Wilfred Frost, son of the legendary TV host David Frost and producer of a new documentary series about his father's iconic interviews, reflects on the challenges faced by universities under the Trump administration. He shares insights into his father's extraordinary interviewing techniques with historical figures like Richard Nixon. The conversation navigates the impact of political shifts on academic freedom and the importance of preserving journalistic integrity during turbulent times, all while honoring a legacy that reshaped media.
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insights INSIGHT
Universities as Authoritarian Targets
The Trump administration uses accusations like anti-Semitism as pretexts to attack universities and silence dissent.
This is part of a broader authoritarian strategy against American democracy, targeting key civil society institutions.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Filmmaker's Moral Compromise Under Nazis
G.W. Pabst was a celebrated silent film director who made films for Nazis after being mistreated in Hollywood.
His Nazi-era films were not overt propaganda but were made under coercion with moral compromises involved.
insights INSIGHT
Asymmetrical Dictatorship in U.S.
Visa and green card holders in the U.S. face asymmetrical restrictions on free speech and fear sudden deportation.
This creates a climate where many must self-censor or hide due to governmental crackdowns.
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In this book, Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt examine the breakdown of democracies, arguing that modern democracies do not die in a sudden coup but rather through the slow erosion of critical institutions and political norms. Drawing on decades of research and examples from 1930s Europe to contemporary cases in Hungary, Turkey, Venezuela, and the American South during Jim Crow, the authors highlight the importance of mutual toleration and forbearance in maintaining democratic stability. They identify key indicators of authoritarian behavior, such as the rejection of democratic rules, denial of opponents' legitimacy, tolerance of violence, and curtailment of civil liberties. The book also discusses the role of political parties in defending democracy and proposes solutions to counteract democratic backsliding, including elite-level cooperation, addressing social inequalities, and restoring democratic norms[2][4][5].
The Director
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Daniel Kehlmann
As President Trump and his allies escalate the administration's battle on colleges, and on Harvard specifically, Steven Levitsky, Harvard professor and author of “How Democracies Die,” joins Christiane to discuss the reshaping of knowledge in America. Then, best-selling German author Daniel Kehlmann speaks with Christiane about his new book “The Director," exploring what it was like for artists like G.W. Pabst who made films for Joseph Goebbels and the Nazis. Marking 600 days of war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Christiane highlights both Jeremy Diamond's report on Israel's fight to get back the 58 remaining hostages in Hamas captivity and Oren Lieberman's story on the chaotic aid delivery to starving Palestinians this week. Christiane also talks to Wilfred Frost, son of the legendary TV host David Frost, about his father's iconic interviews with the likes of Richard Nixon, Yasser Arafat and Elton John, and a new documentary series following his storied career. From her archive, Christiane pays tribute to award-winning Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado. Finally, marking 45 years since CNN's founding, Christiane revisits her conversation with company founder Ted Turner about how he changed the news business forever.
Amanpour 
