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♪ >>> MOURNING THE DEATH OF A LOCAL NEWSPAPER AND WONDERING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR LOCAL NEWS.

HI, EVERYBODY, IT'S REPORTERS ROUND TABLE.

I'M DAVID CRUISE.

OUR PANEL TODAY INCLUDES COLLEEN, SENIOR WRITER AND PROJECT EDITOR FOR SPOTLIGHT NEWS, WE HAVE THE BUSINESS DECK TROR FOR NEW YORK NETWORK, AND POLITICO REPORTER.

WE WILL HEAR FROM THE PANEL IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, BUT WE BEGIN TODAY WITH THE PASSING OF A LOCAL NEWSPAPER CHAIN, THE HUDSON REPORTER, WHICH SERVED AS A LAUNCHING PAD FOR MORE THAN A FEW GREAT JOURNALISM CAREERS, MINE TOO.

IT CLOSED WITHOUT NOTICE LAST WEEK, A MAJOR BLOW TO LOCAL NEWS IN HUDSON COUNTY.

WE'RE JOINED BY THE CAPTAIN WHO WENT DOWN WITH THE SHIP LAST FRIDAY, GENE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR COMING ON.

>> MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU.

>> TAKE ME BACK TO LAST FRIDAY.

NOBODY KNEW THIS WAS COMING, NOBODY SAW IT COMING.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE IN THE OFFICE?

>> WELL, WE WEREN'T IN THE OFFICE, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM.

WE VACATED OUR OFFICE IN MARCH OF 2020 THANKS ON THE PANDEMIC, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING REMOTELY EVER SINCE.

AND WE GOT AN EMAIL ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME TIME AS I USUALLY DO MY MEETING WITH THE TWO REPORTERS WHO WERE WORKING WITH ME, AND AS I JOINED THE MEETING, MY REPORTERS SAID WHAT IS THIS EMAIL, WHAT CAN THIS BE ABOUT?

MANDATORY MEETING, 2:30.

I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO BRING THEM DOWN, SO I DIDN'T MENTION WHAT I THOUGHT IT PROBABLY WAS GOING TO BE, BUT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THINGS REPEATEDLY IN 2018 WHEN NEWSPAPER MEDIA GROUP BOUGHT THE HUDSON REPORTER, SO I KNEW WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.

AND IT WAS A MEETING WITH OUR GENERAL MANAGER, AND IT WAS QUICK AND PRECISE, AND HE BASICALLY SAID, YOU GUYS ARE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY TO JUSTIFY THE PAPER AND INK AND GAS IT TAKES TO DRIVE THE PAPERS OFF AND DISTRIBUTE THEM, SO IT'S OVER.

>> AND WAS THAT BY A ZOOM CALL?

>> JUST AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

>> SO ASIDE FROM OBVIOUSLY JOURNALISTS, WHAT IS LOST IN THE GREATER SCHEME OF THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO COVERING NEWS IN HUDSON COUNTY?

>> THE SAME THING THAT'S LOST WHENEVER A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER GOES OUT OF BUSINESS ANYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY.

IT'S BEEN AN EPIDEMIC OF COMPANIES BUYING THOSE PROPERTIES, DOWNSIZING, AND THEN WHEN THEY'RE DONE WITH THEM, THE WRITERS, ED ITORS, PRODUCTION PEOPLE ARE AT THE STREET.

>> WE ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT BLOGGERS AND ONLINE NEWS SOURCES FILLING IN THAT GAP FOR LOCAL NEWS.

BUT WHILE THAT MAY BE TRUE IN SOME INSTANCES, IT'S NOT THE SAME, RIGHT?

>> NO, IT'S NOT THE SAME AT ALL.

IN HUDSON COUNTY, WE HAVE ONE DAILY NEWSPAPER THAT'S BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

WE HAVE A VARIETY OF INDEPENDENT NEWS SITES, WHICH ARE GENERALLY A SINGLE PERSON OR ONE OR TWO PEOPLE.

SOME OF THEM HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC AGENDA.

THEY COVER POLITICS OR REAL ESTATE OR SPORTS.

NOTHING VERY COMPREHENSIVE.

WHAT'S LOST IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK REALLY AFFECTS OUR ASSOCIATE IN A VERY PROFOUND WAY.

PEOPLE IN AMERICA THESE DAYS CAN SPEAK OF ABSTRACT SITUATIONS LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CONGRESS, WHAT WENT ON IN NORTH KOREA, HOW'S THE WAR ON UKRAINE GOING, THEY KNOW A LOT OF GOSSIP ABOUT POLITICS AND CELEBRITIES AND THINGS.

BUT THE MEDIA THAT BRINGS THAT INFORMATION TO THEM IS NOT GOING TO COVER THE LOCAL CITY DOWN KRI AND TELL THEM HOW THEIR TAXES ARE BEING SPENT.

IT'S NOT GOING TO TELL THEM WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS IN STORE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

IT'S NOT GOING TO LET THEM KNOW IF SOMEONE DECIDES TO BUILD A HIGH RISE NEXT TO THEIR HOUSE, AND THEY'LL NEVER IN IN TOUCH WITH THE ARTS AND CULTURE ON THE GROUND IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S WHAT THEY LOSE.

AND WHEN THEY LOSE THAT, THEY NOT ONLY BECOME ALIENATED FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH CONTROL OVER WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THEM, AND IT BEGINS TO SEPARATE PEOPLE FROM ONE ANOTHER TOO, AND THAT CANNOT BE HEALTHY FOR A SOCIETY.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE DAILY JOURNAL.

THAT NEWSPAPER IN AND OF ITSELF HAS BEEN DECIMATED FROM ITS EARLIEST DAYS.

IT IS ITSELF A SHELL OF WHAT IT USED TO BE.

I MEAN, CAN WE SAY THAT PRINT IS DEAD?

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S DEAD.

I THINK THEY WERE GOING THROUGH A HUGE TRANSITION TECHNOLOGICALLY AND INDUSTRIALLY FROM DIGITAL TO ONLINE MEDIA.

WHETHER IT'S EVER GOING TO BE COMPLETE OR NOT, I CANNOT SAY.

I'M A PERSON WHO APPRECIATED BEING ABLE TO OPEN A NEWSPAPER AND READ IT.

I'M OBVIOUSLY SOMEONE WHO READS BOOKS.

I THINK THAT THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A PLACE FOR PRINTED MATTER.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD AN OLDER GENERATION OF READERS WHO PREFERRED TO GET THEIR NEWS FROM THE NEWSPAPER RATHER THAN GO ON A COMPUTER OR SMART PHONE.

THE TROUBLE IS THAT GENERATION IS PASSING AWAY, AND YOUNGER GENERATIONS HAVE DIFFERENT HABITS.

SO I -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO BE.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TRANSITION, BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND THE WAY THAT NEWSPAPERS ARE BEING BOUGHT AND SUCKED DRY BASICALLY.

AND THE MEDIA THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO PEOPLE IMPERFECTLY, LET'S SAY.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE REPORTERS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE HUDSON REPORTER, AND I LEARNED A LOT.

MOST OF WHAT I KNOW ABOUT JOURNALISM I LEARNED WHILE WORKING AT THE HUDSON REPORTER BECAUSE I WAS FORCED TO COVER ZONING BOARD MEETINGS, PLANNING BOARD MEETINGS, BOARD OF EDUCATION, ET CETERA.

KID WHO IS ARE COMING OUT INTO THE WORLD OF JOURNALISM NOW ARE FINDING FEWER AND FEWER PLACES WHERE THEY CAN HONE THEIR CRAFT, NO?

>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

AND IN A WAY, THE HUDSON REPORTER HAS BEEN A TRAINING EXPERIENCE FOR A GOOD MANY REPORTERS.

I WOULD SAY EASILY IN THE 15 -- ALMOST 15 YEARS I'VE WORKED THERE, EASILY A DOZEN, MAYBE 15 OR 20 REPORTERS, ALL OF WHICH WERE VERY TALENTED, HAVE COME THROUGH THERE.

SOME OF THEM HAD SOME EXPERIENCE.

WE HAVE JUST ENOUGH MONEY TO HIRE KIDS OUT OF COLLEGE.

THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW THE LAY OF THE LAND.

AND YOU CAN TEACH PEOPLE CRAFT, YOU CAN TEACH THEM HOW TO WRITE AND INTERVIEW.

YOU CAN'T TEACH THEM HOW TO KNOW HOW THE WORLD WORKS.

THEY HAVE TO GET OUT AND FIND THAT OUT FOR THEMSELVES.

SO IF YOU CAN OFFER THEM A VOCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY WORKING FOR A NEWSPAPER, GUIDE THEM, AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT STUFF IS IMPORTANT, THEN I THINK IT'S THE BEST EDUCATION A JOURNALIST CAN GET.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THE FINAL MANAGING EDITOR OF THE HUDSON NEWS.

THANKS FOR COMING ON.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU, MAN.

>> THANKS VERY MUCH.

>> ALL RIGHT, PANEL.

WELCOME.

WELCOME TO ROUND TABLE.

WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP DUES, BY THE WAY.

WE'LL SEND YOU ANOTHER INVOICE STRAIGHT AWAY.

WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU STARTED YOUR CAREER COVERING THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE HOUSE, I'M TOLD, FOR THE DEARLY DEPARTED CHARLES DAILY MAIL, AN ACTUAL AFTERNOON DAILY AT THE TIME.

DO YOU SEE ANY PARALLELS BETWEEN THE DEATH OF THE HUDSON REPORTER AND WHAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN BACK AT HOME IN WEST VIRGINIA?

>> THE DAILY MAIL, I CONSIDER IT TO BE CLOSED.

IT WAS MERGED TO ANOTHER PAPER IN CHARLESTON, BUT MOST PEOPLE WHO WORKED THERE DON'T HAVE THEIR JOBS ANYMORE.

THIS HAS HAPPENED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

THERE'S BEEN A GENERATION OF FOR PROFIT AND NONPROFIT STARTUPS THAT HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FILL THE GAP OF PRINT JOURNALISM.

I WORKED AT VOICE OF SAN DIEGO, WHICH WAS AN ONLINE NEWS STARTUP.

STARTED ABOUT 16 YEARS AGO, TO CONSIDER WHAT WAS GOING TO BE A VOID IN THE SAN DIEGO MEDIA MARKET.

POLITICO WAS OBVIOUSLY FOUNDED TO FILL, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS SENSED TO BE A VOID IN THE POLITICAL WORLD IN WASHINGTON, D.C. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS -- THERE'S A LOT OF SENTIMENTALITY WE ALL HAVE FOR THE DECLINE OF LOCAL JOURNALISM.

I THINK READERS SHARE THAT.

I THINK JOURNALISTS, EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY WHO'S LOST THEIR JOB OR HAD TO TAKE A JOB OUTSIDE OF THE INDUSTRY.

BUT WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD REALIZE IS THERE'S A REALLY ELEGANT STUDY DONE A FEW YEARS AGO THAT FOUND THAT THE DECLINE OR CLOSURE OF A LOCAL NEWSPAPER INCREASED GOVERNMENT BORROWING COSTS BECAUSE NOBODY WAS WATCHDOGGING LOCAL POLITICIANS, SO THERE WAS HIGHER SALARIES, MORE DEFICIT SPENDING.

SO WHEN THE BOND RATING COMPANIES CAME IN AND LOOKED AT THE BOOKS IN A DETAILED WAY THAT JOURNALISTS HAD BEEN DOING, THEY FOUND THEY WERE ALL MESSED UP.

SO TAXPAYERS PAY THE CONSEQUENCES IN A WAY THAT'S NOT OBVIOUS.

>> SO DANIEL, YOU WERE WITH ONE OF THOSE ONLINE PUBLICATIONS.

NOW YOU'RE WITH LEGACY MEDIA.

WHAT'S THE OUTLOOK FOR PRINT PROPERTIES?

>> WE'RE DOING OKAY.

I HAVE BEEN LAID OFF A FEW TIMES, AND WE'RE STILL TRUGING ALONG.

I'M KIND OF NERVOUSLY LAUGHING.

I THINK ONE COMMENT THAT DID STAND OUT TO ME WAS -- HE DID MENTION SOME PEOPLE PREFER TABLETS AND SMART PHONES.

I THINK IT'S NOT SORT OF A PREFERENCE SO MUCH AS IT IS THE WAY THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING.

SO AS PEOPLE GO TOWARDS TECHNOLOGY, AWAY FROM PRINT, AND AWAY FROM PHYSICAL PRODUCTS AND TOWARDS THE INTERNET AND SMART PHONES, IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO HOLD A PHYSICAL BOOK BECAUSE THE PHYSICAL NEWSPAPER IS A BIT GLOOMY.

>> COLLEEN, I IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE LIKE ME.

WHEN YOU HEAR TALK ABOUT NEWSPAPERING, YOU GET A LITTLE NOSTALGIC.

YOU HAVE BEEN IN A COUPLE NEWSPAPERS IN YOUR DAY, NO?

>> I STARTED AT THE BURGEON RECORD WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE.

I WENT TO UPI, WHICH WAS A WIRE SERVICE, WHICH I'M NOT SURE IF IT STILL EXISTS.

VERY BRIEFLY, WHILE I WAS THERE WITH, THE UNION NEGOTIATED A PAY CUT, SO I DECIDED TO GET OUT OF THERE.

THEN I SPENT THE BULK OF MY CAREER AT THE DAILY RECORD, AND THEY'RE GETTING AT DATA MASSIVE LAYOFF THERE.

THAT WAS ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO, AND KIND OF AS RYE SAID, I KNOW THE DAILY RECORD STILL EXISTS, BUT I THINK IT'S GOT ONE OR TWO REPORTERS NOW, AND IT DOESN'T EXIST IN THE WAY THAT IT DID.

I WOULD KIND OF THINK OF IT AS HAVING GONE AWAY.

I JUST -- YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO NOTE A COUPLE THINGS IN THE WAKE OF WATER GATE, WHICH MAYBE WAS THE NEWSPAPER'S HAY DAY, THE EQUIVALENT OF 92% OF AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS WERE GETTING SOME -- ONE OR MORE PAPERS.

THAT'S DOWN TO ABOUT 19%, THE MOST RECENT DATA THAT THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER HAS.

SO THAT'S A MASSIVE DECLINE FROM ABOUT 63 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS TO ABOUT 26 MILLION IN, I THINK IT WAS 2020 OR 2021.

YOU KNOW, DIGITAL IS THERE, BUT WE DON'T, I THINK, HAVE THE SAME KIND OF HANDLE ON WHO'S SUBSCRIBING, AND CERTAINLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOCAL NEWS, YOU KNOW, AS GENE SAID, WHEN YOU'VE GOT A ONE-PERSON SHOP, YOU CAN'T COVER EVERYTHING.

I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY THING THAT IS FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

I THINK PEOPLE MAYBE ALSO DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIND ALWAYS THEIR LOCAL NEWS, SO THINGS LIKE FACEBOOK GROUPS ARE PICKING UP THE SLACK, AND THAT'S JUST A RECIPE FOR DISASTER AS WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY IN OUR COUNTRY.

SO IT'S -- I'M VERY SORRY TO SEE THE HUDSON REPORTER GO.

>> ALSO IN A LOT OF WAYS -- AND YOU MAYBE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF THIS DURING THE MOST RECENT CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS -- I THINK OF TOM KING JR. WHO DID LITTLE TO NO LEGITIMATE MEDIA WITH LITTLE NEWS SOURCES BUT WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE DOING FACEBOOK AND NEWS EVENTS AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

IT GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO BYPASS WHAT SHOULD BE PROPERLY FILTERED.

>> TOTALLY.

OH, ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, WHEN A POLITICIAN CAN JUST GET UP THERE AND SAY WHAT HE OR SHE WANTS TO SAY AND NOT BE CHALLENGED BY REPORTERS' QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING THE TRUE -- YOU KNOW, THE TRUE MEASURE OF THAT PERSON, I THINK.

SO THAT'S -- I THINK IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.

>> YEAH.

IT'S BEGINNING TO BE BUDGET SEASON.

DANIEL, REPUBLICANS ARE SHARPENING THEIR KNIVES, GETTING READY AT LEAST TO RHETORICALLY DIG INTO THIS BUDGET.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?

A COUPLE WEEKS AWAY STILL FROM THE GOVERNOR DELIVERING HIS BUDGET ADDRESS.

>> WELL, THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID, AND DEMOCRATS DO AGREE, THAT THERE DOES NEED TO BE SOME SORT OF CUT OF THE CORPORATE BUSINESS TAX.

IT'S A SORT OF SURTAX OR RATE FOR HIRING BUSINESSES, SO THAT IS GOING TO BE A TAX CUT.

WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S GOING TO BE AN AVERAGE MIDDLE CLASS TAX CUT OR JUST A TAX CUT FOR HIRING BUSINESSES REMAINS TO BE SEEN, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE SORT OF -- THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG TALKING POINT.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S HERALDED.

>> AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'VE BEGIN AMMUNITION, THE DID DEMOCRATS HAVE, TO REPUBLICANS BY BUYING NINE SUVs WITH COVID MONEY.

I MEAN, THE OPTICS OF THAT ARE JUST TERRIBLE.

>> RIGHT.

IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.

>> COLLEEN, WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS ON NINE SUVs FROM COVID MONEY?

THAT'S REALLY HARD TO DEFEND.

>> SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, THESE ARE FOR STATE POLICE, AND THEY'RE FOR TRANSPORTING DEPARTMENT HEADS OR POSSIBLY THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF.

IT'S AN ALLOWABLE EXPENSE, BUT DOES IT LOOK GOOD?

OF COURSE NOT.

I MEAN, HOW SILLY TO GIVE REPUBLICANS THIS KIND OF AMMUNITION.

IT WAS REALLY A GIFT TO THEM.

THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY THAT IS GOING FOR HEALTH, THANKFULLY, WITHIN THERE.

BUT REPUBLICANS HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED THAT SOME OF THAT MONEY IS GOING TO RUTGERS FOR FACILITIES, $300 MILLION.

THAT'S BEEN REPORTED.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE SPENDING SO MUCH OF THIS MONEY, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S A PERMITTED EXPENSE, IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.

>> RIGHT NOW, WE ARE FACING THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCING A DELAY IN THIS CLEAN ENERGY PLAN AND SUPPOSEDLY THE DEMOCRATS ARE COMING UP WITH THEIR OWN ENERGY PLAN.

WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?

>> SO THE STATE HAS A CLEAN ENERGY MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS GOVERNOR MURPHY'S PLAN TO REDUCE -- BY 2050.

THE 2019 PLAN CAME OUT IN 2020.

THE ADMINISTRATION WAS GOING TO UPDATE IT THIS YEAR.

THE ADMINISTRATION SAYS THAT THEY DECIDED NOT TO DO THE UPDATE THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO DO A WHOLE NEW PLAN NEXT YEAR.

THIS WAS PERCEIVED BY CRITICS OF THE GOVERNOR'S CLEAN ENERGY GOALS AS A WIN BECAUSE IT SORT OF DELAYS THINGS, IT PUTS A LOT OF DECISIONS IN THE HANDS OF THE LEGISLATURE IN AN ELECTION YEAR.

AND PARTS OF THE LEGISLATURE ARE WORKING ON A MIX OF THEIR OWN CLEAN ENERGY POLICY.

ADMINISTRATIONS COME AND GO, BUT LAWS ARE A BIT HARDER TO CHANGE.

SO WHATEVER THE LEGISLATURE DOES WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE BINDING THAN SOMETHING THE GOVERNOR DECIDES TO DO, PARTICULARLY IN A STATE LIKE NEW JERSEY WHERE WE SEE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS, DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ARE ALTERNATING.

I'LL BE CLOSELY WATCHING WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE LEGISLATURE.

WHETHER THIS HITS THE AMBITIONS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, THAT THE GOVERNOR HAVE, OR WHETHER IT FALLS SHORT AND WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S RESPONSE IS.

THE GOVERNOR TALKS ABOUT HOW HE'S WORKING TO HIT HIS GOALS, BUT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF YEARS LEFT TO SEE WHAT LONG-TERM IMPACT THAT MIGHT HAVE ON THE STATE.

WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO CRUNCH TIME.

>> WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK AND THE WEEK BEFORE BUT ABOUT THESE RAILS ENDING UP ON SHORE BEACHING THEMSELVES.

DIDN'T REPUBLICANS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT TO TRASH THE ENERGY PLAN EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE SAYING THAT PLANNING FOR OFFSHORE WIND IS MESSING WITH THE WHALES WHO END UP BEACHING THEMSELVES HAS BEEN DEBUNKED, BUT DID REPUBLICANS GAIN SOME ATTENTION FROM THAT?

>> I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF ATTENTION ON THAT.

THERE WAS AN ODD POLITICAL MIX OF A GROUP CLEAN OCEAN ACTION WHICH HAS TRADITIONALLY FOCUSED ON -- IT'S A TRUE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP.

DR. CARLSON AND REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS COMING TOGETHER TO RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS SORT OF COINCIDENCE OF MORE SURVEYING WORK AND PRECONSTRUCTION WORK FOR OFFSHORE WINDS, WHICH THEY SAY THERE'S NO EVIDENCE IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH OFFSHORE WIND.

>> COLLEEN, PEOPLE POSITIONING THEMSELVES IN TERMS OF ISSUES.

WHAT'S THE LANDSCAPE RIGHT NOW AS WE HEAD INTO THIS IMPORTANT YEAR WHERE EVERYBODY IN THE LEGISLATURE IS UP?

>> INTERESTING COMING OFF THE DISCUSSION OF THE ENERGY MASTER PLAN, NOT SOMETHING I WOULD TYPICALLY SEE IN AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE REPUBLICANS CERTAINLY ARE GOING TO BE TARGETING IS THIS QUESTION OF, OH, THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU GET RID OF YOUR GAS STOVE.

I ACTUALLY HAVE A GAS STOVE, AND I LOVE IT.

I DON'T WANT TO GET RID OF IT.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE TALKING POINTS THAT REPUBLICANS ARE CERTAINLY USING AS THEY'RE PREPARING THEIR CAMPAIGNS THAT COULD REALLY RESONATE WITH VOTERS.

ABORTION IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE ANOTHER ISSUE ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING THESE NEW TAXES.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF POSTURING EVEN AS WE'RE ONLY IN JANUARY FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.

AND CERTAINLY IN TERMS OF MON MYTH COUNTY, THAT WAS REALLY A SCARY SITUATION THERE THAT A PERSON, AS WE UNDERSTAND IT NOW, THAT STAFF AT LEAST IT SEEMS LIKE DIDN'T PUSH THE RIGHT BUTTON OR MAYBE CHECK THE WRONG BOX WHEN THEY WERE PROGRAMMING THESE MACHINES.

AND SUDDENLY, THERE COULD BE DOUBLE COUNTING OF VOTES IN SIX DISTRICTS AS WE UNDERSTAND IT NOW.

CERTAINLY THINK THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS APPOINTING A SPECIAL COUNCIL TO LOOK INTO THIS.

SEEMS LIKE A PROPER THING TO DO BECAUSE THOSE MACHINES OR THAT SYSTEM, THE SS SYSTEM IS USED BY A COUPLE OF OTHER COUNTIES, AND THIS IS NOT THE THING YOU WANT HAPPENING ANYWHERE.

WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO TELL PEOPLE OUR ELECTIONS ARE SAFE AND SECURE, AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, IT MAKES IT HARDER TO SELL THAT MESSAGE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ALL RIGHT.

IT'S TIME FOR OUR ONLY IN JERSEY SEGMENT.

HEADLINES AND NOTES THAT ARE QUINTESSENTIALLY JERSEY.

>> I WAS IN TOM'S RIVER FOR A COMMUNITY FORUM ABOUT A SETTLEMENT THERE BETWEEN A BASF SUPERFUND SITE AND THE STATE, AND IT'S A CONTROVERSIAL SETTLEMENT.

AND PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS PLAN, BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS EMOTIONAL FORUM WHERE PEOPLE ARE CRITICIZING THE STATE AND SHARING THE PAIN OF THE COMMUNITY THAT'S BEEN POLLUTED, THEY STILL MADE TIME TO TALK ABOUT SOUTH JERSEY/NORTH JERSEY DIVISIONS AND WHETHER THEY PREFERRED TAYLOR HAM OR PORK ROLLS.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS QUINTESSENTIAL JERSEY.

NO MATTER WHAT'S GOING ON, THERE'S STILL TIME TO HAVE THAT DEBATE.

>> THE IMPORTANT ISSUES ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO GET THE BABY.

COLLEEN, YOU GOT ONE?

>> I DO.

I THOUGHT I WAS A BIG BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FAN, BUT APPARENTLY I'M NOWHERE NEAR THE LEVEL OF SOME FOLKS WHO WERE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE HE AND THE BAND HAVE BEEN PRACTICING FOR THE UPCOMING TOUR WHICH STARTS I THINK NEXT WEEK.

FOLKS WERE LINING UP OUTSIDE OF VENUES IN RED BANK AND THE ARENA IN TRENTON, PUTTING THEIR EARS TO THE DOOR TO JUST LISTEN AND HEAR IT.

SO, I MEAN, IF -- BRUCE IS CERTAINLY, I THINK, CONNECTED TO NEW JERSEY, PROBABLY MORE THAN MOST ARTISTS ARE TO THEIR HOME STATES, BUT I THINK DEVOTE NEW JERSEYENS WHO LOVE IT ENOUGH TO STAND OUTSIDE IN THE COLD AND LISTEN TO MUFFLED MUSIC IS QUINTESSENTIAL NEW JERSEY.

>> MINE COMES FROM THE HALLOWED HALLS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE, WHERE A PROPOSAL TO -- DREW A FEFRED OBJECTION.

SEEN HERE OBJECTING TO VACCINE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LEGISLATURE DURING THE PANDEMIC.

I'M NO ADVOCATE, BUT I DO KNOW KIM CHE IS A BIG PART OF KOREAN CULTURE.

USING IT TO BLOW A DOG WHISTLE IS SOUR AND SALTY.

IT'S NOT SO GREAT FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND THAT'S ROUND TABLE FOR THIS WEEK.

COLLEEN, DANIEL, RYE, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.

THANKS ALSO TO GENE RICHINGS FOR JOINING US.

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER.

GET A FRESH CONTENT EVERY DAY WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

I'M DAVID CRUISE.

FROM THE ENTIRE TEAM, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR REPORTERS ROUND TABLE WITH DAVID CRUISE IS PROVIDED BY, NEW JERSEY REALTORS, THE VOICE FOR REAL ESTATE IN NEW JERSEY.

MORE INFORMATION IS ONLINE AT NJ REALTOR.COM.

RWJ BARNABUS HEALTH, LET'S BE HEALTHY TOGETHER.

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ACCORDING TO EXECUTIVE A-- AND Y POLITICO.

A NEWS LETTER ON STATE POLITICS.

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