 MORE DOLLARS IN MY CHECKING COUNT, IS BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GIVING ME MONEY FOR MY KIDS.
PEOPLE AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT.
THEY ARE BACK TO BEING BIGGER.
I DO AGREE THE NEWS HOLE IS SMALLER, BUT I ALSO AGREE PEOPLE HAVE LESS ATTENTION SPAN AND THEY ARE GETTING THEIR NEWS IN NON-TRADITION ALWAYS.
>> KATHY BRINGS UP A VERY GOOD POINT.
JOURNALISM HAS A LOT OF CRISES RIGHT NOW.
AND PROBABLY THE BIGGEST OVERALL IS THE PUBLIC DOESN'T FEEL THEY NEED JOURNALISM, AND THAT IS A VERY FRIGHTENING SITUATION.
THERE IS AMPLE RESEARCH TO SHOW PRACTICAL EFFECT OF NOT HAVING LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE.
IF LOCAL NEWS DIES, TAXES GO UP.
WHY?
BECAUSE NOBODY IS FOLLOWING CITY GOVERNMENT.
SO CITY GOVERNMENT BECOMES LESS EFFICIENT.
SOMEBODY IS, AND THOSE ARE THE BOND RATING HOUSES.
AND WHEN THE CITY GOVERNMENT GOES TO BARROW MONEY, THE BOND RATING AGENCIES GIVE THEM A POOR RATING, SO THE LOCAL TAXPAYERS PAY MORE.
AND THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER STUDIES THAT LOOK AT THE LOSS IS HAVING ON OUR CULTURE.
WE'RE UNABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WHERE WE DON'T COME TO BLOWS.
WE'RE NOT EXPIECED IN A CALM FASHION TO OTHER POINTS OF VIEW.
WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SEE THE FACTS GOING INTO OTHER THINGS.
HISTORICALLY, POLITICS WAS OUR MAJOR INTERTABMENT.
WHAT DID YOU DO FOR FUN?
WE WENT TO THE LINCOLN/DOUGLAS DEBATE.
SO WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY, AS AN INDUSTRY, FOR OUR OWN SURVIVAL, AND THE SURVIVAL, I THINK, OF THE COUNTRY, TO GET PEOPLE INTERESTED IN WHAT JOURNALISM CAN AND SHOULD DO.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS SOMEBODY TOLD ME -- AND I WON'T NAME THE NEWS OUTLET, BUT THERE IS A BOARD THAT EVERYBODY LOOKS UP AT, AND ALL OF THE COLUMNS AND NUMBERS ARE THERE, YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS -- >> YEAH, THE LANCING STATE JOURNAL.
THEY TRACK WHAT PEOPLE WANT.
THIS IS CAPITALISM AND NEWSPAPERING IN GENERAL.
>> SO DOES THE DETROIT NEWS, AND THE DETROIT FREE PRESS AND EVERY ONE OF THE EIGHT LIVE PAPERS.
BUT IT IS INDUSTRY WIDE.
>> WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS?
WHY ARE WE SEEING HOW MANY HITSS ASTORIA IS GETTING?
>> BECAUSE THEY ARE CHANGING THE DISCUSSION.
THEY ARE GETTING SUPPORT FROM INDIVIDUAL SUBSCRIBERS.
PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN -- IT'S VOLUNTARY DONATIONS, AND THEY HELP SUBSIDIZE THAT.
>> ERIC -- GO AHEAD.
>> ADVERTISING REVENUE IS DOWN DRAMATICALLY.
LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME, CIRCULATION OUTPACED ADVERTISING REVENUE FOR NEWSPAPERS.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THEM GOING FOR EYEBALLS AND TRYING TO FIND THE STORIES WHICH WILL BRING READERS AND THEREFORE BRING REVENUE TO THE ORGANIZATION, AND WE CAN TELL YOU WHAT THOSE STORIES WILL BE.
IT'S ABOUT SEX AND DEATH.
THEY WANT TO READ ABOUT -- THE PERFECT EXAMPLE WITH THE STATE JOURNAL WAS WHEN THE LARRY NASSAR CRISIS HAD HIT.
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT GOING INTO THE NEWS ROOM, AND SAYING THE HITS ON THE LARRY NASSAR STORY IS OFF OF THE ROOF.
>> IT IS ALSO A MATTER OF RESOURCES, BECAUSE THERE ARE FAR FEWER REPORTERS IN NEWS ROOMS THESE DAYS, AND IF YOU ARE A NEWS EDITOR, WHETHER YOU ARE AT A BROADCAST OUTLET OR A NEWSPAPER, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE THE STORIES THAT WILL BE MOST INTEREST TO YOUR READERS ANY GIVEN DAY.
LARRY NASSAR WAS OF INTEREST NOT JUST HERE BUT INTERNATIONALLY.
LANCING STATE JOURNAL IS DOWN TO HARDLY NUMBER.
I REGULARLY TRY TO GET AHOLD OF SOMEBODY AT THE SAGINAW NEWS OR BAY CITY TIMES, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO REACH SOMEBODY.
SO IT COMES DOWN TO A SCARCITY ARGUMENT.
YOU REALLY DO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO PUT YOUR RESOURCES INTO.
AND IF IT'S SOME SORT OF CITY HALL STORY ON SOME ARCANE TOPIC YOU NOW YOUR READERS AREN'T GOING TO CARE ABOUT, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
>> ERIC, LET'S JUST PLAY THIS OUT HERE FOR A SECOND.
IF WE PLAY THIS OUT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO FOLLOW POLITICS, AND THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE LEGISLATURE, AND IN THE CONGRESS, AND THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE, AS YOU HAVE SUGGESTED HERE RATHER INSIGHTFULLY, JUST DON'T GIVE A HOOT, ARE WE HEADED FOR AN INTELLECTUAL POLITICAL SEGREGATION OF WHAT WE ARE?
NOW WE COULD BE DIVIDED ALONG KNOWLEDGE LINES?
>> I THINK THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE, BECAUSE WE HAD FEWER RESOURCES FOR THE READERS.
WHEN YOU GREW UP, YOU DIDN'T HAVE ALL OF THESE OTHER SOURCES OF POLITICAL AND NON-POLITICAL NEWS THAT FLOOD US -- THEY LITERALLY FLOOD MY INBOX WITH THE ADVISORIES AND ALERTS, AND GET THEM FROM NATIONAL NEWS, INTERNATIONAL, AND A VARIETY FROM THE STATE.
SO YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO THUMB THROUGH THE ENTIRE PAPER.
YOU ARE LOOKING TO GET TO THE SPORTS SECTION, OH, THERE IS A STORY ABOUT POTHOLES ON THE FREEWAY, OR A STORY ABOUT COVID, AND YOU MIGHT GLANCE AT IT, YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY READ IT, BUT IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING SOMETHING THAT IS A PHYSICAL PRODUCT, OR SITTING IN FRONT OF THE 6:00 NEWS, YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK ONLY AT THAT SPORTS WEBSITE, OR LOOK AT A POLITICAL WEBSITE.
YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK AT "THE HILL," OR "POLITICO," AND YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE AS A CONSUMER OF NEWS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE THESE NICHE WEBSITES THAT YOU CAN TURN TO, AND THERE -- THAT NARROWS DOWN THE INFORMATION YOU GET ABOUT THINGS GOING ON IN BUSINESS OR FOREIGN RELATIONS OR AFGHANISTAN.
>> YOU KNOW, AND WHAT IS, I THINK ALSO IS INTERESTING IS MANY OF THOSE RESOURCES, QUITE FRANKLY AREN'T VETTED VERY WELL.
AND YOU HAVE THE SITUATION WHERE TUCKER CARLSON IS SUED FOR LABEL, AND THE DEFENSE IS HE IS NOT ACTUALLY STATING ACTUAL FACTS IT'S ALL COMMENTARY.
THAT'S WHAT HIS LAWYERS SAID.
DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING THIS GUY TELLS YOU, AND YET HE IS PROBABLY THE MOST POWERFUL JOURNALISTS IN THE COUNTRY THESE DAYS.
>> AND THEY ARE ALSO GOING TO THE NEWS OUTLET THAT REINFORCES THEIR PERSONAL BELIEFS.
IS THERE ANYTHING WORSE TO HAPPEN TO OUR DEMOCRACY THAN THAT?
>> WELL, YEAH, WE COULD HAVE A CIVIL WAR AND END UP WITH NUKES DROPPING.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> BUT, YEAH, IT IS INCREDIBLY SAD THAT WE -- WE HAVE BECOME SO POLARIZED.
TECHNOLOGY HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT.
JUST BECAUSE IT IS AS ERIC AND DAVID POINTED OUT.
WHEN YOU TURNED ON THE 6:00 NEWS, EVEN IF ALL YOU WANTED TO SEE ABOUT WAS THE SPORTS, YOU HAD TO WAIT THROUGH THE NEWS AND WEATHER BEFORE YOU GET TO SPORTS.
AND WE HAVE SEEN OURSELVES DEVOLVE MORE AND MORE INTO OUR VARIOUS TRIBES, AND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT RISK.
AND ONE THING WE AS A COUNTRY WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF COMPARED TO OTHER NATIONS.
I WISH I COULD SAY, I COULD THINK OF A WAY TO END THAT, BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, WE HAVE -- WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, A POLITICAL PARTY WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE COME DOWN TO ARE YOU LOYAL TO AMERICA, OR ARE YOU LOYAL TO DONALD TRUMP, AND YOU WOULD HOPE THEY ARE LOYAL TO AMERICA, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SEEM TO HAVE SAID NO.
DONALD TRUMP IS THE PERSON TO WHOM ALL HAPPENS, AND WE HAVE SEEN THE CREATION OF A SPECIALIZED MEDIA TO ENFORCE THAT, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT COMPLETELY NEW, BECAUSE IT ALWAYS KIND OF EXISTED IF YOU HAVE HAD ACCESS TO A PRINTING PRESSING, BUT TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE IT ENORMOUSLY POWERFUL AND POPULAR.
>> WHEN WE'RE ALL DEAD AND GONE, WILL THE YOUNG PEOPLE WILL ABLE TO PRESERVE THE DEMOCRACY?
>> I THINK ALL OF US CERTAINLY HOPE SO, BUT AS SOMEBODY WHO 30-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, I'M OPTIMISTIC.
WATCHING THIS PAST ELECTION, WE HAVE SEEN YOUNG PEOPLE GET INVOLVED MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.
AND I THINK THEY REALLY CARE.
THEY CARE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
THEY CARE ABOUT EQUITY.
THEY CARE ABOUT RACIAL JUSTICE.
THEY CARE ABOUT THINGS -- LIKE YOU SAID, WE AS OLDER ADULTS GET LOCK INTO OUR CIRCLES, AND I THINK MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE OPEN TO DIVERSITY, AND IT IS JUST PART OF THEIR LIVES THESE DAYS.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A WHOLE SPECTRUM OF PEOPLE AT THAT AGE, BUT I THINK THAT YOU CERTAINLY CAN'T SAY THAT WE HAD -- THE VOTERS HAD ANY -- ANY GREAT KNOWLEDGE.
WE ARE BIG AND HAVE BEEN POWERFUL OUR WHOLE LIVES.
>> ERIC, YOU ARE TEACHING THESE KIDS.
ARE YOU BOYD BY THE FACT THAT THEY ARE ENGAGED?
THIS >> YES, AND MANY OF THEM WANT CAREERS THAT FOLLOW TRADITIONAL JOURNALISTIC VALUES AND TECHNIQUES AND PRACTICES EVEN IF THE MEDIA THEY ARE REPORTING FOR ARE THE NEW MEDIA.
MY STUDENTS LOVE SEEING THEIR NAMES AND BILINES ON STORIES THEY WROTE IN NEWSPAPERS THAT SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSPAPER ACROSS THE STATE.
>> IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN ENTICE ANY OF YOU BACK TO "OFF THE RECORD."
[ LAUGHTER ] >> IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU GUYS.
BE WELL, APPRECIATE YOU TALKING TO ME AGAIN.
I DO MISS ALL OF YOU SINCERELY.
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK, MORE "OFF THE RECORD."