Former Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd sits down with Travis Dhanraj and Karman Wong in Washington, DC to talk about the future of journalism, the rise of independent media, government shutdowns, Pentagon press access, and the state of Canada–U.S. relations. Candid stories from inside national newsrooms, how social algorithms changed everything, and why trust in media collapsed.What we cover• How mainstream media lost the room and why local journalism mattered• Independent creators vs legacy TV and where audiences are moving• Government shutdown explained in plain English - who gets paid and who does not• Pentagon press briefings and transparency questions Canada–U.S. politics right now and what could change next• Working the DC beat, toughest Meet the Press guests, Sundays after leaving the chair• Trump’s media strategy, Democrats’ bench, and Obama’s communication playbookIf you are new hereSubscribe for long-form, civil conversations with leaders across politics, business, and media. Clips and Shorts drop all week.Chapters: 00:00 Intro00:24 Life After NBC and Leaving Meet the Press02:00 Getting Into Journalism03:45 Covering Clinton vs Bush and Political Polarization05:30 America’s Fake Unity and the Fall of Local News07:20 Rebuilding Trust Through Local Journalism08:10 What Canada Gets Right About Media09:15 NBC, Streaming, and Resistance to Change10:50 Building an Independent Platform12:30 Legacy Media and the New Mainstream14:15 Bias, Groupthink, and Class Divide in Newsrooms16:50 Social Media, Algorithms, and the Death of Trust19:30 US Politics, Polarization, and Global Impact21:50 Trudeau, Trump, and US-Canada Relations24:15 Pentagon Press Freedom and Censorship26:45 Trump’s Relationship with the Media28:50 Why Trump Is the Best Communicator of Our Generation30:45 The Next Democratic Star32:45 Can Journalism Be Fixed33:50 Advice for Young Journalists and Final Thoughts
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