>> Rooney: GOOD EVENING, I'M EMILY ROONEY, "BEAT THE PRESS" WILL START IN A MOMENT.

SAYING THE NETWORK'S CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH KEN BURNS HAS SHUT OUT OTHER TALENTED VOICES.

DURING THE DISCUSSION PART OF OUR SEGMENT, WE ALL AGREED THAT PBS NEEDED TO PROVIDE MORE AIR TIME TO DIVERSE FILM MAKERS.

I SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS SOME OF THE OTHER DOCUMENTARIES LIKE THE ASIAN-AMERICAN SERIES WEREN'T AS GOOD AS BURNS AND THAT COULD BE THE REASON THEY DID NOT GET MORE AIR TIME.

ALTHOUGH I ADMIT, I HADN'T SEEN THAT SERIES.

I HAVE SINCE RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND NOW UNDERSTAND THAT MY COMMENTS WERE UNINFORMED, DISMISSIVE AND DISRESPECTFUL.

WHILE MY INTENTION WAS TO OFFER FURTHER BALANCE TO THE DISCUSSION, MY COMMENTS DID NOT ACCOMPLISH THAT.

AND INSTEAD, I CROSSED A LINE.

I WANT TO SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR MY OFFENSIVE REMARKS.

>> Rooney: WELCOME TO "BEAT THE PRESS."

OUR TOPICS: PROTESTERS TAKE AIM AT THE MEDIA IN MINNEAPOLIS.

A JUGGLING ACT OF FAIR REPORTING OVER THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE PAUSE.

THE BRITS SAY THERE'S BEEN TOO MUCH COVERAGE OF THE DEATH OF PRINCE PHILLIP.

PLUS, OUR PANEL'S RANTS AND RAVES OF THE WEEK.

JOINING ME ARE GBH EXECUTIVE PRODUCER DAN LOTHIAN, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY'S DAN KENNEDY, JON KELLER OF WBZ NEWS, AND CALLIE CROSSLEY OF GBH NEWS.

>> Rooney: FIRST UP, IT'S ONE THING KNOWING YOU'RE IN DANGER COVERING A WAR; QUITE ANOTHER COVERING PROTESTS IN MINNEAPOLIS.

THIS WEEK, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA WERE SURROUNDED BY ANGRY MOBS, SWORN AT, AND, IN ONE CASE, PELTED WITH OBJECTS.

PROTESTORS CLAIM THE MEDIA IS EXACERBATING THE SITUATION OR FOCUSING ON TENSION AND NOT THEIR MESSAGE.

THE MURDER TRIAL OF DEREK CHAUVIN WAS TAKING PLACE JUST EIGHT MILES AWAY WHEN, UNIMAGINABLY, ANOTHER YOUNG BLACK MAN WAS KILLED BY A POLICE OFFICER.

THE KILLING TOUCHED OFF MORE ANTI-POLICE PROTESTS.

>> PEOPLE SURROUNDED POLICE VEHICLES, JUMPED ON SQUAD CARS, AND SMASHED BRICKS THOUGH WINDOWS.

>> Rooney: THE STAND-OFF WAS TENSE.

LOCAL AND NATIONAL NEWS CREWS WERE ALL THERE.

>> THIS IS THE STRONGEST TEAR GAS I HAVE EVER FACED DURING A PROTEST.

IT'S LIKE MILITARY-GRADE TEAR GAS.

>> Rooney: THAT'S CNN'S SARA SIDNER, WHO WAS REPORTING LIVE WHEN A MAN APPROACHED HER.

>> SO, TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> I THINK WHAT THIS IS ALL THE PRESS AND ALL THE EXTRA (BLEEP) YOU DO MAKES THIS WORSE.

>> Rooney: WHILE SIDNER TRIED TO DIFFUSE THE SITUATION, THE MAN KEPT SAYING THE MEDIA'S PRESENCE WAS MAKING THINGS WORSE.

>> WE ARE LIVE HERE.

>> NO (BLEEP) WAY.

>> I'M LIVE RIGHT NOW.

>> I DON'T CARE IF YOU ARE LIVE OR NOT.

GET AWAY FROM HERE WITH ALL THAT MEDIA STUFF.

>> Rooney: A SIMILAR SITUATION CONFRONTED MSNBC'S RON ALLEN.

>> OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

>> GET THE (BLEEP) OUT OF HERE.

>> Rooney: WEDNESDAY NIGHT TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORSE-- PROTESTERS SURROUNDED A CNN CREW.

AND SUDDENLY, ONE MEMBER OF THE CREW WAS WHACKED WITH A WATER BOTTLE.

>> YOU GOT KNOCKED OUT BY A WATER BOTTLE.

>> Rooney: PROTESTERS WERE UPSET THAT CNN WAS FOCUSING ON A POLICE LINE, NOT A NEARBY RALLY.

THE MOB THEN FOLLOWED THE CREW TO THEIR CAR.

IT'S BEEN A RUGGED JUGGLING ACT FOR MEDIA.

WHEN ASKED TO LEAVE THE SCENE THE OTHER NIGHT, THE LOCAL NBC STATION COMPLIED.

>> THEY BASICALLY STARTED THEY KNEW WE WERE PRESS, BUT THEY ASKED US TO MOVE ON.

WE AGREED AS MEDIA TO OBEY THE OFFICERS COMMAND.

>> Rooney: AT THE RISK OF MISSING THE STORY.

SO DAN KENNEDY I WAS STUNNED BY THIS.

THE PROTESTERS, THE ONES WE COULD SEE, TWO THINGS WERE HAPPENING.

THEY FELT LIKE THE MEDIA'S PRESENCE WAS EXACERBATING THE SITUATION BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IF YOU WOULD LISTEN TO SOME OF THOSE PROTESTERS, YOU GUYS ARE FOCUSING ON THE ATTENTION OF THE POLICE LINE AND NOT LISTENING TO WHAT THE PEOPLE AT THE ACTUAL RALLY ARE SAYING.

SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE WAR LIKE ANGLE OF THIS BUT NOT THE MESSAGE OF PEACE THAT THE PROTESTERS ARE TRYING TO PUT FORTH.

>> THIS IS SOME PRETTY CHAOTIC SITUATIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

I THINK KUDOS GO ESPECIALLY TO SARA SIDNER, SHE REALLY STUCK WITH THAT PROTESTER FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND LET HIM GIVE VOICE TO HIS FRUSTRATION WITH THE MEDIA AND I THINK HE HAD AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE AND I'M GLAD PEOPLE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE IT.

YOU KNOW IN SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS WHAT WE WERE SEEING WAS, WE WERE SEEING A MIXTURE OF PROTESTERS WHO WANTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MEDIA'S PRESENCE TO GET THEIR MESSAGE OUT, AND OTHER PROTESTERS WHO WERE FURIOUS AT THE MEDIA AND WERE SCREAMING OBSCENITIES AT THEM AND WANTING THEM TO GET OUT THERE, SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS OBVIOUSLY A TOUGH SITUATION AND, YOU KNOW, FINALLY LET'S NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE AUTHORITIES HAVEN'T BEEN WANTING A LOT OF MEDIA ACCESS EITHER.

AND THERE WAS ONE KEY NEWS CONFERENCE WHERE THE NATIONAL PRESS WAS LEFT IN.

>> Rooney: YES.

>> WAS LET IN AND THE LOCAL PRESS-- >> Rooney: THAT WAS TERRIBLE, YES.

>> WE WERE KICKED OUT.

>> WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT THIS ISN'T ANYTHING NEW IN TERMS OF PEOPLE BEING ANGRY WHEN CAMERAS SHOW UP AT THE SCENE.

I REMEMBER THERE WAS AN EVENT I WAS COVERING ON MY VERY FIRST JOB IN TELEVISION BACK IN CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, WHERE SOMEONE WAS GIVING ME THE ONE FINGER SALUTE BEHIND MY LIVE SHOT.

ANOTHER TIME WHEN I WAS WORKING IN TV IN SEATTLE I WAS ATTACKED BY SOMEONE AND KNOCKED US OFF THE AIR.

THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT TEND TO HAPPEN FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.

PEOPLE WANT TO TELL THEIR STORY OR FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT BEING FAIR IN TELLING THE STORY AND OTHERS WANT TO JUST CAUSE CHAOS.

WHAT I THINK IS DIFFERENT NOW IS PEOPLE HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS OF SORT OF GALVANIZING AROUND A PROTEST, SIDE PROTEST IF YOU WILL, THEY HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA, IF SOMEONE IS ANGRY ABOUT A NEWS CREW BEING THERE, THEY CAN POST, THEY CAN BE JOINED IN THEIR DISPLEASURE AND GIN THINGS UP.

IT'S AN OLD PROBLEM WEAVER HAD ANY TIME WHEN CAMERAS AND LIGHTS SHOW UP ARE BUT INTENSIFY THE UNDER THE SPEED OF INFORMATION CAN SPREAD AROUND THE SCENE.

>> I WOULD SAY ALL THAT IS TRUE WHAT YOU HAVE SAID BUT SOMETHING ELSE HAS CHANGED AND THAT IS BACK TO THE SOCIAL MEDIA.

A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN THE STREETS THEY DON'T KNOW THESE PEOPLE.

IT USED TO BE AT A TIME YOU GET OUT TO A RALLY THEY RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE FOLKS.

THEY'RE NOT WATCHING TV, THEY DON'T CARE.

AND PARTICULARLY I WANT TO NOTE THAT BOTH OF THE REPORTERS IN QUESTION IN THE STORY WERE FOLKS OF COLOR.

THAT WOULD GIVE YOU SOMETIMES AN EDGE IN THAT SITUATION.

WHICH I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND RON ALLEN AND SARA BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR COOL AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO RESPOND IN THAT MOMENT.

THIS WAS NOT-- REMEMBER WE'RE IN AN ATMOSPHERE IN A CONTEXT WHERE MEDIA IS JUST NOT HIGHLY THOUGHT OF REALLY AT THIS POINT, IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN THERE BUT THIS IS A REAL SITUATION.

THEY DON'T KNOW THIS SITUATION, THERE'S NO KIND OF YOU MADE IT SO YOU'RE THERE AND MAYBE BECAUSE YOU CAME INTO THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A VEHICLE BY WHICH WE CAN-- YOU WILL REALLY LISTEN.

SO EVERYTHING ELSE YOU SAID IS TRUE AND, WE HAVE THE SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE ANGRY AND THEY DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE.

YOU'RE NOT TELLING THE STORY RIGHT.

>> YEAH, LOOK, THESE DEMONSTRATIONS ARE NEWSWORTHY AND THEY REQUIRE COVERAGE.

THE QUESTION IS HOW?

IN WHAT WAY EXACTLY?

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CABLE NETS WHO ARE GOING ON SOMETIMES HOUR AFTER HOUR I THINK THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THIS IN MINNESOTA BUT I THINK BACK TO SOME OF THE MARCHES IN FERGUSON WHERE THEY WERE FLYING IN THE ANCHORS WHILE THEY WERE MARCHING WITH THEM.

IS THIS ABOUT COVERING THAT STORY OR ABOUT SHOWCASING YOUR TALENT.

ARE YOU THERE THE WAY SOME PEOPLE WATCH NASCAR WAITING FOR THE CRACKUP OR ARE YOU WAITING FOR WHAT'S GOING ON?

I KNOW BECAUSE I'VE HEARD IT THAT PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES THAT GO UNDERCOVER, WONDER HOW COME YOU JUST SHOW UP WHEN THERE'S THE POTENTIAL FOR TROUBLE OR WHEN THERE'S A CRIME?

AND SO THAT COULD ALL BE FEEDING INTO SOME OF THIS BACKLASH.

>> Rooney: JON ONE QUICK YES, IF YOU WERE THE CREW ON THE SCENE AND THE POLICE ASKED TO YOU LEAVE, WOULD YOU PULL OUT?

>> PROBABLY.

YOU KNOW, MY PROBLEM IS MY GLASSES GO FLYING OFF.

NO, I-- YOU KNOW IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE NATURE OF THE REQUEST AND THE CONTEXT BUT GENERALLY IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT, YOU TEND TO COMPLY.

>> Rooney: I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

ALL RIGHT, FOR THE PAST YEAR, THE MEDIA HAS FACED A SUSTAINED AND DIFFICULT TEST: HOW DO WE ACCURATELY REPORT THE RISKS OF THE PANDEMIC WHILE ALSO PROVIDING PERSPECTIVE AND NUANCE?

IT'S A CHALLENGE THAT CAME TO THE FORE THIS WEEK, WHEN THE U.S. GOVERNMENT PRESSED PAUSE ON THE ONE-DOSE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE.

THAT STORY WAS RIPE FOR SENSATIONALISM, BUT ADAM REILLY SAYS OVERALL, THE PRESS DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB.

>> Reporter: WHEN THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON STORY BROKE, "CBS THIS MORNING'S" DAVID AGUS TRIED TO POINT OUT THAT FRIGHTENING SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE VACCINE ARE VERY RARE.

GAYLE KING WASN'T HAVING IT.

I'D BE A LITTLE FREAKED OUT RIGHT NOW IF I'D GOTTEN J&J.

>> YEAH, BUT, I KNOW YOU KEEP SAYING THAT, AND ALL THE EXPERTS KEEP SAYING IT'S EXTREMELY RARE, BUT WE KEEP HEARING THIS DRUMBEAT OF STORIES ABOUT J&J.

SO IF YOU HAD IT, HOW WORRIED SHOULD YOU BE?

>> Reporter: THAT EXCHANGE BACKED UP THE FEARS OF MEDIA CRITIC MATTHEW GERTZ, WHO CALLED THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON STORY "AN INCREDIBLY CRUCIAL, HIGH-STAKES TEST FOR THE PRESS."

BUT AS IT TURNED OUT, OTHER OUTLETS WERE DETERMINED TO PUT THE RISKS IN CONTEXT, WHILE ALSO TAKING THEM SERIOUSLY.

>> EXTREMELY RARE REPORTS OF SIX WOMEN WHO SUFFERED BLOOD CLOTS.

ONE DIED, ANOTHER IN THE HOSPITAL.

>> I REALLY WANT TO REINFORCE THIS, THAT THESE ARE VERY, VERY RARE EVENTS.

>> Reporter: WHAT'S MORE, THEY EMPHASIZED THAT THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON STORY SHOULDN'T BECOME AN EXCUSE TO NOT GET VACCINATED AT ALL.

>> ARE YOU CONCERNED AT ALL THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE THIS AND SAY, "I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING A VACCINE.

THIS JUSTIFIES MY ANXIETY?"

>> THE RISK-BENEFIT RATIO IS WAY IN FAVOR OF BENEFIT.

>> Reporter: A POINT THAT ELUDED FOX NEWS'S TUCKER CARLSON, WHO CLAIMED THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON ROLLBACK SUGGESTS A VAST BUT VAGUE PRO-VACCINE CONSPIRACY.

>> BECAUSE THIS ONE VACCINE HAS HURT SIX PEOPLE OUT OF SEVEN MILLION, WE NEED TO STOP USING IT IMMEDIATELY.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

NO, IT REALLY DOESN'T.

IT SEEMS POSSIBLE THERE MAY BE MORE GOING ON HERE.

>> Reporter: OF COURSE, FOX NEWS WILL BE FOX NEWS.

ON THE WHOLE, THE MEDIA DID PRETTY WELL WITH A TOPIC THAT'S COMPLICATED AND HAS VERY HIGH STAKES.

>> Rooney: WELL, CALLIE YOU KNOW AS A FORMER MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT, RISKS ARE ONE OF THOSE UNKNOWNS.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE RISKS IN EVERY SINGLE PROCEDURE OR NEW MEDICATION THAT'S DEVELOPED ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND IT'S THE MEDIA'S JOB TO PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE AS BASICALLY EVERYBODY SAID IN THAT PIECE BUT WITH SOMETHING LIKE THE CORONAVIRUS AND WITH EUROPE PUTTING THIS THING ON PAUSE AND WITH NINE PEOPLE HERE, BUT WORLDWIDE THERE COULD BE MANY MORE SOME THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT.

I THINK THEY'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING BUT IT IS MINUSCULE NONETHELESS, THEY PROBABLY DID THE RIGHT THING.

>> I THINK THE COVERAGE HAS, OVERALL I'LL HAVE TO AGREE WITH ADAM'S REPORT, VERY, VERY GOOD.

THE ONLY THING THIS IS A NITPICK AND PROBABLY CAN BE A IMPORTANT ONE.

IT TOOK ABOUT THE SECOND OR THIRD DAY BEFORE I GOT CLARITY THAT THE CLOTS WERE NOT THE SAME AS THE REGULAR BLOOD CLOTS THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT.

AND THAT PLATELETS WERE INVOLVED, OKAY THAT'S GOING DOWN A WONKY HOLE BUT THAT WAS IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF THE RESPONSE OF THE VACCINE.

THAT WAS AT THE CRUX OF THIS.

SO YOU CAN'T TREAT IT THE SAME WAY.

THAT'S IMPORTANT PIECE OF INFORMATION.

SO PEOPLE COULDN'T GO OUT AND GO TAKE A BLOOD THINNER IF THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO GET THE CLOT.

THAT NEEDED TO BE SAID.

OTHER THAN THAT I THINK PRETTY MUCH WE DID PRETTY WELL IN COVERING THIS.

>> I AGREE.

FOR MOST PART, THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB ON THIS BUT, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVE TO GO TO THE MURDOCH PRESS WHICH IS INCREDIBLY INFLUENTIAL.

IN ADDITION TO WHAT ADAM REPORTED WHAT TUCKER CARLSON SAID, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE ASKING TO US WEAR MASKS AFTER WE'RE VACCINATED MAY MEAN THE VACCINES DON'T WORK AT ALL AND THEY DON'T WANT TO TELL US.

THERE'S ALSO BEEN A COUPLE OF HEADLINES JUST TODAY IN MURDOCH'S "NEW YORK POST," ONE OF THEM WAS ABOUT A YOUNG MAN WHO DIED AFTER RECEIVING THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE AND THEN IF YOU BURROW DEEP INTO THE STORY YOU SEE THAT IT MAY HAVE HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE VACCINE.

SO IS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART, THE MEDIA HAVE DONE WELL BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO GET PEOPLE SCARED.

AND I ALSO WONDER-- IF NOW MATTER HOW RESPONSIBLE MEDIA HAD BEEN WHETHER MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE RELUCTANT TO GET THIS-- THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE ANYWAY.

>> Rooney: EXACTLY.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> I WANT TO BE QUITE RESPONSIBLE IN THE COVERAGE OF THIS STORY.

BUT WHERE I FIND SOME ISSUES PARTICULARLY, THIS IS WHERE IT TYPICALLY HAPPENS, AROUND THE TEASERS, RIGHT?

THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE MEDIA OUTLETS PUT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THE LEAD-IN TO A STORY, THE TEASER FOR THE NEWSCAST COMING UP IN THE EVENING.

THOSE ARE THE BREAKING STORIES OF THE DAY AND SO THEY'RE PLAYED UP IN PROMOTIONS.

AND OFTENTIMES, THAT'S ALL THAT THE PUBLIC REALLY SEES.

THAT'S ALL THAT THEY DIGEST.

THEY DON'T SIT THERE AND WAIT AROUND SOMETIMES FOR THE STORY, OR THEY GO INTO THAT STORY THINKING BASED ON WHAT THEY HEARD IN THE TEASE.

AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ONLY OUR ROLE TO BE RESPONSIBLE IN THE ACTUAL STORIES THAT WE DO, AND HOW THOSE STORIES OR THE INTERVIEWS THAT ARE DONE ON AIR WITH THE EXPERTS, BUT ALSO WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT HOW OUR STORIES ARE BEING PROMOTED, AND HOW THE STORIES PLAY OUT ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> YEAH, I THINK CALLIE MADE A GOOD POINT ABOUT HOW SOMETIMES THE MEDIA STUMBLES WHEN IT COMES TO SCIENCE STORIES BECAUSE THERE IS A LACK OF EXPERTISE.

WE'RE LUCKY AT WBG WE HAVE DR. ALICIA MARSHAL RIGHT THERE.

SHE PUTS IT IN CONTEXT.

IT IS A PERFECT MADE FOR TV GRAPHIC.

WHAT ARE YOUR CHANCES FOR GETTING BLOOD CLOTS THE J & J VACCINE, THEY ARE ABOUT 100 TIMES LESS THAN BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING, GETTING HIT BY AN OCEAN LINER.

TUCKER CARLSON IS A GARBAGE PEDDLER.

IF IT WEREN'T FOR HIM IT WILL, THERE THERE WOULD BE OTHER SOURCES PEDDLING FEAR.

THE LEGITIMATE MEDIA TENDS TO GO A LITTLE BIT HEAVY ON THE FEAR MONGERING AND YOU WONDER IF SOME OF THAT VESTIGIAL FLEX OF THIS IS SCARY, LET'S MAKE SURE OUR VIEWERS ARE GOOD AND SCARED COMES TO THE SURFACE AT TIMES.

>> Rooney: EXCEPT CALLIE, J & J WAS A LITTLE BIT SKEPTICAL IN THE BEGINNING, PEOPLE IN THE MINORITY COMMUNITY WERE AFRAID THEY WOULD BE GIVEN THAT, IT WOULD BE MORE ACCESSIBLE.

THAT FEEDS INTO THE PARANOIA AND HOW DOES THE PRESS TAMP THIS DOWN, THIS IS A REAL CONCERN FOR EVERYBODY?

>> THE POINT WAS, ANSWER WAS IT WAS 100% EFFECTIVE FROM KEEPING YOU OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND DYING, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE HEADLINE.

>> Rooney: THE DEATH OF PRINCE PHILIP LAST WEEK HAD BEEN ANTICIPATED.

PUSHING 100, THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND HAD BEEN AILING, HOSPITALIZED, AND OUT OF SIGHT, GIVING JOURNALISTS PLENTY OF TIME TO CRAFT OBITUARIES.

BUT PERHAPS MORE TIME TO PREPARE SHOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY TRANSLATE TO MORE TIME ON AIR.

WHEN THE FAMILY PATRIARCH DIES, NATURALLY, THE MEDIA IS INCLINED TO GIVE THE STORY THE ROYAL TREATMENT.

>> THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH HAS BEEN REMEMBERED PUBLICLY TODAY BY SOME OF THOSE CLOSEST TO HIM, >> Rooney: BUT WHEN THE BBC PREEMPTED REGULAR SHOWS FOR CONTINUOUS COVERAGE, THERE WAS AN ANTI-ROYAL UPRISING OF SORTS.

OVER 100,000 PEOPLE COMPLAINED THAT THE BROADCASTER HAD TAKEN IT TOO FAR, THE MOST COMPLAINTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE NETWORK.

SOME OF THOSE VIEWERS MORE INTERESTED IN WHO WILL REIGN IN THE FINAL EPISODE OF THE POPULAR "MASTER CHEF."

>> 40 COOKS HAVE BEEN WHITTLED DOWN TO THE BEST TEN.

>> Rooney: THE BRITISH ISLES WEREN'T THE ONLY PLACE GOING A FORMER COLONY ACROSS THE OCEAN ALSO SUCCUMBED TO MONARCHY- MANIA.

>> WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TONIGHT WITH A WORLDWIDE OUTPOURING OF GRIEF OVER THE DEATH OF BRITAIN'S PRINCE PHILLIP.

>> Rooney: CBS DEVOTED A THIRD OF ITS NIGHTLY NEWS TO ROYAL NEWS.

AND THEY WEREN'T THE ONLY ONES.

>> A WAR VETERAN WHO MARRIED A PRINCESS.

>> Rooney: TO BE FAIR, THE ROYAL AFFAIRS HAVE TRANSFIXED US THROUGH THE AGES.

SUCH AS THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF A BELOVED PRINCESS, AND NOW, HER TWO SONS PUBLICLY DUKING OUT A FAMILY RIFT.

STILL, THE BBC'S HOURS-UPON- HOURS ON THE DEATH OF THE 99-YEAR-OLD DUKE WAS APPARENTLY NOT A ROYAL FLUSH.

>> SOME OF THE PRESENTERS AND REPORTERS SEEM TO HAVE SELF- APPOINTED THEMSELVES CHIEF PALLBEARER.

I MEAN, I'VE NEVER HEARD SO MUCH SEPULCHRAL TONES.

>> Rooney: WELL SAID.

YOU KNOW JON I WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISED THAT BBC VIEWERS PUSHED BACK ON THIS.

THEY CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THEIR OWN MONARCHY AND AS FAR AS OUR COVERAGE HERE OTHER THAN WATCHING "THE CROWN" I DIDN'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT PRINCE PHILIP, NOT A ROYAL WATCHER, I THOUGHT SOME OF THE NETWORKS WENT OVERBOARD BUT WHAT I TOOK IN I WASN'T WATCHING NONSTOP IT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING.

>> I GOT TO ADMIT I'M SO UNINTERESTED IN THE BRITISH MONARCHY, WHEN I SAW THE HEADLINES, I SAW PRINCE DIES, THAT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

LOOK PEOPLE WILL COMPLAIN DID YOU PREEMPT THEIR FAVORITE COOKING SHOW OR SOAP OPERA NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING.

WE'RE NOTING EIGHT YEARS SINCE THE BOSTON MARATHON MURDERS THIS WEEK.

EVERY STATION WENT WALL TO WALL COVERAGE, WE HAD PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT STUFF BEING PREEMPTED SO THERE YOU HAVE IT.

I -- YOU KNOW IT WAS THE COVERAGE EXCESSIVE?

I THINK IT'S GOOD WHEN NEWS, NEWSPAPERS, TV, RADIO PAUSE TO MARK HISTORIC EVENTS.

THE DEATH OF FAMOUS PEOPLE CAN BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INJECT HISTORY AND CONTEXT AND TO EDUCATE VIEWERS AND READERS.

IN THIS CASE I THOUGHT KEVIN CULLEN MADE A GREAT POINT WHEN HE NOTED PHILIP'S HISTORY OF DEROGATORY COMMENTS OF PEOPLE OF NATIONAL ORIGINATION GIVEN THE RECENT BROUHAHA OVER MEGHAN AND HARRY.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS MUCH PLAYED UP OVER THERE.

>> I DOUBT THAT.

SO THAT WAS BIT OF A SURPRISE FOR ME.

IN TERMS OF THE COVERAGE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, I GOT A SENSE THAT IT WAS REALLY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLING THE SHOTS AS TO WHAT THE STORY SHOULD BE ARE OF OUR GENERATION WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS, YOU THINK AUTOMATICALLY WE HAVE TO COVER IT RIGHT, AND WE HAVE TO COVER IT BIG.

I HAVE TO ADMIT INITIALLY WHEN I HEARD IT, WE HAVE TO BE ALL OVER THIS.

AND THEN I TOOK A STEP BACK AND PROBABLY WHAT'S DRIVING THIS WE HAVE ALWAYS COVERED THE ROYAL FAMILY AND EVEN AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC'S INTEREST IN THE ROYAL FAMILY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN WANING EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS WITH THE ROYAL FAMILY WE TEND TO PLAY IT UP AND SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WAS BEHIND THE KIND OF COVERAGE THAT WE SAW IN OUR NETWORK NEWSCASTING.

>> SO I THINK THAT IT WAS THE CONTEXT HERE.

WE JUST HAD THE "OPRAH" INTERVIEW.

THERE HAD BEEN SOME SUSPICIONS THAT PRINCE PHILIP HAD SAID ABOUT THE BABY.

THAT COVERAGE HAD NOT BEEN AS INTENSE HERE HAD IT NOT BEEN IN THAT CONTEXT.

I'M SURPRISED IN BRITAIN THOUGH, I JUST ASSUME THAT YOU HAVE MORE.

BUT MAYBE WHAT IT'S SAYING TO US, MAYBE WHAT VIEWERS ARE SAYING, NOT JUST THAT WE'LL COMPLAIN ABOUT ANYTHING BEING PREEMPTED BUT TAKE A MOMENT MEDIA AND ASSESS, IS A 99-YEAR-OLD GUY SHOULD HE GET ALL DAY COVERAGE YOU KNOW DEPENDING ON WHAT HE WAS DOING OR SHOULD WE BE MAYBE GIVING THE KIND OF COVERAGE THAT-- THE SAME KIND OF COVERAGE THAT WE GAVE TO DIANA MAYBE NOT, EVEN IF HE HASN'T HAD AN IMPORTANT ROLE HERE.

MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THE VIEWERS ARE SAYING HERE, NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING A LIMB MORE CIRCUMSPECT ABOUT HOW YOU COVER SOMETHING I DON'T THINK.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT, DAN.

I'VE GOT YOU.

>> I HAVE A CONFESSION IT WAS ME I GOT ON THE BBC WEB SITE AND KEPT CLICKING OVER AND OVER TO SAY, YOU'RE GIVING THIS TOO MUCH COVERAGE.

ONE THING THAT ACTUALLY HASN'T BEEN SAID ABOUT PRINCE PHILIP TO GIVE HIM HIS DUE, HE WAS A REAL WAR HERO DURING WORLD WAR II.

DESPITE HIS ROYAL LINEAGE HE PUT HIS LIFE ON THE LINE AND THAT OUGHT TO BE RECOGNIZED BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY ZERO INTEREST IN ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ROYAL FAMILY.

AND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, I'M SURPRISED THAT THERE WAS THIS KIND OF BLOW-BACK IN THE U.K.

BUT IN THIS COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, WE FOUGHT A WAR NOT TO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE ROYAL FAMILY.

>> Rooney: AND YOU KNOW DAN THERE WAS A LOT OF HISTORICAL FOOTAGE THAT ACCOMPANIED THIS STORY AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT'S WHAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.

HE'S LIVED FOR 99 YEARS, HE'S HOLDING PRINCE CHARLES I THINK WHO IS 73.

THEY WENT THROUGH THE YEARS, SOME OF THAT FOOTAGE WENT ON AND ON.

I THOUGHT IT HAD SOME HISTORICAL VALUE.

TALK ABOUT A WAR HERO THAT WAS ALL THERE.

HE WAS A GOOD HORSEBACK RIDER, TOO.

>> I THINK "THE CROWN" HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH INTEREST IN IT.

>> Rooney: I AGREE.

ALL RIGHT TIME NOW FOR OUR RANTS AND RAVES AND CALLIE YOU'RE UP.

>> ALL RIGHT SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT KIM GODWIN BEING NAMED THE PRESIDENT OF ABC NEWS.

KIM GODWIN IS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN, COMES FROM CBS, SHE'S HAD SEVERAL HIGH PROFILE JOBS AT CBC, WELL CREDENTIALED.

A LITTLE BIT OF SURPRISE, SINCE WE JUST LEARNED SUSAN ZIRINSKY IS STEPPING DOWN, THEY'VE HIRED TWO PEOPLE TO REPLACE HER, ONE CAME FROM THE SAME JOB KIM GODWIN WAS DOING AT CBS.

>> Rooney: WHY DIDN'T THEY PROMOTE HER?

>> I DON'T KNOW, IT IS ABC'S GAME.

THIS WILL BE VERY INTERESTING.

>> Rooney: THEY KICKED THAT GUY OUT, MICHAEL CORN, MYSTERIOUSLY HE DISAPPEARED.

HE WAS THE "GMA" PRODUCER.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT, DAN LOTHIAN.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE AS THE NETWORK TURNS OVER THERE.

ANYWAY I HAVE A RAVE FOR THE NEWS CONSUMER AND ALSO FOR A NEW STUDY THAT WAS QUITE REVEALING ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSUMING NEWS REALLY WANT.

WE HAVE ALWAYS SORT OF OPERATED UNDER THIS KNOWLEDGE THAT OUR ROLE AS NEWS REPORTERS AS NEWS ORGANIZATION SAYS TO BE THE WATCHDOG RIGHT?

TO GO OUT AND PERHAPS UNEARTH CORRUPTION AND TO BRING JUSTICE IN CASES THAT WE UNCOVER AND THAT'S STILL IMPORTANT ACCORDING TO A REPORT FROM THE MEDIA INSIGHT PROJECT.

BUT WHAT THEY FOUND THAT NEWS CONSUMERS REALLY WANTED IS FOR REPORTERS TO PROVIDE A LOT MORE SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM, RIGHT?

OR POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS.

SO WE SPEND A MAJORITY OF OUR TIME COVERING WHAT HAPPENED TODAY THAT IS NOT RIGHT, THAT'S BROKEN, RIGHT, SOMETHING THAT WENT WRONG THE BREAKING NEWS.

BUT WE OFTENTIMES DON'T COVER HOW CAN WE MAKE THAT BETTER?

OR IF WE DO WE DON'T COVER IT WITH THE SAME INTENSITY THAT WE DO THE BROKEN PART, RIGHT?

I THINK THIS IS GOOD.

IT IS A RAVE THAT CONSUMERS AND MAYBE SHOULD ENCOURAGE US TO DO IT MORE THAT NEWS CONSUMERS WANT US TO DO THAT, NOT JUST TELL THEM ABOUT WHAT'S GOING WRONG.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT DAN KENNEDY, I JUST ASSUMED YOU KNOW WHO IS UP NEXT.

DAN.

>> I HAVE A VERY HALF-HEARTED RAVE FOR THE LATEST ATTEMPT TO REVIVE GAWKER.

THE NEWS AND GOSSIP WEBSITE THAT SHUT DOWN AFTER BEING SUED BY HULK HOGAN OVER A SEX TAPE.

GAWKER DID A LOT OF VERY GOOD WORK OVER THE YEARS AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE IT BACK BUT THEY ALSO VIOLATED PEOPLE'S PRIVACY FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER AND REALLY CAME TO DEFINE A CERTAIN TYPE OF ONLINE, MEAN SPIRITEDNESS.

SO GOOD LUCK AND MY ADVICE TO THEM IS: DON'T RUN ANYBODY'S PRIVATE SEX TAPE UNLESS YOU HAVE THEIR PERMISSION.

>> Rooney: REMEMBER THAT BILLIONAIRE PETER TEAL WAS BEHIND THAT, BEHIND THE TAKE DOWN.

WHO IS FUNDING THE NEW GAWKER?

>> IT WAS PETER THIEL WHO GAWKER HAD OUTED FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.

AND SO HE PRIVATELY FINANCED THE LAWSUIT AND HE REALLY GOT HIS REVENGE.

>> Rooney: I SHOULD SAY SO.

ALL RIGHT JON CELLAR.

>> I HAVE A FULL FLEDGED RAVE FOR A WOMAN NAMED TOY BURTON AND THE ROXBURY PARADE.

THEY'RE ORGANIZING AN EVENT THIS WILL BE A CARAVAN IN HONOR OF SARAH-ANNE SHAW, SARAH IS THE GROUNDBREAKING JOURNALIST WHO BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN REPORTER IN 1969 AT WBZ AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS ON THE AIR SHE HAS CONTINUED TO BE A VOICE, OF CONSCIENCE AND JUSTICE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, SHE'S A LEGEND IN OUR STATION AND THE MARKET IN GENERAL AND THIS CARAVAN WILL BE A WILL LOVED SHOW OF MOVE AND RESPECT FOR HER.

>> Rooney: CAN ANYBODY JOIN IT?

>> ANYBODY CAN JOIN IT.

GO TO THE ROXBURY UNITY FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE DETAILS.

>> Rooney: HOPE IT WORKS OUT WELL, HOPE THE WEATHER COOPERATES.

ALL RIGHT, THAT IS IT FOR OUR SHOW.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK.

EMAIL US, TWEET US, SEND US A COMMENT.

I'M EMILY ROONEY.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org