Preparing for a conference in Boston

Dave is preparing for an upcoming conference in Boston, where he plans to share his perspective on the changes in media and communication over the past 20-30 years. He reflects on his experiences trying to have open discussions about these changes, including with the music industry, the 2004 election, and a failed attempt at a discussion in Nashville. Dave expresses hope that national public radio can facilitate the kind of open discourse needed to understand differences and find common ground, rather than getting bogged down in arguments. Dave believes the current state of public discourse represents a loss of something important, and see an opportunity for public radio to lead the way in a “new kind of election” focused on shared goals rather than superficial factors.