[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON SHOWS THAT ARIZONANS WANT MEDICARE TO BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE FOR LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES.

TAKING QUESTIONS AFTER THEIR PLAYOFF RUN COMES TO AN END, AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," A LOOK AT THE IMPACT THAT WOMEN PLAY IN SPORTS.

THAT'S ALL AHEAD IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR KYRSTEN SINEMA.

SHE IS SEEN HERE ARRIVING WITH THE MEETING WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN.

THE WHITE HOUSE SAID LATER PROGRESS WAS MADE IN THE TALKS, BUT DIDN'T PROVIDE DETAILS.

SINEMA HAS SAID SHE WILL NOT VOTE FOR THE SPENDING PLAN WITH THAT PRICE TAG.

>>> HERE AT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION INCLUDED ATTEMPTS TO MAKE WHAT WOULD BE NEWLY CONFIGURED CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS 4 AND 5 MORE COMPETITIVE.

THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION TODAY TODAY THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO GET THOSE CRONKITE NEWS A LITTLE MORE COMPETITIVE.

SAME GOES FOR A DISTRICT THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE WEST COUNTY.

THE MIRROR REPORTS THAT AT LEAST ONE COMMISSIONER WANTS CONGRESSIONAL DRAFT MAPS APPROVED BY THURSDAY OR NEXT WEEK AT THE LATEST.

>>> THE DEATH OF COLIN POWELL HAS REINFORCED A PUSH FOR SENIORS TO GET THEIR BOOSTER SHOTS.

POWELL DID HAVE A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS THAT PUT HIM AT GREATER RISK OF HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH, BUT SO FAR ONLY 15% OF THOSE OVER THE AGE OF 65 HAVE RECEIVED A BOOSTER, DESPITE THEY ARE RECOMMENDED TO DO SO.

>>> AND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TODAY TWEETED HIS THOUGHTS ON THE DEATH OF COLIN POWELL.

HE SAID, QUOTE: TRUMP GOES ON TO SAY THAT, POWELL, WAS A QUOTE: FOR THE RECORD, POWELL ONCE CALLS TRUMP, QUOTE, NATIONAL DISGRACE AND AN INTERNATIONAL PARIAH.

>>> A NEW POLL CONDUCTED BY OH PREDICTIVE INSIGHTS SHOW ARIZONANS WANT CONGRESS TO ACT ON LOWERING PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED ON CAPITOL HILL.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AARP DIRECTOR, DANA MARIE KENNEY DANE, AND MIKE NOBLE, CHIEF OR RESEARCH AND MANAGING PARTNER FOR OH PREDICTIVE INSIGHTS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

DANA, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

TELL US WHY YOU COMMISSIONED THE SURVEY, AND WHAT THE SURVEY WAS LOOKING FOR.

>> SO WE HAVE BEEN DOING SURVEYS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND WE WANTED TO FIND OUT WHAT ARIZONANS BELIEVED.

SO WE REACHED OUT TO MIKE, AND HAD HIS FIRM GO AHEAD AND DO THE POLL.

AND WE WANTED TO BREAK DOWN WHAT EXACTLY ARIZONANS BELIEVED, AND IF THEY SUPPORTED ALLOWING MEDICARE TO NEGOTIATE, IF THEY BELIEVED IT WAS A PROBLEM.

WE WANTED TO FIND OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE NOT FILLING THEIR MEDICATIONS.

WE WANTED TO DIG DEEPER INTO HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM THIS IS TO ARIZONANS.

>> AND THE FOCUS IS TO ALLOW MEDICARE TO NEGOTIATE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES, WHICH IT CAN'T BE DONE RIGHT NOW?

>> IT CAN'T.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE 1998, FIVE PRESIDENTS.

>> WOW.

>> SO THIS IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS FOR ME.

>> MIKE, WHAT DID ARIZONANS SAY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ISSUE?

>> IT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

WE SURVEYED 800 REGISTERED VOTERS ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH A LIVE CALLER PHONE-BASED CALL, AND WE FOUND TWO-THIRDS OF VOTERS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY OF PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES, AND WHEN WE ASKED THEM ABOUT HOW OFTEN THEY FILL THEIR SCRIPS, ET CETERA, WE FOUND ONE THIRD HAVEN'T FILLED THEIR SCRIPTS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND THE BIGGEST OVERWHELMING INDICATE OR WAS THE PAIN POINT OF THE COST OF THE DRUGS, WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THEM FROM DOING SO.

>> SO ARE WE TALKING DEMOCRATIC, REPUBLICAN, OLD, YOUNG, MALE, FEMALE.

>> IT IS INTERESTING, THAT THIS ISSUE, WHEN WE DUG MORE INTO IT, WE SAW FOLKS THAT ALREADY HAD -- YOU KNOW, A PRETTY DECENT INCOME OR WERE ALREADY ON MEDICARE DIDN'T SUFFER AS MUCH FROM THE PAIN POINT.

THEY STILL BELIEVE IT WAS A PAIN POINT, BUT IT WAS MORE SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT WERE LESS EFFECTED BY IT, BUT OVERALL IT CROSSED PARTY LINES.

>> AS FAR AS SEEING THOSE NUMBERS, DANA, WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU.

WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT THAT MANY ARIZONANS FELT THAT WAY?

>> I AM AND I'M NOT, BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT THIS ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ELECTION CYCLE.

BUT THE FACT THAT 94% OF ARIZONANS BELIEVE THAT MEDICARE SHOULD BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE.

THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T USE THE GOVERNMENT TO GET THE LOWEST PRICE POSSIBLE.

THE VA DOES IT, SO WHY SHOULDN'T MEDICARE?

>> MIKE, THE PARTY AFFILIATION I FOUND FASCINATING.

MEDICARE -- JUST GETTING MEDICARE TALKS AS FAR AS PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES, 97% ACROSS THE BOARD?

>> IT IS SHOCKING.

TO SEE NUMBERS LIKE THAT -- WHEN I FIRST READ THE FULL REPORT, I ALMOST FELL OUT OF MY CHAIR, BECAUSE IT IS JUST SOMETHING WE DON'T SEE AS OFTEN AS THE TWO PARTIES HAVE JUST BEEN AT EACH OTHER FOR THESE LAST FEW YEARS, SO TO SEE SOMETHING THAT ALL PARTIES AGREE ON, WHICH THEY OVERWHELMINGLY DID, THIS SHOULD BE A POLITICAL NO-BRAINER, AND IT BEGS THE QUESTION OF WHY THIS -- HASN'T HAPPENED YET.

>> INDEED.

AND REPUBLICANS -- 92% WANT, INDEPENDENTS, 92%, DEMOCRATS, 97%.

GOODNESS GRACIOUS.

ONE OTHER POINT I WANT YOU TO RESPOND TO.

ONLY ONE IN TEN WOULD VIEW MEMBERS OF CONGRESS LESS FAVORABLY IF THEY WENT DOWN THIS PATH.

I MEAN, THAT'S LOW-HANGING FRUIT FOR A POLITICIAN, ISN'T IT?

>> EXACTLY.

AND IT IS SO INTERESTING THAT WE SAW OVERWHELMINGLY FOLKS WERE ON BOARD.

BUT, AGAIN, WE ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AND THROUGH THE WAY WE SET UP THE SURVEY, IT KEPT POINTING BACK TO THAT PRICE WAS MASSIVE PAIN POINT, AND WE FOUND ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT ISSUES AND ITEMS, AND THE PAIN POINT IS REAL, AND ARIZONANS WANT TO SEE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT.

>> ARMED WITH THIS, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO LAWMAKERS?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE SENATOR SINEMA STANDS.

WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY SHE IS TAKING FROM BIG PHARMA, SO THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

SO WHERE DOES SENATOR SINEMA STANDING ON THIS, AND SHE IS A KEY PLAYER, AND SO SHE NEEDS TO LISTEN TO VOTERS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOIN US BOTH OF YOU.

VERY INTERESTING STUFF.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>>> UP NEXT, AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF ELDER ABUSE IN ARIZONA.

>>> OCTOBER IS NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, AND TODAY WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ISSUE OF ELDER ABUSE IN ARIZONA, WITH MARICOPA COUNTY ATTORNEY ALLISTER ADEL, AND ANITA NORTON, THE MARICOPA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT'S REGIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHAIR.

ALLISTER ADEL, AND ANITA NORTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC HERE, ANDALSTER, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

OLDER-ADULT ABUSE, WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

UNFORTUNATELY IT IS NOT JUST CHILDREN THAT WE ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT BEING ABUSED.

IT'S THE ELDERLY.

THEY ARE IN A VULNERABLE POSITION, WHICH IS WHY WE CALL IT VULNERABLE ADULT ABUSE.

IT IS ALSO PEOPLE THAT HAVE A DISABILITY, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THESE THAT ARE ENTRUSTED WITH THEIR CARE OFTEN INFLICT THE ABUSE.

>> AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE PHYSICAL ABUSE, DOES IT?

>> IT'S NOT.

IT TAKES MANY FORMS, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, FINANCIAL, AND NEGLECT.

AND UNFORTUNATELY ALSO SEXUAL ABUSE, AND THAT'S ON THE RISE.

WE LITERALLY HAVE A 150% INCREASE IN THIS ABUSE IN THE PAST DECADE OF OLDER ADULTS.

>> AND WE HAVE NOW THIS COALITION OF GROUPS TEAMING UP TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

TELL US MORE.

>> WE HAVE THE VULNERABLE ADULT PROTOCOL, WHERE WE'RE WORKING WITH PROSECUTORS, JUDGES, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND OVERSEES THAT PROVIDE SERVICES FOR BETTER PROTECTION OF OLDER ADULTS.

AND WE JUST UPDATED THE PROTOCOLS, SO IT'S GETTING EVERYBODY ON BOARD TO PROVIDE BETTER PROTECTION AND HOPEFULLY END THIS ABUSE.

>> AND THE MARICOPA COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WHERE DO YOU SEE THAT OFFICE IN THIS EFFORT?

>> WE ARE EXCITED WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH OUR PARTNERS, AND IT TAKES ALL OF US BEING ON THE SAME PAGE, NOT JUST EXCHANGING INFORMATION, BUT GETTING TRAINING, AND MAKING USE WE ARE PROSECUTING THESE CASES IN AN EQUAL MANNER.

>> YOU MENTIONED VULNERABILITIES OF OLDER ADULTS, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DIFFERENT, AREN'T THEY?

>> THEY ARE.

AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE.

IT'S A CRIME OF OPPORTUNITY PRAYING ON SOMEBODY THAT EITHER HAS A PHYSICAL OR MENTAL AILNESS OR DISEASE THAT THEY ARE BATTLING, OR THEY MIGHT BE HEAVILY RELIANT ON SOMEONE THEY CARE ABOUT.

>> YEAH, IS IT DIFFERENT -- OR IS IT ALL THAT MUCH DIFFERENT WHEN OLDER ADULTS ARE INVOLVED.

>> IT IS, TED.

AND BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING OLDER ADULTS, AND THEY ARE ENTRUSTED IN THE CARE OF SOMEONE ELSE, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT REPORTING MECHANISM ALWAYS AVAILABLE, SO THEY -- THEY FIGURE THAT ONE IN 24 CASES ARE REPORTED.

>> THE IDEA OF A COORDINATED RESPONSE, WAS THAT LACKING IN THE PAST?

>> IT WAS.

BUT THE MARICOPA COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS HAVE PARTNERS TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW THESE PEOPLE CAN BE BETTER SERVED.

SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD THAT WE HAVE THIS STANDARD AND SYSTEMIC WAY TO PROTECT PEOPLE.

>> TOO MANY SILOS OUT THERE?

>> YOU HAVE THAT, AND -- AND THEN EVEN JUST -- YEAH, THE SILENCE THAT COMES WITH THIS KIND OF ABUSE, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO ADMIT -- ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A FAMILY MEMBER.

THAT'S A HARD THING FOR AN OLDER ADULT TO ADMIT, AND IT'S A HARD THING.

WE HAVE TO, REALLY, GET EDUCATED AND WORK TOGETHER TO COMBAT THIS, AND TO PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR THE OLDER ADULTS, BECAUSE MANY OF THEM FEEL THAT THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE FOR THEM TO GO TO, SO WE HAVE SOME SHELTERS THAT ACTUALLY WORK WITH OLDER ADULTS, SPECIALIZE IN THAT, SO THE MORE WE OPEN UP AND HAVE SOMETHING AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE A PLACE OF REFUGE FOR THESE OLDER ADULTS, I THINK WE CAN CURVE IT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

IT'S GOOD TO HEAR ABOUT THIS.

AND BEFORE WE GO, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ASK YOU, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> I'M DOING GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR ASKING.

I HAVE A WONDERFUL SUPPORT SYSTEM IN PLACE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN BEHIND ME, AND I'M JUST TAKING THINGS ONE DAY AT A TIME.

>> DO YOU THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN A LEAVE OF ABSENCE?

>> I DIDN'T, BECAUSE I WAS IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH MY STAFF, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ABLE TO RUN THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS WITHOUT ME THERE.

>> AND I ASK, BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND I WONDER IF YOU LOOK BACK AND THINK, MAYBE, YOU COULD HAVE HANDLED IT DIFFERENTLY?

>> I THINK ANY OF US COULD LOOK BACK IN RETROSPECT AND THINK WHAT COULD I HAVE DONE BETTER?

IN THE CASES THAT YOU MENTIONED, CERTAINLY THERE WERE MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE, AND I MADE SURE WE CHANGED COURSE WHEN WE NEEDED TO AND DO THE RIGHT THING TO MAKE SURE JUSTICE WAS SERVED.

AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE REFLECTIVE ON THOSE THINGS, TO MAKE SURE WE LEARN, AND ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE AS WELL AS PROTECTING VICTIMS AND THE RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED.

>> AND OBVIOUSLY THINK REASON I ASKED, I WONDER IF THOSE CHARGES WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED IF YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE INVOLVED THERE OR TAKEN A LEAVE OF ABSENCE.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

>> SURE.

WE'RE THE THIRD LARGEST PROSECUTION COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY.

AND SO WE RELY A LOT ON THE PROSECUTORS, AND IT IS LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOMEBODY IN MY POSITION TO HAVE EYES ON 40,000 CASES A YEAR.

>> SO WHETHER IN CALIFORNIA IN TREATMENT, OR HERE ON THE JOB, YOU ARE SAYING THERE WOULDN'T BE MUCH DIFFERENCE EITHER WAY?

>> WELL, IN THIS SITUATION, WHEN YOU ARE REFERRING SPECIFICALLY TO THE PROTESTS THAT WERE CHARGED, YOU KNOW, WE ULTIMATELY CHANGED COURSE BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO.

ONCE I WAS MADE FULLY AWARE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID.

>> ALL RIGHT.

ANITA NORTON THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, AND TALKING ABOUT THIS ELDER-ABUSE ISSUE, LET'S HOPE THIS HELPS.

ANITA THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND ALLISTER ADEL THANK YOU AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, TED.

>>> AND TONIGHT WE CONTINUE OUR CELEBRATION OF "ARIZONA HORIZON" 40TH'S ANNIVERSARY.

WITH A LOOK BACK AT MEMORIES AND MILESTONES FROM THE SHOW'S FIRST FOUR DECADES.

♪ >>> GOOD EVENING, I'M MICHAEL GRANT -- >> BY THE LATE '80S, "ARIZONA HORIZON" HAS REALLY HIT ITS STRIDE WITH EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF GOVERNOR'S IMPEACHMENT.

>> THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND I WERE GOING TO A MEETING, AND I DISCUSSED PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAMMING WITH HIM.

WHAT I WANTED WAS A PROGRAM THAT WOULD DEAL IN-DEPTH WITH COMMUNITY ISSUES, WOULD BE RESPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WOULD BE IMPORTANT.

>> BOB ELLIS, OR CHUCKEL BUSINESS, HAD AN ABSOLUTE BELIEF THAT IN PARTICULAR A PBS AFFILIATE COULDN'T ESTABLISH A LOCAL IDENTITY WITHOUT A LOCAL-NEEDS SHOW.

SO THERE WAS THAT PURPOSE, AND ANOTHER THAT POINT, LONG-FORMED INTERVIEWING, ACTUALLY SPENDING SOMETHING MORE THAN 4 OR 15-SECOND SOUND BITES WAS STILL PRETTY UNUSUAL.

>> YOU CAN'T TELL A LOT ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE LEGISLATURE IN A 30-SECOND SOUND BITE.

YOU CAN IN A HALF HOUR PROGRAM.

>> "ARIZONA HORIZON" WAS SUPPOSED TO LAUNCH IN 1981, BUT PRESIDENT REAGAN NOMINATED ARIZONA'S OWN SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.

>> OBVIOUSLY THERE IS GREAT PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE NAMED TO THE HIGH COURT COMES FROM YOUR ESTATE.

>> MICHAEL GRANT CO-ANCHORED SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR'S HEARING.

>> I WAS SITTING DOWN THERE, AND I WAS THINKING, YOU MAY BE BITING LIKE TOO MUCH OFF THIS TIME.

>> BUT THE YOUNG PHOENIX ATTORNEY HANDLED THE HEARING LIKE A PRO.

>> THE SENATE COMMITTEE IS EXPECTED TO CONCLUDE.

>> THE O'CONNOR HEARING GOT HORIZON IF NOT UP AND RUNNING, CERTAINLY A NICE LEAD OFF.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE WERE LOOKING TO START THE SHOW IN THE FALL, BUT SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR WAS GOING TO BE NOMINATED IN JULY.

>> AFTER THAT BRIEF BUT MOMENTOUS DETOUR, HORIZON MADE ITS FORMAL DEBUT IN 1981.

>> THERE WEREN'T A WHOLE LOT OF GUIDE POSTS.

WE HAD WASHINGTON WEEK IN REVIEW.

NIGHT LINE HAD COME ON A FEW MONTHS BEFORE.

THAT WAS ABOUT IT.

YOU PASSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE SUPREME COURT APPOINTMENT, WHY DID YOU DO THAT?

WE WANTED LONG-FORM INTERVIEWING.

LONG ENOUGH TO REALLY GET INTO A SUBJECT.

IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE PROBABLY HEAVY PUBLIC POLICY, LEGISLATURE, POLITICS, THOSE KIND OF THINGS, BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE SCIENCE AND MEDICINE.

>> WE WANTED HORIZON TO DEAL WITH ANY ISSUE IF IT WAS AN ISSUE WE THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT AND THE COMMUNITY SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.

>> THE COMMUNITY HAD PLENTY OF CHANCES TO WATCH.

WITH LIVE SHOWS EVERY WEEKNIGHTS, INCLUDING THE JOURNALIST ROUND TABLES ON FRIDAY.

>> I PERSONALLY, AND I THINK OTHERS WERE WORRIED, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TO FILL IT UP?

AND ARIZONA CAME THROUGH LIKE A TROOPER.

WE HAVE INDICTMENTS, AND LEGISLATIVE SCANDALS.

>> HE EXPERTLY NAVIGATED ALL OF THE SUBJECTS, ENORMOUS EGOS, AND COMPLEX ISSUES THAT CAME HIS WAY.

>> I HAD A LOT OF DAYS WHERE I WALKED OFF, AND LOOKED BACK, AND THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE GOT THAT ONE RIGHT.

>> AFTER 25 YEARS, GRANT STEPPED DOWN AS THE REGULAR HOST OF HORIZON IN JANUARY OF 2007.

>> I REALLY WANTED THIS JOB.

I WAITED FOR YEARS FOR MICHAEL GRANT TO SHOW ANY INDICATION HE WAS LEAVING THE PROGRAM, AND HE SHOWED NONE OF IT.

>> TED SIMONS, AN EXPERIENCED VETERAN OF RADIO AND TELEVISION GOT THE JOB IN LATE 2007.

>> I DIDN'T FEEL TOO MUCH PRESSURE, BECAUSE IT JUST FELT RIGHT, AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU ALWAYS HAVE PRESSURE TO DO A GOOD JOB, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE PERSON BEFORE YOU HAD BEEN DOING IT FOR 25 YEARS.

YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE SHIP DOWN.

GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

>> SIMONS HAS DONE MUCH MORE THAN KEEP THE SHOW AFLOAT.

HE HAS GUIDED IT THROUGH THE ROUGH WATERS OF A RECESSION, NOW A PANDEMIC, AND A TERRIBLY FRACTURED POLITICAL LANDSCAPE.

>> WHAT A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU.

>> I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> IN 2010, SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR WAS A FITTING FIRST GUEST IN HORIZON'S NEW DOWNTOWN PHOENIX STUDIO.

♪ >> THE SHOW WAS RENAMED "ARIZONA HORIZON" IN 2012.

FOR NEARLY 15 YEARS NOW, TED SIMONS HAS HOSTED THE SHOW, COVERING ARIZONA'S ISSUES, ELECTIONS, POLICIES, AND PERSONALITIES THAT SHAPE THE STATE AND IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES.

>> WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG?

I THINK HORIZON IS AT ITS BEST WHEN WE GET DEBATES.

WE GET PEOPLE ON WITH DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS AND ALLOW THEM TO SPEAK.

WE HAVE THE TIME AT HORIZON TO TALK TO PEOPLE, TO FLUSH OUT ISSUES, TO GO IN-DEPTH ON THINGS WHERE IN A LOT OF BROADCASTING, YOU SIMPLY DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO DO.

♪ >> AND THEN THE PUBLIC HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN.

>> "ARIZONA HORIZON" TAKES TIME TO DISCUSS WHAT MATTERS TO ARIZONANS.

IT NOW HAS 40 YEARS BEHIND IT, AND HOPEFULLY MANY MORE AHEAD.

♪ >>> AND TOMORROW WE WILL VISIT WITH LONG-TIME "ARIZONA HORIZON" "HORIZON" GUEST AND ASU LAW PROFESSOR PAUL BENDER.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

>>> AND COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON CRONKITE NEWS, THE LATEST ON THE NEW POLICE CHIEF TO BE HEAD OF THE CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTIONS, AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," A LOOK AT THE IMPACT THAT WOMEN PLAY IN SPORTS.

♪