>> WELCOME BACK TO A FIRST OF ITS KIND "OFF OF THE RECORD" THREE MSU JOURNALISM STUDENTS.

WHY DO THEY WANT TO BE REPORTERS?

HAS SOCIAL MEDIA BEEN A PLUS OR MINUS ON THE NEWS FRONT?

AND LATER, THEY WILL ASK SOME PENETRATING QUESTIONS OF THEIR OWN.

SIT IN WITH US AS WE GET THE INSIDE OUT "OFF THE RECORD."

.

>> PRODUCTION OF "OFF THE RECORD" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE FOLLOWING: BIDS LEADERS FOR MICHIGAN HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN TO MAKE MICHIGAN A TOP 10 STATE IN THE NATION FOR JOBS, PERSONAL INCOME AND A HEALTHY ECONOMY.

LEARN MORE AT MISSIONSROADTOTOP10 ON.ORG.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WELCOME BACK WITH THE MICHIGAN LEGISLATE TERROR ON SPRING BREAK, WE DO SOMETHING COMPLIANCE DIFFERENT AS THEY SAY ON MONTY PYTHO.

THIS.

TALKING TO SOME GENERALISM STUDENTS.

LET'S LET THEM INTRODUCES THEMSELVES.

JASMINE?

>> I AM JASMINE HALL.

I AM STUDYING JOURNALISM WITH A MINOR IN MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHY.

BUT I SEE REJOINED HOME WHERE VIRGINIA TECH IS.

>> NICE TO HAVE YOU ON BACK AND FORTH BOARD.

JOE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON AS WELL.

I AM A SENIOR, ALSO, LIKE JASMINE STUDYING JOURNAL AND SPANISH FROM GRAND MICHIGAN'S SO JUST AN HOUR AWAY.

>> THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

OKAY.

JULIAN, PLEASE.

>> AM STUDYING MEDIA INFORMATION AND MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHY, AND I AM FROM DETROIT MICHIGAN WHICH IS ALSO AN HOUR AWAY.

>> THANKS TO THE THREE OF YOU DOING THIS.

WE HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.

LET'S START WITH AN EASY QUESTION.

JASMINE, IF YOU COULD WAVE A MAGIC WAND, WHAT JOB WOULD YOU BE DOING TODAY.

>> OH, GOSH.

WELL IT HAS BEEN MY DREAM SINCE I WENT INTO THE JOURNALISM SCHOOL TO HOPEFULLY WORK AS A FOREIGN CORRESPOND EVENT FOR THE "NEW YORK TIMES" AFTER GRADUATION.

>> YOU SET THE BAR PRETTY LOW.

>> I HAVE BEEN SETTING THE BAR HIGH FOR MYSELF.

I AM READY TO GET OUT THERE?

>> WHY THE "NEW YORK TIMES"?

WHY NOT A PAPERBACK IN YOUR HOME TOWN?

>> WELL, I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO EVENTUALLY DO SOME FORM OF JOURNALISM IN APPALACHIA.

I THINK THERE IS A LARGER PART OF MY LIFE IS THERE, BUT I KNOW THAT MOVING FORWARD, THE KIND OF JOURNALISM I WANT TO BE DOING IN THE FUTURE DOES FOCUS MAINLY ON THOSE INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS.

I KNOW THE "NEW YORK TIMES" SETS THE BAR HIGH FOR THAT.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I AM KEEPING MYSELF TO THAT STANDARD.

BUT I THINK THAT THERE IS THE GOING TO BE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PATH WARNLTHSS I GO DOWN AS I MOVE THROUGH MY CAREER.

>> YES, SIRRIVE.

JOE, CAN YOU TOP THAT?

>> I CANNOT.

I THINK I AM GOING TO GO WITH, MAN, IT'S BEEN SOMETHING I FELL IN LOVE WITH WAS THE GAME OF SOCCER AND THE SPECIAL EFFECT THAT THE LANGUAGE OF SPANISH HAS WHEN YOU COMBINE THOSE IN A FIELD LIKE JOURNALISM.

I WILL GO WITH I WOULD LOVE TO BE A BI-LINGUAL CONTENT CREATOR FOR A MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER TEAM IN SPORTS.

I THINK THAT WILL BE THE FRONT OF SPORTS HERE AND THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO SHOOT FOR.

>> SOCCER IS GOING TO TRUMP B-BALL.

>> FOOTBALL, EVERYTHING.

I AM CALLING IT RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THAT'S THE BIG FUTURE SPORT HERE IN AMERICA.

I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE IT GROPE OSTEO AND HOPEFUL BE A PART OF THE MEDIA IN THAT SPORT >> WE WILL HANG ON THAT THAT SPORT.

>> JULIAN, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?

WAVE THE MAGIC WAND.

>> A PRODUCER FOR THE NEWS, WHETHER THAT'S FOR BIG NEWS STATION OR A LOCAL NEWS STATION.

I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO BE A REPORTER BECAUSE WHILE I AM KIND OF CAMERA SHY, SO I PRODUCE VOCAL POINT ALREADY.

AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.

IT'S SOMETHING I SEE MYSELF DOING OUTSIDE OF COLLEGE.

>> TWO OF YOU HAVE USED A KEY WORD "LOVE."

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO PEOPLE THAT WOULD HAVE NO IDEA WHAT JOURNAL -- WHAT YOU'RE GETTING IN TO?

WHY LOVE?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S ALREADY SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE TELLING THOSE STORIES AND WE WANT TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO FIRST COME UP WITH THE STEP OF LOVE.

YOU HAVE TO LOVE THIS JOB.

YOU HAVE TO LOVE INTERACTING WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE TO LOVE KNOWING THAT YOU WANT TO PUT THEIR VOICE ON A PLATFORM, AND I THINK THAT PASSION IS WHAT REALLY DRIVES GOOD JUMMISTS.

AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT FROM THE START, YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BE AS IMPACTFUL WITH THE WORK YOU DO IN THE FUTURE.

>> JILL, WHAT OTHER THINGS, CAREERS, DID YOU LOOK AT BEFORE YOU DECIDED ON UNIFORMISM?

OR HAS THIS BEEN ON YOUR RADAR ALL THE WAY ALONG.

>> IT'S BEEN ALL OVER THE PLATES.

I THOUGHT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER MAYBE I WANTED TO DO POLITICS AND I GOT TOTALLY TEARFIED OF THE TOX TOXICITY AND I THOUGHT MAYBE I WILL STEP IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA BUT TRY TO DO REPORTING THIS TIME.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE FAN OF SPORTS, PLAYED IT GROWING UP.

MY DAD AND GRANDPA PLAYED COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

THAT WAS A HUGE ASPECT OF MY FAMILY AND IT KIND OF CHANGED ONCE I CAME TO MICHIGAN STATE FROM, AT FIRST, I WANTED TO BE ANOTHER ESPN TALKING HE HAD AND I REALIZED THE POWER, LIKE JASMINE TALKED ABOUT, WHEN YOU TELL A STORY AND THE INCREDIBLE EKGS YOU CAN MAKE WITHIN A COMMUNITY AND IMPACTING PEOPLE IN A VIDEO THAT'S ONLY TWO MINUTES LONG BUT TRULY ENCAPSULATES WHAT A COMMUNITY WAS ALL ABOUT, THAT WAS THE SPECIAL PART WHAT HAVE QUESTION DO.

>> YOU CAULKED POLITICS TOXIC.

YOU CAN'T HAVE A CAREER IN JOURNALISM.

THAT'S A LOADED TERM.

WHY DID YOU USE "TOXIC"?

>> IT SEEMS AS THOUGH AS OF LATE -- I AM SURE WE WILL UNPACK THIS A LITTLE BIT LATER BUT FOR US AN ESPECIALLY FOR MY GENERATION, WE CAME UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE CAME UP ON SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN TYPE IN 120 CHARACTERS AND CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE INTERNET INSTANTANEOUSLY IF YOU WANTED TO AND IT FEELS AS THOUGH, FOR ME WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, PAYING ATTENTION TO POLITICS AND EVEN UP UNTIL RIGHT NOW, IT'S TURNED INTO KIND OF VERBAL BLOWS BACK AND FORTH AND NOT SO MUCH OF HOW CAN WE BUILD UP ONE ANOTHER FOR THE BETTER OF THIS ENTIRE NATION?

BECAUSE WE ARE ALL MERGES.

WE ARE ALL IN HERE IT TOGETHER.

THAT'S WHAT I LOVED ABOUT SPORTS REALLY WAS A WAY OF GETTING AWAY FROM THAT ENVIRONMENTAL A LITTLE BIT.

>> JULIAN, WHY LOVE.

>> IT'S A LONG STORY.

>> I HAVE 20 MINUTES.

GO FOR IT.

>> WHEN I FIRST CAME TO MICHIGAN STATE, I WAS AN ENGINEERING MAJOR.

SO, I CAME WITH AN ENGINEERING MIND SETD OF I WANT TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, BUT I GOT SCARED OF SCIENCE.

SO I WAS LIKE, I HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE AND ENGINEERING WAS JUST NOT IT FOR ME.

SO, I DECIDED TO GO TO JOURNALISM BECAUSE I SAW FOCAL POINTS IN ACTION ON A FRIDAY AND SAW THE PRODUCTION ASPECTS OF IT.

ONCE I GOT THE CHANCE TO ACTUALLY DO THAT IN MY SOPHOMORE YEAR, I JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH HOW EVERYTHING GOES, LEARNING ABOUT NEW TECHNIQUES AND NEW WAYS TO SHOOT AND PRODUCE AND I JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH IT EVER SINCE.

>> DO YOU THINK SOCIAL MEDIA IS A PLUS OR MINUS IN THE NEWS GAME?

>> I THINK IT'S A MIXTURE OF BOTH.

>> THIS IS THE GUY THAT WANTED TO GO INTO POLITICS.

>> MORE SO A MINUS FOR ME BECAUSE SOCIAL MEDIA IS VERY INFLUENTIAL AND THERE IS ALWAYS BOUND TO BE SOME TYPE OF FAKE NEWS OUT THERE ON SOCIAL BECAUSE ANYONE COULD JUST POST ANYTHING AND JUST SAY, THIS IS TRUE WHEN IT REALLY ISN'T TRUE.

YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY GO AND LOOK AT REPUTABLE SOURCES.

I PRODUCE FOR PHONEAL POINT AND THERE WILL BE TIMES WHERE HE SEE A LOT OF FAKE NEWS ON THE INSTAGRAM FEEDS AND FACEBOOK AND I WOULD HAVE TO ACTUALLY MAKE SURE IT'S ON TRUE.

I THINK IT'S MORE OF A MINUS THAN PLUS.

>> WE COULD APPLY THE WORD "TOXIC TO SOCIAL MEDIA COULDN'T WE?

>> I THINK YOU COULD APPLY "TOXIC" TO SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF POSITION THAT HAVE COME WITH IT.

THE FACT THAT ANYONE REALLY CAN ACCESS INFORMATION FROM YOU HAD RICK OF THEIR PHONE.

ARE THERE IS A LOT IN TERMS OF THE NEGATIVES, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT THE KIND OF JOURNALISM WORK I WANT DO IS INVEST INVESTIGATIVE AND IT'S EMOTIONAL AND SOMETIMES SOCIAL MEDIA ISN'T A PLATFORM THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO TAKE THAT STEP AWAY AND FOCUS ON ONE THIN, ONE STORY AND PUT THE E EMOTIONAL ENERGY THEY NEED TO INTO THESE STORIES.

SO THAT CAN PUP AWAY FROM THE EXPERIENCE.

IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO ACCESS ANYTHING ANYWHERE IT HAS GIVEN US A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.

>> THE DIALOGUE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WOULD YOU CALL IT INTELLECTUAL?

>> I THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE SPACES THAT YOU WANT IN ORDER TO GAIN INFORMATION.

IT DEPENDS FON WHO YOU FOLLOW.

FOR ME PERSONALLY, MY FEED IS MOSTLY NEWS.

I LOVE THAT ABOUT MY INSTAGRAM.

I LOVE THE PHOTOS.

I LOVE THAT ASPECT.

BUT I DO THINK THAT IF YOU AREN'T LOOKING FOR IT SOMETIMES, YOU CAN PUT YOURSELF IN A SITUATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE JUST ECHOING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING AND IT MAY BE THAT'S MEMES.

MAYBE THAT'S SARCASTIC HUMOR.

MAYBE THAT IS, YOU CAN, DETRIMENTAL POLITICAL TALK.

>> JOU JOE, WOULD YOU AGREE WITH SOME PEOPLE WHO SAY SOCIAL MEDIA HAS DILUTED THE INTEGRITY OF JOURNALISM?

.

>> 100%.

ONE THING WE HAVE DISCUSSED A LOT IN CLASSES.

THE IT CREATED A SPEED RAMP IN TERMS OF GETTING YOUR STORY OUT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

WHEN SOMETHING BIG HAPPENS, PEOPLE FEEL FEEL THE NEED TO THROW IT OUT THERE AS SOON AS THEY CAN AND THEY HAVE TO GET VIEWS.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ACCOUNTABILITY.

LET'S MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR SOURCES CORRECT.

LET'S MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL OF THE PIECES AND SIDES TOLD OF A SINGLE STORY: THEY ARE TAKING A STEP BACK AND THINKING HOW WELL THEM SOMEBODY OR THE CONTEXT AFTER STORY.

EVERYTHING.

>>?

>> I CAN TELL YOU FOCAL POINT NEWS OR MICHIGAN STATE, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT BOARD, BUT I SEE BELIEVE IT.

I THINK THAT'S A TREND OF NEWS LET'S GET THIS INTERNET IMMEDIATE ATTRACTION THAT I THINK IS TRULY TAKING AWAY FROM THE STORY-TELLING ABILITY WE NEED TO FALL BACK IN LOVE WITH.

>> DOES THAT BOARD SCARE YOU.

>> BIG TIME.

IT SCARED ME FROM WANTING TO GO INTO LOCAL NEWS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS AT THE START OF EVEN THE SENIOR YEAR, I WAS THINKING I HAVE AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST WITH REPORTING.

I WANT TO TRY TO MAKE THAT JUMP INTO MY FIRST JOB.

WHEN I WORKED AT A LOCAL STATION HERE IN LANSING, IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY TRAGIC CAR ACCIDENT.

A YOUNG GUY PASSED AWAY.

HIS BODY WAS JUST LYING THERE IN THE STREETS AND THE NEWSROOM WENT UP LIKE CRAZY AND EVERYBODYS WAS SAYING WE HAVE TO SEND THIS GUY OUT THERE TO GET SHOTS AND SOUND.

TO ME, IT REALLY KIND OF STOOD OUT AS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS.

THEY ARE TRYING TO GET CLIPS, LIKES AND VIEWS, BUT IT'S A STORY.

WHAT KIND OF TRUE IMPACT IS THAT HAVING FOR A COMMUNITY AND FOR US AS JUDGISTS WHEN YOU SHOW UP IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES" AND YOU SEE THE BOARD, WHAT WILL YOU THINK.

>> I THINK IT WILL LOOK LIKE MY PAYCHECK.

A LOT OF PUTTING A PRECEDENT ON HOW MANY VIEWS AND LIKES YOU ARE GETTING.

I THINK ONE MISSTEP AND SUDDENLY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT YOU TO SAY, WELL, WHY DID YOU REPORT THIS?

AND IS THIS TRUE?

WHO IS TELLING YOU THAT THIS IS TRUE?

I THINK WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES THAT EVERY DAY: WHAT ARE WE PUTTING FORWARD FOR THE PUBLIC?

>> YOU'LLIAN, WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE NEWS CONSUMER?

WHAT DO THEY REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU?

DO THEY WANT TO HEAR HEREIN VEST INVESTIGATIVE REPORT?

DO THEY WANT TO HEAR HIS SOCCER SCORES WHICH NOBODY CARES ABOUT?

WHAT DO THEY WANT TO HEAR ABOUT?

>> I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

WHAT'S THE GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> DO THEY CARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON POLITICS?

DO THEY CARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN IN LAMBING.

>> AS FAR AS POLITICS, IT'S A HUGE DEBATE.

DEFINITELY A HUGE DEBATE, BOTH ON CAMPUS AND OFF CAMPUS AS FAR AS POLITICS GO.

I AM NOT REALLY ONE FOR POLITICS.

I DON'T WATCH POLITICS AS OFTEN.

BUT I SEE FEEL LIKE MOST PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED AS WHAT'S GOING ON THEIR COMMUNITY.

RIGHT?

WITH AN EMPHASIS WITH COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T EVER GET STORIES YOU TALK ABOUT.

BACK IN MY HOMETOWN, KROIT, THERE ARE A LOT OFTORIES OUT THERE IN MY COMMUNITY BACK IN DETROIT.

IT'S NEVER REPORTED AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF I WAS A NEWS PRODUCER, I WOULD ACTUALLY GO AND GET THOSE STORIES THAT ARE UNTOLD.

YOU HAVE WATCHED THE DETROIT NEWS MEDIA MARKET.

WHO DOWN THERE IMPRESSES YOU, IF ANYBODY?

>> LOCAL 4 AND CHANNEL 7 IMPRESS ME WITH THE STORIES THAT THEY GET ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST SIDE AND WEST SIDE OF KROIT, WHICH I GREW UP PREDOMINANTLY ON THE EAST SIDE OF DETROIT AND THEY COVER A LOT MORE, LIKE, LOCAL STORIES VERSUS.

>> YOU DON'T LIKE FOX 2 IN.

>> NOT THAT I DON'T LIKE FOX 2.

IT'S JUST THEY DON'T REPORT, LIKE, FROM LOCAL SOURCES AS MUCH AS I THINK THEY SHOULD.

>> INTERESTING.

YOUR LOCAL MEDIA, WHAT IMPRESSES YOU, YASSMINE.

>> LOCAL TO MICHIGAN OR VIRGINIA?

>> LET'S DO MICHIGAN SINCE NOBODY CARES ABOUT VIRGINIA.

SORRY.

>> NO.

THAT'S TOTALLY FINE.

I FIGURED, BUT I JUST WANTED TO CHECK.

>> GOOD.

>> I THINK THE LANSING JOURNAL HAS SET A PRECEDENT HERE IN THE CAPITOL WITH THEIR COVERAGE ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE NASSAR COVERAGE OF THOSE TRIALS.

I THOUGHT THAT THEY DID AN AMAZING JOB.

THAT KIND OF LOCAL REPORTING IS IMPORTANT DURING THIS TIME BECAUSE EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE LOCALIZED IN ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IT.

YOU NEED TO CONNECT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE ARE A NATION, WITH YOU LOCAL NEWS IS REALLY MAKING A COMEBACK.

WE SHOULD INVEST IN IT.

>> JOE, WHAT IMPRESSES YOU.

>> I THINK LIKE BOTH OF THESE GUYS HAVE SAID SO FAR.

IT'S JUST THE ABILITY OF THESE LOCAL STATIONS TO REACH OUT INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND CONNECT.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T GET WITH THOSE BIG JOINT STATIONS.

STEVE FORTMAN IS A STORITELER I LOVE BECAUSE ALTHOUGH HE IS, YOU KNOW, A GUY WHO TRAVELS ALL OVER THE NATION AND HIS STORIES ARE AIRED IN ALMOST ANY XHASHTH, HE GOES IN THESE TINY COMMUNITIES AND FINDS A STORY IN THE VERY BACK CORNER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

UTS THAT ABILITY .

MANY WANT TO TUNE INTO THE NETWORKS AND SEE THE CONTROVERSY OR WHAT DID OUR PRESIDENT SLIP UP ON THIS TIME INSTEAD OF THOSE STORIES.

>> DO JOURNALISTS GULF PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT OR SHOULD HAVE.

>> I THINK IT'S CHANGED.

I THINK NOW THAT DEMAND HAS TURNED INTO WHAT THEY WANT.

I THINK IT'S WHAT CAN WE HAND TO SOCIAL MEDIA IN A DIGITAL PRESENCE IMMEDIATELY TO KIND OF FEED THE MATS IN WHAT -- THERE IS STILL A LOT OF GREAT EXAMPLES OUT THERE EVEN OF YOUNG JOURNALISTS IN DIFFERENT LOCAL MARKETS, KIDS I HAVE GONE TO SCHOOL WITH WHO HAVE GOTTEN THEIR FIRST JOBS OUT IN TENNESSEE OR OUT IN NORTH -- THE NORTH OF WISCONSIN AND THEY HAVE LEARNED TO REALLY CONTINUE TO USE THAT POWERFUL ASPECT OF THEIR JOB OF TAKING PEOPLE THERE AND MAKING THEM CARE.

I THINK IN THE LARGER SCAN, LARGER PERSPECTIVE OF THE GIANT MARKETS, I THINK IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY.

>> JULIAN, IF JOE IS CORRECT, IS THAT DANGEROUS WE ARE GIVING PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT RATHER THAN WHAT THEY, QUOTE, SHOULD HAVE IS THIS.

>> I THINK IT'S KIND OF DANGEROUS AND NOT DANGEROUS.

IT JUST DEPENDS ON, LIKE, THE NATURE OF IT.

LIKE WE CAN GIVE SOME PEOPLE WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA, WHAT THEY REALLY WANT, BUT, LIKE, AT THE SAME TIME, YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL WITH THOSE TYPES OF STORIES THAT ARE JUST FOR SOCIAL BECAUSE IT KIND OF QUESTIONS THE INTEGRITY AND THE ETHICS BEHIND WHAT'S BEING REPORTED.

I KNOW LAST -- I KNOW LIKE ONE OF MY OTHER CLASSES, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THE RECENT SHOOTING IN COLORADO AND BOULDER WAS REPORTED LIKE A SPORTS GAME.

IT QUESTIONS LIKE THE ETHICS OF WHY IT WAS REPORTED DURING THE TIME AT THE FIRST PLACE.

IT WASN'T LIKE IT HAD TO BE REPORTED DURING THE BASKETBALL GAME.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN REPORTED LIKE AT A HALFTIME REPORT OR EVEN AFTER THE SHOW DURING IT, IT MAKES ME QUESTION THAT SOME STUFF LIABLE THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS FOR SOCIAL.

>> YASSMINE IS THE NEWS MEDIA BIASED?

>>.

IS THE NEWS MEDIA BIASED?

>> A VERY INTERESTING QUESTION.

ETH WE NEED TO BREAK DOWN WHAT IS OBJECTIVE NEWS.

THIS IS A REALLY EXIST QUESTION FOR ME BECAUSE I AM ASKED EVERY DAY WHETHER OR NOT I AM BIASED.

>> ARE YOU.

>> NO.

I DON'T THINK I AM.

I THINK THAT THE NEWS IS TELLING THEIR STORIES THE WAY THAT THEY NEED TO ESPECIALLY AT THESE HIGHER LEVELS.

BUT IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE DOING, PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WE ARE NOT TRYING TO BREAK DOWN THE NATION.

WE AREN'T TRYING TO MAKE DOWN POLITICAL LEADERS.

SOMETIMES, NEWS IS JUST GOING TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE.

SOMETIMES, PEOPLE DO THE WRONG THING AND IT'S OUR JOB TO REPORT THAT.

AND WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE LIKES A POLITICIAN, SOMEONE LIKES A PARTY, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT THEY ARE DOING, WHAT THEIR ACTIONS ARE SAYING AND WHAT THEY ARE SAYING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

WE NEED TO BE FINDING THAT OUT.

AND SO I THINK THAT PEEL SOMETIMES ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS IDEA THAT WE ARE GOING TO SAY THINGS PEOPLE DON'T LIKE BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE AREN'T DOING THE CORRECT JOB.

>> JOE.

BIAS?

>> YES.

I THINK ACROSS THE NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS FASCINATED ME IS WHEN YOU FLIP BETWEEN CHANNELS IF YOU GO FROM MSNBC AND JUMP TO FOX NEWS ON THE OTHER SIDE, I THINK THERE IS A VERY CLEAR DISTINCTION OF THE NARRATIVE, EVEN THOUGH THE STORIES THAT ARE BEING TOLD NIGHT IN AND NIGHT OUT AND THE TV PERSONALITIES AS WELL.

THAT TO ME IS SOMETHING THAT'S I THINK BECOME COMPLETELY COMMERCIALIZED, SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE TUNE IN TO TO BE A PART OF THE SOUND BUBBLE BASICALLY.

YOU WANT TO JUMP INTO YOUR FAVORITE CHANNEL AND BE REASSURED OF YOUR VIEWS INSTEAD OF BEING CHALLENGED, OF BEING TOLD TO A DIFFERENT SIDE OF THE STORY THAT YOU DON'T NORMALLY SEE.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK LOCAL STATIONS DO A BROUGHT JOB OF DOING, NOT THESE GIANT AM NATIONAL MARKETS.

>> JULIAN.

>> I THINK MOST NEWS STAKSS, I DON'T THINK THEY ARE BIASED AT ALL.

I FEEL LIKE WHEN I WATCH DIFFERENT NEWS STATIONS, SOMETIMES I WATCH CNN AND MSNBC.

AND THERE IS QUITE A DIFFERENT IN NEWS PERSONALITYS.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU HAVE TO QUESTION YOURSELF LIKE IS WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ACTUALLY TRUE?

ARE THEY BEING SUBLIMINAL WITH WHAT THEY ARE SAYING?

IT DEFINITELY IS KIND OF LIKE IN THE MIDDLE, KIND OF LIKE NEW TRAL SOMETIMES IT CAN BE BIASED.

>> I PROMISED YOU GUYS TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS.

GO AHEAD, JASMINE.

GIVE ME YOUR BEST SHOT.

OKAY.

MY FIRST QUESTION FOR YOU WOULD BE: HOW HAS REPORTING ON POLITICS IN MICHIGAN CHANGED SINCE WE CAME INTO THE 21ST SENTRY?

>> THE REDUCTION OF PEOPLE COVERING THE STATE CAPITOL.

WHEN I STARTED COVERING THE STATE CAPITOL IN 1982, A LONG TIME AGO, THERE WERE PROBABLY ABOUT 45 VIBRANT JOURNALISTS RUNNING AROUND.

THE NUMBER HAS BEEN GREATLY, GREATLY REDUCED.

IN FACT, YOU MENTIONED THE STATE JOURNAL.

OKAY.

THEY HAD MANY MORE PEOPLE COVERING THE CAPITOL THAN THEY DO TODAY AND SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THE CONSULTANTS HAVE DONE INTO THE NEWSROOM AND SAID PEOPLE DON'T CARE ABOUT POLITICS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO COVER IT.

AND THE BEAN COUNTERS WON.

JOE, YOUR QUESTION.

>> I WOULD SAY TO YOU, TIM, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WE ARE PORTRAYED AS A TRIGGER-HAPPY GENERATION OF JOURNALISTS, FACE DOWN LIKE THIS INTO OUR PHONES OR HAVE OUR CAMERA UP AND AT THE READY IMMEDIATELY.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO BE THAT NEXT KIND OF CHANGE OF OUR GENERATION OF STORYTELLERS AND GO FROM FEEDING MASSES, FEETING THE NOTIFICATIONS TO THAT LONGER AND INVESTIGATIVE LIKE JAZZMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT OR TRULY MAKING AN IMPACT THAT GOES DEEPER THAN A LIKE.

>> PUT THIS IN REFRIGERATOR AND LEAVE IT THERE.

>> EASY ENOUGH.

>> I BET YOU COULDN'T DO IT.

>> I DON'T THINK SO EITHER.

WE ARE HOOKED.

>> SET A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FOR THIS YEAR, OKAY I WILL TRY TO BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA WAY LESS, BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S KIND OF PART OF OUR JOBS AS JOURNALISTS, ESPECIALLY ME AS A SPORTS GUY.

I HAVE TO BE ON TWITTER SO OFTEN DURING THE DAY TO EVEN CHECK UP ON THINGS.

>> IT'S A SUBSTANTIVE QUESTION.

LET ME TAKE A QUICK SHOT.

IT'S ALL UP HERE.

OKAY?

YOU HAVE TO DECIDE.

EVERYBODY DECIDES HOW THEY ARE GOING TO DO THIS NEWS THING.

OKAY.

SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT ON TWITTER.

SOME ARE NOT ON THE INTERNET.

SOME PEOPLE JUST MAKE PHONE CALLS.

TALK TO PEEP.

I WOULD SAY THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR THE OLD WAY OF DOING STUFF BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS.

DO PEOPLE TRUST YOU?

WILL THEY GIVE YOU INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED WHEN YOU ARE DOING YOUR INVESTIGATIVE REPORT AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

IT'S HARD TO BUILD A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP WITH A DEVICE.

IT TAKES IN-PERSON, EYEBALL-TO-EYEBALL.

YOUR QUESTION BEFORE WE SAY GOOD NIGHT.

>> I THINK I HAVE A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO WHY ADAPTING TO THIS NEW JOURNALISM WORLD.

HOW DO YOU, LIKE, CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO GO OUT AND GET STORIES THAT ARUNTED REPORTED?

WHAT WOULD BE LIKE THE MOST CHALLENGING PART ABOUT THAT IN.

>> THE MOST CHALLENGING PART IS DEVELOPING INSTINCTS AS TO WHETHER SOMEBODY IS LYING TO YOU OR NOT.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING?

AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT IN A FIRST REACTION TO SOMEONE.

YOU HAVE TO GO KIND OF GO IN AND HANG AROUND AND JUST SORT OF -- OBVIOUSLY I AM DOING POLITICS WHICH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE SPORTS THING.

JOE HAS PICKED THE RIGHT END OF THE BIDS TO GO INTO BECAUSE SPORTS SELLS PAPERS.

DOESN'T IT, JOE?

>> SURE DOES.

>> POLITICS DOESN'T.

OKAY.

I AM ON A MISSION TO GET PEOPLE INVOLVED IN POLITICS.

IF YOU LOOKED AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THIS SHOW, WE ARE GREAT WITH 65 YEARS UP TO DEATH.

IN SOME SHOWS, DEATH WINS.

HIGH POINT IS WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF YOUR PEOPLE WATCHING THIS PROGRAM, AND NEED TO DO THAT BECAUSE MY POINT TO YOUR GENERATION IS: WHO IS GOING TO RUN THIS DEMOCRACY AND MAKE IT WORK IF YOU ARE NOT INTELLECTUALLY ENGAGES IN THE POLITICS OF HOW THE BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, OF HOW THIS BUSINESS IS PLAYING UP.

>> IS WHAT I AM SAYING RESONATING OR NOT.

>> NO.

I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.

I THINK THERE IS A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION TO BE HAD WITH OUR JEPRATION.

WHAT I HAVE SEEN, I PERSONALLY AM NOT WORRIED YOU THINK MY PEERS KNOW WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US THE.

I THINK WE ARE A GENERATION THAT'S MORE EM PATHETIC AND REALLY TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE'S STORIES AND SHARE THEM IN THE RIGHT WAY.

>> SORRY I AM OUT OF TOWN.

I RAN THE CROCK LONG ENOUGH.

I APPRECIATE ALL THREE OF YOU SHOWING UP.

GOOD LUCK.

BASED UPON WHAT I HAVE HEARD HERE, ALL THREE OF YOU ARE GOING TO BE VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL.

GO FORTH.

BE GOOD JOURNALISTS AND WATCH "OFF THE RECORD" THANKS TO YOU FOLKS FOR WATCHING.

NEXT WEEK, BACK TO THE REGULAR PRODUCTION OF "OFF THE RECORD.

>> MADE POTSIBLE IN THE PART BY THE FOLLOWING.

BIDS LEADERS HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN TO MAKE MICHIGAN A TOP 10 STATE IN THE NATION FOR JOBS, AND A HEALTHY ECONOMY.

LEARN MORE AT MISSIONSROADTOTOP10.ORG.

MICHIGAN PIN TELEVISION STATIONS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO "OFF OF THE RECORD" WITH TIM SKUBICK.