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Steve Malanga and I talked about the conflict of interest between reforming broken state pension systems and the legislator’s own benefits packages [WSJ Article], but we almost didn’t.
I arrived at the radio station about 11am central time already forming that afternoon’s show in my head as I walked up to my cubicle. Suddenly, I realized I had mixed up my schedule and was an hour late for of an interview I had scheduled with Steven Malanga who writes about the economy and is former editor of Crain’s New York Business, current editor of City Journal, and contributing writer for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, and RealClearMarkets.com.
I screwed up. I emailed his publicist apologizing for my mistake and now I had to come up with another segment for the show. The publicist got back to me saying Steve was still available if I called him ASAP. I decided I would call him, apologize and keep him on the line no more than 15 minutes. I felt rude asking for any more time than that, plus it was already a time crunch for me and would mean I was going to be 15 minutes late for an important presentation by my boss.
When I called Steve I was concerned that I had ruined the interview before it even got started. I couldn’t tell if he was annoyed with me or not at the beginning of the conversation when I said hello but I plowed forward. Ultimately, the conversation went well. He gave us good information about the issue and related it locally by talking about former Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley and his ‘side-eye’ worthy benefits package. I even made Steve laugh at one point.
After the conversation aired I got a few messages from listeners who found the conversation to be interesting and informative. As for my boss’ presentation… she waited until I was done to begin. On one hand, very considerate, on the other collective scowls from staff as I entered the meeting 15 minutes late.
[more on Steve Malanga at the Manhattan Institute]
[photo by LN]
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I have a new intern. She already is showing a lot of promise in her first week on the job. During a meeting last week I was showing her how we develop ideas for the show. I pulled up my news app and there was a story about Disney no longer running junk food ads in the commercials for their shows [Reuters]. I asked her to research the story and come up with a few different conversations we could have around the issue. She came back with 7 different ideas. Good job!. One of those ideas was to talk to someone at the Institute for Health Research and Policy at UIC because they just so happened to be studying this particular issue [IHRP UIC]. We got in contact with Dr. Lisa Powell, a health economist and senior research scientist at the institution and she agreed to talk with us. For the intern it was a great lesson in the serendipity of the production process (more common than you think) and for me it was a great interview with an informed and energetic guest. P.S. Whenever I do a “good interview” it’s almost never because of anything I did. It is nearly always because of the quality of the guest and this was no different.
photo by happymealy
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My co-host and I have a discussion about a town of 20,000 that approved an ordinance banning swearing levying a $20 fine for breaking the law. I encourage you to read an excellent piece from Jennifer Levits of the Wall Street Journal on the story.
photo by debaird
