Can The News Be Fixed? An Interview With Disney's Bob Iger | The Problem With Jon Stewart

It's just crazy to think that what Jon is doing is more traditional journalism, than the news now is. Nothing like it used to be. Journalists used to be almost like private investigators except giving what they find to just one person, they published it in the paper and reported on it on the news.

Kinda scary that reporting done with “credibility, responsibility, and accountability” is considered an idealistic pipe dream : \

This is why Jon Stewart’s work is so important. He is sitting across from, arguably, the most powerful man in media in the world and he is not shying away from the tough questions nor is he holding back his beliefs about the dangers and inadequacies of television news. Most people would be terrified to sit across from Bob Iger, nonetheless hold his feet to the fire on camera. I’d like to see Jon do an updated story on the new documentary “The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales.”

For Bob Iger to even sit down for this conversation and be totally honest is admirable.

Misrepresenting the news is not solely about reporting it inaccurately. That’s the easiest to spot. It’s about the news manipulating what stories they tell you about and what stories they DONT tell you about

I gotta say, I really enjoyed the back and forth, conversational tone of this video, with each man asking/answering questions, seeking clarification when needed, to better present their position, and move the dialogue along. Instead of the typical interviewer/interviewee format we've become accustomed to. While I don't think it was necessarily planned to be that way, for me at least, I found it to be far more compelling... almost like overhearing a discussion between two intelligent people. I realize that it wouldn't be appropriate in all circumstances, but it was a welcome deviation from what we're normally feed, and one I genuinely hope we see again, some time in the near future.

This interview is a great lesson on how to debate and disagree respectfully and effectively. Lot to learn from here

This conversation between two highly intelligent people and you see their opinions change on the fly after thoughtful conversations is great. Huge respect for Bob Iger for having this great conversation. I wish we had more people like this

They key disconnect here is that news is supposed to be informative not interesting or entertaining. The problem, once again, has come down to profitability. News is a service to society, maximum profit should not be the motivation for that industry. Do they need to be profitable to stay in business, yes, but could they forgo profit optimization and focus on being genuinely informative.

The sensationalization of information is part of the problem too. Things don’t go “up” and “down” in the news. They “soar” or “plunge” :)

I could watch interviews like this all day long. This is how news should be discussed, and decisions about it made. Not with money and viewers being the only determining factor.

Watching John's face develop while processing the idea that Ailes wanted to run ABC was just fantastic

I can't believe how you can't seem to miss a shot, Jon! And only you to in the heat of the moment keep your cool and think of the right thing to say. I was vibrating when you brought up the Afghanistan example.

Oddly enough, this show makes me sleep easier at night. I honestly thought in 2022 we weren’t capable of having these types of discussions anymore. Jon’s ability to get these people to actually engage with him on issues gives me hope that change can still happen.

It's refreshing to see such a respectful exchange during an interview

Huge props to both Bob Iger and Jon for this insightful interview. It got me thinking about whether it’d be even possible to run a successful news organization that is not hyperbolic in today’s world. I also agree with Bob that it would be impractical and that such a company would probably not create enough revenues to grow and make a true impact on the world. Perhaps a show like this, which combines comedy, journalism, and education, is the best way to inform people of current events and important topics that may not be inherently entertaining. Keep up the great work, Jon and the team!

I feel like this is the most important question of our generation. If we can't figure out how to inform ourselves in a balanced and unbiased way, how can we possibly make the right choices about anything?

It's impressive how John's able to bring a conversation to the crux of an issue in a way that even someone with strongly opposing view points will seriously consider and respond to with a great deal of respect. It also doesn't hurt that he is hilarious, thoughtful, and considerate. I think a lot of folks (including myself) could learn by watching how John Stewart brings forth constructive conversation about topics that could otherwise be a dumpster fire if discussed in bad faith, moral superiority, or with opposition as a focus. Imagine if all of our extended family Thanksgiving conversations played out like the conversation in this video. Better yet, imagine comment sections filled with Republicans and Democrats debating as constructively as this. News media that gauged it's success on how accurate and informative it is, and politicians who respect each other enough to truly try to understand the opposing perspective and compromise with public interest as the only priority. That dream might be a long way off, but every movement of progress has to start somewhere. We can all start by simply recognizing how inspiring John Stewart is in this regard.

This show really should be on broadcast network television. It seems like such a shame that it's paywalled behind a streaming service that most don't use. These questions should be headlines not pushed to the back.

6:43 I love this moment. The brief look on Bob’s face after Jon says “…maybe we wouldn’t have even been there that long”. It’s almost like Iger is re-evaluating an option he never previously considered. The fact Jon can make Iger seemingly reconsider his entire business model with a single sentence is really quite astounding.