You've been a newscaster for many years now, and have seen the rise of technology through the eyes of it. What are some ways the public's perception of computers and technology have changed over the years? What are some ways its stayed the same? Do you think the public is paying less attention to TV news since we are very easily and more conveniently able to gather the same information reported by news stations on the internet? Do you feel that journalism is threatened by the internet and bloggers? What concerns you the most about the increasing role of the Internet in media and journalism? Are there aspects of this relationship that we should be wary of? How has the development of the internet changed the way that you do your job? Why did you call the internet a "comic element of our society"? Being a part of a traditional media source (NBC) for so long, how do you feel about the changing media landscape with the blogosphere and other alternative sources of media? How has the advent of internet communication/blogosphere/twitter/etc positive and/or negatively affected your pursuits as a journalist/reporter? Which blogs do you regularly read? (for political issues, as well as for your other interests) You appeared on Sesame Street in 2008- who is your favorite Muppet, other than Mr. Snuffleupagus? How does the media filter what will get through to the news desk and what does not? What's it like working for NBC? How big of a role does the internet play in keeping up with leads and reporting on news stories? how about in relation to other sources that you use? How did you get involved in the news anchor business? What is your most interesting story from when you were a volunteer fireman? Is your job as an anchor frustrating due to your obligation to deliver biased and topic guided news? People are worried journalism and news media are suffering and struggling since they are competing with anyone and everyone who posts information on the web. What do you think is the biggest concern now regarding the "competition" between the blogosphere and news media? This can be simply within the U.S. or globally. What is the biggest benefit to being an internationally recognized news anchor? In your opinion, has the Internet affected the broadcast of news positively or negatively? Can you get me an A? Obviously, you have done very well for yourself. However, you are reported as regretting the decision to leave college. Why? What sources of news or blogs do you personally read or keep an eye on? What is your most memorable show or event that you have covered during your career? What's your favorite blog? How do you feel about the rise of the Internet and why?? how does the internet affect your work and the news? Do you consider the blogosphere a community? Why or why not? 1. What is the predominant effect you think the Internet has on printed news media, and how do you think this will have repercussions for televised news? Will the standards, conventions and audience of broadcast news change significantly in response to how the standards and forms/conventions of other news sources have changed because of the Internet? I like your cameos on 30 rock. This is not a question. In your storied career, what has been your favorite and least favorite interview you did and why? How has the internet affected the way professional journalism works? I would like to know how news broadcasting has changed with the development of technology and the Internet. Is there really a large change in the way everything in the industry is done because of these advancements? What is the hardest part about working the late night NBC News? What has been your favorite part about working at NBC? Describe your ascension through your career? What is the most significant internet invention or phenomenon that has influenced how news is distributed and presented? Do you feel that the blogosphere has increasingly kept the media and political actors in check, or has it instead lead to increased chaos and disorder for the public's perception. How do you think the fields journalism and reporting should utilize advances in computer technology? What do you think is the future of the internet? What skill do you consider most valuable in succeeding at your job? How did you get involved in your field? Have you met The Office cast? Who's your favorite? What do you think is the biggest danger of Facebook? 1) Is the news world really sensationalizing everything and how do you react to that? 2) Are there any secrets that news stations keep from the public? 3)What do you think of the blogosphere? Do you think it will get out of control and will ever be harmful in any way? 4) What made you decide to be a news anchor? What was it like covering the death of Michael Jackson? What is your blog about and how long have you had one? What would you recommend that one do to prepare for a career in journalism? How cool is it to be the NBC Nightly News anchor and have the entire country recognize your face? Also, has anyone ever told you you look like James Bond circa Roger Moore era? In the advent of the internet, do you find that news is more accessible in a more global arena? Do you find that your job will become obsolete with increase in internet and communication technologies? Do you consider yourself a powerful cultural figure? Twitter and Facebook recently have been cited in many forms of legitimate news broadcasting. Do you think that Twitter and Facebook are reliable new sources? How do you think that they have changes the face of news media? Do you think that the use of Twitter responses will continue to be a staple of our news or do you think that this is a trend that will eventually fade? Where do you see news media in ten years? Are there any news stories that you regretted having to report on because it violated someone's privacy? What is the most profound interview/event have you covered in your career? How do you see the Internet as a source of news? Where do you see the field of journalism going within the next five years? Do you think your "roll" on 30 Rock will draw more of the younger demographic (that watches 30 Rock) to watch NBC nightly news...? Also, what was your reaction to NBC's decision to hire you to the position previously occupied by the legendary Tom Brokaw? Do you think the internet is a good thing or a bad thing for society? What is your favorite Deer Tick song, and why? What is one thing you don't like about being a news anchor? What, in your opinion, is the future of the Internet? How has Twitter effected your job as a news anchor for NBC? Have you or NBC noticed any marked difference between the number of people who receive their news from traditional media forms (namely television media) in the past several years now that many people receive their news/information from blogs on the internet? What motivated you to become a journalist? How, specifically, have you used the Internet to better source a story than you could have without the Internet? How driven are you to be the number one newscast? Does being number one necessarily mean you're the best? FOX News is number one among cable networks; does that mean they are the best? What is your relationship to Professor Astrachan? What is the real story behind the Tiger Woods debacle? Just kidding, but do you think that the media should actually follow the story? The internet has shown to have taken some of attention away from print media such as newspapers, however do you feel that it has negatively impacted television news and also the validity of news? What is your favorite part about working at NBC? Obviously, the emergence of twitter has been huge for news outlets. What are the next major trends you see in the news industry? Has the internet changed the speed at which viewers expect television news to be reported? Do you practice different voices everyday? Who has been your favorite person to interview? What is your 40 time? How significantly will your reporting style, techniques, etc. change in the face of the internet's increasing influence over media? What has been the craziest/most interesting story you have had to report? Mr. Williams, in your opinion, how has the adoption of a 24-hour news cycle influenced journalistic practices and standards? What is the most challenging ethical dilemma that you have ever had to face as a newscaster? How do you think the Internet will affect the future of new broadcasting? What is the most difficult part about sifting through the blogging and non professional journalism? To what extent does mainstream media buy into online information--such as the blogosphere? How do you feel about P2P file sharing on college campuses? If you could choose one news story you covered that most deeply impacted you, which would it be and why? How have you seen news media change as the Internet and blogosphere become more prevalent in society? How does the blogosophere affect what you do? Do you use it as a source for stories, mainly compete with it, or use its writers as experts? Also, why does the news media seem to ignore the problem of global warming so much? Although it may be the biggest issue facing us in years to come (especially for my generation, who may well be the first generation alive to see the effects), it does not get much news coverage (for example during the election, rarely was it discussed in any substantive manner, especially in comparison to other pressing issues). What was it like to be in New Orleans before Katrina hit? Do you ever have trouble trying to keep a news report unbiased? What made you want to be a news anchor? Are you afraid that the internet will soon replace jobs such as news anchors and journalists currently filled by humans? The rise of the blogosphere has undoubtedly created a lot of anxiety amongst members of traditional journalism who fear for the future of journalistic integrity. Do you believe that blogs pose a threat to to the tenants of journalism - accountability, objectivity and transparency? Is there anyway citizen-journalism could help to protect journalistic ethics? What is the most shocking news you have ever heard? How do you get your hair to do that? Bloggers serve as a check on mainstream media as well as means to cover a wider array of news stories. Can you imagine a format or outlet which would best utilize the blogging community. Do you worry that in the upcoming years your job will be negatively affected by the internet & its growing power, in addition to social networking sites? Is Professor ola a good cousin-in-law? Why did you want to become an anchor? In your opinion, what is the most important story that you've been involved with In your opinion, in 50 years, what will journalism look like? What was the hardest story you ever had to present on air? What was the perspective on Rathergate like from the news anchor point of view? Did the "blogosphere" do a service or a disservice? What was your favorite news story to cover? How did you come to work for NBC? In this class, we read a piece about the scandal of 60 Minutes, who had used illegitimate websites and/or blogs as sources for one of their reports about the ineffectiveness of G. W. Bush. Do you find that it's more challenging to find reputable sources for your news reports because of the constant deluge of questionably true information on the internet? What is it like to be such a well-known media figure? What do you think of the merging of technology and journalism? Is this a positive thing? What has been the most challenging story you have worked on? Which was the most rewarding? What is the most memorable story you have covered since being an anchor and why? You started as a GA reporter at a smaller station and worked your way up to the position you have now, a career path that used to be common in all forms of journalism -- including print. Now, though, that trajectory seems antiquated. So: If you had to choose between a job as a GA reporter at even a mid-sized metro newspaper and as a blogger for a national blog like Gawker, which would you select, and why? Is that answer different from what it would have been two years ago, and what it might be two years from now? How do you decide what to blog about on a day to day basis? How large of an impact has the Internet been for media? We talked earlier that blogs and other forms of new internet media outlets are actually contributing to the process of investigative journalism. What is your take on this view? How did you become a member of the profession that you are a member of? Do you think that the use of new technologies in the media has increased the usefulness of the information and news in general? What has been your toughest story to cover, and why was it so tough to cover that story? How have blogs and bloggers impacted the way NBC News delivers breaking news to America? Do you like nbc? What is the biggest change that the Internet has imposed on the news industry? Which is your favorite Blog? Do you think it is an efficient method to communicate? How did you start your career? How much longer do you think printed newspapers will be in existence? Are online news sources more ideal than print news sources? What blogs do you follow? Why? Emotionally speaking, and besides 9/11, what was your hardest story to cover? What was the most interesting/inspiring/challenging story that you have covered? Do you find it difficult to moderate your personal views while doing news reports on controversial issues? Which news story in your career do you feel best touched on the ethics of the internet? As a news anchor, what do you think that the future of TV is as the internet gains popularity as peoples' primary news source? Do you think that physical news people still hold a place in everyday life? Or do you think that news will become more like a second source that people come to, forcing the industry to re-think its strategy? Is it ever difficult for you to report in a non-partisan matter on an issue you feel especially passionate about? What aspects of your life do you feel you must monitor more closely in today's world of rapidly spreading news via the Internet? Are you constantly aware of your actions and how they will be perceived? How did you climb your way to becoming a news anchor? I am interested in doing this but don't know steps I need to take. In an age in which there is the opinion that news is happening all the time and should be constantly reported, what do viewer reports, such as videos/pictures/testimonies on scene, add? What about blogs and social networking sites do you see as useful for the spreading of news, if anything? How do you decide what news to report? How much evidence do you need? What advice would you give to an up-and-coming blogger who wants to allow advertising on his site but also wants to ensure the privacy of his site's viewers? Would a simple disclaimer of a privacy policy suffice, or are there precautionary measures that can be taken when beginning initial communications with these third parties? What do you think of blogging and the effects it has had on journalism? When and why did you decide to work in news? How did you feel when you found out you made Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World list? I know you interned under the administration of Jimmy Carter. Did you ever get to meet him, and what was it like working for him? Do you like skype? What is the most intriguing story you have ever covered? Do you feel that you are able to freely express your own opinions in your news reports or are you forced to reflect the sentiments and ideals of NBC and its affiliates? What are your opinions on Fox News? what do you love most about your job? Which websites do you frequent most? What's your favorite blog? In your opinion, what is the single most important new piece did you cover? Do you think there is a liberal bias in the non-Fox News media? How do you feel the Internet has influenced your job at NBC? Does it make it more difficult or easier? How does copyright affect the spread of news online? Do you like working for NBC? How did you get to where you are now? what is the best advice you could give us as undergrads? Whats your favorite thing about being an anchor? How do you think the internet will effect foreign correspondence new writing? When did you first realize that the blogosphere should be taken seriously and wasn't just online diaries... And how soon after that did you start blogging yourself? How many hits does your blog get on a regular basis? When do you feel like your job is the hardest? What were the party crashers like at the White House dinner? We saw a lot of news coverage related to Twitter in the aftermath of the Iranian elections. Do you see that as a trend that will continue, or did the media overhype the Iranian Twitter phenomenon just because it was Iran and they have a history of internet regulation? Do you view untrained, unprofessional bloggers as a threat to news and reporting or as a potential asset? Do you find that internet news has decreased your television audience? What changes have you seen in the news industry as a result of advances in technology since you started anchoring at NBC? You are well known for your coverage in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. MSNBC said you "exhibited unfaltering composure, compassion and grit and became 'the nation's anchor' during the crisis." How are you able to detach yourself from the ruins around you and relay terrible news to our nation without faltering? Has there ever been a time when you broke down during your report? Blogs, online newspapers, twitter updates, and up-to-the-minute reporting, among other things, have already created a 24-hour news cycle/news frenzy. What do you see as the future of news reporting and/or investigative journalism? What comes next? How does the media adjust? Who are you? Why are you here? How do you feel about bloggers? How has the development of the internet affected the broadcasting industry over the past two decades? Is it difficult, being a news anchor who is required to report the news, not to add personal opinion in your commentary? If you did, do you believe it would make your station less attractive to some viewers? Do you think that media bias now (where certain networks have inherent political affiliations) is changing the face of the news where people no longer get to hear just the facts but rather the biased facts along with commentary on them? Do you think the media is more biased now politically than it was before? How successful would the electoral college and the current voting system be if we were to implement presidential voting over the Internet in the US? Would this risk be worth the potential increase in overall % of the population voting? What would you say is the most difficult part of your job? Do you believe that blogging is necessary to be successful in the news industry today? How have blogs shaped popular culture? Do you think (not hope) that the blogging phenomenon is going to be long-term trend or one of those catchy fads that eventually fade out? Why or why not. In the same way print media is being overtaken by online content, do you see the potential for traditional televised news video to be replaced by online news video? What made you want to become a news anchor? what is it like to be an anchor In 2007 you were selected by Time Magazine as one of the world's most influential people. How do you respond to this? Do you agree? What do you consider the most important advancement in Internet technology for your career in news and reporting? Do you think that bloggers are an advancement, or a hindrance to journalism? How do you think the blogosphere changed your job? Is the rise of social media (like Twitter) causing a decline in language, writing, and ultimately, civilization itself? Is print media officially dead? Throughout your career you have been called upon to cover some of the most monumental events in recent history (Katrina, death of Princess Diana/Michael Jackson, 2008 Presidential Election etc). Though all were different in many ways such as time, location, importance, urgency etc, which story (only one) touched you the most? Thank you What blogs do you read? What's the best part about your job? How do you feel the advent of online news sources have affected the news business? Our whole family used to gather around the TV to watch NBC Nightly News yet I feel we get our news more and more from the internet now. How does a program like yours look to respond to this? How did you become involved in the news/media industry? How do you feel about all the new news studios that rely so heavily on technology? For example all the seemingly excessive gadgets that Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper use on their shows? Also, what do you think of Fox News? How did you end up on television? Did you always know you wanted to do this? You make a living broadcasting events on television for people that are unable to experience those events first hand. What particular event that you have covered--whether it be Hurricane Katrina or the Winter Olympics--do you think has been most distorted through television, the internet, etc. in that having experienced it first hand, you find their is a significant divide between what actually happened and what is communicated to the public. Who do you like better: Obama or Oprah or Owen? Do you think that journalism, in the immediate future, will see a greater leniency or tighter restrictions on ensuring the truth of stories before they are made public? You've covered a plethora of notable stories - Death of Princess Diana, Hurricane Katrina, Virginia Tech Massacre, 2008 Presidential Election among others. What has been your most formulative expereince as a news anchor? How do you see the future of news broadcasting going with changing technology?