Since Sept. 11, it’s been hard to focus on any news events other than those related to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Still, life has continued and many important news events, such as a particularly devilish computer virus, have had minimal play in the media. So the Business Journal asks:
Have you had any time or inclination to pay attention to other news?
Michael Butler Vice President of Sales Media Distributors Inc.
Yes, I have. Obviously I’m interested in what’s going on with our country. But, I can’t really put life on the back burner. I have to focus on other things out there. It’s business as usual.
Julia Kahn Account Executive Manning Selvage & Lee
Yes, I am looking for other news. Not in terms of distractions, but just because I want to see what else is happening. Probably, the news tied to Sept. 11, our reaction and the military campaign, chemical and biological warfare, those things are still at the top of my mind. I get The New York Times online every morning, and I’ve been making an attempt to look at technology and entertainment news, two areas I’m interested in.
Bill Boyarsky Lecturer University of Southern California
Yes, I have. I pay attention to a lot of other news. Two days a week I teach a class at the Berkeley School of Journalism, so I read all of the local stories in the Oakland Tribune and the Chronicle. I’m also writing a book about Jesse Unruh, who was very powerful in state politics in the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, so I keep up on state issues today it just makes sense. Before I went into this line of work, I was the city editor of the Los Angeles Times, so I’m always interested in local stuff. Really, I read everything. I’m a news junkie, it’s disgusting.
Hank Landau President Gel Tech
Yes and no. I believe the world changed and certainly America changed, so it’s really interesting for me to see the news related to that event and then take a look at other news and see how it relates. It’s important for us, at least with our company, to market our product right now. How do we appropriately get the message out about our product in a world that is very focused on what happened on Sept. 11 and how it affects our daily and business lives? How do we get out there with business as usual when business is not as usual?
Mark Shinderman Partner Munger, Tolles & Olson
Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like that many other things have been reported. Personally, I’ve been concentrating on the financial markets. I wonder whether or not certain companies or business areas are using these horrific events to cover up or hide failing or troubled performance. This event has overshadowed other important issues that continue to affect us day-to-day as well. For instance, education reform, saving Social Security, fixing our health care system, etc.
