Democracy cannot exist without a free press. TOM RIDGE ** Former Pennsylvania Governor and former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Oncombattingclaimsof“fakenews” Podcasts now enable reporters to talk not just about the story itself, but the story behind the story — how the story came about. I think it really helps when people can see … or hear [reporters] talk at length about how they went about their journalism. I think that’s a very helpful development … pulling back the curtain on how journalism is practiced. MARTIN BARON ** Washington Post Executive Editor DEAN BAQUET ** New York Times Executive Editor It’s harmful for people to be told repeatedly that we make stuff up, which we don’t. It’s remarkable for an American president to say, ‘Don’t believe what you read in the press; believe what I say.’ I still believe in the end that we’re around longer than presidents, and our job is to stick to our guns and be transparent and truthful and independent.