>> Rooney: I'M EMILY ROONEY.

WELCOME TO "BEAT THE PRESS."

OUR TOPICS: INDIA THREATENS TO JAIL TWITTER AND FACEBOOK EMPLOYEES WHO DON'T TAKE DOWN POSTS CRITICAL OF THE PRIME MINISTER; A "NEW YORK POST" REPORTER QUITS, SAYING SHE WAS FORCED TO WRITE A FAKE STORY ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS; AND OSCAR RATINGS TAKE A PLUNGE, THEORIES ABOUND.

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

JOINING ME ARE: THE "BOSTON GLOBE'S" LYLAH ALPHONSE; DAN KENNEDY OF NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY; FORMER NECN ANCHOR, MIKE NIKITAS; AND ALBERTO VASALLO, C.E.O.

OF EL MUNDO BOSTON.

>>> FIRST UP, WE TEND TO THINK OF SOCIAL MEDIA CENSORSHIP IN TERMS OF DOMESTIC POLITICS.

CASE IN POINT: DONALD TRUMP GETTING THE BOOT AFTER REJECTING THE ELECTION RESULTS AND INCITING THE ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL.

BUT, A NEW CONTROVERSY CENTERED ON INDIA IS A REMINDER THAT IT'S A HUGE ISSUE WORLDWIDE, WITH INCREDIBLY HIGH STAKES.

ADAM REILLY HAS MORE.

BUT FIRST, A WARNING: SOME OF THE IMAGES YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE ARE TROUBLING.

>> Reporter: AS COVID RAMPAGES ACROSS INDIA, THE SCENES OF SUFFERING COMING OUT OF THAT COUNTRY ARE HORRIFIC.

>> THERE'S NO ROOM FOR THESE PEOPLE IN DELHI'S EMERGENCY WARDS.

RELATIVES ARE LEFT TO COPE WITH SEVERELY ILL PATIENTS BY THEMSELVES.

>> LITERALLY JUST GOING FROM PLACE TO PLACE IN THE CITY, BEGGING, PLEADING FOR ANY HELP.

THAT ACCOMMODATION FORWARD.

>> ANG ASSEMBLY LINE OF DEATH AND MISERY ON AN INSURMOUNTABLE SCALE.

>> Reporter: IT'S A PUBLIC-HEALTH NIGHTMARE AND A HUGE POLITICAL CRISIS FOR PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI, WHOSE HANDLING OF THE PANDEMIC IS BEING SHARPLY CRITICIZED.

>> THIS COULD HAVE SO EASILY BEEN AVOIDED IF EXPERTS HAD BEEN LISTENED TO, IF PLANNING HAD BEEN PUT IN PLACE.

>> Reporter: BUT NOW, MODI IS GETTING A BOOST FROM TWITTER, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM, WHICH HAVE AGREED TO BLOCK ABOUT 100 POSTS CRITICAL OF HIS COVID RESPONSE.

HIS GOVERNMENT CLAIMS THE POSTS WERE MISLEADING, BUT THEIR REAL CRIME MAY HAVE BEEN MAKING MODI LOOK BAD.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, TWITTER DID SOMETHING SIMILAR DURING THE SO-CALLED "FARMER'S PROTESTS."

>> TWITTER HAS SAID IT HAS NOW SUSPENDED MORE THAN 500 ACCOUNTS.

>> Reporter: INDIA HAS THREATENED TO JAIL TWITTER AND FACEBOOK EMPLOYEES IF THESE REQUESTS AREN'T MET, AND BOTH COMPANIES WANT ACCESS TO A HUGE EMERGING COMMERCIAL MARKET.

BUT AS INDIA'S COVID DEATH TOLL MOUNTS, MUFFLING THE OUTCRY FEELS PERILOUSLY CLOSE TO COMPLICITY.

>> Rooney: SO, THIS SEEMS ON A VERY MINOR SCALE UNLESS IT IS NOT AT ALL.

FORCING TO TAKE DOWN 100 POSTS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A COUNTRY OF A BILLION PEOPLE, ARE THEY UNDERSTATING THAT?

WE KNOW THAT MODI DOESN'T WANT CRITICISM BUT GOING AFTER 100 POSTS THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE MUCH.

>> WELL WE KNOW THAT THE DEATH TOLL HAS BEEN UNDERCOUNTED.

THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTED THE OTHER DAY IT'S BEEN UNDERCOUNTED BY A FACTOR OF SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 2 AND 5.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN BUT I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING THAT MAY PROVE A LITTLE UNPOPULAR WITH THE OTHER PANELISTS.

THAT IS I'M HARDLY A DEFENDER OF THESE BIG TECHNOLOGY COUNTRIES BUT IF THEY ARE GOING TO DO BUSINESS IN OTHER COUNTRIES THEY HAVE TO ABIDE BY LAWS AND RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE IN THOSE COUNTRIES.

INDIA IS ONE OF THE LARGEST DEMOCRACY BY FAR BUT IT HAS ABOUT BECOME INCREASINGLY LESS DEMOCRATIC OVER THE YEARS AND PRETTY AUTHORITARIAN NOW.

WE CAN'T EXPECT THAT TWITTER AND FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM ARE GOING TO GO INTO INDIA AND ESSENTIALLY IMPOSE THE U.S. FIRST AMENDMENT ON ANOTHER COUNTRY.

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.

>> OKAY, SO MY MOTHER'S FROM INDIA AND I HAVE EXTENDED FAMILY THERE SO FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW I'M EXTREMELY GLAD, EVEN THOUGH IT'S HORRIFYING TO SEE THE IMAGES THAT ARE COMING OUT IN THE NEWS FROM THAT COUNTRY.

THAT SAID, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT TWITTER, FACEBOOK, SNAPCHAT ARE NOT PRESS.

THEY'RE SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEY'RE SUBJECT TO DIFFERENT RULES THERE AND ALSO THIS IS AS DAN SAID A BUSINESS DECISION.

THIS ISN'T REALLY ABOUT SUPPRESSING INFORMATION AS MUCH AS IT'S ABOUT KEEPING AVENUES OPEN FOR BUSINESS DEALS IN THE FUTURE.

THAT SAID DOM I THINK IT BENEFITS THE PUBLIC TO HAVE EVEN 100 POSTS SUPPRESSED?

NOT REALLY BUT WITHOUT KNOWING HOW THEY CLAIM TO BE MISLEADING OR FULL OF MISINFORMATION, IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHETHER THIS IS REALLY ABOUT IMAGE OR ABOUT MISINFORMATION.

>> Rooney: YOU GUYS ARE GOING EASY.

>> GOOD I LOOK AT THIS FROM A LITTLE DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW.

WHICH IS IT GOES TO SHOW HOW MUCH JOURNALISM HOW FOLKS GET THEIR NEWS HAS CHANGED SO MUCH AND THE POWER THAT SOCIAL MEDIA HAS NOW EVEN OVER CONVENTIONAL MEDIA, RIGHT?

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SITUATION IN INDIA NOW, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WAS AS EMILY MENTIONED WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, I THINK IT JUST REALLY SHOWS HOW MUCH WE'VE COME AND HOW MUCH WE'VE CHANGED IN TERMS OF THE SHIFT OF POWER IN TERMS OF MEDIA OUTLETS.

IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE OBVIOUSLY SOCIAL MEDIA IS PLAYING A ROLE AROUND THE WORLD AND TO ME I DO DISAGREE A LITTLE WITH YOU.

I THINK THAT THE MORE OPINIONS, THE MORE PLATFORMS ARE OUT THERE, REPORTING NEWS FROM ALL DIFFERENT GADGES IS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING.

ON A LOCAL AS WELL AS AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE.

>> I AGREE WITH THAT, LESS IS MORE IS BETTER THAN LESS INFORMATION.

BUT TO ME IT'S ALL ABOUT INDIA AND ALL ABOUT MODI.

HE'S A DEMAGOGUE, HE'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR A WHILE, HE WROTE THE BOOK FOR TRUMP AND HE WILL PRESS EVERY LEVER HE CAN AS FAR AS THE SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE COUNTRY.

AS FAR AS THE TWEETS BEING TAKEN DOWN, TO ME THAT'S ALL ABOUT MODI AS WELL.

HE WILL PRESS ALL THE LEVERS OF POWER UNDER WHAT THEY CALL THE INFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY ACT IN INDIA, SUPPRESSING INFORMATION THAT MAINTAINS THE PUBLIC ORDER, TO ME THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT AND AS DAN SAID IT'S A BUSINESS DECISION, YOU HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE LAWS OF THE COUNTRY IF YOU WANT TO DO BUSINESS THERE.

WE HAVEN'T REALLY NOTED THIS, THE NUMBER OF JOURNALISTS WHO HAVE DIED FROM COVID IN INDIA, IT'S A MASSIVE TRAGEDY THAT IS NOT ONLY IN INDIA.

BRAZIL HAS HAD MORE THAN 200 JOURNALISTS DIE IN THE PAST YEAR FROM COVID AND BOTH OF THESE COUNTRIES ARE COVERING THE PANDEMIC, THEY'RE COMING IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE AND THEY ARE DYING FROM COVID-19.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GETTING A LITTLE BIT OVERLOOKED.

>> Rooney: I THINK YOU MAKE AN EXCELLENT POINT.

YOU MAY BE DEFENDING ONE OF THE BIGGEST ADDRESSES IN ADDRESS -- DEMOCRACIES IN THE WORLD.

BUT HOW DEMOCRATIC ARE THEY?

>> UNDER PRIME MINISTER MODI UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARE MOVING VERY MUCH IN AUTHORITARIAN DIRECTION.

I DON'T THINK THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TEN YEARS AGO UNDER PREVIOUS GOVERNMENTS BUT THIS IS WHAT MODI WANTS AND UNFORTUNATELY, U.S. COMPANIES THAT WANT TO DO BUSINESS THERE HAVE TO ABIDE BY IT.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT.

A WEEK AGO TODAY THE "NEW YORK POST" COVER STORY WAS THIS REPORT ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS AND HER CHILDREN'S BOOK.

IT READS "KAM ON IN: SOLO KIDS AT BORDER WELCOMED WITH COPY OF VEEP'S BOOK."

THE STORY GOT PICKED UP BY CONSERVATIVE MEDIA AND MADE THE ROUNDS FOR A FEW DAYS UNTIL THE REPORTER ADMITTED IT WAS BOGUS.

THE GIST OF THIS "NEW YORK POST" STORY IS THAT TAXPAYER DOLLARS WERE BEING USED TO PACK KAMALA HARRIS' CHILDREN'S BOOK INTO WELCOME KITS FOR UNACCOMPANIED MINORS.

THIS SINGLE PHOTO OF THE BOOK ON A COT WAS CITED AS PROOF.

>> COPIES OF THE VEEP'S 2019 CHILDREN'S BOOK HANDED OUT TO KIDS AT A SHELTER ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER IN CALIFORNIA.

>> Rooney: THAT WAS A COMMON THEME, "IMAGINE HANDING OUT TRUMP'S BOOK."

BUT SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE "POST" STORY, REPORTER LAURA ITALIANO TWEETED THIS: "TODAY I HANDED IN MY RESIGNATION TO MY EDITORS AT THE 'NEW YORK POST.'

THE KAMALA HARRIS STORY-- AN INCORRECT STORY I WAS ORDERED TO WRITE AND WHICH I FAILED TO PUSH BACK HARD ENOUGH AGAINST-- WAS MY BREAKING POINT."

BUT THE DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE, AS BRIAN WILLIAMS RECOUNTED JUST A FEW OF THE SOURCES THAT REPEATED THE BOGUS CLAIM, INCLUDING SEAN SPICER.

>> "BARELY A PEEP IS MADE WHEN THE VICE PRESIDENT'S BOOK IS IN A WELCOME GIFT BAG FOR TOM COTTON PIPED IN.

THEN IT WAS MADISON CAWTHORN.

THE VICE PRESIDENT WILL SEND HER BOOKS TO MIGRANTS FLOODING OUR SOUTHERN BORDER, BUT SHE WON'T SEND HERSELF.

YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP."

>> Rooney: THE "POST" HAS SINCE CHANGED ITS HEADLINE TO READ, "KAMALA ISN'T AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER, BUT AT LEAST ONE MIGRANT KID GOT VEEP'S BOOK."

THEY ALSO ADDED THIS EDITOR'S NOTE, ADMITTING ONLY ONE KNOWN COPY WAS GIVEN TO A CHILD.

>> THE STORY IS A LIE.

DANIEL DALE TRACKED THIS DOWN.

YOU FOUND ONE BOOK THAT HAD BEEN DONATED TO MIGRANT CENTER FOR KIDS IN CALIFORNIA.

>> Rooney: TALK ABOUT FAKE NEWS.

IT'S ONE THING FOR POLITICIANS TO PICK THIS UP AND PEDDLE IT AROUND AS PARTISAN POLITICS BUT THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AT NEW YORK POST OR BOSTON GLOBE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CONFIRM IT FOR YOURSELF AND THAT IS WHAT FOX DID, FOX HAS A BULLHORN, THE FIVE WASN'T THE ONLY SHOW AT FOX THAT PICKED THIS UP.

>> YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT MOST EDITORS AND REPORTERS I KNOW WOULD DEFINITELY SEEK TO CONFIRM INDEPENDENTLY BEFORE WRITING THEIR OWN STORIES ABOUT IT.

BUT THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE SAID OVER AND OVER MORE LATELY THAN IN THE PAST.

EVERY NEWS OUTLET OUT THERE HAS THEIR AUDIENCE.

EVERY NEWS OUTLET OUT THERE HAS THEIR CHOIR AND THE MEDIA ITSELF HAS EVOLVED TO THE POINT WHERE WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME PREACHING TO AND SINGING TO OUR OWN CHOIRS.

THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR READERS WANT AND THEY ARE HAPPY TO DELIVER IT.

AT THE SAME TIME SHE KNOWS WHERE SHE WORKS, SHE KNOWS WHO OWNS THE COMPANY.

SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE WAS ORDERED TO WRITE.

SHE SAID SHE FAILED TO PUSH BACK AGAINST IT HARD ENOUGH, PUSH BACK REALLY HARD YOU LOSE YOUR JOB, NOT PUSH BACK ENOUGH YOU LOSE YOUR REPUTATION.

IT'S A HORRIBLE SITUATION TO BE IN.

>> IT IS INDEED AND I FEEL FOR THAT REPORTER AS WELL.

WHAT'S THE OLD SAYING ABOUT, A LIE CAN TRAVEL HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD BEFORE THE TRUTH CAN GET ITS BOOTS ON?

I THINK THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE, THE IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND POLARIZED MEDIA, TRUMPET IT TO THE AUDIENCES THAT LYLAH WAS TALKING ABOUT.

I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING STORIES OF THE WEEK.

WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW WHO ORDERED THIS AT THE POST, WHAT WERE THE CONSEQUENCES, WERE WILL THE MURDOCHS DO ANYTHING?

IT BEGS THE QUESTION, SHE SAYS THIS IS MY BREAKING POINT.

WHAT OTHER THINGS HAVE GONE OVER THE DAM THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT WE HAVEN'T PICKED UP ON?

SO THESE ARE TO ME ALL VERY TROUBLING QUESTIONS AND IT MAKES PEOPLE DISTRUST MEDIA AND IN THIS CASE I THINK JUSTIFIABLY SO.

>> YEAH AND I THINK IT GOES BEYOND THIS PARTICULAR NEWS OUTLET.

I THINK IT SHOULD HOPEFULLY OPEN THE DISCUSSIONS, BECAUSE I THINK IT HAPPENS ON BOTH SIDES, RIGHT?

WE'VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE.

AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO -- WE'LL HEAR MORE STORIES OF REPORTERS, FEELING PRESSURED BECAUSE ONE MEDIA OUTLET HAS A CERTAIN EDITORIAL KIND OF STANCE.

AND THEIR POINT OF VIEW OR SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE WRITING IS KIND OF PUSHED OFF TO THE SIDE AND THEY CAN'T REALLY FOLLOW THE STORY AS THEY LIKE TO OR THEY THINK IT'S REALLY MORE ACCURATE.

SO I THINK THIS IS THE BEGINNING HOPEFULLY I'D LOVE TO SAY THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF MANY MORE OF THESE STORIES BECAUSE AS WE BECOME MORE POLARIZED AS MEDIA OUTLETS YOU REALLY START TO SEE YOU KNOW THE VERY, VERY MARKED DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROGRESSIVE MEDIA OUTLETS OVER HERE AND CONSERVATIVE OVER HERE.

AND I THINK WHAT'S LEFT IN THE MIDDLE?

WHERE ARE IF GOOD OLD DAYS OF JUST OBJECTIVE JOURNALISTS AND THE PUBLIC HAVING THAT TRUST?

I THINK TO YOUR POINT, THAT'S WHY WE'VE LOST OR THE PUBLIC HAS LOST SO MUCH TRUST IN US.

>> WELL, THIS IS HOW THE MURDOCH MEDIA MACHINE WORKS.

YOU GET IT INTO THE LOWEST FORM OF THE MURDOCH MEDIA, THE NEW YORK POST AND THEN IT BECOMES A TALKING POINT FOR FOX NEWS AND FROM THERE IT SPREADS THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE RIGHT WING MEDIA UNIVERSE.

THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED LAST FALL.

WHEN RUDY GIULIANI AND STEVE BANNON PEDDLED THEIR UNVERIFIABLE HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP STORY TO THE FOX NEWS JOURNALISTS.

THEY REJECTED IT.

THEY SAID WE CAN'T REPORT THIS SO THEY TOOK IT TO THE POST.

THE POST RAN IT AND THEN IT GOES RIGHT BACK TO FOX WHERE IT BECAME FODDER FOR THEIR PRIME TIME OPINION SHOWS.

YOU KNOW, FORMER AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER MALCOLM TURNBULL DENOUNCED THE WAY THE MURDOCH FAMILY IS UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY IN THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA AND AROUND THE WORLD.

AND WE'LL BRING UP THE FIRST AMENDMENT AGAIN.

IT'S VERY HARD TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BUT THE EXACT IS, THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR OUR DEMOCRACY.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT WELL, RATINGS FOR AWARD SHOWS THIS SEASON DROPPED DRAMATICALLY-- AND WHEN I SAY "DRAMATICALLY," THE GRAMMYS WERE DOWN MORE THAN 50% AND THE OSCARS BY ALMOST 60%.

THERE ARE LOTS OF THEORIES AS TO WHY, BUT IT MAY JUST BE A PERFECT STORM OF MANY REASONS.

WHILE THERE WAS NO FORMAL RED CARPET THIS YEAR, THE GORGEOUS OSCAR GOWNS AND ONE OF A KIND TUXES WERE ON PARADE LIKE OLD TIMES.

AND THERE WERE SOME AMUSING LITTLE BITS.

BUT EVEN SO, THE VIEWERS JUST WEREN'T THERE.

COVID KEPT PEOPLE AWAY FROM THEATERS, AND THE NATION AS A WHOLE HAS BEEN FIXATED ON RACIAL INJUSTICE.

>> NOW, I KNOW A LOT OF YOU WANT TO REACH FOR YOUR REMOTE WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE HOLLYWOOD IS PREACHING TO YOU.

>> Rooney: BUT SOCIETAL MESSAGES AT AWARDS CEREMONIES ARE NOTHING NEW.

>> BLACK PEOPLE WILL NOT RIDE THE CABOOSE OF SOCIETY.

WE WILL NOT BRING UP THE REAR ANYMORE.

>> Rooney: EDDIE'S MURPHY'S CALL-OUT TO HOLLYWOOD OR MARLON BRANDO'S NATIVE AMERICAN STAND-IN DIDN'T DRIVE VIEWERS AWAY.

THERE'S SOMETHING MORE AT PLAY THESE DAYS.

>> CULTURE ITSELF IS BECOMING MORE DIFFUSE.

WE DON'T ALL LISTEN TO THE SAME MUSIC.

WE DON'T ALL WATCH THE SAME SHOWS AT THE SAME TIME.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LEAVING LINEAR TV AND GOING TO STREAMING SERVICES.

>> Reporter: AND, AS A RESULT, "NEW YORK TIMES" COLUMNIST BEN SMITH SAYS, THE NEW PARADIGM IS NOT "FAMOUS PEOPLE" BUT RATHER PEOPLE WHO ARE "FAMOUS TO YOU."

>> JULIA ROOBTS.

>> Rooney: AND I MIGHT THROW IN ONE LAST REASON THE OSCARS IN PARTICULAR DIDN'T DO WELL THIS YEAR.

>> AND THE OSCAR GOES TO "NOMADLAND."

>> Rooney: MOVIES LIKE "NOMADLAND" AND "THE FATHER" WERE DREARY AND DEPRESSING.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GOOD OLD-FASHIONED ESCAPISM?

I'LL TAKE "GODZILLA VS. KONG" ANY DAY.

>> Rooney: WE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND THEN LET'S HAVE A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION FOR ONE THING WE LIVE IN A SELF CONGRATULATORY MEDIUM.

PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF IT.

I THOUGHT MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE THE NFL DRAFT WILL DO VERY WELL LAST NIGHT, THAT WILL BE A COMMUNAL WATER COOLER EVENT, NOT AT ALL, PEOPLE TURNED IT OFF.

PEOPLE ARE IN THEIR OWN NICHE, THIS IS NOT AN EVENT THEY CARE ABOUT ANYMORE.

>> YEAH, I MEAN I DIDN'T WATCH IT.

SO YEAH, IT'S ALL OF THE ABOVE TO BE HONEST.

YOU KNOW, AS I WAS LOOKING I WAS GOING TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO TALK ABOUT THIS, YOUR PIECE THERE TOOK AWAY ALL MY POINTS.

BECAUSE I HAPPEN TO AGREE WITH ALL OF THEM, RIGHT?

IT'S JUST WHAT LEVEL, RIGHT?

YOU KNOW, THEY TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OSCARS IN THE PAST BEING A PLATFORM FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE OR SO FORTH.

I THINK BACK THEN IT WOULD HAVE MORE OF AN IMPACT BECAUSE IT WOULD SURPRISE YOU, IT MAY BE THE ONLY TIME THAT IT WAS, RIGHT?

NOW IT'S ALMOST THE NORM, STARTED OFF THE ACADEMY WITH THAT.

LOOK IT'S NOT JUST THE ACADEMY, IT'S THE COMMERCIALS AROUND IT, IT'S EVERYTHING AROUND IT.

I THINK AS A SOCIETY WE HAVE JUST GOTTEN TIRED OF THIS.

YESTERDAY I TALKED TO A FRIEND OF MINE, ACTUALLY NOT POLITICAL BUT A SPORTS GUY.

HE'S JUST LIKE I'M TIRED OF THE POLITICS IN MY SPORTS, IN THE N BMPTA, HE'S NOT A CONSERVATIVE.

HE JUST WANTS TO ESCAPE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

I THINK OBVIOUSLY WITH THE ACADEMIES AND ALL THESE SHOWS IT IS THE SAME THING.

BUT I ALSO THINK I'M NOT GOING TO THE MOVIES AS I USED TO.

>> Rooney: RIGHT.

>> I'VE GOT ALL THESE NET FILMS AND OTHER THINGS, MY PROBABLY LIST OF NETFLIX IS PROBABLY ALL OF 'EM MRI ROONEY'S BUT -- EMILY ROONEY'S BUT A LOT OF OTHER THINGS SHE CAN'T WATCH.

>> Rooney: INTERESTING.

>> I THINK THE ESCAPISM IS A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.

THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THIS WORLD.

THERE'S A LOT OF DEPRESSING HORRIBLE THINGS.

THERE'S A LOT, THE PANDEMIC, THE IMPACT THAT'S HAD ON OUR LIVES AND ON OUR PSYCHES.

BUT WHEN YOU WANT TO ESCAPE YOU TEND TO WANT TO PUT YOURSELF INTO A DIFFERENT SITUATION.

THAT'S WHY FANTASY, THAT'S WHY GODZILLA IS SO MUCH FUX, SUPERHEE ROWS AND TOLL MARVEL FAN GIRL.

I DON'T SEE WORK THAT THEY GET PAID MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO DO THAT I DIDN'T SEE.

SO I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO YES, THEY WANT TO WATCH THE MOVIES, THEY WANT TO WATCH.

THEY LIKE THE CELEBRITIES WHO THEY LIKE BUT THEY CAN'T PUT THEMSELVES INTO THIS POSITION.

NO RED CARPET.

SO YOU DON'T GET TO FANTASIZE ABOUT DRESSES AS MUCH.

BUT I JUST DON'T SEE THIS KIND OF ESCAPISM REALLY RESONATING ANYMORE BECAUSE OUR WORLD IS SO DIFFERENT RIGHT NOW.

>> WELL, I THINK THAT YOUR GUEST HAD IT EXACTLY RIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS IS SO MUCH ABOUT THE LACK OF ESCAPISM AS IT IS ABOUT THE FRACTURING OF THE CULTURE.

IF YOU GO BACK TO THE HEYDAY OF THE OSCARS, JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE SEEN THE FIVE FINALISTS AND THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY INTERESTED TO SAYING WHICH OF THOSE FIVE FINALISTS WOULD HAVE WON THE AWARD.

NOW AS EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SAID, EVERYBODY IS IN THEIR OWN NICHE AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO ANYTHING ELSE.

THE OSCARS COME AROUND AND MAYBE I HAVE HEARD ABOUT TWO OF THEM, MAYBE I SAW ONE.

AND MAYBE THE INTEREST ISN'T THERE.

I'VE NEVER BEEN A BIG FAN OF THE OSCARS BUT I ALWAYS WATCH THE GRAMMIES, I LIKE TO SEE THE PERFORMERS.

I HAVEN'T WATCHED THE GRAMMIES EITHER, WE'RE IN OUR OWN NICHE AND WE DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WE'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO.

>> I AGREES, I'M A CURMUDGEON, I DON'T LIKE AWARD SHOWS.

I DON'T LIKE PEOPLE SELF ABSORBED.

I WAS BORED AND I WATCHED THE OSCARS, 45 MINUTES, 44 MINUTES TOO LONG.

I DIDN'T FIND IT FUN OR TO RELEVANT.

I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, MOVIES ARE NO LONGER A UNIFIED CULTURAL EVENT ANYMORE.

PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE DID NOT WATCH THESE OSCARS AND I THINK IN LARGE PART THE MOVIES THEY GO TO, YOU MENTIONED THE SUPERHERO MOVIES, THEY DON'T GET NOMINATED FOR OSCARS.

WHY WATCH THE OSCARS?

THE POPULAR MOVIES ARE NOT PART OF THE OSCARS.

IF THE OSCARS WANT TO DO BETTER THEY HAVE TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET THOSE MOVIES INVOLVED IN IT.

WHO KNOWS?

THIS MAY BE THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE OSCARS.

I'LL GIVE THEM A PASS BECAUSE OF COVID AND SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.

>> Rooney: ALBERTO, YOU KNOW THE ONE COMMENT ABOUT FAME THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, WE ALL USED TO KNOW WHO WE THOUGHT WERE THE FAMOUS PEOPLE IN HOLLYWOOD AND TV STARS.

NOW THE PARADIGM IS PEOPLE WHO ARE FAMOUS TO YOU.

WHAT A GREAT WAY TO PUT IT.

MY DAUGHTER FOLLOWS PEOPLE ON TICKET AND OTHER SOCIAL -- TIKTOK, AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.

A CADRE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE FAMOUS TO THEM.

>> YOUTUBE-VERSE.

MY DAUGHTER IS THE SAME AS YOURS.

MY DAUGHTER SAYS, THIS PERSON GOT MORE FOLLOWERS THAN NBC NEWS.

>> Rooney: TELL ME WHO THAT IS AGAIN?

NEVER MIND.

TIME NOW FOR OUR RANTS AND RAVES, STARTING WITH MIKE.

>> I HAVE A RANT ABOUT SOMETHING I SHOULD PROBABLY IGNORE BUT JUST SIMPLY CANNOT.

AND IT'S A TAKEOFF OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN ONE OF OUR SEGMENTS LAST WEEK AND THAT IS, TUCKER CARLSON OF FOX NEWS.

THIS WEEK HE RAILED AGAINST MASK WEARING.

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS.

HE SAYS IF YOU SEE A KID WITH A MASK IN PUBLIC, YOU SHOULD DO THE SAME THING AS IF YOU SEE SOMEONE BEAT A KID IN WALMART.

CALL THE POLICE.

HE CALLED HIM NOTHING BUT A PROPAGANDIST.

PRESIDENT TRUMP, HE PROBABLY CAN'T GO ANY LOWER AND THEN HE DOES.

I THINK TUCKER CARLSON HAS GONE LOWER.

I SHOULDN'T PROBABLY PAY ANY ATTENTION BUT WE NEED TO CALL IT OUT HE IS DESPICABLE AND I THINK IT'S WRONG.

>> Rooney: UNFORTUNATELY HE IS BECOMING A REGULAR PART OF THIS SHOW.

DAN.

>> I HAVE A RANT FOR GANNETT.

IT'S 2021, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IT IF YOU WERE A WOMAN OR A PERSON OF COLOR.

THE NEWS STUDY FOUND OUT THAT WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR WERE BEING PAID $10,000 LESS THAN WHITE MEN, $15,000 IN ONE CASE OF THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC AT LEAST $30,000 LESS.

IT'S REALLY SHOCKING AND IT'S REALLY KIND OF SET OFF SHOCK WAVES AMONG PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS.

I SHOULD SAY GANNETT IS PUSHING BACK VERY HARD.

THEY'RE SAYING THE GUILD REQUEST IS USING OUTDATED INFORMATION AND BAD METHODOLOGY.

AND IN FAIRNESS I DO WANT TO POINT THAT OUT.

BUT THERE IT IS LAID OUT THERE AND IT IS REALLY -- >> Rooney: THAN THE WHAT THEY ALWAYS SAY THOUGH?

ANYWAY, LYLAH.

>> I HAVE A TENTATIVE RAVE FOR FACEBOOK.

THEY RECENTLY YESTERDAY LAUNCHED A NEW PROGRAM WHERE THEY'LL PAY $5 MILLION OVER AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF TIME TO HELP LOCAL NEWS JOURNALISTS CREATE THEIR OWN NEWSLETTERS AND MONETIZE THEM.

THEY ARE COMPETING WITH OTHER NEWS YEEM, YOU CAN CHARGE FIVE OR $10 TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY TIME WHEN MORE AND MORE PEOPLE GET THEIR INFORMATION FROM NEWSLETTERS AND NOT JUST MEDIA, I THINK THIS IS AN INITIATIVE WORTH WATCHING BUT LIKE I SAID, I NEED TO WATCH AND SEE HOW IT SHAKES OUT, WHO ACTUALLY SIGNS UP FOR IT.

THE PEOPLE WHO APPLY FOR THESE POSITIONS ARE GOING TO BE VETTED BY THE NAHJ AND THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR JOURNALISM BASED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

SO HOPEFULLY THAT MEANS THEY WILL BE MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO SIGN UP ARE LEGITIMATE URNTLE JO.

BUT WE -- JOURNALISTS BUT WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

>> Rooney: OKAY ALBERTO.

>> I WAS GOING TO DO A RAVE BUT NOW IT'S A RANT.

ONE THAT PANELISTS WILL MAYBE LOOK UP.

THE RESIGNATION OF 14 TIME EMMY AWARD WINNING BERNIE GOLDBERG, 20 YEAR CAREER THERE AS CORRESPONDENT.

APPARENTLY BERNIE FELT THAT HIS CONSERVATIVE VIEWS HAD BECOME A FRICTION BETWEEN HEM AND THE EDITORIAL DIRECTION.

BERNIE FELT HE WAS THE ONLY DIVERSITY ON THE SHOW RIGHT, IT'S NOT JUST HIS CASE, IT'S WHAT I ALLUDED TO EARLIER RIGHT?

IT'S THIS REMINDER THAT WE'RE BECOMING MORE AND MORE A SOCIETY THAT'S COMPOSED OF LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE OUTLETS.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF THE PANEL BUT THIS IS A DANGEROUS EVOLUTION THAT I'VE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT, THE JOURNALISTIC BOTH SIDES, WHERE IS THIS BALANCE?

WE TALK BILLION DIVERSITY, I LOVE DIVERSITY BUT DIVERSITY WITH OF OPINION AND WE DON'T GET THAT ENOUGH.

>> Rooney: IN PARTICULAR ALBERTO, I THINK HE RESIGNED OVER A PIECE HE HAD DONE BY TRANSGENDERS IN SPORTS WHICH IS A VERY SCIENTIFICALLY SENSITIVE STORY RIGHT NOW BUT IT AFFECTS HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS, COLLEGE SPORTS, PROFESSIONAL SPORTS AND AS YOU KNOW SOME STATES ARE TRYING TO LEGISLATE THIS WHICH IS CRAZY BUT TO PRODUCE A PIECE ABOUT IT, IT IS SOMETHING EVERYBODY IS DEALING WITH AND HE FEELS AS THOUGH IT WAS SQUASHED BECAUSE OF WHATEVER, I DON'T KNOW THE ELEMENTS HE FEELS HE WAS SQUASHED BECAUSE HE WAS TAKING IT ON.

>> YOU IF GET DEEM INTO IT, IT WAS MOSTLY BECAUSE HE NAMED THE TRANSGENDER PERSON WHAT THEIR NAME WHEN THEY WERE -- AND THAT IS VIEWED UPON IN THE COMMUNITY AS A NO-NO.

>> Rooney: WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, I KNOW THAT WAS THE ISSUE BUT NOT THE PARTICULARS.

THANK YOU ALBERTO.

FINALLY I HAVE A RAVE FOR THE NEW YORK SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS AND PARTICULARLY A TEACHER CALLED HOMER HELK WHO GAVE HIS STUDENTS AN ASSIGNMENT TO PRODUCE POSTPANDEMIC COVERS, THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR.

TWO OF THEM STOOD OUT TO ME.

THIS IS A YOUNG WOMAN CLIMBING OUT OF A ZOOM BOX AND ONTO THE FACE OF HER COMPUTER FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC AND THIS ONE REALLY STRUCK ME.

THIS IS A FAMILY HAVING DINNER TOGETHER AND THEN YOU SEE THE FATHER, THE PATRIARCH THERE KIND OF A SHADOW OF HIMSELF AS HIS SPOUSE IS THIS PICTURE OF THIS SPOUSE AND THAT ONE JUST GAVE ME THE SHIVERS.

EVERYONE ELSE IS DIGGING INTO THE FOOD AND HE'S JUST A LOST SOUL.

AND WE ALL KNOW SO MANY LOST SOULS IN THIS DAY AND AGE.

I AM HOPING THE NEW YORKER PRINTS SOME OF THOSE ON THEIR COVER.

THAT'S 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