MARY: GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE NEWS.  MY NAME IS MARY DUCEY AND I TEACH PHILOSOPHY AT MT MERCY COLLEGE.  TODAYS TOPIC REPRESENTS A LITTLE DEPARTURE FROM OUR NORMAL FORMAT.  RATHER THAN TALK ABOUT THE ETHICAL DIMENSIONS OF SOME NEWS STORY WE THOUGHT WE’D TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS SHOW ITSELF, WHO SPONSORS US, WHY WE DO IT, WHAT OUR HOPES ARE AND WHAT IT’S LIKE TO DO A SHOW LIKE THIS.  SO WE HAVE SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AND SOME OF THE MODERATORS WITH US THIS MORNING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK.  FIRST TO MY LEFT, YOU’RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH EVERYBODY HERE IF YOU WATCH THE SHOW.  TO MY LEFT IS PETE WELCH WHO IS AN ATTORNEY AT CRAWFORD SULLIVAN HERE IN TOWN AND ALSO A RETIRED NAVY CAPTAIN AND HE’S ACTIVE IN VETERANS AFFAIRS HERE IN TOWN. 

 

PETER: GOOD MORNING MARY.

 

MARY: NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.  NEXT WE HAVE DR CHARLOTTE FALLON WHO IS RETIRED PROFESSOR OF HISTORY FROM MT MERCY AND MY OLD FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE.  NOT OLD PERSONALLY, WE’VE BEEN FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES FOR A LONG TIME.

 

CHARLOTTE: AND I RETIRED VERY YOUNG.

 

MARY: STARTED YOUNG, RETIRED YOUNG.  AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS THE REVEREND CEDRIC LOFDAHL WHO IS THE PRODUCER OF OUR SHOW.  CEDRIC IS A LUTHERAN MINISTER AND A RETIRED PASTOR AND THE THREE OF YOU PUT RETIREMENT TO SHAME, YOU’RE TOO BUSY TO BE RETIRED PEOPLE.  CEDRIC THANKS FOR BEING ON THE SHOW.

 

CEDRIC: THANK YOU.

 

MARY: CEDRIC IS HERE EVERY NIGHT WHEN WE, EVERY MORNING WHEN WE TAPE AND SO HE’S THE PERSON BEHIND THE SCENES THAT YOU RARELY SEE.  SO CEDRIC WHY DON’T YOU START US OFF, WHEN THIS SHOW IS SPONSORED BY THE INTER RELIGIOUS COUNCIL AND WILL YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?

 

CEDRIC: WELL, IN EARLY 1999 HAROLD MINCEY, A MEMBER OF THE INTER RELIGIOUS COUNCIL PROPOSED THAT WE START SUCH A PROGRAM AS THIS.  HE HAD SEEN A PROGRAM SOMEWHAT LIKE THIS IN I DON’T KNOW IF IT WAS TENNESSEE OR KENTUCKY, A PROGRAM THERE HAD A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FORMAT, THEY HAD 5 CLERGY ON AND EVERY WEEK THE SAME 5 CLERGY.  HE MADE THE PROPOSAL THAT WE GO WITH A PANEL OF 3 AND A MODERATOR AND THAT WE APPROACH ONE OF THE LOCAL TV STATIONS AND WE APPROACHED CHANNEL 9 AND THEY AGREED TO PRODUCE THE PROGRAM FOR US AND GIVE US THE AIR TIME FOR THE SHOW AND IN THE PROPOSAL TO QUOTE THE PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON MORAL ASPECTS OF THE NEWS FROM DAY TO DAY IN SUCH A WAY AS TO ENABLE PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY TO APPLY THEIR RELIGIOUS FAITH TO THE QUESTIONS THAT PLAGUE AND PERPLEX US TODAY.  SO THAT WAS SORT OF THE OPENING PROPOSAL AND THEN OF COURSE WE STARTED OUR FIRST PROGRAM WAS ON APRIL 11, 1999. 

 

MARY: GREAT.  SO THE IDEA BEHIND IT IS THAT MAYBE FOR US FOLKS WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME THAN THE AVERAGE NEWS BITE TO KIND OF EXPLORE THE ETHICAL ISSUES.

 

CEDRIC: YES AND WE STARTED OUT WITH ONLY 15 MINUTES AND THAT WAS A VERY SHORT TIME SO WITH A MODERATOR AND 3 PANELISTS THERE WAS NOT MUCH TIME FOR EACH ONE.

 

PETER: OVER THE YEARS CEDRIC, DO YOU THINK THAT THE RELIGIOUS COUNCIL HAS BEEN PLEASED AND THE SHOW HAS FULFILLED THEIR EXPECTATIONS?

 

CEDRIC: OH YES I THINK SO.  I THINK VERY MUCH SO.  EVERY MONTH I REPORT TO THE MONTHLY MEETINGS AND THERE’S ALWAYS VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK TO THE PROGRAM.

 

PETER: AND I KNOW FROM THE GUESTS THAT I’VE HAD ON MY PROGRAM THAT OCCASIONALLY WE STILL DO FEATURE PASTORS AND MINISTERS LOCALLY THAT THEY WANT TO WEIGH IN ON SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE AN ISSUE THAT THEY COULD DISCUSS WITH US. 

 

CEDRIC: YES WE DO AND WHEN WE STARTED OUT WITH THE FIRST SHOW THE PANELISTS WERE RABBI CHESMANN, IMAM TAHWIL AND HAROLD MINCEY, PASTOR BUT WE VERY QUICKLY DISCOVERED THAT PASTORS ARE NOT EXPERTS ON ALL TOPICS AND SO.

 

CHARLOTTE: REALLY?

 

MARY: THAT SOUNDS SORT OF LIKE A JOKE DOESN’T IT?  MINISTER, RABBI AND AN IMAM.

 

CEDRIC: YES IT DOES.  BUT WE DISCOVERED THAT WE NEEDED TO BROADEN THE AREAS, THE PEOPLE WE HAVE AS PANEL MEMBERS TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND SO ON.

 

MARY: SO A ROUGH GUESS, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ON THE SHOW THROUGH THE YEARS?

 

CEDRIC: WE’VE HAD ALMOST 700 DIFFERENT PANEL MEMBERS, THAT’S DIFFERENT PANEL MEMBERS AND SOME OF THOSE HAVE REPEATED MANY TIMES ON THE SHOW.  THIS IS PROGRAM NUMBER 433.

 

PETER: IN FACT, I WAS ASKED TO BE A PANEL MEMBER A COUPLE OF TIMES ON ISSUES OF CONCERN AND THEN I THINK LATER ON YOU INVITED ME TO BE A MODERATOR, SAID WELL, HE CAN TALK, THAT’S PART OF WHAT HE DID FOR A LIVING SO WE’LL HAVE HIM AS A MODERATOR AND HE’S GOT A SENSE OF HUMOR. 

 

MARY: YEAH, IF YOU’RE A GOOD GUEST YOU GET PROMOTED. 

 

CHARLOTTE: YEAH CAUSE THAT’S SORT OF MY STORY TOO THAT I GUESS I CALL IT A PROMOTION, MAY NOT BE TERRIBLY ACCURATE BUT I GUESS THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED.

 

PETER: WELL WHEN I TELL PEOPLE WHAT THIS SHOW IS CHARLOTTE I TELL THEM I’M HANDSOMELY REWARDED, MY SALARY DOUBLES EVERY YEAR BUT SINCE YOU MULTIPLY THAT DOUBLING TIMES 0 IT JUST NEVER GOES ANYWHERE.

 

MARY: THAT’S RIGHT AND I DIDN’T MAKE AS MUCH AS YOU.

 

CEDRIC: YES, WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS ON THIS SHOW.  EVERYBODY WHO’S INVOLVED WITH THE SHOW.  THE STATION DONATES THE TIME AND THE PRODUCTION CREW.

 

MARY: AND WE’RE VERY GRATEFUL.

 

CEDRIC: VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

 

PETER: BOTH OF YOU BEING MT MERCY ALUMS, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE STATION TO COMPLY WITH FCC RULES SO SOMEBODY HAD TO HELP US AND ASSIST THIS PROGRAM IN TERMS OF SIGNING AND THEN DOING THE CLOSED CAPTIONING AND ISN’T THAT BEING PAID FOR BY MT MERCY?

 

CEDRIC: YES, MT MERCY SPONSORS THE CLOSED CAPTION.  WE’RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT.  NOT ONLY FOR THE HUMAN RESOURCES THEY PROVIDE US BUT FOR THE CLOSED CAPTIONING.

 

MARY: WELL I’M SURE IT’S BENEFICIAL ALL AROUND.

 

PETER: NOW CEDRIC, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS, IN ADDITION TO NEW TOPICS, ISN’T ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IF WE HAVE A NEW RELIGIOUS PERSON IN TOWN THIS SHOW GIVES THEM THE ABILITY TO KIND OF GET AROUND AND BE KNOWN A LITTLE BIT?  I REALIZE THAT WE’RE NOT ON AT THE HIGHEST VIEWED TIME ON THE MORNING.

 

CEDRIC: WELL I THINK IT DOES DO THAT FOR PERSONS BUT WE DON’T SPECIFICALLY INVITE EVERY NEW PERSON TO COME ON THE PROGRAM, IT’S A TOPIC WHERE WE FEEL THEY CAN ADD TO THE TOPIC.

 

MARY: WHY DON’T WE DESCRIBE FOR THE PEOPLE HOW WE DECIDE ON TOPICS AND HOW WE DECIDE ON PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE ON THE SHOW, CHARLOTTE?

 

CHARLOTTE: YEAH, WELL WE GET TOGETHER ABOUT ONCE A MONTH AND TYPICALLY WE THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE IN THE NEWS AND WE BRING OUR IDEAS TOGETHER AND I GUESS THE WORD IS BRAINSTORMING WHICH I’VE ALWAYS FOUND AN ODD CHOICE OF WORDS AND THEN WE KNOW DIFFERENT PEOPLE OR WE KNOW OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT WE THINK COULD CONTRIBUTE TO VARIOUS SUBJECTS THAT ARE IN THE NEWS AND REALLY HAVE SOME KIND OF ETHICAL DIMENSION TO THEM THAT PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL CAN HAVE A VARIETY OF VIEWS ABOUT.

 

PETER: ONE OF THE SHOWS I DID ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO YOU MIGHT REMEMBER WAS ABOUT THE ARMY AND THE CAMPUS POLICE.  THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN AROUND I THINK AT THE U OF I THEY WERE SENSITIVE TO IT BECAUSE OF THE KILLINGS A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AND WE HAD 3 PANEL MEMBERS, ONE THAT WAS FROM KIRKWOOD AND A COUPLE OF OTHERS BUT THE SENSE OF THE PANEL WAS NO, THIS WAS A BAD THING.  I POSED A QUESTION TO ALL 3 OF THEM AND I SAID WELL, IF I TOLD YOU THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA AND IOWA STATE ARE THE ONLY 2 SCHOOLS OUT OF THE BIG 10 AND THE BIG 12 THAT DON’T ARM THEIR CAMPUS POLICE, DOES THAT SOUND LIKE WE’RE OUT OF STEP.  AND THEY SAID NO BUT NOW THIS WEEK THAT DECISION HAS BEEN REVERSED. 

 

CEDRIC: SHOWS YOU HOW MUCH IMPACT WE HAVE DOESN’T IT?

 

PETER: BUT I THINK YOU HAVE A TOPIC LIKE THAT AND PEOPLE AROUND HERE ARE INTERESTED IN IT AND I KNOW MARY, YOU BRING IN A STACK OF NEWSPAPERS WHEN WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS AND YOU SAY WHAT ABOUT THIS OR WHAT ABOUT THAT.  THE THING I’VE ENJOYED IS TO PICK A TOPIC THAT I REALLY DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT AND LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT IT SO I MAKE IT A WIN WIN. 

 

CEDRIC: WE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT MARY AS OUR PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY, ALWAYS CHECKS WHAT’S THE ETHICAL ISSUE THAT WE’RE DEALING WITH.

 

MARY: I THINK SOMETIMES WE’RE SO INUNDATED WITH POLITICAL ISSUES THAT TO SEPARATE OUT WHAT’S POLITICAL AND WHAT’S ETHICAL IS SOMETIMES HARD TO DO AND SO THAT’S KIND OF A GUIDING QUESTION A LOT OF THE TIME AND I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF ME FOR ASKING IT BUT I’M STILL GOING TO ASK WHAT’S THE ETHICAL DIMENSION HERE AND SOMETIMES THAT’S HARD TO SEE.  I LIKE SOMETIMES WHAT WE DO INSTEAD OF SAYING OH THIS PERSON WOULD BE GOOD ON THE SHOW, WE SAY THERE’S THIS DIMENSION OR ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE THAT WE NEED ARTICULATED, WHO DO WE KNOW THAT CAN DO THAT.  IT’S NOT JUST US 4 WHO ARE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM LOCAL RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES AND OTHER PEOPLE AND USUALLY SOMEBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY IN TOWN WHO CAN THINK THAT WAY AND ARTICULATE THAT POSITION AND SO WE REALLY TRY TO GET A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS REPRESENTED ON THE SHOW AND I THINK THAT’S THE PURPOSE OF THE SHOW. 

 

CEDRIC: YES.  CERTAINLY PART OF THE PURPOSE.  WE WANT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE ISSUE THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT. 

 

PETER: THE OTHER THING I THINK WE’RE HOPEFUL OF GETTING IS SOMEBODY THAT IS ARTICULATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SAY IN FRONT OF A CAMERA HOW THEY FEEL OR WHAT THEY THINK AND IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER, COMMUNICATE IT BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY IS AS GOOD A COMMUNICATOR AND YOU LIKE TO HAVE THE POLITE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS RATHER THAN A SLUG FEST REALLY.

 

MARY: I THINK THAT’S TRUE. 

 

CHARLOTTE: I THINK GERALD FORD SAID YOU CAN DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE AND I THINK THAT WE SEE SO MUCH OF THIS SORT OF COMBATIVENESS ON TV TALK SHOWS AND THINGS THAT I THINK ANY FORUM IN WHICH PEOPLE, AGAIN OF DIFFERING VIEWS AND MAY HAVE REALLY SERIOUS DIFFERENCES BUT CAN DISCUSS THEM IN A CIVIL MANNER AND BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHER PEOPLES IDEAS ABOUT THINGS EVEN IF YOU THINK THEY’RE GOOFY, BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY THINK YOURS ARE GOOFY AND I THINK IT CAN BE A MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION TO DO THAT.

 

CEDRIC: YEAH I THINK THAT’S PART OF OUR PURPOSE, TO MODEL THE WAY THAT WE CAN DISCUSS CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES AND DO SO IN A RESPECTABLE FASHION.

 

MARY: LAST WEEK PETE AND I DISCOVERED THAT WE DISAGREE ON EVERY MAJOR POLITICAL ISSUE.  WE ARE ON ABSOLUTE OPPOSITE.  I EMAILED HIM AND I SAID, HOW COME WE GET ALONG.  THAT SHOULDN’T BE BUT I THINK IN THIS ATMOSPHERE WE MET IN THIS ATMOSPHERE OF RESPECT.

 

PETER: AND I THINK THERE’S A FURTHER MISSION OF LET’S STIR UP A LITTLE BIT OF A PERSONS GRAY MATTER IF THEY HAPPEN TO SETTLE ON WATCHING OUR PROGRAM, LET’S POSE SOME IDEAS AND MAYBE THEY’LL START THINKING OF THE ETHICAL DILEMMA OF THINGS AND I THINK WE’VE CARRIED OUT THAT MISSION TOO.

 

CHARLOTTE: I USED TO SAY TO MY STUDENTS THAT I WASN’T OUT TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS ABOUT THINGS IF THEY BELIEVED IN WHATEVER IT WAS BUT TO JUST CONSIDER THAT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF LOOKING AT THESE ISSUES AND I THINK AGAIN THAT’S WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS TO AND MAYBE OPEN UP PEOPLES MINDS BECAUSE A LOT OF US AND I GUESS I SPEAK FOR MYSELF, WELL WE BELIEVE THINGS WELL JUST BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THEM YOU KNOW AND WE’VE NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT WHY WE’VE BELIEVED THEM PARTICULARLY BUT I THINK THAT GETTING SORT OF UNDER A LITTLE BIT IS A GOOD THING FOR ALL OF US.

 

PETER: WELL EVEN THOUGH MARY YOU PROBABLY THINK I’M A LITTLE BIT CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE OF MY MILITARY BACKGROUND THE ONE THING THAT STILL MAKES ME SOMEWHAT LIBERAL AND TOLERANT IS I’VE LIVED OVERSEAS IN EUROPE AND I’VE LIVED IN ASIA.  YOU REALIZE THAT THIS ONE MINDEDNESS ABOUT THE AMERICAN WAY IS THE ONLY WAY DOESN’T EXIST IN MAJOR PARTS OF THIS PLANET WHERE THEY REALLY DON’T CARE ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE’RE DOING.  IN ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS AMERICA MAY BE WHAT GREAT BRITAIN WAS A HUNDRED YEARS AGO AT THE TURN OF THE 1900'S.  THE GLOBAL POWERS, I THINK EVERYBODY IS PRETTY MUCH ADMITTING IT’S GOING TO BE CHINA AND INDIA.

 

MARY: THE POPULATION CENTERS.  IN SOME ISSUES YOU’RE MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN I AM AND IN SOME ISSUES I’M MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN YOU ARE.

 

PETER: I BELIEVE SO.

 

MARY: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

 

CEDRIC: WELL I WAS GOING TO SAY WHEN WE’RE SELECTING PANELISTS WE TRY TO BRING IN DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES SO WE WANT CONSERVATIVES AND LIBERALS AND GET A MIX OF THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.  IT MAKES FOR A BETTER PROGRAM WITH DIFFERENT VIEWS THAN IF WE’RE ALL THE SAME.

 

MARY: SOME PROGRAMS I’VE HAD THAT EVERYBODY THOUGHT EXACTLY ALIKE AND THOSE WERE REALLY SNOOZERS I THOUGHT.  I COULDN’T STIR UP ANYTHING.  HAVE YOU HAD?

 

CHARLOTTE: I’VE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE TOO AND YOU REALLY TRY AND I THINK AS TEACHERS, WE’RE SORT OF USED TO DOING THAT THAT YOU KNOW JUST BE THE DEVILS ADVOCATE ABOUT THINGS BUT TRY AS YOU MAY.  WE HAD ONE PROGRAM AND A GUEST DIDN’T SHOW UP FOR SOME REASON AND CEDRIC WAS BROUGHT IN AS OUR, HE WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO DO THAT.  I THOUGHT BY THE END OF THE PROGRAM I WOULD BE ASKING CEDRIC WHAT HIS FAVORITE COLOR WAS.  IT WAS REALLY SLOW.

 

PETER: I HAD THE SAME INSTANCE BUT I DIDN’T GRAB CEDRIC OUT OF THE AUDIENCE SO WE DID IT WITH JUST 3 OF US AND I THOUGHT OH MY GOODNESS I’M GOING TO REALLY HAVE TO GET YAKKITY YAK HERE BECAUSE I WAS PREPARED TO ASK QUESTIONS BUT I WASN’T PREPARED TO START ANSWERING THEM.

 

MARY: AND THEN YOU START THINKING IS THE TIME LONGER AND LONGER.  IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. OH NO, SORT OF DONE.

 

PETER: THE OTHER THING I KNOW THAT WE DO AND IT’S NOT HAVING BEEN IN FRONT OF A CAMERA BEFORE BUT I TRY TO SHARE WITH YOU KNOW SOMETIMES WE HAVE A STRONG PERSON THAT’S GOT A LOT TO SAY AND DOESN’T WANT TO BE INTERRUPTED OR HAS A MISSION TO DOMINATE THE PROGRAM AND YOU’VE REALLY GOT TO INVOLVE EACH OF THE GUESTS IN AN EVEN HANDED MANNER.

 

MARY: WHICH IS MORE DIFFICULT SOMETIMES THAN OTHERS.  SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GET IN FRONT OF A GUEST LIKE IN FRONT OF A SPEEDING TRAIN AND JUST STOP HIM OR HER TO GIVE OTHER PEOPLE A CHANCE AND I FIND THAT HARD TO DO.

 

CHARLOTTE: YEAH, WELL SOME PEOPLE WOULD JUST GO ON FOREVER AND ONE GUEST WHO HAD BEEN ON SEVERAL TIMES ACTUALLY TOLD ME THAT HE WANTED MORE TIME.  WELL, NO, WE DON’T REALLY WORK IT THAT WAY.

 

PETER: AND OCCASIONALLY YOU GET A GUEST THAT HAS A HIDDEN AGENDA THAT HASN’T TOLD YOU THAT KNOWS THERE’S A CAMERA RUNNING AND THEY PUT OUT A POLITICAL STATEMENT AND YOU’RE SITTING THERE GOING OH, GEE I WISH THEY HADN’T DONE THAT BUT THEY’RE GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY. 

 

MARY: WE DON’T SCRIPT THESE DISCUSSIONS AS YOU CAN TELL IF YOU’VE WATCHED THE SHOW A LOT.  WE GIVE PEOPLE SOME IDEA OF WHAT WE MIGHT TALK ABOUT BUT WE LIKE IT IF IT’S NEWER AND FRESHER.  SOMETIMES SURPRISING THINGS HAPPEN. 

 

PETER: AND THE STATION ASKS THAT WE SUBMIT IDEAS OR OUTLINES OR THINGS BUT AT LEAST IN MY EXPERIENCE I’VE NEVER HAD THEM SAY THAT SOMETHING IS TABOO OR SHOULDN’T BE DONE.  WE ALL KNOW THAT WE SHOULDN’T HAVE POLITICAL CANDIDATES THAT’S THE POLITICAL LAWS BUT HAS THERE EVER BEEN A TOPIC THAT’S?

 

CEDRIC: NO. NO.  THE STATION HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT THAT.  THERE IS THE DISCLAIMER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM OF COURSE, THE VIEWS BEING EXPRESSED HERE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE STATION OR THE MANAGEMENT BUT THERE’S TREMENDOUS LEEWAY IN FACT WE’VE HAD PROGRAMS ABOUT TV ITSELF AND BEING SOMEWHAT CRITICAL OF SOME OF THE TV THINGS.

 

MARY: WE’VE HAD SHOWS BEING CRITICAL OF TV NEWS.

 

PETER: WELL, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP BACK THEN IT WAS ONE OF THE BIG WORKS WAS MARSHALL MCCLUEN AND THE MEDIA AS THE MASSAGE AND THAT’S WHAT’S COMING ACROSS AS WHAT THE FORM OF COMMUNICATION IS.  I LEARNED ON ONE OF MY SHOWS FROM AN OLDER LADY WHO WAS A LIBRARIAN THIS THING ABOUT PODCAST.  I’M FEELING WRETCHEDLY OLD LIKE MY PARENTS BECAUSE MY 15 YEAR OLD KNOWS ALL THESE THINGS THAT I’M JUST NOT, I’M TECHNOLOGICALLY CHALLENGED.  NOW, I’M IN THE REVERSE OF WHAT MY PARENTS I THOUGHT WERE IN THE MUCH OLDER CATEGORY.

 

CHARLOTTE: ARE WE PODCAST?

 

CEDRIC: I DON’T BELIEVE WE ARE.  I DON’T KNOW.  THERE ARE TAPES OF THE SHOW THAT ARE PLACED IN THE LIBRARY AND PEOPLE DO TAKE OUT THOSE TAPES AND THEY ARE USED, I’VE USED SOME OF THEM IN FACT IN CHURCH IN SUNDAY MORNING FORUMS AND A LOT OF OTHER CHURCHES HAVE USED THEM TOO AS DISCUSSION STARTERS AND SO ON. 

 

MARY: THEY’RE USED IN CLASSROOMS TOO I KNOW. 

 

PETER: AND IN FACT WE HAVE REPEATS THAT RUN ON THE DIGITAL STATION FOR CHANNEL 9.  TWICE A DAY I BELIEVE AT AN EARLY MORNING HOUR. 

 

MARY: SO IN THE MEANTIME THIS PUTS US ALL ON TV WHICH IS PROBABLY AS YOU SAY NOT A VERY COMFORTABLE POSITION AND I KNOW I FELT STUPID A FEW TIMES BECAUSE OF THINGS THAT I’VE SAID.  OUR SHOW IS TAPED, WE TAPE ON TUESDAY NIGHT WHICH IS WHAT IT IS BUT WE’RE SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN THIS FICTION THAT WE’RE ON ON SUNDAY MORNING AND I MADE A MISTAKE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SHOW ABOUT THAT AND SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THIS EVENING.

 

PETER: BUT INSTEAD ON SUNDAY MORNING YOU’RE ACTUALLY IN CHURCH MARY, IS THAT RIGHT?

 

MARY: I AM.  I’M IN CHURCH.  THAT’S RIGHT.

CHARLOTTE: I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT IT INTERESTING THAT IT’S ON SUNDAY MORNING WHEN WE SHOULD MAYBE ALL BE ELSEWHERE.  DONUTLAND OR SOMETHING. 

 

PETER: GETTING US HERE ON A SUNDAY MIGHT NOT BE THE EASIEST THING DEPENDING ON WHAT WE’RE DOING ON SATURDAY NIGHT. 

 

MARY: WE ARE TAPED THOUGH CONTINUOUSLY.  THEY DON’T BREAK WHEN WE MAKE MISTAKES AND SO I’M SURE THAT, I HOPE I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO’S MADE A MAJOR MISTAKE ON THE AIR.

 

CHARLOTTE: I THINK YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE.

 

MARY: OH, THANKS A LOT.

 

CHARLOTTE: I HAVEN’T HAD HUGE PROBLEMS BUT ONE NIGHT THERE WAS A GUEST AND I COULD JUST NOT GET HER NAME RIGHT.  I JUST COULDN’T AND IT WASN’T A DIFFICULT NAME.   AND I JUST KEPT CALLING HER THE WRONG THING THE WHOLE TIME AND SHE WAS VERY TOLERANT BUT I DON’T KNOW IT JUST HAPPENED.

 

PETER: WELL WE’VE HAD ACCIDENTS BEFORE.  CEDRIC DIDN’T A LIGHTBULB POP.

 

CEDRIC: ONE OF THE LIGHT BULBS EXPLODED.

 

CHARLOTTE: OH, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXCITING.

 

CEDRIC: WELL IT WAS BECAUSE WE HAD A POLICE OFFICER ON THE PANEL AND HE ALMOST DREW HIS WEAPON.  THE MODERATOR AT THAT TIME WAS A PERSON WHO HAD EXPERIENCE AS A TV ANCHOR PERSON AND SO HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS RIGHT AWAY.  HE DIDN’T MISS A BEAT, HE JUST KEPT ON GOING.

 

PETER: AND THEN THE NIGHT I HAD THE PROBLEMS, I HAD THE RECORD WITH 3 RESTARTS BECAUSE OF THE TAPING WAS AN ISSUE THAT NIGHT.

 

CEDRIC: THERE WAS A FEEDBACK OF SOME SORT WE WERE GETTING. 

 

PETER: BUT I’VE FOUND THE PROGRAM TO BE FUN AND CHALLENGING AND YOU KNOW IT ADDS, SOMETIMES, YOU MADE THE COMMENT ONE TIME YOU WERE IN THE GROCERY STORE, SOMEBODY LOOKS AT YOU AND SAYS I THINK I SAW THAT PERSON ON TV AND IT’S HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES TO ME TOO MARY. 

MARY: MY WORST SHOW I THINK I MADE 3 MAJOR ERRORS.  I KEPT SAYING THIS EVENING YOU KNOW AND I SAID I TAUGHT AT MT MERCY COLLEGE HERE IN ST LOUIS.  ST LOUIS IS MY HOMETOWN AND I HAD JUST BEEN VISITING AND THEN I THINK THAT WAS THE SAME SHOW WHERE I QUIT 4 MINUTES EARLY.  AND EVERYBODY’S GOING STRETCH, I HAD NOTHING ELSE TO SAY.  PEOPLE WATCHING THIS SHOW ARE THINKING THIS GIRL DOESN’T KNOW WHAT DAY IT IS, WHERE SHE IS OR WHAT TIME IT IS, WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO HER.  I JUST ABOUT QUIT THEN.

 

PETER: I DID THE SAME THING THAT YOU DID.  I FORGOT THAT THEY WERE USING SILHOUETTES OF US AT THE END TO RUN THE PROGRAM CREDITS SO I STARTED WAVING MY ARM ONE NIGHT TO SAY OK WE’RE GOING TO WIND THIS UP AND SO I LOOKED PRETTY SILLY WHEN THEY RAN THE CREDITS AND HERE I WAS WITH MY ARM.

 

MARY: OBVIOUSLY WE’RE NOT PROFESSIONALS BUT WE DO THE BEST WE CAN.  WHAT’S THE MOST INTERESTING SHOW YOU’VE DONE?

 

CHARLOTTE: I DID A VERY INTERESTING ONE FAIRLY RECENTLY ABOUT ETHANOL AND IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING DEBATE AND FOR ME IT WAS NICE BECAUSE THE GUESTS REALLY TOOK OVER THE DISCUSSION.  I WAS CHOPPED LIVER ON THAT ONE WHICH WAS FINE BUT IT WAS VERY VERY INTERESTING AND VERY INFORMATIVE I THOUGHT.  THINGS THAT WERE SAID I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD ONE. 

 

MARY: PETE?

 

PETER: I’D HAVE TO SAY THE SHOWS THAT I’VE MOST ENJOYED ARE PROBABLY THE ONES ON VETERANS ISSUES CAUSE IT’S AN ISSUE THAT I’M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT HAVING BEEN IN THE MILITARY FOR 32 YEARS AND STILL DOING A LOT OF VETERAN RELATED THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY, SERVING ON THE COMMISSION AND THEN I SERVED ON THE GOVERNORS COMMITTEE FOR THE EMPLOYERS TO SUPPORT THE GUARD AND RESERVE AND I REALLY THINK THAT OUR CITIZEN SOLDIERS MEANING THE GUARD AND RESERVE ARE BEING, HAVE BEEN TREATED AND TAKEN FOR GRANTED AND NOW IN FACT THEY’RE ON A ROTATION TO GO BACK TO A YEARS WORTH OF MILITARY DUTY ONE OUT OF EVERY 4 OR 5 YEARS AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE MAKING IT SAFE FOR US TO DO ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO AND SO I LOVE DOING THOSE PROGRAMS. 

 

MARY: WE DO KIND OF HAND A LOT OF THE VETERAN THINGS TO YOU BECAUSE YOU’RE SO KNOWLEDGEABLE.  CEDRIC, DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SHOW? 

 

CEDRIC: NOT REALLY.  SINCE I’M WORKING ON SHOWS FRANKLY EVERY WEEK THEY ALMOST ALL SORT OF RUN TOGETHER FOR ME.  IF I SIT DOWN WITH A LIST AND GO BACK, OH THERE WAS A GOOD ONE OR THAT WAS A GOOD ONE OR THIS ONE WAS WEAKER OR WHATEVER BUT IT’S HARD FOR ME TO PICK OUT.

 

CHARLOTTE: I THINK WE SHOULD SAY TOO HOW MUCH TIME CEDRIC SPENDS ON THIS PROGRAM AND AGAIN HIS SALARY IS DOUBLE OUR OF NOTHING AND I KNOW REALLY HOW MUCH TIME HE SPENDS.

 

MARY: YOU’RE THE HEART AND MIND OF THE SHOW AND YOU’RE NOT SEEING.

 

CEDRIC: IT’S VERY INTERESTING AND FUN DOING IT.  YOU MEET A LOT OF INTERESTING PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ARE VERY GRACIOUS WHEN WE ASK THEM TO BE PANEL MEMBERS.  IF THEIR SCHEDULE PERMITS THEM TO THEY’RE USUALLY VERY WILLING TO DO SO AND THEY’RE VERY THANKFUL.

 

PETER: AND THE COUNSEL GIVES YOU THE FEEDBACK THAT WE ARE STILL ABLE TO CARRY OUT THAT SUCCESSFULLY AND SO THEY’RE STILL PLEASED WITH HOW WE DEVELOP AND CONDUCT THE PROGRAM?

 

CEDRIC: YES.  THEY HAVEN’T FIRED ME YET.  I THINK THE COUNCIL IS SATISFIED THAT WE ARE ACHIEVING THE PURPOSE WE INTENDED IN THE BEGINNING.  A LITTLE DIFFERENT TWIST THAN WE THOUGHT AT THE BEGINNING BUT I THINK A MUCH BETTER APPROACH INVOLVING THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY. 

 

PETER: THE ONE OTHER IDEA MARY THAT WE MIGHT PUT ON IN THIS PROGRAM IS THAT WE ARE OPEN FOR ANY OF OUR VIEWERS TO GIVE US IDEAS, IT’S NOT JUST LIMITED TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE GET TOGETHER.  WE WOULD ACCEPT AND HAVE ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, PEOPLE HAVE SAID HAVE YOU CONSIDERED DOING A PROGRAM ON THIS?

 

CEDRIC: AND OUR WEBSITE IS GIVEN OUT AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM AND IF ANYONE WANTS TO SEND ANYTHING TO THE WEBSITE I DO GET THOSE EMAILS THAT COME TO THE WEBSITE.

 

CHARLOTTE: WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PROGRAM MARY?

 

MARY: WELL I’M GLAD YOU ASKED.  I LIKE SHOWS WHERE MAYBE WE WALK, THE DIFFERENT PANEL MEMBERS MIGHT WALK OUT WITH A NEW IDEA THAN WHAT THEY WALKED IN WITH AND MINDS WERE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.  I THINK ONE OF THE ONES WHERE THAT HAPPENED MOST WAS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT WHOLE ISSUE, REMEMBER THAT OPRAHS BOOK WITH THE GUY TOLD, THE MEMOIR AND THEN IT TURNED OUT IT WASN’T TRUE AND WE HAD PEOPLE ON WHO WROTE MEMOIRS AND WHO WERE EXPERTS IN COMMUNICATION AND JUST THE DISCUSSION, WE JUST ALL THOUGHT OF THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE ON THE PANEL HADN’T THOUGHT AND I THINK SOME MINDS WERE CHANGED.  IT WAS TO ME, VERY EXCITING CONVERSATION AND SOMEBODY WOULD SAY SOMETHING AND WE’D GO YEAH, YEAH.   AND SO FOR ME IT’S SORT OF LIKE TEACHING, IT’S THE BEST PART OF TEACHING WHEN THE WHOLE IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PART.  I REALLY ENJOY THAT.

CHARLOTTE: AND YOU CAN FEEL THINGS CLICKING.  IT WAS NICE IN THE CLASSROOM AND IT’S NICE WHEN IT HAPPENS HERE TOO. 

 

MARY: WELL WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES LEFT.  CEDRIC, FINAL WORDS?

 

CEDRIC: I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ALL THE EFFORT YOU GIVE TO THE PROGRAM BECAUSE WE COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT THE MONITORS, MODERATORS, EXCUSE ME AND ALL THE PEOPLE FROM CHANNEL 9 WHO HELP US OUT WITH THE PROGRAM TOO.  SO WE THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. 

 

MARY: YEAH, I’M REAL PROUD OF OUR SHOW AND I THINK YOU ALL ARE TOO.  WE HOPE YOU’LL JOIN US NEXT WEEK WHERE WE HAVE WHO CAN REMEMBER WHAT THE TOPIC IS?

 

CEDRIC: I CAN REMEMBER BECAUSE I’VE BEEN WORKING ON IT.  THE PROGRAM NEXT WEEK IS, THE NEXT ONE WE’RE TAPING, THIS ONE IS ON A WEEK FROM, BUT THE PROGRAM IS ON DARE WE TALK ABOUT RACISM.

 

MARY: GOOD TOPIC.  WE HOPE YOU JOIN US THEN AND EVERY MORNING ON ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE NEWS. THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.