>> O'Connell: I'M SUE O'CONNELL IN FOR JIM BRAUDE.

TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON," TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT HASN'T BEEN THE MEDIA CIRCUS WE HAVE SEEN IN CAMPAIGN'S PAST.

BUT WILL IT STAY THAT WAY?

WE'LL LOOK AT HOW THE MEDIA IS COVERING THE RUN NOW AND HOW THEY SHOULD IN THE FUTURE.

THEN, THE SOFTER SIDE TO MASSACHUSETTS TURKEY POPULATION, KNOWN TO MOST HERE AS HAVING A PRETTY VICIOUS REPUTATION.

THE FILMMAKER BEHIND "TURKEY TOWN" JOINS ME AHEAD.

>> O'Connell: WE'VE SEEN PLENTY OF COVERAGE OF FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE'S RUNNING AGAIN.

BUT AFTER THE WALL-TO-WALL MADNESS WE SAW IN 2016-- THIS TIME, IT'S DIFFERENT.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS THAT YOU'D EXPECT MIGHT HAVE AIRED THE WHOLE THING, JUST DIDN'T.

EVEN FOX BROKE AWAY BEFORE HE WAS DONE.

AND MSNBC DIDN'T AIR IT AT ALL.

THE BIG THREE NETWORKS OPTED NOT TO BREAK OUT OF THEIR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING EITHER, BECAUSE "BACHELOR IN PARADISE" HAD TO GO ON!

AND THE HEADLINES WE'VE SEEN SINCE ARE DEFINITELY NOT YOUR RUN-OF-THE-MILL PRESIDENTIAL ANNOUNCEMENT COVERAGE.

PERHAPS BECAUSE A MAN WHO ENCOURAGED THE OVERTHROWING OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS NOT A RUN-OF-THE-MILL CANDIDATE.

SO, IS THE MEDIA HANDLING THIS IN THE RIGHT WAY SO FAR?

AND HOW SHOULD THEY PROCEED MOVING FORWARD?

TO DISCUSS, I'M JOINED BY TOM FIEDLER, FORMER DEAN OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY'S COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION; AND LYLAH ALPHONSE, EDITOR WITH THE "BOSTON GLOBE."

WELCOME TO BOFTD YOU, BEFORE WE GET STARTED I WANT TO THROW SOME SOUND AND IMAGES FROM LIZ HARRINGTON, THE SPOKESPERSON FOR TRUMP.

SHE WAS PEEKING TO THE RIGHT WING MEDIA CHANNEL, REAL AMERICA'S VOICE ON TUESDAY JUST BEFORE TRUMP'S ANNOUNCEMENT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

>> THEY DON'T WANT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST LEADER OF THE GREATEST POLITICAL MOVEMENT IN OUR HISTORY, SO I DO SUSPECT THEY WILL TRY TO CENSOR AND CUT AWAY.

HOWEVER, THE PEOPLE ARE ANXIOUS TO HEAR FROM HIM SO THEY WILL GO RIGHT AROUND THE MAJOR NETWORKS IF THEY DO INDEED CUT AWAY.

THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO NOW.

WE DO NOT HAVE THE FIRST AMENDMENT, IT'S UNDER ATTACK.

SO TOM WHARNTION IS YOUR REACTIO TO THAT?

THERE IS ON ONE HAND, IT DOES HAND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN A PLAY BOOK ON WHAT TO SAY ABOUT IT NOT GETTING AIRED.

BUT DO YOU THINK THE NETWORKS MADE THE RIGHT DECISION AND IS THAT THE REACTION WE'RE GO TO SEE FROM THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN MOVING FORWARD?

>> WELL, I THINK THEY MADE THE RIGHT DECISION BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS A HARD DECISION TO MAKE.

TO SCHEDULE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, A POLITICAL ANNOUNCEMENT AT PRIME TIME, AS YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KNOCK A LOT OF VERY HIGHLY WATCHED AND WELL-FUNDED SHOWS OFF OF THE AIR.

SO THAT, YOU KNOW, TV IS ABOUT MAKING MONEY.

SO THAT WAS I THINK A FAIRLY EASY DECISION.

BUT HARRINGTON'S STATEMENT THERE ABOUT SHOW THIS WAS A FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUE, IT'S LAUGHABLE ON THE ONE HAND.

THE OTHER SIDE OF IT THOUGH IS THAT THIS IS ONCE AGAIN AN EFFORT TO PORTRAY TRUMP AS BEING THE VICTIM OF THE MEDIA.

THAT THIS PLAYS RIGHT INTO THAT WHOLE NARRATIVE THAT WAS USED SO EFFECTIVELY.

THAT THE MEDIA IS THE ENEMY.

AND WHEN THERE'S AN ENEMY OUT THERE, THAT MAKES HIS FORCES GATHER UP AND RISE TO HIS DEFENSE.

SO I THINK THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE SAW WITH HER COMMENT.

BUT AS FAR AS THE MEDIA'S POSITION, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS A TOUGH CALL FOR THEM AT ALL.

>> O'Connell: LYLAH, I HAVE BEEN ROUGHERRING TO COVERING TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN, THE FIRST CAMPAIGN, THE FIRST GO AROUND, NOT THE FIRST ONE BUT THE ONE WHERE HE WON, AS KIND OF A HOME IMPROVEMENT, DO IT YOURSELF PROJECT.

LIKE AFTER YOU DO AND LAY A KITCHEN FLOOR, YOU KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

BUT YOU MAY NEVER WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.

AND YOU REALIZE ALL THE MISTAKES YOU MADE IN YOUR DO IT YOURSELF.

I THINK THE MEDIA, MYSELF INCLUDED, WAS A BIT SHOCKED THAT TRUMP JUST KEPT DOING THESE THINGS THAT WERE NOT TRADITIONAL AND CRAZY AND OUT OF THE BOX AND SHOULD WE COVER THE TWEELTS.

BUT HE IS ACTUALLY MAKING PUBLIC POLICY WITH THE TWEETS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE THINKING AS MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA, AS TRUMP LAUNCHES THIS CAMPAIGN.

WHAT SHOULD WE HAVE ON THE FRONT OF YOUR MINDS WHEN WE ARE THINK BEING IF SOMETHING WAS NEWS WORTHY OR NOT.

>> I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT A FORMER PRESIDENT, NO MATTER HOW OUTRAGEOUS, WHEN HE TAKES TO THE PODIUM, YOU STILL HAVE TO AT LEAST CONSIDER COVERAGE.

THAT SAID, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO DO CITIZEN OG FEEVMENT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BROADCAST EVERY LITTLE MINUTE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WRITE DOWN EVERY SINGLE THING.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO RELITIGATE EVERY ARGUMENT HE BRINGS UP.

IT IS I THINK WORTH REMEMBERING THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTS THE PRESS.

AND PROTECTS PEOPLE AND FREES THEM OF SPEECH FROM PROSES KEUTION BY THE GOVERNMENT.

SO NETWORKS CHOOSING NOT TO AIR HIS SPEECH IS NOT AN ATTACK ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT HE IS NOT A TRADITIONAL CANDIDATE.

I HAVE TO AGREE WITH GOVERNOR BAKER T SAY LITTLE UNFAIR THAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT TO 24 RIGHT AFTER WE TOOK A BREATHE, AFTER 2022.

AND THERE IS SOME ELECTION FA TEEG AND I THINK A LOT OF VOTERS ARE FEELING THAT AND THAT COULD ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DECISION TO KEEP BACHELOR IN PARADISE ON THE AIR INSTEAD OF DONALD TRUMP.

BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT AS MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PUT THINGS IN CONTEXT AND TO OFFER INFORMATION, NOT JUST CONFIRMATION.

SO IN THIS CASE I THINK NPR DID IT EXACTLY RIGHT WHEN THEY IN THEIR LEAD OF THE COVERAGE OF HIS SPEECH, WHEN THEY POINTED OUT THAT HE HELPED INSPIRE WHAT MANY PEOPLE THINK OF AS AN INSURRECTION.

THAT HE MAKES A LOT OF CLAIMS THAT ARE NOT TRUE.

AND HE KNOWS THEY ARE NOT TRUE WHICH IS WHY IT IS FAIR TO CALL THEM LIES.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO OFFER THAT CONTEXT.

I THINK IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO COVER WHAT HE IS SAYING AND DOING NOW WITHOUT THAT CONTEXT.

>> TOM, LYLAH OFFERED, WELL, MY NEXT QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE TO YOU, IS HOW MUCH OF A REQUIREMENT SON US TO MAKE SURE WE POINT THOSE THINGS OUT.

EACH AND EVERY TIME, NOT ALL OF THEM, CERTAINLY, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE AN ENTIRE ATLANTIC ESSAY IF WE DID.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO COVER AND POINT OUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.

IS THAT NECESSARY?

SHOULD WE CONTINUE TO DO IT OR IS THERE A POINT THAT WE THINK THAT THE PUBLIC WILL JUST GET THAT HE IS WHO HE IS AND THESE ACCUSATIONS AND AT SOME POINT MAYBE THESE CONVICTIONS WILL BE THERE.

>> I THINK THERE IS AN OBLIGATION TO DO IT.

THE DIFFICULTY IS, AND I THINK IT PRIMARILY LIES WITH LIVE TELEVISION AND TRUMP IS THE MASTER OF THAT.

FOR THOSE OF US WHO WERE IN THE PRINT PRESS AND A LITTLE BIT MORE I THINK WITH NPR AND OTHERS, YOU CAN USE THE MEDIUM THERE TO STEP BACK AND TO INFECT FACT CHECK.

YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON LIVE TELEVISION.

TRUMP KNOWS IT AND I THINK THAT IS WHY TRUMP SCHEDULED HIS KICKOFF AT 9 P.M. WITH A FAIRLY TIGHT WINDOW.

BUT I AGREE LYLAH, I THINK WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS WE'VE GOT TO BE PREPARED TO COVER HIM.

WE WE CAN'T IGNORE HIM.

WE WOULD DO THAT AT A PERIL BECAUSE HE HAS A FOLLOWING.

BUT YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS GO BACK TO SOMEBODY THAT WE ALL KNOW WELL, MARTY BARON, WHEN HE WAS ASKED ABOUT THE TRUMP TACTIC OF MAKING THE PRESS THE ENEMY, HE WAS ASKED, ARE YOU AS THEN, "THE WASHINGTON POST," GOING TO WAR.

HIS ANSWER WAS NO, WE'RE GOING TO WORK.

AND THAT IS WHAT I THINK THE MEDIA HAS TO DO.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS CAMPAIGN.

WE COVER IT AS IT DEVELOPED.

WE PUT THE NEWS FORWARD AND MAYBE THAT MEANS TELEVISION WILL ONLY GO LIVE WHEN THE SUBSTANCE MAY MERIT THAT.

AND YOU KNOW, TRUMP CAN ONLY GO ON WITH HIS RELITIGATION-- RELITIGATING THE 2020 ELECTION, WELL, HE CAN'T GO ON WITH IT ANY MORE.

IT IS OLD NEWS.

AND WE CANNOT PROVIDE AND WON'T, I BELIEVE, PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR HIM TO DO THAT.

BUT IF HE HAS A NEW POLICY PROPOSAL JUST AS ANY CANDIDATE MIGHT, IT'S WORTHY.

IT'S WORTH THE MEDIA LOOKING AT IT, VETTING IT, CRITICIZING IT IF NECESSARY AND PUTTING IT OUT.

THAT'S GOING TO WORK.

SO BUT WE DON'T WANT TO LET TRUMP JUST LET HIS DRAMA CONTINUE TO RUN AT THE MEDIA'S EXSPENDS.

>> O'Connell: YOU MENTIONED MARTY BARON FORMALLY OF "THE WASHINGTON POST" AND BEFORE THAT THE "BOSTON GLOBE."

LYLAH, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT HOW THE PUBLIC EXPECTATION HAS CHANGED.

I THINK AIL LITTLE BIT AND SEE IF YOU AGREE WITH ME ON COVERING FOLKS AND COVERING ELECTED OFFICIALS.

FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE IS ON A TOUR RIGHT NOW, AN INTERVIEW TOUR.

HE HAS GOT A BOOK OUT.

MANY PEOPLE I'M SEEING ON WHAT IS LEFT OF TWITTER, AT LEAST, AROUND IN OTHER AREAS ARE CONCERNED THAT JOURNALISTS ARE NOT BEING HARD ENOUGH WITH MIKE PENCE AND HOLDING HIS FEETS TO THE FIRE REGARDING SOME THINGS HE IS SAYING.

ESPECIALLY LIKE HE DOESN'T FEEL COMPELLED TO TESTIFY IN FRONT OF THE JANUARY 6th COMMITTEE IF NEED BE.

DO YOU THINK THAT THERE IS A GREATER APPETITE IN GENERAL FROM THE PUBLIC ASKING JOURNALISTING TOES BE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRICT AND HOLD FOIKS TO A HIGHER STANDARD WHEN THEY ARE INTERVIEWING THEM?

>> I THINK THERE IS AN EXPECTATION AMONG CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF THE READERSHIP OR VIEWERSHIP.

I THINK OVERALL A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO THE MEDIA JUST TO FIND OUT THE BAIFNGS, JUST TO FIND OUT KIND OF THE TOP LEVEL OF WHAT IS GOING ON.

I THINK THERE IS ALSO A FAIR NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HOPING WHEN THERE IS COVERAGE OF SOMEONE LIKE THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT, THAT THERE SAY LITTLE BIT OF ACCOUNTABILITY THAT IS-- WE TRY TO IMPOSE.

AND I THINK THAT THERE IS SOME DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN THEY FEEL THAT THE MEDIA DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.

IN EITHER BEING PUNITIVE OR IN HOLDING SOMEONE ACCOUNTABLE.

MIKE PENCE MAY BE LAYING ITS GROUND WORK TO RUN FOR OFFICE.

HE'S NOT THE VICE PRESIDENT NOW.

HE'S NOT RUNNING FOR OFFICE RIGHT NOW.

THAT CHANGES A LITTLE BIT OF THE NEWS WORTHINESS THERE OF WHAT HE IS SAYING.

I MEAN WE KNOW HE IS GOING ON AN INTERVIEW TOUR TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM ANY ABSOLUTE CRAZINESS THAT COMES OUT OF TRUMP'S NEWEST CAMPAIGN.

AND WE KNOW THAT TRUMP'S NEWEST CAMPAIGN IS ONLY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RUNNING FOR OFFICE AND A LOT BIT ABOUT A VOIDING PUNISHMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALL THE THINGS PEOPLE ARE EXAMINING RIGHT NOW.

SO I THINK THAT PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS NEW.

I THINK THAT TRUMP IS NO LONGER NEW IN A LOT OF WAYS.

SIX YEARS AGO JOURNALISTS REACTEDDED, YES, AS YOU SAID BEFORE, THAT THIS IS NOT A TRADITIONAL CANDIDATE.

WE DON'T QUITE KNOW HOW TO HANDLE TMPLE WE KIND OF KNOW HOW TO HANDLE HIM NOW A BIT BETTER AND ALSO WHAT HE IS SAYING IS JUST A RERUN.

EVEN IN HIS CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT.

THE PROMISES HE STARTED MAKING WERE ONES HE MADE DURING HIS FIRST CAMPAIGN THAT HE DIDN'T FULFILL DURING FOUR YEARS IN OFFICE.

>> THE TERM LIMITS, FOR EXAMPLE, SO PEOPLE I THINK ARE A LITTLE TIRED OF HEARING THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER.

SO IT IS INCUMBENT UPON JOURNALISTS TO REALLY KIND OF SCREEN OUT SOME OF THAT, BE VERY, VERY DISCERNING.

PICK OUT THE STUFF THAT IS NEW AND PRESENT IT IN CONTEXT.

I THINK ACCOUNTABILITY IS IMPORTANT.

>> TOM TO LYLAH'S POINT TOO, WE ARE ALL OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN BARACK OBAMA THE CANDIDATE WAS USING EMAIL, HOW EXCITING THAT WAS, THAT THERE WAS THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT HE WAS REACHING ACTUAL VOTERS AND TELLING THEM TO GET OUT AND VOTE.

AND NOW HERE WE ARE WITH TIKTOK AND WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER EMERGING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS THAT DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THE SAME SWAY THAT THEY DID, IF THEY EXISTED DURING THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.

WHAT SHOULD WE, AS JOURNALISTS, BE FOCUSED ON ABOUT WHAT WE COVER IN THOSE REALMS.

YOU KNOW F THERE IS ANY CANDIDATE, NOT JUST TRUMP WITH SOME TIKTOK SENSATION GOING ON WHAT IS AN APPROACH THAT YOU WOULD TELL YOUR STUDENTS TO TAKE WHEN LOOKING AT IT?

>> YEAH, WELL, THE FIRST THING IS I WOULD WARN THEM AGAINST GOING AFTER THE BRIGHT SHINY OBJECT AND THAT IS WHAT TUMP IS SO GOOD AT DOING.

WHETHER HE DOES IT ON TIKTOK OR WHETHER HE DOES IT NOW ON TRUE SOCIAL.

WHETHER HE EVER GETS BACK ON TO TWITTER, WHO KNOWS.

BUT YOU KNOW, DON'T GO FOR THAT.

ALWAYS THINK ABOUT DOES THIS MERIT COVERAGE.

THE ONE THING I DO THINK, ONE LESSON I DO HOPE WE TOOK AWAY FROM 2016 WAS IN THE CANDIDATE DEBATES AND PRIMARIES, THE DECISION ABOUT HOW TO PLACE THE CANDIDATES ON THE PLATFORMS WHERE THEY WERE, WAS BASED ON POLLING WHICH WAS NAME RECOGNITION.

AND IN EVERY ONE OF THE REPUBLICAN DEBATES LEADING UP, THE IOWA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ON FORWARD, TRUMP ALWAYS HAD CENTER STAGE BECAUSE THE IDEA WAS WHOEVER POLLED THE MOST WOULD BE IN THE MIDDLE.

THE RESULT WAS THOSE POOR CANDIDATES AND THERE WERE THE BAKER'S DOZEN OF THEM, WHO NEVER GOT THE CHANCE TO CHALLENGE HIM WERE SORT OF OFFER ON THE FRINGES.

I HOPE THAT THE MAJOR NETWORKS DON'T MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN AS JUST TO SORT OF PLACE.

THERE OUGHT TO BE SOMETHING, A LOTTERY OR SOME OTHER WAY TO DECIDE WHO HAS CENTER STAGE AND THE MOST THINGS, SO TO LYLAH'S POINT.

WE HAVE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL SINCE TO 16 AS TO HOW TO HANDLE THIS.

AND HOPEFULLY THE VOTERS WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE MATURE ALSO AND THEY WILL AVOID THAT BRIGHT SHINY OBJECT.

>> O'Connell: LYLAH, HAVE I BEEN JOKING WITH SOME OF MY YOUNGER COLLEAGUES THAT THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN IMMEDIATELY STARTS AS SOON AS THE MID TERMS ARE OVER, AT LEAST IN OUR WORLD.

I DIDN'T REALLY EXPECT THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I THOUGHT I WAS JUST EXAGGERATING TO TELL A STORY.

ASK THIS NOW, TRUMP HAS CHANGED THIS, RIGHT.

SO NOW IT'S CAMPAIGN SEASON.

MOST PEOPLE CAN'T EVEN WRAP THEIR MINDS AROUND IT I REMEMBER AT LEAST GOING INTO ITS SPRING OF WHAT WOULD BE BEFORE FOLKS ACTUALLY RAISED MONEY OR ARE MAKING COMMITTEES TOGETHER, IS THIS ANOTHER THING THAT TRUMP HAS CHANGED NOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE COMMON, JUST ASKING FOR A PREDICTION FROM YOU THAT MID TERMS ARE OVER.

AND THEN THE PRESIDENTIAL SEASON BEGINS?

>> I THINK THAT SAY GOOD QUESTION, I'M NOT SURE IF TRUMP HAS CHANGED IT OR IF THE 24/7 NEWS CYCLE HAS CHANGED IT OR IF THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE TO REACH THE PUBLIC OUTSIDE OF TRADITIONAL MEDIA HAS CHANGED IT.

YOU MENTIONED TIKTOK.

AND I THINK THAT THAT A LOT OF MEDIA OUTLETS, ESPECIALLY PRINT ONES NEED TO CATCH UP ON BEING WHERE PEOPLE ARE INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO THEM.

I THINK THE POLIT QUAL CANDIDATES REALLY GOT AHEAD OF US THERE.

THEY KNOW HOW TO BE WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOW IN A WAY THAT THE MEDIA STILL HASN'T QUITE CAUGHT ON TO.

BUT I THINK THAT THERE IS ALWAYS BEEN AN ELEMENT OF THE IMMEDIATE START TO THE SEASON AFTER MID TERMS.

TRUMP'S BEEN FUNDRAISING ALL ALONG.

THERE WAS SOMETHING RECENTLY ABOUT HOW WITH HERSCHEL WALKER'S CANDIDACY IN GEORGIA, THAT A PERCENTAGE OF WHATEVER THEY WERE FUNDRAISING IS GOING TO WALKER.

AND THE BULK OF IT WAS GOING TO TRUMP.

AND IT WASN'T JUST GOING TO TRUMP FOR FUN.

SO I THINK THAT PEOPLE HAVE FELT THAT HE HAS BEEN CAMPAIGNING ALL ALONG.

SO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT JUST SEEMED INEVITABLE IN A LOT OF WAYS.

THAT SAID, JUST BECAUSE THE CANDIDATES HAVE STARTED CAMPAIGNING DOESN'T MEAN THE MEDIA HAS TO START COVERING EVERYTHING WITH THE SAME INTENSITY AS THEY DO A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

WE ARE NOT YET AT THE CRAZY CLOWN CAR SECTION OF THE CAMPAIGN.

YOU'VE GOT HO DIFFERENT CANDIDATES AND HALF HAVEN'T DROPPED OUT YET.

AND ARE YOU JUST TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF IT ALL.

AND I THINK THAT TRUMP'S COUNTING ON THAT.

RIGHT NOW THERE IS ONE.

AND IT IS HIM.

AND I THINK THERE IS PROBABLY SOME SURPRISE AMONG PEOPLE WHO ADMIRE HIM THAT HE'S NOT GETTING THE ATTENTION THAT HE FEELS HE DESERVED.

IT'S VERY TELLING THAT THE NETWORK THAT HIS SPOKESPERSON WAS ON IS A FRINGE NETWORK FOR PEOPLE WHO ALREADY WOULDN'T BE WATCHING THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA.

AND THEY HAVE TO TELL THEIR VIEWERS THAT THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA WASN'T COVERING IT OTHERWISE THEIR VIEWERS WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN.

>> O'Connell: MAKES ME LONG FOR THE DAYS OF PAT PAUL SOFNLT THANKS FOR JOINING ME SO.

>> O'Connell: TOM FIEDLER, LYLAH ALPHONSE, THANKS.

>> THANK YOU.

THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT NEARLY EVERY TRUE BOSTONIAN HAVE IN COMMON.

AMONG THEM: A REFUSAL TO TAKE FIVE INCHES OF SNOW OR LESS SERIOUSLY; A LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE T-- HEAVY ON THE "HATE"; A FIERCE OPINION ON THE BEST COFFEE SHOP, THERE OBVIOUSLY IT'S DUNKIN' DONUTS.

AND 59 LEAST ONE STORY ABOUT A RUN-IN WITH A WILD TURKEY, IN WHICH THEIR LIFE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE FLASHED BEFORE THEIR EYES.

>> SO I SAW THIS GIANT TURKEY, AND I WANTED TO TAKE A PICTURE OF HIM.

JUST LOOK AT HIM AND ADMIRE HIS CHONKINESS.

IT DIDN'T WORK, THAT (/ BLEEP/ ) BIT ME.

THAT TURKEY FEARED NO GOD AND NO MAN.

>> O'Connell: DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED.

BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME WHO'VE GROWN TO LOVE THE LOCAL BIRD LIKE FAMILY: >> GO ON, YOU WANT THIS?

HERE!

THERE, THERE YOU GO!

HERE'S SOME TREATS FOR YOU!

>> O'Connell: OUR COLLECTIVE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE CREATURES ARE THE SUBJECT OF THE NEW FILM "TURKEY TOWN," WHICH AIRS THANKSGIVING DAY ON GBH-2 AND IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR ONLINE STREAMING 30 DAYS AFTERWARDS.

I'M JOINED BY THE FILMMAKER BEHIND IT, AYNSLEY FLOYD.

WELCOME SO MUCH.

I SUCH STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT TURKEY, I'M SO GLAD ARE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> O'Connell: WHY TURKEY.

>> LIKE YOU SAID WHY NOT, LIKE YOU SAID EVERYONE HAS A STORY RIGHT, ABOUT THE TURKEYS.

YOU CAN'T LIVE IN BOSTON OR THE SUBURBS OF BOSTON AND NOT REALIZE HOW ABUNDANT THEY ARE.

AND YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE LOVE THE TURKEYS.

AND OTHERS DO NOT.

>> O'Connell: SO I A BOSTON NATIVE.

I GREW UP IN REVERE, I'M 61 YEARS OLD.

AND I DIDN'T NOTICE TURKEYS UNTIL ABOUT MAYBE TEN YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED WORKING IN NEWTON AND NEEDHAM AND THERE WERE TURKEYS.

THEN I MOVED TO ROXBURY.

RIGHT NEXT TO ROXBURY COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND COLUMBUS AVENUE AND I'M SURROUNDED BY TURKEYS ALL THE TIME.

I DIDN'T, LIKE, HAVE A COLLECTIVE AMNESIA MOMENT WHERE I FORGOT THAT THERE WERE TURKEYS WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY.

>> YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

>> O'Connell: SO WHAT HAPPENED?

>> TURKEYS WERE EXTRA PAITED FROM MASSACHUSETTS IN THE MID 19th CENTURY THERE WERE NO TURKEYS AT ALL BECAUSE OF HABITAT LOSS AND ALSO OVERHUNTING.

SO FOR ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS THERE WERE NO TURKEYS IN MASSACHUSETTS.

AND THEY WERE INTENTIONALLY BROUGHT BACK BY MASS WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS WHO DECIDED TO CORRECT THE VIEMENTDAL MISTAKE THAT THEY HAD MADE OR THAT HAD BEEN MADE.

AND DECIDED TO CAPTURE SOME WILD TURKEYS IN UPSTATE NEW YORK AND BRING THEM TO WESTERN MASS AND THE BERKSHIRES.

AND THAT SMALL NUMBER OF TURKEYS, 37 TO BE EXACT, PROLIFERATED LIKE CRAZY AND NOW WE ARE IN THE SITUATION WE ARE IN TODAY.

>> O'Connell: AND I WANT TO, YOUR FILM TALKS ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN TODAY AND THE SITUATION WE'RE ALSO IN TODAY WITH COYOTES AND WITH RA KOOBS AND WITH SQUIRRELS AND WITH RATS TO SOME DEGREE.

WE ARE ALL LIVING ON THE SAME PLANET.

AND THIS IS A SUCCESS STORY, RIGHT, THAT THE TURKEYS HAVE COME BACK.

BUT IT IS NOT WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES.

AND I LOVE THAT YOU EXAMINE AND I LEARNED A LOT.

I MEAN I LOVE TO HATE TURKEYS.

I HAVE OFTEN SAID IF I EVER BECOME A FULL BLOWN VEGETARIAN I'M STILL GOING EAT TURKEYS BECAUSE OF HOW MEAN THEY ARE TO ME ON A REGULAR BASISMENT BUT THEY ARE REALLY A COMPLICATED ANIMAL.

I AM JUST SHOCKED THAT I NEVER SEE MORE OF THEM DEAD IN THE STREET BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST SO BRAVE, IS THAT THE RIGHT WORD?

>> I THINK BOLD IS MAYBE THE RIGHT WORD.

>> O'Connell: BOLD.

>> YES, TURKEYS ARE ACTUALLY SURPRISINGLY, DESPITE THEIR APPEARANCE, VERY SMART.

AND THEY HAVE ADAPTED EXTREMELY WELL TO LIVING IN SUBURBAN AND URBAN AREAS AMONG PEOPLE.

AND AS YOU SAY, YOU DON'T OFTEN SEE THEM DEAD ON THE ROAD, ALTHOUGH IT DOES HAPPEN.

>> O'Connell: RIGHT.

>> AND IT IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE LEARNED TO NAVIGATE THEIR WAY AROUND US AND TRAFFIC IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

>> O'Connell: IT IS REALLY AMAZING HOW ADAPTABLE THEY ARE AND ESPECIALLY YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY LIVED IN FORESTS AND TREES AND NOW THEY ARE IN BROOKLINE ON A REGULAR BASIS, BLOCKING PEOPLE AT ATM'S AND NOT LETTING THEM GET OUT.

LET'S LOOK AT THIS WOMAN IN BARNS STABLE, SHE HAS A VERY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HER TURKEY, HER NAME IS LAUREN, LET'S LOOK AT HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER TURKEY.

>> THIS TURKEY CAME TO ME WHEN SHE WAS JUST ONE DAY OLD.

AND I LOOKED AT THE FEET, AND I SAYS "OH THAT IS SO SAD, THAT THEY'RE ALL CURLED AND ALL TWISTED."

AND I NAMED IT WADDLES, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WADDLES WHEN IT WALKS.

AND I COULD TELL THAT SHE WAS NOT A TURKEY THAT WAS EVER GOING REALLY BE ABLE TO SURVIVE IN THE WILD.

YOU THINK THERE'S A MUSIC LESSON COMING?

I TEACH MUSIC LESSONS.

SHE'LL WADDLE IN THE HOUSE, COME INTO THE MUSIC AREA, AND I'LL SAY, "OK WADDLES, UP ON THE HADDOCK!"

AND SHE'LL SIT UP THERE AND SHE'LL LISTEN TO THE MUSIC LESSON.

>> O'Connell: IT'S ALSO FASCINATING TO SEE THEM FLY WHICH I SEE THEM IN THE TREES AROUND MY HOUSE BUT I DON'T OFTEN SEE THEM IN THE AIR.

AND IT REMINDED ME T WAS BEN FRANKLIN WHO WANTED THEM TO BE OUR NATIONAL BIRD, RIGHT, THE TURKEY INSTEAD OF THE EAGLE.

YOU ALSO TALK IN THE FILM WITH SOMEONE WHO IS A HUNTER BUT A HUNTER WHO IS REALLY INVESTED IN MAKING SURE HE EATS THE FOOD THAT HE HUNTS.

AND HE HUNTS THE FOODS THAT HE EATS.

HE HAD A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE ABOUT TURKEYS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT, I QUHOS THAT HUNT WE ARE GREAT CARE.

>> O'Connell: YES.

>> BECAUSE IS HE VERY PHILOSOPHICAL ABOUT HIS HUNTING PRACTICE.

AND HOW HE CONSUMES MEAT, THE WAY HE DOES.

SO HE HAS GIVEN A LOT OF THOUGHT TO IT AND HE HAS GOT AN INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE, I THINK.

AND A LOT OF HUNTERS DO.

>> O'Connell: HOW HAS THE TURKEY CHANGED THE DYNAMIC OF THE OTHER ANIMALS IN OUR REGION?

I MEAN I THINK YOU KNOW, COVID DEFINITELY ALLOWED THE ANIMALS WE'RE LIVING WITH TO COME OUT MORE.

I ALWAYS SAY I KNEW THINGS WERE TOUGH WHEN I SAW A SQUIRREL WITH A FULLY COOKED LOBSTER TAIL WALKING DOWN THE STREET THAT WE HAD ALL BEEN EATING AT HOME AND NOT GOING OUT.

AND I I SEE COYOTES ON A REGULAR BASIS.

HAVE THEY JUST ENTERED RIGHT BACK INTO THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE ECOSYSTEM.

OR HAS THERE BEEN TROUBLES ALONG THE WAY FOR THEM?

>> SO THE TURKEYS HAVE BENEFITED FROM OUR QUARANTINE AND COVID JUST LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER ANIMALS THAT YOU MENTIONED.

A LOT OF TURKEYS EAT BIRD SEED.

SO PEOPLE WHO HANG SORT OF BIRDFEEDERS OUTSIDE THEIR HOME AND THE SEED FALLS TO THE GROUND, THAT ATTRACTS THE TURKEYS.

AND IT'S VERY NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND THEY THRIVE WHEN THEY EAT IT.

>> O'Connell: LET'S THROW ANOTHER CLIP BECAUSE I KNOW SOMEONE AT HOME SAYING I'M NOT BEING MEAN ENOUGH TO TURKEY, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS BROOKLINE WOMAN, LOOK AT THIS CLIP, SHE HAD HAD AN EXPERIENCE WAY NEGATIVE TURKEY.

>> WE GOT IN THE AMBULANCE, AND IT STARTED TO GO AND THEN IT STOPPED.

THEY SAID, "THERE'S A TURKEY IN THE ROAD."

I LAY THERE IN PAIN WHILE THE AMBULANCE DRIVERS WAITED FOR THE TURKEY TO CROSS THE ROAD.

>> O'Connell: SO YOU DO GIVE SOME ADVICE IN THE FILM IN TURKEY TOWN ABOUT MAYBE HOW WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHEN A TURKEY IS BEING AGGRESSIVE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SPRING WHEN IT IS MATING TIME.

IF YOU FEEL THREATENED BY A TURKEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU SHOULD DO.

>> THE REASON TURKEYS ARE AGGRESSIVE IN THE SPRING TIME IS BECAUSE THEIR SOCIAL ORDER IS THAT OF A HIERARCHY.

SO WHEN A TURKEY IS AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS A HUMAN, WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IS DETERMINE WHERE THEY STAND IN RELATIONSHIP TO YOU ON THAT SOCIAL HIERARCHY.

SO IT IS UP TO THE PEOPLE TO LET THE TURKEY KNOW THAT YOU ARE ONE RUNG AHEAD OF THE TURKEY ON THE HIERARCHY.

>> O'Connell: YEAH, SO TURNING AND RUNNING PROBABLY NOT THE BEST IDEA.

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

THAT IS WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T DO.

>> O'Connell: DO YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT BROOK DDZ LINE A LOT BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT BROOKLINE IS KIND OF GROUND ZERO FOR A LOT OF HUMAN-TURKEY INTERACTION.

DO YOU KNOW IF THE POLICE HAVE STARTED TO BECOME MORE TURKEY SENSITIVE ABOUT HOW TO ANSWER CALLS.

>> THAT IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

I DID KNOW THAT THE POLICE HAVE BEEN CALLED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS.

>> O'Connell: I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE CALLED THE POLICE.

>> WHEN THEY HAVE HAVE ATTACKED CHILDREN ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL OR BREAK INTO PEOPLE'S HOMES, YOU NAME IT.

AND I KNOW THAT A CERTAIN TURKEYS HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE AGGRESSIVE.

BUT BEFORE THAT HAPPENS, THE ANIMALS ARE GIVEN EVERY CHANCE TO LIVE AMONG US T IS ONLY THE ONES WHO ARE PERSISTENTLY AGGRESSIVE.

>> THE HARD-CORE OFFENDERS LIKE THAT TURKEY ON THE VF-W PARKWAY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, REST IN PEACE, THAT WAS BY HIS OWN HANDS OR FETDER THAT HE WENT THAT WAY.

AND THE OVERARCHING MESSAGE, WE KIND OF STARTED THIS WAY BUT WE ARE ALL ON THIS PLANET.

THIS IS A SUCCESS STORY.

ST COMES WITH SOME NEGATIVES BUT LET'S ALL FIGURE OUT HOW TO LIVE TOGETHER.

>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

I MEAN WE REQUEST LIVE IN HARMONY AND IN PEACE WITH EACH OTHER BUT THE ONUS IS ON THE PEOPLE TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR FOR THE ANIMALS.

>> WE CREATED THIS AND HOPEFULLY BRINGING THEM BACK BUT I LEARNED SO MUCH, AYNSLEY, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING.

>> YOU TOO, THANK YOU.

AGAIN, YOU CAN WATCH "TURKEY TOWN" ON GBH-2 THANKSGIVING DAY AT 9:00 P.M., AND THE FOLLOWING DAY ON GBH-44 AT 1:00 P.M.

IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE VIA GBH PASSPORT AND WILL STREAM ON pbs.org AND THE PBS VIDEO APP FROM NOVEMBER 24 THROUGH DECEMBER 24.

THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT, BUT COME BACK TOMORROW FOR "TALKING POLITICS."

THANKS FOR WATCHING, GOOD NIGHT.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org TODAY YES KOMENTS COURTESY OF BETTY DAIFS FROM GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

WHO WANTS TO KNOW IS IT IN FACT A CRIME TO REMOVE THESE LABELS.

NOW YOU FIND THESE GUISE ON PILLOW, MATTRESS, EVEN A LOT OF WINTER COATS AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SEE WHAT IS INSIDE OF THOSE ITEMS.

NOW TODAY PILLOWS, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE USUALLY STUFFED WITH FEATHERS OR COTTON OR SOME KIND OF SYNTHETIC MATERIAL.

BUT ACCORDING TO MAGGIE TERRI, BACK IN THE DAY THEY PUT SOME PRETTY NATURALLY STUFF IN THE STUFFING.

>> I MEAN IT USED TO BE YEARS AGO THEY WOULD THROW ANYTHING THEY WANTED TO INTO THE BEDDING.

NEWSPAPERS, DIRTY RAGS.

>> HORSE HAIR, USED HOSPITAL OR HOTEL MATTRESSES, CORN HUSKS.

>> SWEEPINGS OFF THE FLOOR.

>> PART OF THEIR LUNCHES.

>> DROPPINGS, I MEAN ANYTHING.

>> FOR STARTERS, THAT IS DISGUSTING.

AND FURTHER MORE ST DANGEROUS AND UNHEALTHY.

SO TODAY A LOT OF STATES REQUIRE THESE LABELS THAT TELL YOU WHAT IS INSIDE OF THE ITEM.

AND IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO REMOVE THEM.

SORT OF.

RETAILERS AND MANUFACTURERS CAN BE FINED IF THEY REMOVE THE LABELINGS.

BUT ONCE YOU BUY IT OR I BUY IT, IF YOU READ QULOSLY MOST OF THESE END WITH THE LINE, EXCEPT BY THE CONSUMER.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT, FEEL FREE TO RIP AWAY.

DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW AND TELL US WHAT YOU ARE CURIOUS ABOUT BECAUSE HEY, I MIGHT JUST LOOK INTO IT FOR YOU, I'M EDGAR B HER WICK THE III.

STAY CURIOUS OUT THERE.