After almost 30 years as a reporter and part-time columnist, you have become the Courier-Journal’s first full-time, general columnist in almost decade. How has that changed how you work?
We have a recurring feature on the podcast where we take listener’s questions. A few episodes ago someone asked about facts and opinion in newspapers which led Laura and me into a discussion of the differences between reporting, columns, editorials and op-ed… I’ve got to admit I got a little confused, because people, sometimes, even people in journalism, use some of the words interchangeably. As someone who has straddled some of these lines, do you want to take a crack at explaining the differences?
Journalism and the newspaper industry, in particular, has changed a lot since you got started in 1988. What are some of biggest change as you see it?
Social Media has become huge over the last few years. Do you think that’s a good thing or bad thing for journalism?
Journalist… or at least good journalists adhere to a code of ethics. How has the internet and social media in particular affected those codes of ethics?
Your work focuses more specifically on Louisville now… so let’s talk Louisville
Mayor Greg Fisher has announced his re-election. Recently CJ columnist Bob Hellinger had a sort of call to arms for a Republican challenger to step forward and there’s been talk about a possible primary challenge. How do you think mayor’s race will shape up?
Louisville Police have been in the news a lot lately… The surge in violent crimes, specifically murders has made headlines. What do you think is behind the increased violence and what if anything can be done?
The university of Louisville has had problems… from the basketball program to former president Jim Ramsey and U of L Board of trustees. Do you think they have turned the corner there with recent changes or are there more problems that need to be addressed?
What one recent Louisville story to you think is under-reported outside of Jefferson County or misunderstood in the rest of the state?
I know you still follow state-wide issues… and you have a “special relationship” with the Bevin administration. So let’s look at a few state issues…
There was talk in the recent session of “War on Louisville.” Is that real or just political hype?
The Kentucky General Assembly this year was remarkable, to say the least… On top of swearing in the first Republican Speaker of the House in almost 100 years, the GOP-controlled General Assembly passed several major pieces of legislation in the first week. Have you ever seen anything like it?
Governor Matt Bevin and GOP leaders have been talking up a Special Session to deal with pensions and, or tax reform. Do you think it will happen and what do you think it might look like?
Given what the GOP has accomplished in the 2017 session. Everything from right to work to charter schools and possibly dealing pensions and, or tax reform.. what do you think the 2018 session might look like?
In KY’s 3rd congressional district John Yarmuth has announced that he his seeking a 6th term in congress… In eastern Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers hasn’t announced his intentions, but if he does run it would be for a 19th term. Congressman Rogers was elected in 1980… Do you think he’ll run again? If not what do you think the race to replace him will look like?
I made a joke about your “special relationship” with the Bevin Administration. They haven’t had a positive relationship with anyone in the media that I can think of… Do you think that their lack of transparency with the media will harm their relationships with the citizens? Or do officials think with social media they can just ignore the mainstream media and go straight to the voters?
Any thoughts on what Gov. Matt Bevin’s next move politically might be?
On the Democratic side, who do you think the most likely Democratic candidates for Governor are?
If 2016 and 2017 have been remarkable in Kentucky politics… nationally they have been extraordinary, boarding on the bizarre.
Did you see the Trump wave coming?
What has surprised you the most about what’s happening in Washington this year so far?
2020 brings re-election for Trump and Senator McConnell what to you expect those races to look like?
Let’s finish up by going back to where we started and talking about journalism again. Since I have been asking you to put on your fortune teller hat a lot… What do you think the next 30 years will bring to journalism?
Joe's Links
Joe Gerth at Courier-Journal http://www.courier-journal.com/news/joseph-gerth/
Louisville Courier-Journal http://www.courier-journal.com/
Joe Gerth on Twitter https://twitter.com/Joe_Gerth
Joe Gerth on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joe.gerth
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