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

I'M ADAM REILLY, IN FOR EMILY ROONEY.

OUR TOPICS: WITH NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO ON THE HOT SEAT, HIS BROTHER CHRIS FINALLY RECUSES HIMSELF FROM CNN'S COVERAGE.

"NEW YORK TIMES" COLUMNIST DAVID BROOKS FAILS TO DISCLOSE A BIG CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

AND, A BATTLE OF THE EGOS BETWEEN ABC'S GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS AND DAVID MUIR.

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

JOINING ME ARE FORMER CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DAN LOTHIAN; MEDIA STRATEGIST SUSIE BANIKARIM; JOANNA WEISS OF "EXPERIENCE" MAGAZINE; AND FORMER NECN ANCHOR MIKE NIKITAS.

FIRST UP, IT'S A BASIC PRINCIPLE OF JOURNALISM: IF THERE'S A POSSIBLE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, DEAL WITH IT EARLY BEFORE IT CAUSES BIGGER PROBLEMS.

A YEAR AGO, CNN DID THE EXACT OPPOSITE WITH ANCHOR CHRIS CUOMO AND HIS BROTHER ANDREW, THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK.

NOW, THE NETWORK IS PAYING A PRICE.

ONE YEAR AGO, CNN VIEWERS WERE TREATED TO AN ODD SPECTACLE: CHRIS CUOMO BROADCASTING FROM HIS BASEMENT WHILE RECOVERING FROM COVID, INTERVIEWING ANDREW CUOMO ABOUT HIS HANDLING OF THE PANDEMIC.

>> YOU AND THE MAYOR HAVE BEEN CITED FOR CATCHING ON SLOWLY HERE.

>> Reilly: THAT WAS A TOUGH QUESTION, BUT THERE WERE ALSO MOMENTS LIKE THIS: >> DO YOU THINK YOU'RE AN ATTRACTIVE PERSON NOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE SINGLE AND READY TO MINGLE?

>> Reilly: TO SAY THOSE EXCHANGES HAVE AGED POORLY IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO COVID, ANDREW CUOMO HAS GONE FROM HERO TO GOAT.

>> "VASTLY UNDERCOUNTING" THE DEATHS FROM NURSING HOMES.

>> WAS IT A MISTAKE TO PUT PEOPLE BACK IN NURSING HOMES WHO MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS?

>> Reilly: WHAT'S MORE, THE GOVERNOR IS ALSO BATTLING MULTIPLE ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

>> HE ASKED IF I HAD TROUBLE ENJOYING BEING WITH SOMEONE.

HE ASKED ME IF AGE DIFFERENCE MATTERED.

>> Reilly: NOW, FINALLY, CHRIS CUOMO IS OFF THE BROTHER BEAT.

>> OBVIOUSLY, I'M AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY BROTHER, AND OBVIOUSLY, I CAN'T COVER IT BECAUSE HE'S MY BROTHER.

>> Reilly: WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS A YEAR AGO.

WHO MAKES THIS ESPECIALLY AWKWARD TO MY MIND IS THAT CNN HAD A POLICY ON THE BOOKS THAT CHRIS CUOMO DIDN'T COVER ANDREW CUOMO AND THEN A YEAR AGO, THEY DECIDED TO MOVE AWAY FROM IT.

AND I CAN KIND OF IMAGINE THE CONVERSATION, JEFF ZUCKER SAYING IT'S AMAZING, CHRIS CUOMO, HIS BROTHER DOING THIS GREAT JOB, PEOPLE WILL LOVE IT, THE RATINGS WERE GREAT AND IN RETROSPECT I'M PRETTY SURE IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.

>> IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU HAD A TRANSCRIPT OF THE CONVERSATION.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT WOULD HAVE SOUNDED LIKE.

THEY HAVE THE GUIDELINES IN PLACE FOR A REASON, WHERE IS THAT?

BECAUSE ANY POLITICIAN, NO MATTER HOW GREAT THE POLITICIAN IS, AT SOME POINT WILL BE CAUGHT IN SOME SORT OF THORNY ISSUE.

FOR SOME IT'S PRETTY ROUTINE AND THEY WORKED THEIR WAY THROUGH IT.

FOR OTHERS, IT CAN BE QUITE BIG, EXPLOSIVE, CONTROVERSIAL AND MAYBE CAUSING THEM THEIR JOBS.

IT REQUIRES JOURNALISTS, I THINK ALL OF US HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS AROUND ETHICS, THINGS YOU DON'T DO.

YOU HAVE TO CREATE THAT KIND OF DISTANCE UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS SHOULD NOT MAP.

WHY DID SO MANY GIVE IT A PASS?

IN THIS MOMENT OF COVID AND ALL THE NEGATIVE DARK NEWS WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS SOMEWHAT ENTERTAINING AND THIS IS WHAT FIT THAT.

>> Reilly: THAT IS A GOOD POINT YEAH.

>> THE CONTEXT OF CABLE INFLUENCES IN GENERAL AND CNN, CHRIS CUOMO WAS VERY GOOD ON TV, YES THAT WAS ENTERTAINING AND IT WAS COMPELLING IN HIS SICK TBED CONFESSIONS FROM HIS BASEMENT WERE ALSO SORT OF -- BUT IT'S ALL TOWARDS THIS MOVE TOWARDS ENTERTAINMENT AND ALSO ADVOCACY THAT I THINK HAS GIVEN THE NETWORK A BIG CHALLENGE.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS VERY, VERY TEMPTING IN THE TRUMP ERA TO ALSO LOOK FAIRLY PARTISAN TO GO ON ATTACK MODE.

THERE IS A CLIP OF CHRIS CUOMO BRINGING TED CRUZ ON, AND REGARDLESS WHAT YOU THINK OF TED CRUZ, CHRIS CUOMO DIDN'T LET HIM GET A SENTENCE IN, AND LIKE THE MORAL HIGH GROUND OBY THE END OF IT.

THERE IS AN OVERCORRECTION THAT HAPPENED AND I THINK NEEDS TO COME BACK IN THIS ERA.

>> I MEAN I JUST FEEL LIKE THIS WAS ALWAYS STUPID.

CHRIS CUOMO SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, CNN SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, I FIND THAT WATCHING IT WAS REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE.

THEIR BRO VIBE WAS I THOUGHT UNCOMFORTABLE.

TO ME THE BIGGER ISSUE IS, I'M SURE CNN REGRETS IT AND THEY REALIZE THEY MADE A MISTAKE.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THESE RULES ARE IN PLACE FOR A REASON.

THE ISSUE IS, IS THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FACT NOW, THAT IT'S NOT JUST THAT THEY LEFT THAT HAPPEN, BUT THAT THEY HAVE TO BE ALMOST MORE AGGRESSIVELY IN THE COVERAGE, RIGHT?

SO IT'S BACKFIRED FOR CUOMO IN THAT WAY AS WELL.

I MEAN HE IS FACING TWO VERY LEGITIMATE SCANDALS.

THE SEXUAL SCANDAL IS THE KIND OF STORY WE'RE PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO NOW.

BUT LYING ABOUT THE NURSING HOME DEATHS, THAT'S A REALLY PROBLEMATIC SCANDAL FOR HIM.

BECAUSE THE REASON HE GOT ALL THIS ATTENTION WAS THAT WHILE THE NATIONAL RESPONSE WAS SO BOTCHED, THE LOCAL RESPONSE SEEMED GREAT.

AND IT TURNS OUT HE WAS FAKING THE NUMBERS, RIGHT?

SO THAT IS REALLY AN ISSUE.

AND YOU KNOW THAT GAVE HIM AN EMMY AT THE TIME FOR THOSE COVID BRIEFINGS, PEOPLE TOTALLY LOST A SENSE OF REALITY IN THIS.

THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FACE SOME EMBARRASSMENT OVER NOW.

>> I'M MAKING THE BEST ON THE COMMENT, I DON'T FIND CHRIS CUOMO TO BE WATCHABLE AND I FIND ANDREW CUOMO TO BE ARROGANT.

I'M NOT AFAN OF EITHER OF THEM.

I'M WITH SUSIE.

I SAW SOME OF THE EARLIER SEMGHTS, THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT BASKETBALL, I FOUND IT TO BE CRINGE WORTHY.

I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT.

AND NOW THIS STUFF IS HAPPENING, OF COURSE TO ANDREW, CNN CAN'T COVER IT, CHRIS CUOMO CAN'T COVER IT AND SO THEIR VIEWERS LOSE OUT, THOSE 9:00 VIEWERS, THOSE VIEWERS ARE LEAVING.

THEY KNEW THEY WOULD GET MORE VIEWERS AND THEY DID.

THE QUESTION NOW CNN TO THEIR CREDIT AND I THINK SUSIE BROUGHT THIS UP, TO THEIR CREDIT THE REST OF LAYER LINEUP HAVE GONE PRETTY HARD ON ANDREW CUOMO AND WE'LL SEE IF THEY CONTINUE TO DO THAT BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'VE GONE EASY ON HIM AS A NETWORK AND I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DO NOW ABOUT CHRIS CUOMO GOING FORWARD.

BECAUSE HE CAN'T INTERVIEW HIS BROTHER ANYMORE.

THEY LOSE THAT BIG STORY FROM 9 TO 10:00.

>> Reilly: SPEAKING OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST-- IT'S BEEN AN AWKWARD WEEK FOR COLUMNIST DAVID BROOKS AND HIS EMPLOYER, THE "NEW YORK TIMES," THANKS TO REVELATIONS ABOUT A SIDE GIG BROOKS KEPT FROM HIS READERS.

THAT CONTROVERSY IS STILL SHAKING OUT, BUT SO FAR, NEITHER BROOKS NOR THE PAPER LOOK PARTICULARLY GOOD.

IF YOU HAD TO DESCRIBE DAVID BROOKS' BRAND IN A FEW WORDS, THEY'D PROBABLY BE "SERIOUS MORAL THINKER."

>> WHEN YOU HAVE BAD VALUES, YOU END UP IN A BAD PLACE.

TO SEE PEOPLE TRULY, TO SPEAK FROM THE DEPTHS OF YOURSELF AND NOT THE SURFACE OF YOURSELF, MAKE THIS TRULY DIFFICULT.

>> Reilly: WHICH MAKES THIS BUZZFEED SCOOP ABOUT BROOKS'S SECOND JOB ESPECIALLY CONFOUNDING.

FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, BROOKS HAS BEEN WORKING ON A PROJECT CALLED WEAVE, BASED AT THE ASPEN INSTITUTE, AND AIMED AT INCREASING SOCIAL COHESION IN AMERICA.

>> THERE'S JUST A BIG MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE DEDICATED TO HEALING RIFTS, HEALING DIVISIONS.

THIS IS A WAY TO LIVE, A BETTER WAY THAN MOST OF US ARE LIVING.

>> Reilly: TURNS OUT, BROOKS IS BEING PAID FOR THAT WORK, WHICH IS PARTLY FUNDED BY FACEBOOK.

BUT WHILE BROOKS HAS REPEATEDLY TOUTED WEAVE IN HIS COLUMNS, HE HASN'T DISCLOSED THOSE FINANCIAL TIES.

A "TIMES" SPOKESMAN WOULDN'T TELL BUZZFEED IF THE PAPER KNEW ABOUT BROOKS'S ENTANGLEMENTS, BUT DID COMPARE HIM TO FELLOW COLUMNIST PAUL KRUGMAN, WHO ALSO WORKS AT THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.

OF COURSE, THAT'S NOT A SECRET.

>> PAUL KRUGMAN, NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING ECONOMIST, COLUMNIST FOR THE "NEW YORK TIMES," AND DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR AT THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.

>> Reilly: YET SOMEHOW, IN BROOKS'S "TIMES" BIO AND ELSEWHERE, GETTING PAID FOR HIS WEAVE WORK NEVER COMES UP.

REQUEST THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF THIS THAT I -- THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF THIS WHICH I SHOULD HIGHLIGHT, BUZZFEED REPORTED IN A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THIS SCOOP, THAT BROOKS HAD WRITTEN A POST FOR FACEBOOK CORPORATE LOG, TALKING ABOUT HOW GOOD FAINS GROUPS ARE, AND A LOT OF TIMES SOCIAL MEDIA GETS A BAD RAP, ARE AS OPPOSED TO SOCIAL MEDIA BEING INHERENTLY BAD.

FACEBOOK IS BASICALLY A DE FACTO NATIONAL OR FROM NATIONAL ACTOR IN OUR WORLD TODAY, THAT THERE ARE SO MANY BIG PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY THEY SHAPE SOCIETY, POLITICS EVERYTHING, I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY EMBARRASSING FOR THE TIMES AND FOR BROOKS THAT THIS WASN'T OUT THERE.

DISCLAIMERS LIKE THIS ARE A NO BRAINER.

IF YOU HAVE EVEN A WHIFF OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST YOU PUT IT OUT EARLY SO PEOPLE KNOW YOU'RE AWARE OF IT AND ARE THINKING THROUGH AS YOU REPORT.

THEY DID THE OPPOSITE HERE AND WOULD I ASSUME THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME SORT OF SANCTION EVEN THOUGH BROOKS IS A GREAT BIG NAME.

>> THIS IS THE KIND OF PROBLEM THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS RIGHT?

IT WAS VERY UNCLEAR TO ME BASED ON THE STATEMENT THAT THEY DID IN FACT KNOW HE WAS GETTING MONEY FROM FACEBOOK.

IT SORT OF SEEMED LIKE POSSIBLY THEY DIDN'T KNOW.

LET'S BE HONEST IT'S BEEN A BAD RUN FOR THE TIMES, RIGHT?

THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF THESE EPIC SCANDALS AND ONE OF THE ISSUES THEY'VE BEEN FACED WITH THEY TREAT THEIR ARE DON McNEIL REQUIRED A NEWSROOM ERUPTION AND A HUGE SORT OF BACKLASH FOR THEM TO FINALLY DEAL WITH AT A SITUATION.

SO I THINK THEY'RE REALLY STUCK HERE WITH DAVID BROOKS, RIGHT?

IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW HE REALLY -- THIS IS A HUGE BREACH ON HIS PART AND HE SHOULD GO, AND IF HE DOESN'T GO THEY'RE GOING TO GET THAT SAME BACKLASH THAT THEY GOT ON DON McNEIL WHICH IS WHY ARE THERE TWO SETS OF STANDARDS IN THIS NEWSROOM FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE?

OFTEN WHITE MEN BECAUSE THAT'S LOTS OF TIMES WHO THEIR BIG STARS AND WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR, THEY NEED TO DEAL WITH THIS PERCEPTION, THIS ONLY MAKES IT WORSE.

IF THEY DID NOW THAT'S SO EMBARRASSING, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DEAL WITH THAT AND HOW THEY DEAL WITH THAT.

>> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT, DID THEY KNOW, WHEN DID THEY KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING.

IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT THEY DID KNOW.

TO ME IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD, OUR COLLEAGUE DAN KENNEDY WROTE ABOUT THIS, AVOID CONFLUCTS OF INTEREST, REAL OR PERCEIVED.

TO ME IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT HE HAD A RELATIONSHIP BUT THE FACT THAT IT WASN'T DISCLOSED.

DISCLOSE THE RELATIONSHIP.

FOR THE TIMES, NOT TO, YOU KNOW EITHER KNOW ABOUT IT WHICH IS I THINK SOMEBODY MISSED THEIR JOB ON THEIR WATCH, AND TO FRS HIM NOT TO -- OR NOT TO FORCE HIM TO DISCLOSE IT IS A HIT ON THEIR CREDIBILITY.

AS SUSIE POINTED OUT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL.RECENTLY.

I THINK WEAVE IS A POSITIVE IDEA.

I LIKE THE MESSAGE.

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE MESSAGE?

WE HAVE YOU KNOW THIS SOCIAL ISOLATION.

LET'S FIND WAYS TO INCREASE OUR INTERACTION WITH EACH OTHER.

BUT JUST DISCLOSE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE BEING PAID, BY AN ORGANIZATION THAT GETS FUNDING FROM FACEBOOK.

TO ME, IT'S PRETTY MUCH STRAIGHTFORWARD, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GOING TO LOSE HIS JOB.

I THINK SUSIE MADE A GOOD JOB.

HE'S.HIGHLY POPULAR.

IT IS HARD FOR SPORTS TEAMS OR WHATEVER TO FIRE THEIR BIG STARS.

>> I THINK THIS IS NOT JUST THE NEW YORK TIMES.

ADAM YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING IN YOUR PIECE WHERE YOU REFERRED TO HIS BRAND.

AND I THINK THAT'S AT THE HEART OF ALL OF THIS.

WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS JOURNALISM, BACK IN THE DAY IT USES TO BE YOU WERE JOURNALISTS, YOU HAVE A BRAND NOW, WHAT COMES WITH BRAND?

ALL THESE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WANT A PIECE OF THAT BRAND AND YOU CAN GET MONEY OFF OF IT.

SO YOU FIND JOURNALISTS WHO WORK FOR THIS ORGANIZATION BUT ALSO HAVE A PODCAST WITH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION OR THEY'RE ALSO DOING A NEWSLETTER.

THEY'LL HAVE TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT JOBS.

THEN YOU THROW IN THE MIX THE FACT THAT IT'S GROWING QUITE POPULAR TO JUST BE A FREELANCER BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE THIS WORK-LIFE BALANCE OR NOW YOU GOT LAID OFF RIGHT?

AS A FREELANCER YOU CAN MAKE A PRETTY GOOD LIVING RIGHT?

WORKING FOR THREE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

IT PUTS THEM IN THE LINE OF FIRE FOR THESE POTENTIAL ETHICAL CONFLICTS IF IN FACT THEY DON'T DISCLOSE WHO THEY'RE WORKING FOR.

>> AGAIN DAN, NEW YORK TIMES IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PLATFORMS FOR SOME SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION.

MIKE I'M GOING TO DISAGREE WITH YOU ON WEAVE WHICH SOUNDS TO ME A LITTLE GOOP-LIKE IN IS SIMPLICITY.

I WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISED THAT HE COULD USE SO MANY COLUMNS TO PUSH THIS PLATFORM OUT INTO THE WORLD WHICH WAS HIS BRANDED THING, WHETHER OR NOT THEY KNEW HE WAS MAKING MONEY OFF OF IT.

I'M HERE TO TELL YOU FACEBOOK GROUPS ARE NOT GOING TO SOLVE OUR SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

THEY'RE LIKE A CESSPOOL OF HUMIDITY.

THIS PERSON IN THIS POWERFUL POSITION HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PEDAL HIS OWN THINGS IS THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM HERE.

>> Reilly: AND IT'S WORTH NOTING IF YOU LOOK AT THESE VIDEOS E-WAS WEARING A WEAVE PIN IN MOST OF HIS APPEARANCES, ONE ON PBS NewsHOUR, I DON'T THINK WEAVE CAME UP SO VERY STEALTHY MARKETING ON HIS PART.

, ALL RIGHT, LIGHTNING ROUND.

WE PRETTY MUCH ONLY HEAR ABOUT THE BUTTING OF BIG EGOS WHEN IT COMES TO FEMALE ANCHOR-PEOPLE, LIKE DIANE SAWYER VERSUS BARBARA WALTERS.

BUT THERE'S A BIG ONE BREWING AT ABC THAT'S FINALLY GETTING SOME ATTENTION-- IT'S DAVID MUIR VERSUS GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS.

EMILY ROONEY HAS MORE.

>> Rooney: ALL THE MAJOR TELEVISION NETWORKS HAVE SHARED THE SAME TRADITION OVER THE DECADES.

WHOEVER SITS IN THE EVENING NEWS ANCHOR CHAIR IS DE FACTO, THE BIG CHEESE.

ABC'S PETER JENNINGS IS AT THE ANCHOR DESK UPTOWN HERE IN NEW YORK AND IS NOW IN POSITION.

>> Rooney: WHEN DIANE SAWYER TOOK THE ANCHOR SEAT ONCE HELD BY JENNINGS, SHE DID THE BREAKING NEWS.

>> AND WE'RE INTERRUPTING YOUR REGULAR PROGRAMMING.

>> Rooney: BUT SOMETHING CHANGED BACK IN 2014 WHEN DAVID MUIR TOOK OVER FROM DIANE SAWYER.

EVERYONE WAS ALL SMILES WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ALREADY ANCHOR OF BOTH GMA AND THIS WEEK, WOULD BE CHIEF ANCHOR-- AND AS SUCH, ENTITLED TO SIT IN THE BIG CHAIR FOR BREAKING NEWS.

>> WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR RIGHT NOW BECAUSE PRESIDENT OBAMA IS ABOUT TO SPEAK FROM MARTHA'S VINEYARD.

>> Rooney: BUT IN THE PAST YEAR, THE ABC EVENING NEWS WITH DAVID MUIR HAS SWEPT TO THE TOP OF THE RATINGS HEAP.

AS PART OF HIS CONTRACT NEGOTIATION, MUIR WANTED BREAKING NEWS RIGHTS AND GOT IT.

NOW REPORTING, DAVID MUIR.

>> Rooney: PROBLEM IS, APPARENTLY STEPHANOPOULOS WASN'T GIVEN THE WORD RIGHT AWAY, WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN THE DEPARTURE OF NEWS PRESIDENT JAMES GOLDSTON.

AT ANY RATE, IT'S REFRESHING TO HEAR ABOUT A DOGFIGHT, INSTEAD OF A CATFIGHT.

>> Reilly: SO I WILL CONFESS THAT I'M NOT THE BIGGEST TELEVISION BROADCAST NETWORK NIGHTLY NEWS WATCHER.

THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IT'S FUNNY FROM A DISTANCE TO WATCH HOW ABSURD THIS SORT OF THING LOOKS.

I TEND TO GET AT TIMES IN THE WORKPLACE CAUGHT UP IN I WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT SOMETHING, SOMETHING SEEMS SYMBOLIC, I DIDN'T GET SOMETHING I WANTED, SOMEBODY ELSE DID.

FROM THE OUTSIDE THIS BACK AND FORTH I THINK LOOKS RIDICULOUS.

>> THIS IS WORLD'S SMALLEST VIE MINUTE TERRITORY TO ME.

IT REMINDS ME OF BASEBALL PLAYERS CONTRACTS, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 10 GAZILLION DOLLARS AND 11 GAZILLION DOLLARS DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, IT'S ABOUT KEEPING SCORE.

MEN WITH TERRIFIC JOBS WHO ARE TRYING TO KEEP SCORE.

>> THIS SEEMS ALMOST ACQUAINT, BASED ON WHAT ELSE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

THIS OLD SCHOOL ANCHOR WAR THIS SEEMS LIKE OF A BUY GONE BYGONE ERA.

DAVID MUIR STILL IS THE ANCHOR OF THE MOST WATCHED NEWSCAST IN AMERICA.

I'VE WORKED ON THAT SHOW AND I WASN'T CLEAR THAT THAT IS STILL THE CASE.

IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW STRONG THESE ARE.

ING SOMETHING PEOPLE YOU HAVE WORKED WITH ARE INTERESTING, SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE GUYS I THINK THEY'RE BOTH REALLY TALENTED.

SO ME THE DAYLIGHTS ARE THE BOB EIGER FLEW ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO SORT OF TALK STEPS AWAY FROM STEPHANOPOULOS AWAY FROM LEAVING.

WHEN YOU CAN GET ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MEN IN AMERICA TO FLY TO YOU TO SAY PLEASE STAY, IT IS A NICE THING.

>> IT'S NICE TO FEEL WANTED, YES, THIS IS ALL ABOUT EGO AND REFERENCE AS AN ANCHOR.

-- RELEVANCE AS AN ANCHOR.

I'M IN THAT CHAIR UNTIL TWO, STAY AT HOME UNTIL WE'RE DONE AND IT'S YOUR SHIFT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS JUST WASN'T GETTING ENOUGH FACETIMER AND HE COMPLAINED AND THIS HAPPENED AND IT'S EGOS.

IF I WERE HIM AND I WAS OFFERED A BIGGER LONGER CONTRACT AND MORE SHOWS AND BREAKING NEWS UNTIL NOON I'D ENJOY MY LIFE AFTERNOON, GO HOME, AND WHEN THE BREAKING NEWS DID COME UP IN THE MORNING I WOULD DO THE BEST DAMN JOB I COULD.

>> HERE IS ANOTHER SECRET, ANCHORS USED TO HAVE FIGHTS OVER WHO WOULD START READING THE NEWSCAST THAT NIGHT OR WHO WOULD SIGN OFF.

THAT REALLY DOES HAPPEN OR DID HAPPEN.

I'M NOT SURE SO MUCH ANYMORE.

BUT YES THIS IS MORE IT IS KIND OF CHILDISH BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS IN THE NETWORK NEWS BUSINESS ONE DAY YOU'RE POPULAR, THE NEXT DAY YOU'RE WITHOUT A CONTRACT.

SO YOU TRY TO HANG ON TO AS MUCH POWER AS YOU CAN.

YOU TRY TO GET THE BIGGEST TITLES AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU WILL NOT ONLY MAKE IT THROUGH CONTRACT YOU'RE IN BUT YOU'LL GET ANOTHER CONTRACT AND PERHAPS ONE BEHIND IT.

AND SO IT DOES SEEM LIKE MAUL POTATOES FOR US WHEN WE ON THE OUTSIDE WANT THEM TO FOCUS ON NEWS.

BUT IT IS ABOUT FOCUS ON THE INDUSTRY.

>> Reilly: THAT IS A GJ PERFECT, ON TO OUR RANTS AND RAVES AND IN THIS TIME WE'LL START WITH MIKE NIKITAS.

>> I'M GOING TO START WITH A RAVE, SOMETHING CALLIE MENTIONED LAST WEEK.

STREAMING VERSION OF 60 MINUTES ON PARAMOUNT, STARTED LAST NIGHT ACTUALLY.

I THOUGHT THEY DID A GOOD JOB ON THE FIRST STORY,.

>>QANON CHAMPION,THOSE WHO WENT TO THE CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6th.

HE SAID A LOT OF LAME THINGS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW IT, HE SAID I WAS THERE TO CREATE POSITIVE VIBRATIONS IN A SACRED CHAMBER, I PREVENTED PEOPLE FROM STEALING, STEALING THE MUFFINS FROM THE BREAK ROOM BUT HE ALSO STILL SAID I BELIEVE THE ELECTION IS FRAWJ PLEASANT, HE SAID DONALD TRUMP HAD HIS BACK AND HE WAS DEEPLY WOUNDED BY THE PRESIDENT NOT GIVING HIM AND OTHERS A PARDON.

I FOUND IT INTERESTING.

>> Reilly: USUALLY I WOULD WAIT TO TALK, THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY RANT FOR THE WEEK, I DROPPED IT WHEN I HEARD YOU WERE GOING TO RAVE IT.

THE INTERVIEWER, STARTS TO TELL THE ATTACK ON THE CAPITAL, HE THEN SAYS NO I'M GETTING A RAW DEAL, PEOPLE AREN'T BEING FAIR TO ME AND THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN.

I DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS ANY PUSH BACKS.

DIVERGE EVANS OF TAKES, A MULTITUDE OF EXPERIENCES ON BEAT THE PRESS.

JOANNA.

>> WHY OPRAH, UPCOMING SPECIAL YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT.

>> ALMOST UNSURVIVABLE SOUNDS LIKE THERE WAS A BREAKING POINT.

>> MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF.

>> YOU'VE SET SOME SHOCKING THINGS HERE.

WAIT, HOLD UP.

>> SO WHETHER THE WORLD NEEDS A TWO HOUR SPECIAL ON PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKEL, THE DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE HAS BEEN LEAKING PR NOTORIOUSLY IN ANTICIPATION.

OPRAH IS RATINGS GOLD.

>> I DEFINITELY WILL BE WATCHING.

I HAVE A COMBINED RANT AND RAVE, WHICH I GUESS IS CHEATING.

NOBODY IS GOING TO STOP ME.

I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE WOODY ALLEN DOCK, THE PRODUCERS HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, I WAS ABLE TO SCREEN THE THIRD EPISODE THAT AIRS THIS SUNDAY, IT WAS RELEASED AND IT HAS SOME REALLY DAMNING MATERIAL IN IT.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HARD -- THAT'S THE RAVE PART RIGHT?

THESE FILM MAKERS HAVE DONE A REALLY BRILLIANT JOB AND THE RANT PART YOU SEE HOW MUCH THE MEDIA ACCEPTED WOODY ALLEN'S NARRATIVE OF WHO MIA FARROW WAS.

TREATED SORT OF NEGATIVE WAYS AND IT'S NICE TO GET THESE STORIES REVISITED AND PEOPLE GIVING A CHANCE TO REEXAMINE WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

>> Reilly: DEFINITELY.

DAN LOTHIAN.

>> I HAVE A RANT ON INCREASING ATTACKS OF JOURNALISTS AROUND THE WORLD.

OFTENTIMES WHEN JOURNALISTS ARE KILLED WE DON'T REALLY HEAR ABOUT IT UNLESS IT'S A BIG NAMED PERSON.

BUT IT IS HAPPENING JUST ABOUT EVERY WEEK SOMEWHERE.

JUST THIS WEEK IN SOMALIA AN OUTSPOKEN JOURNALIST WAS MURDERED.

IN AFGHANISTAN THREE JOURNALISTS WHO HAD JUNIOR ROLES WERE KILLED.

IN INDIA, A JOURNALIST TALKED ABOUT INTIMIDATION AND DEATH THREATS.

AND THERE'S THIS REAL CONCERN THAT THE MORE THAT THIS CONTINUES, THE MORE YOU'LL SEE JOURNALISTS EITHER SELF CENSORING, IN OTHER WORDS NOT REPORTING WHAT THEY SHOULD BE REPORTING OR JUST LEAVING THE BUSINESS AFLG TOGETHER.

ALTOGETHER.

I THINK WE NEED TO PUT THAT SPOTLIGHT ON ATTACKS THAT ARE HAPPENING FOR JOURNALISTS AROUND THE WORLD.

>> Reilly: I HAVE A RAVE FOR LABREGA, PUERTO RICAN EXPERIENCE, A PART OF THE UNITED STATES THAT A LOT OF US ME INCLUDED TEND NOT THINK ABOUT SO MUCH.

IT'S FASCINATING AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE.

THAT IS IT FOR OUR SHOW.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK.

EMAIL US, TWEET US, SEND US A COMMENT.

AND THANKS FOR WATCHING.

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