>>> WELL, WE WELCOME YOU TO NEXT UP.

HERE ON DONNYBROOK.

ALVIN REID, WENDY WIESE, AND THREE PEOPLE WHO REALLY AND TRULY NEED NO INTRODUCTION.

DON MARSMARSH.

DON JOHNSON.

>> AND BETSY BRUCE JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT LOCAL NEWS, PAST AND PRESENT.

>> FIRST OF ALL, YOU ALL LOOK GREAT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> BUT YOU KNEW THAT, RIGHT?

[LAUGHTER.]

>> SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS GOING TO DO THAT.

>> YOU KNEW I HAD TO DO THAT.

>> THINK I HAVE TO LEAVE NOW.

[LAUGHTER.]

>> TELL US WHAT YOU ARE UP TO, YOU ARE THE -- YOU HAVE A BOOK CALLED THE FABULOUS.

>> IF I COULD ONLY SELL SOME.

>> OH.

STOP.

>> I LOVE TO WRITE.

IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO DURING THE PANDEMIC.

I LOVE WRITING.

I LOVE TO WRITE FACTS.

AND NOW I CAN MAKE IT ALL UP.

>> YOU ARE HAVING A BALL.

>> I AM HAVING A BALL.

>> YOU ARE WRITING GRANT APPLICATIONS.

>> I AM.

I AM HELPING CHARITY.

>> IT IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF WRITING.

>> YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FACTS RIGHT AND MAKE SURE THE QUESTIONS GET ANSWERED AND WHAT IS ANSWERED FIVE QUESTIONS ABOVE.

>> RIGHT.

>> DON, YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL PUTTERER.

>> PRETTY MUCH.

I HAVE PLANS AT HOME THAT I WORK WITH.

AND WHEN SPRING COMES, I WORK OUTSIDE.

I DO TO OLD MAN THING.

I'M SORRY.

THAT'S WHO I AM.

THAT'S WHAT I HAVE DONE.

IT IS GOOD.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW -- >> I GET TO LEAVE WHEN I WANT TO.

>> THAT'S WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.

THAT'S WHY YOU WORK SO HARD.

>> YOU ARE IN FOR A REAL TREAT, OUR DONNYBROOK VIEWERS.

WHAT WE CALL INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY GATHERED AROUND THIS TABLE.

WE WANTED TO START A LITTLE BIT WITH WHAT YOUR HABITS ARE WHEN IT COMES TO NEWS CONSUMPTION TODAY.

BETSY, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

WHERE DO YOU GO FOR YOUR NEWS?

>> WELL, I CONSIDER MYSELF A BIT OF A NEWS JUNKY.

I SPEND TOO MUCH TIME KEEPING MYSELF UP TO DATE.

I DON'T NEED TO DO THAT ANY LONGER.

USE OUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATION, MAINLY CHANNEL 2, THE ONE I WORKED FOR AND RELY ON FOX NEWS, BRET, AND IN THE AFTERNOON, MARTHA.

AND I'M UPSET FOR MOVING HER OUT OF THE 6 P.M. SPOT.

AND I READ THE WALL STREET JOURNAL AND WHAT IS LEFT OF THE POST DISPATCH.

WHICH ISN'T MUCH.

>> DON?

>> I DON'T WATCH MUCH LOCAL TV ANYMORE.

I WATCH CABLE CHANNELS AND NOT MUCH FOX.

SORRY, BETSY.

I READ THREE OR FOUR NEWSPAPERS.

DIGITALLY, ONLINE.

AND DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY, I WILL CHECK WITH THE CABLE CHANNELS IN CASE SOMETHING IS GOING ON.

I'M NEVER DISAPPOINTED.

>> MY CONSUMPTION, I AM AN MSNBC GUY.

I HAVE NEVER HIDDEN MY HEART.

I HAVE WATCHED OTHERS AND IT MAKES ME WANT TO THROW UP.

LOCALLY, I WATCH THEM ALL.

FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

LOOKING FOR -- I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO KEEPS ME INTERESTED THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO GO EVERY TIME THE NEWS COMES UP.

I'M SORRY TO SAY I HAVEN'T FOUND THAT YET.

I DON'T SEE -- THIS IS GOING TO SOUND TERRIBLE -- NO ONE IN MY OPINION HAS THE STAR QUALITY WHERE I WANT TO WATCH THAT PERSON EVERY DAY.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

THAT'S WHERE I AM.

SO, I'M ALL AROUND.

AND I READ THE NEWSPAPER.

I GET THE POST EVERY DAY.

I HAVE A NEIGHBOR THAT RUNS AND SHE IS VERY NICE.

SHE THROWS IT IN MY DRIVEWAY AND SHE PICKS IT UP AT THE END OF MY DRIVEWAY AND THROWS IT UP TO THE PORCH AND KEEPS ON RUNNING.

[LAUGHTER.]

>> WE CAN HAVE AN MSNBC WATCH PARTY.

>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO NAME A STATION IN PARTICULAR, IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE LOCAL NEWS BROADCAST, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

>> THIS IS TRUE WHEN I WAS WORKING.

>> PLEASE DON'T LEAD WITH CRIME!

.

>> HERE, HERE!

>> I'M UP TO HERE WITH IT.

I WORKED FOR CHANNEL 2 I DON'T KNOW REMEMBER IF DON WAS THERE, THE MEAN STREETS OF ST. LOUIS.

AND THAT WAS A PARTICULAR TIME WHEN THE HOMICIDE RATE WAS JUMPING UP.

AND THAT WAS MANAGEMENT'S IDEA OF HOW WE WILL DREW THE VIEWERS IN.

IT WAS MORE THAN I CAN HANDLE.

>> IT IS EASY TO COVER.

>> EXACTLY.

>> ASSIGNMENT EDITORS SIT NEXT TO A POLICE SCANNER AND HEARING ALL OF THIS STUFF.

YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AND COVER THIS.

GRIEVING VICTIM, CRIME TAPE.

SEE YOU.

OUT OF THERE.

AND YOU HAVE GOT A STORY.

THAT'S WHAT IS GOING ON.

>> AND TO ADD ON TO THIS, I DON'T LIKE LIVE SHOTS IN FRONT OF POLICE STATION, AND GENERIC BUILDINGS.

YOU KNOW.

THAT TROUBLED ME.

IT IS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE IN THE STORY "BIG", WHERE THE GUYS SAYS, THAT'S A BUILDING.

WHAT FUN IS THAT?

[LAUGHTER.]

>> WELL, THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT IT.

TOM HANKS SAYS WHAT IS FUN ABOUT A BUILDING.

WHAT FUN IS THAT?

>> WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS EMPTY BUILDING?

>> WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING UP WITH OUR YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY AND THEY ARE STILL DOING IT.

IT DOESN'T TELL US ANYTHING AND DOESN'T HELP THE REPORTER LOOK ANY BETTER.

>> YOU MAKE AN IMPORTANT POINT.

WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AS COMING ACROSS, BACK IN THE DAY WE DID IT BETTER.

>> I AGREE.

>> IN MANY CASES IT WASN'T TRUE.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE DID BETTER.

WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND THE INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY THAT YOU MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO.

WE ARE LOSING THAT IN THE NEWSPAPERS, TV STATIONS.

I CAN'T KEEP TRACK.

>> WHICH BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT POINT.

THE WASHINGTON POST, DURING THE PANDEMIC, TRUMP, DEMOCRACY DIES IN THE DARK.

>> THAT WAS THE POST.

>> WHEN YOU HAVE THIS POINT OF BACKPACK JOURNALISTS.

THEY ARE SETTING UP THE CAMERAS AND DOING EVERYTHING.

IT IS CERTAINLY, AT LEAST APPEARS TO BE A LESS EXPENSIVE ENDEAVOR GATHERING THE NEWS WHEN THE THREE OF YOU WERE OUT THERE GATHERING THE NEWS.

ARE ISSUES PREVALENT WHEN YOU HAVE THE REPORTERS THAT ARE SO BUSY.

YOU MADE YOUR LIVES HERE.

AND REPORTERS SEEM TO BE IN AND OUT AND IN AND OUT.

DOES THAT EFFECT THE PRODUCT?

>> INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY, I BELIEVE.

>> IF JEAN WAS RUN OVER BY A BUS TOMORROW, HALF OF THE TOWN, MORE THAN HALF OF THE REPORTERS WOULDN'T KNOW WHO IN THE HECK WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

HE WAS THE LONGEST SERVING COUNTY EXECUTIVE.

THE DAYS WHEN HE WAS DOING HIS THING, THEY WERE IMPORTANT DAYS.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER THOSE DAYS.

>> THEY DON'T GIVE GOVERNMENT ANY TIME AT ALL.

TO THE PEOPLE IN, WHO RUN THESE OPERATIONS.

THEY THINK GOVERNMENT IS BORING.

I THINK GOVERNMENT IS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.

YOU HAVE GOT TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT IS GOING ON.

WE WOULDN'T BE IN THE FIX WE ARE IN NOW IF PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD GOVERNMENT AND WHAT THE GOVERNMENT MEANS AND DOES AND TV NEWS IS THE PLACE TO DO THAT.

THEY DON'T DO.

THEY SAY IT DOESN'T GET THE AUDIENCE.

>> I WILL DISAGREE A LITTLE BIT IN THAT CHANNEL 2 HAS REPORTERS IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, AND JEFFERSON CITY.

I HAD TO MAKE THE 120 MILE TRIP AND HAD TO COME BACK AND THERE WERE NO SET HOURS THAT THE CAMERA PERSON HAD TO BE DRIVING.

LIKE TRUCK DRIVERS.

THERE WERE CORPORATE DECISIONS FOR CHANNEL 2.

DID THEY COVER THE CANDIDATES WELL IN THE LAST ELECTION?

I DON'T THINK SO.

ONE CHANNEL DID MORE INTERVIEWS.

IT VARIES.

I BENEFITED FROM BEING A YOUNG PERSON.

I STARTED RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE AT CHANNEL 4.

A FEW MONTHS AFTER I CAME TO WORK THERE, ON THE AIR.

I DON'T BE -- THE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT STAYING FOR THE MOST PART.

I DON'T KNOW WHY.

MAYBE THEY DON'T LIKE ST. LOUIS OR MAKING MORE MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THEY WANTED TO BE ANCORS WE WERE ABLE TO BE OUT ON THE STREET.

>> ARE YOU FINDING THAT THEY ARE LEAVING AFTER THEIR FIRST OR SECOND JOB, OR I'M GOING TO THE NEXT JOB?

>> IT IS BOTH.

THERE ARE YOUNG WOMEN WHO HAVE STAYED IN ST. LOUIS WHO LEFT THE STATIONS.

BUT OTHERS HAVE GONE TO OTHER MARKETS.

>> THIS USED TO BE MARKET OF D DISNATIO DESTINATION.

>> IT WAS OWNED BY CBS AND THE SALARIES OF THE TECHNICAL PEOPLE IN THE UNION WERE TIED TOGETHER.

YOU COULD MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS WBBM IN CHICAGO.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING AND IT BOOSTED UP THE SALARIES OF EVERYONE ELSE.

>> TOP TALENT -- >> GO AHEAD.

>> THE TURN OVER TODAY IS YOU FULFILL YOUR 2, 3 YEAR CONTRACT AND YOU WILL BE LOOKING FOR MORE MONEY AND THEY WILL SAY NO.

WE WILL BRING IN SOMEBODY ELSE AT THE LOWER SALARY WHERE YOU STARTED.

MAYBE THAT'S TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS JOURNALIST TURNOVER.

>> DO YOU THINK THEY DO ENOUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE?

I MEAN, EACH CHANNEL DEVOTED A HALF HOUR ON A SATURDAY AND SUNDAY TO A SHOW KIND OF LIKE OURS, DONNYBROOK.

THANK GOODNESS THEY DON'T DO THAT.

YOU GUYS WERE WISER THAN WE ARE.

WOULD THAT HELP TO EXPLAIN, FOR THE LAST WEEK WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, CRIME, WHATEVER.

MAYBE IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO LEAD THE NEWS BECAUSE WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT THE IN MORE DEPTH.

MAYBE MORE TIME TO NEWS COVERAGE?

SOMETIMES DURING THE WEEK?

>> IF THEY MAKE A BOOK ON IT, SELL IT, THEY WILL PUT IT ON.

>> HOW MANY HOURS ARE THE STATIONS RUNNING?

WHEN WE STARTED THERE WERE 2 OR 3 NEWSCASTS.

AND THEY ADDED A NOON ONE, AND THEY STARTED TO DO CUT-IN'S IN THE MORNING.

AND IT IS ALMOST ALL DAY.

>> I DID 1500 PUBLIC AFFAIR SHOWS AT CHANNEL 2.

ABOUT THE TIME I STOPPED, THEY STOPPED.

THEY COULD SELL THAT TIME AS OPPOSED TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAMS.

>> THERE ARE POLITICAL SHOWS, MIKE KELLY AND JOHN ARE ON, ON CHANNEL 2.

AND HE C, THE HIGHER EDUCATION CHANNEL RUNS A SHOW ON CHANNEL 11.

>> IF YOU GO TO THE NEWSCAST, YOU WILL GET CRIME AND WEATHER.

WEATHER TAKES UP THREE SLOTS ON MOST OF THE HALF HOUR SEGMENTS.

EVEN WHEN IT ISN'T BAD.

AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T GET IT RIGHT.

LIKE THIS WEEK.

>> LIKE 24 HOURS?

>> AND SPORTS ARE LIKE THREE AND A HALF MINUTES.

>> I'M TROUBLED BY THAT.

>> REALLY?

>> YOUR WEEKEND LATE SPORTS SHOWS ARE 20-30 MINUTES ON SEVERAL OF THE STATIONS.

YOU ARE GETTING IT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHERE IT IS.

>> BETSY IS YOUNGER THAN DON AND I.

WE ARE IN BED BY THEN.

[LAUGHTER.]

>> TO OUR VIEWERS IF YOU WERE JUST JOINING US, THIS IS "GET OFF MY LAWN, DONNYBROOK".

THAT'S WHAT WE'LL CALL IT.

[LAUGHTER.]

WE ARE ALL OF A CERTAIN AGE AND WE HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE.

IS THERE ANYTHING HAPPENING THAT GIVES YOU OPTIMIST.

BE HONEST.

IF YOU NOT FEELING IT, THAT'S FINE TOO.

>> I CAN'T SAY THAT I'M OPTIMISTIC, PER SE, AS TO HOW THE LOCAL NEWS PRESENTS ITSELF.

I SEE TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO GET HERE, WHO PROBABLY SHOULD SPEND 2-3 YEARS IN A SMALLER MARKET AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

AND NEED TO LEARN HOW TO USE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

IT GRATES ON ME WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE MESS UP THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, WHOEVER RUNS THOSE OPERATIONS, WHEN SOMEONE MAKES A MISTAKE IN THE FIELD, WITH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, CALL THEM IN AND TELL THEM.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE PERSONALTY WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE.

SOME OF THE PEOPLE -- I WOULDN'T WANT TO CALL NAME -- BUT I CAN'T WATCH THEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE SCRUTINY WHO IS HIRING AND WHO IS DOING THE NEWS.

I'M WITH DON TO SOUND LIKE GEE, WE WERE GREAT.

I HAD MY GROWING PAINS.

WE HAD OUR GROWING PAINS.

I KNOW IT TAKES TIME.

I WISH SHE WOULD SCRUTINIZE MORE.

AND GET PEOPLE WHO HAVE TALENT AND WORK WITH THEM.

>> I THINK A LOT OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE VERY BRIGHT.

THEY DON'T GET MUCH OF A CHANCE TO SHOW IT.

I MARVEL AT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE FIELD REPORTS AND THEY REALLY DO THEM VERY, VERY WELL.

I'M NOT SURE THAT WE COULD FUNCTION VERY WELL IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT GOING OUT WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.

IT WOULD TAKE US A LONG TIME TO LEARN WHAT THEY DO AUTOMATICALLY.

>> WELL, I CONSIDER MYSELF OF A SCRIPT RELIANT REPORTER.

I COULD DO A LIVE SHOT.

BUT IF IT WAS AN AVERAGE LIVE SHOT, I WANTED A SCRIPT.

MY DIRECTOR KNEW THE QUES AND THE SOUND, AND I WANTED TO BE SURE IT WAS DIFFERENT I HAD DONE A HALF HOUR BEFORE.

YOU DON'T SEE THAT ANYMORE.

IF YOU WATCH SEVERAL NEWSCASTS IN A ROW.

IT IS THE SAME VERSION, UNLESS SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED AND THEY NEED TO UPDATE.

THE DEMAND TO BE CREATIVE AND HAVE NEW VERSIONS AND FLIP THE STORY AROUND AND MAYBE INTEREST PEOPLE WITH A DIFFERENT ANGLE.

IT IS PRETTY MUCH GOING.

IT IS EXHAUSTING.

>> AND PART OF THAT IS EXPERIENCE TOO.

WE HAVE TO KEEP GOING BACK TO THAT.

THAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE, GOD BLESS THEM, ARE THROWN OUT IN SITUATIONS AND DO WHAT THEY CAN.

AND A LOT OF THEM ARE SMART.

THEY ARE PUT IN TOUGH SITUATIONS AND NOT GUIDED AND THEN THEY ARE GONE.

>> GOOD POINT.

I THINK, TOO, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN THAT DO A TERRIFIC JOB.

I DON'T HATE EVERYONE ON THE AIR.

I DON'T.

OCCASIONALLY THEY PUT A CLUNKER OUT THERE.

REALLY?

I KNOW THE NEWS DIRECTORS I WORKED FOR, THE REALLY GOOD FOR, WOULD NOT HAVE PUT THAT PERSON ON THE AIR, AT LEAST NOT IN THAT SITUATION.

THEY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE TRAINING.

>> YOU THREE WATCHED US LOSE A FOOTBALL TEAM.

AND HOW MANY YEARS LATER, WE LOST A FOOTBALL TEAM.

ARE THERE OTHER ISSUES LIKE THAT?

>> EVERGREEN?

>> IT NEVER GOES AWAY.

IT IS GOING TO COME BACK.

>> I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE.

>> THE BASKETBALL TEAM.

>> I'M TELLING, YOU THE BASKETBALL TEAM, WHEN WE LOST THE HAWKS, LET'S FACE, WE LOST THE HAWKS BECAUSE OF RACISM AND RACISM ONLY.

WE WERE NOT LIKE THAT, OH, WE WERE LIKE THAT.

WE WERE ALL BLACK TEAM AND WON THE TITLE AND THEY PULLED OUT BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T SELL TICKETS.

THAT WOULD BE THE ISSUE FOR FOR EVER GREEN FOR ME.

I DID THE COLOR FOR THE SPIRITS IN THE LAST YEAR AND I KNOW PEOPLE LOVE WHAT THEY SAW.

BUT, BUT, THERE WERE CERTAIN FOLKS IN THIS TOWN DIDN'T WANT TO SEE A BUNCH OF BLACK GUYS PLAYING BASKETBALL.

>> IT IS YOU, ME, JASON, WE COULD SUPPORT AN NBA TEAM.

>> WE ABSOLUTELY COULD.

>> I WANT HIS TELEPHONE NUMBER.

>> DO YOU THINK THEY WILL SUPPORT A SOCCER TEAM?

>> I THINK THEY WILL.

>> I THINK SO.

>> HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE TRIED?

>> THAT'S GREAT.

WE'LL SEE.

>> WHEN YOU WERE HERE AND WE ALL REMEMBER A TIME WHEN ST. LOUIS WAS A COMPANY HEADQUARTERS TOWN.

NOW WE ARE SORT OF AN OUTPOST.

WE ARE A BRANCH OFFICE TOWN.

HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT HAS THAT HAD?

WHEN YOU THINK THE TRICKLE DOWN, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE SPONSORSHIPS, IT SEEMS TO HAVE HAD A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.

>> IT DOES WITH CHARITY AND SPONSORSHIPS.

YET, WE HAVE SO MANY NEW COMPANIES THE CORTEX AREA AND DEVELOPMENT AND GETTING THE GEOSPATIAL ORGANIZATION IN ST. LOUIS.

I THINK THERE'S HOPE.

YOU DON'T -- YOU ALSO DON'T HAVE THE CORPORATE POWERS TRYING TO MANIPULATE THINGS THAT EXISTED WHEN -- IN THE '80S.

>> WHEN THE CORPORATE POWERS WERE MANIPULATING THINGS IN THE CIVIC DAYS, THINGS HAPPENED.

THERE WAS LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY AND IT WAS AREA WIDE.

>> THERE WASN'T MUCH ROOM FOR WOMEN OR BLACKS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> YOU COULDN'T CROSS THEM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> WHO PICKED THE POLITICAL LEADERS.

>> THERE'S NO LEADERSHIPS.

WHO IS THE LEADER OF THIS COMMUNITY?

IT IS NOT THE MAYOR, IT IS NOT THE ST. CHARLES EXECUTIVE.

WHO BRINGS EVERYONE TOGETHER.

>> RIGHT.

THERE'S NO ONE LIKE THAT.

>> I WOULD ARGUE -- >> I AGREE WITH YOU.

BECAUSE I WOULD ARGUE THAT IF WE HAVE HAD CIVIC PROCESS, IT HAD MANY FLAWS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

>> SO DO OUR POLITICIANS.

>> YEAH.

>> IF WE HAD HAD THEM, WE MAY HAVE KEPT THE RAMS.

>> BOB WOULD HAVE KEPT THE RAMS.

>> HE WAS A POWER HOUSE.

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

>> I THOUGHT YOU WOULD GO SOMEPLACE ELSE BECAUSE OF THE CORPORATION.

I DON'T BELIEVE THE LOCAL TV STATIONS ARE OWNED BY ST. LOUIS -- THEY ARE OUT OF TOWN OWNERS.

THIS IS A PROBLEM, THEY DON'T CARE.

THEY CARE ABOUT PROFIT AND TAKING MONEY OUT OF ST. LOUIS AND GETTING MORE TV STATIONS.

THEY DON'T PUT IT BACK, NECESSARILY, INTO THIS COMMUNITY.

THAT'S A PROBLEM.

>> I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

AND, TOO, IF WE THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE DIDN'T HELP US EITHER.

I WON'T GET INTO THAT.

YOU HANDLE THE PROBLEM WITH THE STATIONS ALL OF THE OWNERS ARE INTO ACQUIRING MORE STATIONS.

YOU HAVE ALL OF THE TV STATIONS AND SOME OWNING NEWSPAPERS AND SO ON, I MEAN, IT USED TO BE, ST. LOUIS WAS A RARE SITUATION IN WHICH CHANNEL 5 WAS LOCALLY OWNED, CHANNEL 4 WAS O AND O, AND CHANNEL 2 WAS LOCALLY OWNED.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE CORPORATE DON'T CARE.

THEY COME IN HERE AND DON'T KNOW.

THEY DON'T KNOW THE UNIQUE SITUATION THAT IS ST. LOUIS.

IF THEY DID KNOW IT, THEY WOULDN'T DO SOME OF THE THINGS THEY DO AND THEY WOULD DO BETTER.

>> IF THEY CALLED YOU UP, AND WE WANT YOU TO SIT IN AND DO THE 10 O'CLOCK NEWS FOR FIVE DAYS.

>> FOR A WEEK?

>> FOR A WEEK, SURE.

>> ESPECIALLY WHEN I DON'T HAVE TO CARRY MY OFFICE WITH ME.

EXACTLY.

>> HOW MUCH WOULD YOU LIKE TO PAY ME?

[LAUGHTER.]

>> THAT'S UP TO THEM.

[LAUGHTER.]

>> I'M NOT KIDDING.

I WOULD BE IN BED BY 10 O'CLOCK.

I WOULDN'T WANT ANY PART OF IT.

>> I WOULDN'T HAVE ANY INTEREST.

MAYBE A TALK SHOW BECAUSE I LIKE TO RUN MY MOUTH AND HAVE A GOOD OPINION.

I MAY GET RUN OFF.

YOU COULDN'T GET AWAY WITH IT.

>> BEFORE MICHAEL BROWN, BEFORE FERGUSON, YOU WERE ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE, YOU WERE CONSTANTLY HAVING THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT RACE.

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC?

DO YOU SEE THROUGH THE EFFORTS TOWARDS DIVERSITY IN THE MEDIA, AT LEAST, ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC AT ALL?

>> I AM OPTIMISTIC?

>> MORE SO THAN BEFORE?

>> YEAH.

I TELL YOU WHY; THE PEOPLE I RUN INTO, THE PEOPLE I SEE DOING FOR EACH OTHER ACROSS RACIAL LINES AND ACROSS SOCIAL LINES TELLS ME THAT THE MESSAGE THAT WE ARE IN THIS ALL TOGETHER, IT IS RESONATING TO SOME PEOPLE'S MINDS.

I HAVE SEEN MINDS CHANGED ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS.

YEAH, I'M OPTIMISTIC.

I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE AWHILE.

IT MAY NOT BE IN MY LIFETIME THE WAY I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE AND THE WAY DR. KING THOUGHT.

I THINK MY CHILDREN'S CHILDREN WOULD EXPERIENCE THAT.

>> I AM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE JOURNALISM SCHOOL AND WHAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DOING WITH, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY BEING SO SKILLED AT HANDLING THE TECHNICAL ASPECT, BUT ALSO GETTING INTERESTED IN DEPTH RECORDING.

OO BUT A LOT OF THE KIDS ARE GOING NOT-FOR-PROFIT, DOCUMENTARY FIRMS AND INVESTIGATIONIVE REPORTING.

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING.

I AM HOPING WE FOCUS ON LOCAL REPORTING.

THE MANAGERS HAVE TO GIVE YOU TIME TO DO IT.

YOU CAN'T HAVE AN HOUR TO THROW SOMETHING TOGETHER, BECAUSE IT WILL BE A CRIME STORY -- >> CAR ACCIDENT.

>> OR A FEATURE.

WHICH IS FINE.

IT IS NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY DEPTH, HISTORY.

AND YOU KNOW.

HOW MANY PEOPLE KNEW TOM FELLOW.

>> WHAT IS LOSS.

>> I SAID TEAM -- >> I SAID YEAH, TRUE.

>> BIG TOM.

>> BEING THAT I MOVED BACK TO ST. LOUIS IN 1995, I KNOW EXACTLY WHO THAT IS AND WHAT HE MEANT.

LOVE HIM, HATE HIM.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.

AND -- OKAY, MY FIRST WAS IN DANVILLE, LANSING, AND THEN LITTLE ROCK.

THE FIRST THING I DID WAS LEARN ABOUT THE CITY AND THE HISTORY.

THEY DON'T DO THAT NOW.

MAYBE IT IS A TIME THING.

BECAUSE THEY ARE BUSY WORKING.

>> IT WAS A TIME THING WHEN I WAS TRYING TO GET WHATEVER STATION I WAS WORKING INTERESTED IN COVERING POLITICS.

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS HAVE THIS BOOKLET.

YOU CAN COPY IT.

>> YOU SAID A TIME THING.

IT IS STILL A TIME THING.

WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

THIS HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOU ALL!

.

WE THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I HAVE A FEELING YOU WILL RECEIVE MORE INVITATIONS FROM PBS.

>> BACK IN YOUR DAY, YOU DID DO IT BETTER.

>> THEY ARE THE MOUNT RUSHMOORE.

>> BETSY, DON, AND DON.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

HAVE A TERRIFIC WEEKEND.

SEE YOU NEXT THURSDAY!

[MUSIC.]