On the Record, Jan. 16, 2021: Media and fake news – WRAL.com

>> THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD. >> IT IS TIME TO GO "ON THE RECORD" WITH WRAL NEWS. >> GOOD EVENING AT THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR "ON THE RECORD", I AM DEBRA MORGAN. TONIGHT A DISCUSSION THE HITS CLOSE TO HOME, THE GOING DISTRESS OF THE MEDIA AND HOW THE EROSION OF FAITH IN JOURNALISM IMPACTS OUR DEMOCRACY. WE EXPLORE WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO CALL THE PRESS FAKE NEWS, PHRASE PRESIDENT TRUMP UTTERED OFTEN WHILE IN THE WHITE HOUSE. EVEN DECLARED THE MEDIA THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. FOR WE REACH OUT TO OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS WE START WITH JOE FISHER WITH A LOOK AT HOW IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO ONE THAT TRUST BACK EVEN WITH A NEW PRESIDENT AND OFFICE. >> Reporter: RIDERS WHO STORM THE U.S. CAPITAL LEFT THIS MARK ON THE DOOR. SHOWING THE DISTRUST FELT BY SOME ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND TOWERING OVER THIS ROAD IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. >> ULA DOING YOUR JOB. >> Reporter: THIS MAN IS CONVINCED THAT PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP -- WON THE ELECTION. >> ALL THE STUFF ABOUT BE IN A FAIR ELECTION IS HOGWASH, WILL NEVER BELIEVE IT. >> Reporter: HE IS NOT ALONE IN BELIEVING BALLOT FRAUD IN GEORGIA, IN SPITE OF INVESTIGATIONS THAT FOUND NO EVIDENCE AND REJECTIONS OF THOSE CLAIMS BY MULTIPLE JUDGES. >> I WANT TO SEE MORE EVIDENCE, STATE-BY-STATE NOT JUST GEORGIA. BUT, IF NOTHING ELSE, AN AIR OF SUSPICION LEAVING 70 TO 80 MILLION PEOPLE VERY ANGRY AND VERY UPSET. >> Reporter: A CONSERVATIVE CAMPAIGN STRATEGIST SAYS HE HAS LOST TRUST IN THE MEDIA'S ABILITY TO BE OBJECTIVE. >> MORE PARROTING, MORE HEADLINES, BUMPER STICKER QUOTES AND BURNING THROUGH STUFF WITHOUT DEPTH, THAT IS WHAT I THINK UPSETS A LOT OF INTELLIGENT PEOPLE THAT WANT TO KNOW MORE OF THE TRUE STORY. TO MAKE YOUR FAKE NEWS. >> Reporter: DR. DANIEL CREASES POLITICIANS OF LONG TRIED TO DISCREDIT REPORTERS, BUT THE RHETORIC, HE SAYS, HAS BEEN AMPLIFIED UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP. >> POLITICIANS ARE CAPITALIZING ON THE FACT THAT AMERICANS ARE MORE PARTISAN THAN THEY WERE 20, 30, 40 YEARS AGO. DELEGITIMIZING THOSE DEPENDENT VOICES THAT ARE WORKING TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE IS TO A POLITICIAN, GAME. >> Reporter: USES THE RISE OF CABLE TV, INDEPENDENT WEBSITES, AND SOCIAL MEDIA HAVE BLURRED THE LINES BETWEEN NEWS AND OPINION. >> WE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF BEING TOLD HALF-TRUTHS, TOTAL, BLATANT LIES. >> Reporter: HE SAYS THE TERM FAKE NEWS MIGHT BE STICKING AROUND. BUT SO IS JOURNALISM. ONE OF THE PILLARS TO OUR GREAT DEMOCRACY. >> I THINK LAST WEEK WAS A DEEP WAKE-UP CALL. I HOPE THAT WE WILL SEE SOME NEW WAYS TO COME TOGETHER TO CLEARLY REJECT THESE ANTIDEMOCRATIC THREATS, AND BUILD A COMMON LIFE MOVING FORWARD. >> Reporter: I AM JOE FISHER, WRAL NEWS. >> JOE WILL JOIN US IN A FEW MINUTES HOW HE GOES ABOUT HIS JOB AS A REPORTER TO ENSURE FAIRNESS. WILL ALSO HEAR MORE FROM ONE OF THE PEOPLE YOU SAW, WHO IS LOST TRUST IN THE MEDIA. AND PAT McCRORY WHO NOW HAS A DAILY RADIO TALK SHOW IN CHARLOTTE. FIRST, WITH TREMENDOUS INSIGHT INTO THIS ISSUE, SUSAN KING AT UNC, DEAN KING, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME. >> WITHIN HOURS OF THE ATTACK AT THE CAPITOL, YOU SENT A MESSAGE TO THE ALUMNI DATABASE STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF A FREE PRESS AND THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN THE DEMOCRACY, SAYING, QUOTE, DEMOCRACY IS FRAGILE AND THE LIFEBLOOD IS A ROBUST AND INDEPENDENT MEDIA. HOW ARE THE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INTERTWINED? >> I GUESS I HAVE ALWAYS FELT SUCH A PRIVILEGE TO BE A JOURNALIST, BECAUSE A JOB WITH THE FIRST AMENDMENT BEHIND US. THE FOUNDING FATHERS BELIEVED IN THE ROLE OF THE PRESS AND THOSE GREAT QUOTES FROM JESPERSEN, WHAT YOU WANT TO HAVE? BETTER REPORTERS OR NOXIOUS REPORTERS, OR NO REPORTERS? HE DECIDED TO HAVE REPORTERS. IT HELPS TO KEEP US ON OUR TOES , SOMEONE HAS TO ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS. JOURNALISTS DO THAT. >> MANY AMERICANS BELIEVE THE MEDIA IS BIASED AND TRYING TO PUSH AN AGENDA, SOME BELIEVING THE MEDIA IS TRYING TO RUIN THE COUNTRY. IS THE MEDIA TO BLAME FOR THE POLITICAL DIVIDE? >> I THINK WE HAVE SEEN THE TRUST IN THE MEDIA ERODE FOR MANY YEARS NOW. IT IS THAT A REAL HIGH POINT, AND AS DEAN OF A JOURNALISM SCHOOL, I FEEL PART OF MY JOB IS TO TRY TO REBUILD THAT TRUST. AND REALLY ACCESS THE VALUE. I HAVE PARTNERED WITH JOURNALIST IN ARKANSAS, AND WE STAND BY THE VALUES THAT SAY THERE MUST NOT BE -- THERE ARE OPINIONS, AND THERE IS SEXUAL FACTUAL REPORTING, AND WE HAVE TO BRING INTO OUR STUDENTS THE IDEA OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A JOURNALIST SERVING THE PUBLIC AND BRINGING THEM THE TRUTH IS WE LEARNED BECAUSE WE ARE TRUTH SEEKERS. WE DON'T REALLY HOLD OURSELVES TO THE ULTIMATE TRUTH. >> YOU WANT TO ASK YOU MORE ABOUT THAT IN OUR NEXT SEGMENT. FOR NOW, IN YOUR LETTER TO THE ALUMNI, HE ALSO WROTE, THIS PARTISAN ERA IN AMERICA HAS LED TO MANY LOSING TRUST IN JOURNALISM, AND THE PRESIDENT HAS SPENT FOUR YEARS TEARING DOWN OUR SYSTEM OF A FREE PRESS. HOW MUCH OF THIS LACK OF TRUST IS THE MEDIA'S FAULT? AND WOULD PRESIDENT TRUMP HAVE ANY POWER TO CALL THE MEDIA "FAKE NEWS" OF PEOPLE DIDN'T FIND SOME TRUTH TO THAT? >> THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE SAID USES CERTAIN PHRASES PEOPLE STARTED TO BELIEVE IT IF IT IS SET OFTEN ENOUGH. I THINK THAT THE PROFESSOR WHO YOU HAD IN THE PIECE BEFORE EXPLAINED IT ALSO WELL. THERE'S A BLURRING RIGHT NOW. I CONSIDER CABLE NEWS AT NIGHT, WHICH I WATCH, NEWS. I SEE OPINION FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW, AND EYES GO ACROSS THE AISLE. ITS REAL OPINION, AND YET PEOPLE THINK THEY'RE WATCHING THE NEWS. SOCIAL MEDIA IS ALL OF THE BLOCK. THERE IS A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT IT, I UNDERSTAND WHY THE PUBLIC MAY BE CONFUSED. MORE THAN WE HAVE EVER HAD BEFORE, BUT WE GET MIXED UP WITH REPORTING. OPINION IS ONE THING, REPORTING IS ANOTHER. >> WE COULD DO ANOTHER PROGRAM ON SOCIAL MEDIA. HOW DOES SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE THE DISSEMINATION OF TRUTHFUL INFORMATION? >> IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU GET. OUR STUDENTS ALL GET THEIR NEWS FROM THE TELEPHONE, RIGHT? TO THE NOWHERE THIS COMING FROM? IT COMES ACROSS AS A HEADLINE. TO THEY KNOW IF IT IS -- THE STUDY DONE BY GALLUP FOUND THAT MORE PEOPLE BELIEVED IN LOCAL TELEVISION MEDIA. THEY WATCH YOU EVERY NIGHT. THEY KNOW WHO YOU ARE, THEY MAY KNOW YOUR BIASES. THE PROBLEM I FIND IS THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GETTING THIS INFORMATION. REAL MISINFORMATION, ORGANIZED AND PROPAGANDA IS WHAT YOU WOULD'VE CALLED IN WORLD WAR II. THAT IS COMING ACROSS AS A STORY OR A HEADLINE. SO, WE TRY TO ALSO TEACH ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ACROSS THE CAMPUS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO READ THE MEDIA. BECAUSE THERE IS SOME VERY BIASED MEDIA, THERE IS SOME VERY POLITICAL MEDIA, AND SOME NEWS WERE PEOPLE TRYING TO REALLY GRAPPLE WITH THE TRUTH. >> I HAVE THAT STUDY RIGHT HERE, I HAVE BEEN READING IT DILIGENTLY. >> WAY! >> LOOKING AT TRUST IN THE MEDIA. ONES SHOWS THAT AMERICANS TRUST LOCAL NEWS MORE THE NATIONAL NEW. WHAT YOU THINK THAT IS? >> THEY IDENTIFY WITH THE PEOPLE GIVING THEM THE NEWS AND THEY GET TO BE WITH THEM EVERY DAY. THEY DON'T KNOW WHO IS TELLING THE NEWS OFTEN ON THE OTHER. BUT SOMETIMES, WHAT REALLY WORRIES ME ABOUT THAT STUDY, I THINK WE HAVE TO FACE UP TO HIS REPUBLICANS ARE MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE NEWS THE DEMOCRATS. DEMOCRATS SAY THEY CAN BELIEVE IT, AND THE BIGGEST ISSUE FOR ME IS YOUNG PEOPLE. PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER 65 HAVE A FAVORABLE VIEW OF THE NEW. THOSE UNDER 30, 19% SAID THEY HAVE A FAVORABLE NEWS VIEW. WHAT ARE WE BUILDING GOING FORWARD? I AM DEDICATED TO REALLY GOING TO REBUILD TRUST IN THE MEDIA, AND TO FIGHT FOR IT. WHICH IS WHY PUT THAT STATEMENT OUT. I THINK THE MEDIA DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB IN THE LEAST REVEALING TO US REVEALING WHAT WAS GOING ON DURING A VERY CHAOTIC AFTERNOON. >> I WANT TO ASK YOU SO MUCH MORE ABOUT THIS, AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IN THE NEXT SEGMENT, TO. REPUBLICANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO DISTRUST THE MEDIA, THAT IS ACCORDING TO THIS REPORT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE ASKED FOUR REPUBLICANS, McCRORY WHY THAT IS, COMING UP. >> WELCOME BACK TO "ON THE RECORD", I AM DEBRA MORGAN. WERE TALKING ABOUT FAITH AND TRUST IN THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN OUR DEMOCRACY. FOR ANYONE WITH AN EXTENDED INTEREST, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK OUT IN AUGUST 2020 STUDY FROM THE GALLUP FOUNDATION, IT MEASURED 20,000 AMERICANS ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE MEDIA. ONE OF THEIR METRICS, AMERICANS PERCEPTIONS OF POLITICAL BIAS IN THE NEWS BY POLITICAL PARTY. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS GRAPHIC. 46% OF AMERICANS OVERALL BELIEVE THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF BIAS IN NEWS COVERAGE BY PARTIES, THE NUMBERS LOWER AMONG DEMOCRATS A 27%. NEARLY HALF OF INDEPENDENTS AND TWO THIRDS OF REPUBLICANS AT 60%. IN AN EFFORT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS GREATER DISTRUST AMONG REPUBLICANS, WE INVITED TWO PANELISTS YOU'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS ON WRAL, PAT McCRORY AND CAMPAIGN SYNERGIST STEVE XAVIER. GOVERNOR YOU HAVE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE, YOU NOW HAVE A DAILY RADIO TALK SHOW IN CHARLOTTE. AS WE LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY CAN YOU TELL US WHY REPUBLICANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO DISTRUST THE MEDIA? >> LET ME FIRST SAY, NOW THAT I HAVE BEEN IN THE MEDIA ON A RADIO TALK SHOW AND I DO MEET THE PRESS ABOUT EVERY TWO MONTHS FOR THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, I HAVE REALIZED THERE IS A SIMILARITY BETWEEN POLITICIANS AND THE MEDIA. THEY BOTH HAVE THIN SKIN, THEY'RE BOTH RATHER NARCISSISTIC, AND THEY'RE BOTH IN A BUSINESS OF SPEAKING TO THEIR BASE. BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO RESPOND TO WHAT THE BASE SAYS, BECAUSE THAT IS HOW THE REVENUES DERIVED. SO THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU'RE IN MEDIA, IT IS A BUSINESS. AND THEY HAVE TO PAY THEIR BILLS. AND THAT MAY ALSO SHOW THE BIAS IN THE NARRATIVE OF THE STORIES THAT ARE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC. IN WHATEVER LOCATION THE MAJORITY MIGHT BE IN THE AREA. SO YES, I BELIEVE, IS A REPUBLICAN, THE MAJORITY OF MEDIA TENDS TO BE MORE LIBERAL BIASED, BUT ALSO THE MEDIA IS VERY SEGREGATED. IN THEIR OWN SILOS, ESPECIALLY ON CABLE TV, WHERE THE LIBERALS ARE LISTENING TO LIBERALS COME THE CONSERVATIVES ARE LISTENING TO CONSERVATIVES. AND NO ONE IS HEARING BOTH SIDES. WHICH I THINK IS VERY DANGEROUS TO OUR DEMOCRACY, REGARDING THE SEGREGATION OF MEDIA AND THE AUDIENCE IT REACHES OUT AND THE NARRATIVE SET IN THAT MEDIA TO THE AUDIENCE THEY KNOW THEY DON'T WANT TO LOSE IN ORDER TO MAKE PROFIT. >> STEPHEN, WE HEARD YOU TALKING ABOUT YOU DISTRUST OF THE MEDIA, IS THIS NEW FOR YOU OR HAVE YOU FELT THIS WAY FOR SOMETIME? >> FOR SOMETIME. I THINK SUSAN RAISED A COUPLE OF GREAT POINTS, I WILL CAPTURE ONE ABOUT BLURRING THE LINES. AND ALSO THE GOVERNORS SIMILAR POINT. I THINK THE ISSUE, IS THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE TALKING HEADS AND THE PUNDITS VERY LITERALLY AS THOUGH THEIR EXPERTS, MANY TIMES THEY'RE NOT. ALTHOUGH DON LEMON AND SEAN HANNITY MAY LOOK LIKE THEIR NEWSPEOPLE THEY'RE NOT. THEIR PUNDITS AND EACH HAS THEIR OWN EXTREME BY. ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE AND LISTEN TO THE MORE OBJECTIVE, BUT THE POINT THIS IS AN AND THE GOVERNOR MADE, ONE OF THE ISSUES GOING BACK TO THE GOVERNOR'S COMMENT ABOUT WHY SO MANY REPUBLICANS FEEL THERE SUCH BIAS IN THE MEDIA IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE FOX NEWS AND EVERYBODY ELSE. IT IS SO OVERWHELMING, LIBERAL VERSUS CONSERVATIVE, THE PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, IF YOU WILL, FEEL THAT WAY. AND ONLY RECENTLY, TWO NETWORKS ARE UP AND RUNNING. BUT THEY'RE JUST COMING OUT OF THAT HIGH SCHOOL THEATRICAL KIND OF LOOK, THEY'RE NOT AS PROFESSIONALS FOX NEWS. IT HAS A WAYS TO GO BEFORE THE OVERWHELMING FEELING IS OVERCOME BY REPUBLICANS OR CONSERVATIVES TO LISTEN TO THE NEW. >> GOVERNOR YOU ARE IN OFFICE WHEN HB TO BRETT LGBTQ WRITES TO THE FOREFRONT, HOW DID THE MEDIA TREAT YOU THEN? >> VERY POORLY. FIRST OF ALL, MOST OF THE MEDIA NEVER READ THE BILL. THERE WAS ONLY FIVE PAGES, I COULD TELL BY THE INTERVIEWS AND NO ONE EVEN UNDERSTOOD THE BILL AND KNEW THAT HALF OF IT HAD TO DO WITH MINIMUM WAGE AND CITY ABILITY TO MAKE LAWS OUTSIDE OF THE STATE. THAT IS REALLY WHAT THE BILL WAS ABOUT, BUT THEY FOCUSED ON THE ORIENTATION ASPECT OF IT, WHICH BRINGS MORE VIEWERS. AND THAT WAS VERY DISCOURAGING TO ME. PLUS, I SPENT MAYBE .2% OF MY TIME ON THAT DURING MY FOUR YEARS AS GOVERNOR, AS OPPOSED TO THE MORE COMPLEX ISSUE OF DOING THE BUDGET, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH HEALTHCARE OVERRUNS, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH TRANSPORTATION ISSUES? THE MEDIA WAS NOT INTERESTED IN THOSE ISSUES AT THE LOCAL, STATE, OR NATIONAL LEVEL. THEY WERE INTERESTED IN THE ISSUES THAT BROUGHT MORE CLICKS AND MORE VIEWERS. AND THAT WAS VERY DISCOURAGING, BECAUSE 99.9% OF MY TIME WAS NOT SPENT ON THE ISSUES OF THE MEDIA COVERED. I SPENT A LOT OF STUDY TIME ON VERY COMPLEX ISSUES THAT MAYORS AND GOVERNORS AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH HAS TO DEAL WITH. FRANKLY, THE MEDIA IS NOT INTERESTED BECAUSE IT IS BORING. THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM WITH THE MEDIA RIGHT NOW. BUT THAT IS THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE MEDIA. THEY WANT CLICKS NOW. >> I WANT TO BRING THE SUSAN KING BACK INTO THE CONVERSATION NOW, YOU ARE THE HEAD OF A VERY RESPECTED JOURNALISM SCHOOL. PEOPLE RESPECT YOU, HOW DO YOU TEACH STUDENTS SO THEY CAN BE TRUSTED JOURNALISTS? IS IT HARD TO PUT THEIR BIAS ASIDE? >> I AM GOING TO SAY, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY SEE, YES I THINK IT IS. I WILL PUT IT A DIFFERENT WAY. I DEFINITELY THINK SOME EVENING SHOWS ARE PLAYING TO THE BASE, AS YOU SAY. SEAN HANNITY, DON LEMON, THEY HAVE THE BASE. BUT I DON'T THINK RAL IS, I THINK THEIR PLANE TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND REALLY GREAT JOURNALISM ORGANIZATIONS, WHO IS THE AUDIENCE AND HOW CAN WE SERVE THEM AND WHERE TRYING TO DEVELOP JOURNALISTS WHO WILL REALLY SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY. I THINK THIS YOUNG GENERATION IS ALSO MUCH MORE AWARE OF THEIR IDENTITY, THERE IS SO MUCH THEY GROW UP WITH, FACEBOOK, THEY HAVE STUFF HANGING OUT FROM THE TIME THEY ARE 14. INSTAGRAM ETC. WE ARE TRYING TO TEACH THEM THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE A REPORTER, YOU DON'T ERASE -- I WAS THE FIRST WOMAN IN EVERY NEWSROOM I WAS IN. I WASN'T GOING TO BE THE WOMAN REPORTER, BUT I WAS BRINGING MY PERSPECTIVE. I SEE STORIES THAT THE GUYS DID NOT SEE. BELIEVED I COULD FIND WHEN I CAN INTERVIEW. BUT I WAS THERE TO TELL YOU WHAT I LEARNED, NOT WHAT I THOUGHT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW. IF I WAS AN OPINION PERSON I WOULD PROBABLY BE MAKING MORE MONEY LIKE SEAN HANNITY, BUT THAT WAS NOT MY JOB. SO WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FACT AND OPINION, AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE ROLE, BUT NOT TO A RACE WHETHER THEY'RE BLACK OR HISPANIC OR . LGBTQ, OR WOMAN. BUT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY PUT ON THAT JACKET, THAT WHITE COAT OF OBJECTIVITY, TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT THE ARGUMENTS ARE. NOT WHAT TO THINK. >> ONE ADDITIONAL THING, THE PROTESTERS, AM SO GLAD THERE IS FOLLOW-UP ON WHO THE HECK THESE PROTESTERS ARE IN DC. AND WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY COME FROM. THAT'S GOOD. BUT EVERY DAY WHEN I WAS GOVERNOR, THERE WERE FIVE OR SIX PROTESTERS AND THEY WOULD COME RIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE 6:00 NEWS, THE MINUTE THE CAMERAS LEFT, THEY LEFT. BUT THEY GOT THIS TV TIME AND NO ONE EVER KNEW WHO WAS COORDINATING THOSE PROTESTERS. AND THAT IS PART OF THE NEW STORY THAT IS BEING LEFT OUT AT THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL, IS WHO ARE THE PROTESTERS? WHO IS PAYING FOR THEM? TRANSPORTATION, COORDINATION, THE SIGNS? BECAUSE THERE'S USUALLY A POLITICAL AGENDA BEHIND EVERY PROTESTING GROUP LIBERAL AND CONSERVATIVE. AND THE POLITICIANS KNOW WHO THEY ARE, I THINK THE MEDIA DOES TOO, BUT THE MEDIA NEEDS TO CONVEY THAT MORE TO THE AUDIENCE. WITH A COVER EITHER LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL PROTEST. I'M FINALLY GLAD TO SUSAN PROTESTERS CALLED OUT. IN AMERICA, WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE THAT MAKE PRETTY RADICAL COMMENTS OR DESTROY PROPERTY? >> AS DEAN KING SAID, THIS WEEK, MARKING 28 YEARS HERE AT WRAL, GOT INTO THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND ANSWER COMMUNITY QUESTIONS TO ASK DEEP, PROBING QUESTIONS TO GET TO THE HEART OF THE ISSUE. I HOPE WE CAN. AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, GO THROUGH ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO, AS WE WRAP UP, ASK A QUESTION OF ALL OF YOU. WHAT CAN THE MEDIA DO TO EARN BACK TRUST? GOVERNOR, YOU FIRST. >> I THINK THE FIRST THING THEY NEED TO DO IS GIVE A BROAD PERSPECTIVE OF COMPLEX ISSUES. AND NOT MAKE IT BLACK AND WHITE ISSUES, BECAUSE MOST COMPLEX ISSUES HAVE FIVE OR SIX SIDES TO THEM, NOT JUST TWO SIDES TO THEM. AND THE NEED TO FOCUS ON LONG- TERM ISSUES. THAN SHORT-TERM 24 HOURS NEW CYCLE ISSUES. >> STEPHEN, WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> I WOULD HINGE ON A POINT THAT SUSAN RAISED, I HAVE A 16- YEAR-OLD AND A 20-YEAR-OLD. I THINK THEIR GENERATION AND THE TWO BEFORE THEM IS BECOME SUCH AN INSATIABLE APPETITE, AND APPETITE THAT HE SATISFACTION RIGHT NOW. I THINK THAT IS TRANSLATING INTO A LOT OF THE YOUNG JOURNALISTS THAT WE SEE OUT THERE. THE 20 SOMETHINGS AND 30 SOMETHINGS ARE NOT TAKING THE TIME TO DIG IN AND DELVE INTO THE STORY OBJECTIVELY, AND FIND THE FACTS AND REPORT JUST THE FACTS. VISIT BACK IN THE DAY, JUST THE FACTS, MAN. >>> DANA KANG? >> EVERY DAY THEY GO OUT AND TRY TO TELL THE TRUTH IF THEY'RE ABLE TO FIND IT? WE HAVE A MOMENT IN THIS COUNTRY WERE DIVIDED. I HOPE WE ARE NOT HEADED FOR CIVIL WAR, IT IS BEEN A PRETTY TOUGH WEEK, LET'S FACE IT. IF YOU CAN BRING THE DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW, THE DIFFERENT PLAYERS TOGETHER AND TRY NOT TO HAVE PEOPLE SHOUTING AT EACH OTHER BUT TO AS JOURNALISTS, TELEVISION, RADIO, NEWSPAPERS, BRING DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT BETTER. HOPEFULLY WE WILL WIN BACK THE TRUST. TODAY BUT A PROCESS. >> I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT, I AGREE. THINK TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND INSIGHT INTO THIS VERY IMPORTANT DISCUSSION. >> THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO DO IT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH THAT WAS GREAT. >> THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. WHEN "ON THE RECORD" CONTINUES, BREAK. >> AS WE HEARD AT THE TOP OF THE DISCUSSION, JOE FISHER REPORTED ON WHY THE MEDIA IS LOSING TRUST. HE JOINS US NOW TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IS REPORTERS GO ABOUT DOING THEIR JOBS. JOE, LET'S START WITH HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A REPORTER? WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO ENTER THIS FIELD? >> GOING ON EIGHT OR NINE YEARS AT THIS POINT, THIS IS MY FOURTH THIRD TV STATION. I WORKED AT A NEWSPAPER OUT OF COLLEGE, THREE TV STATIONS, RADEAS LABS -- I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 2 1/2 YEARS AGO. I WAS LIKE TALKING TO PEOPLE AND TELLING PEOPLE THINGS THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW OR THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE MISSED AND ONCE THEY STARTED STUDYING JOURNALISM AT THE COLLEGE AND ACTUALLY STARTED PRACTICING THE CRAFT IN DOING THIS EVERY DAY, IT KIND OF JUST BECAME AN ADDICTING KIND OF SENSE OF TELLING PEOPLE THINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW AND GIVING PEOPLE A VOICE. AND JUST BEING THAT ADVOCATE. I KNOW DEAN KING WAS MENTIONING SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY. MOST OF THE JOURNALISM, MOST OF THE JOURNALISTS I'VE WORKED WITH, GOT INTO THIS BUSINESS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND JUST TO BE THAT ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE THEY SERVE. >> IT IS QUITE AN HONOR. WHAT STEPS YOU TAKE TO PUT YOUR STORIES TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE BEING FAIR? >> EVERY DAY STARTS WITH EDITORIAL MEETINGS, AND WE STARTED WITH WHAT OUR STORIES ARE FOR THE DAY, WHAT IS OUT THERE, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO COVER. REPORTERS ARE TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, PITCHING STORIES, TRYING TO GET THINGS ON THEIR. AS FAR AS BEING FAIR, GOES THROUGH A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE EVERY MORNING, WHICH IS A CALL WITH 20 TO 30 PEOPLE GIVING THEIR OPINIONS ABOUT STORIES, WHAT VOICES SHOULD BE INCLUDED, WHO DO WE WANT TO INTERVIEW, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET BOTH SIDES? AND IF THE OTHER SIDE IS NOT TALKING, HOW CAN WE GET A STATEMENT? THE GOVERNOR PROBABLY CAN TELL YOU ABOUT REACHING OUT FOR A STATEMENT IF THEY DON'T WANT TO SAY SOMETHING OR IF THEY DON'T WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THE STORY THAT WE WILL AT LEAST TRY TO GET BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY EVERY SINGLE DAY. EVERY SINGLE TIME. >> YOU AND I WERE TOGETHER ON THE AIR FOR MANY, MANY HOURS IN MAY DURING THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS. MANY PEOPLE SHARED WITH YOU, DID YOU GET ANY PUSHBACK? >> OH TONS OF PUSHBACK. THE BLACK LIVES MATTER RALLIES AND PROTESTS OVER THE SUMMER, ESPECIALLY THE ONES WHERE WE HAD PEOPLE BREAKING THE LAW, WHETHER THEY WERE BLOCKING THE ROAD OR WHETHER THEY WERE THROWING FIREWORKS AT STATE TROOPERS, YEAH, THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE ON CAMERAS. THEY PUT WATER BOTTLES IN OUR FACES, UMBRELLAS IN FRONT OF OUR CAMERAS. WE HAD TO USE TRIPODS JUST BLOCKS THEM FROM US BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE SEEN. I THINK THAT IS NOT ONLY BECAUSE THEY WERE BREAKING THE LAW IN MANY CASES, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, LIKE THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT , DOES NOT MATTER WHAT SIDE OF THE AISLE YOU'RE ON. >> JOE WE COULD GO FOR HOURS, I'M SORRY WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. JOE FISHER, THANK YOU. JOIN THE CONVERSATION. >> WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU, FOLLOW US ON TWITTER, EMAIL US YOUR COMMENTS, OR WRITE A LETTER ON THE RECORD PO BOX 12,000, RALEIGH, 27605.

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On the Record, Jan. 16, 2021: Media and fake news - WRAL.com