change across the company, including here at cnn. and i m sad that i won t be here to cover it. but since this is our final episode, we re going to do something today. this is a special hour and it s about change. it s about change all across the media world. what s changing? what might change? and what must never change about the accountability function of journalism. i love this show. this small but mighty show punched above its weight for so many years. even a former president commented on the cancellation. reliable sources has been a one of a kind show, and a popular show. this is one of cnn s highest rated weekend shows. so i want to say thank you to all of you watching around the world. i was lucky to be a part of it for nine years. but it began 30 years ago after the gulf war. so here s what the iconic former cnn ceo tom johnson said on facebook when he heard the show was canceled. he said it was founded by ted turner and leaders of cnn who felt deeply that media org
Comes into play. you asked earlier about attracting the right people. journalism has always attracted the right people, it s hard keeping them. when i first walked into the brady proofing room in 1985, it was helen thomas who introduced me to the world, and it was, of course, my mentor, sam donaldson, who said brian, take a look at that first row in the brady briefing room. there s seven people in that first row, 200 years of experience. of course, he said helen had 190 of it and they exchanged a couple of clips between each other of that. but he was right. today, you have reporters that are hired and brought in to major beats, not just the white house but congress and the vetting facts is our coin of the realm. when i ran newspapers, i would have reporters saying this is what i think. i would say i don t care what you think, i barely care what i
This is a great win for our country. and to anyone whoever had a doubt that, you know, people of diverse backgrounds, whether it s like me as a reporter you know, keep in mind, my main qualification for office was that i was the lead reporter. administration that we see in washington right now has absolutely just i mean the president of the united states literally declared reporters to be enemies of the state. our local reporters are the people who keep our governments accountab accountable. they have to be able to thrive. we need an independent press where, you know, third-party observers, who are neutral, who are committed to pursuing the truth and who are committed to accountability. facts matter. vetting facts matter, and alternative facts are b.s. we have to it s so good that
People who keep our working governments accountable. they have to be able to thrive. and we need an independent press where, you know, this is interesting. third party observers who are neutral, who are committed to pursuing the truth and who are permitted to accountability. facts matter. vetting facts matter. and alternative facts are bs. we have to it s so good that virginia chose to elect two reporters between myself and chris hearst to go to richmond. because we will always be reporters before we re politicians. and danica roem, no one knows the local issues better than local reporters. and your campaign, as you keep stressing was run on classic local issues involving traffic congestion, traffic problems, the infrastructure solutions to those. yes. you keep telling us about 28, which is this important road in your district that needs help. and that s the kind of thing that long-time legislators can