. >> host: this week on "the communicators" our guest is michael powell, president and ceo of the ncta, the internet and television association. mr. powell, , how has the coronavirus quarantine affected cable tv operators, internet operators and specifically, how was it affected cord cutting? >> guest: this this is a truly harrowing unprecedented event that requires extraordinary collective action, though in the running of your own operations and adequately serve the consumers that you're committed to. first and foremost it has affected our company just like all companies. it has to protect its own employees, particularly for a set of companies that one large call centers with large collections of people, that since technicians into peoples homes to repair and provision service, all of those processes had to be rapidly transformed. now we have 90% of call centers employees working at home. most companies have accelerated self install plants so they can avoid sending technicians to the home. these are changes that are probably five to seven years worth of work accelerate into three mont

in your view as president and ncta andhe and cta -- maybe as your personal view as well, has television done a good job covering the issue? say, as let me first myself, a black american and a black male, i probably have never been so torn and anguished and sad and angry as i have been on this latest incident. not because i haven't seen these before, because they are so unprecedented. i seen rodney king, michael rown and eric garner and i'm tired and i'm hurt that our country that i have deep love at i can't exor sice the demons and the ghosts and it is deeper and profound and this is another awakening. media, they impact us but the stories are powerful. john was talking about the world of platforms. we can pretend that everybody is their and it's not true because if you are a student of the human mind and brain, we are filled with biases and errors in judgment and manipulated by stories and easily by behavioral response. that is what it is to be a human being. i do think that storytellers ould expect that reality and have more moral obligation and sense tiertive about what they produce.

in your view as president and ceo of the ncta and maybe as your personal view as well, has televisionone a good job covering the issue? michael: let me first say, as myself, a black american and a black male, i probably have never been so torn and anguished and sad and angry as i have been on this latest incident. not because i haven't seen these before, because they are so unprecedented. i'm exhausted. at 57 years old i've seen rodney king. i've seen eric garner. i've seen all of these things. and i am tired. and i am hurt. deepa country that has love cannot exercise the demons in its heinous save pet -- slave past. it is more profound than people contain to accept. i think this is an awakening. media shapes our views of the world. the impact us with their stories. stories are powerful. just like john was talking about the role of platforms. we can pretend that everybody is an independent free will finger with a lot of -- free will finger. thinker.will we are filled with errors and biases. there is an judgment. we are easily manipulated by stores. easily manipulated by behavioral. we

. >> this week on "the communicators" our guest is michael powell, president and ceo of the ncta, internet and television association. mr. powell, how has the coronavirus quarantine affected cable tv operators, internet operators, specifically how has it affected cord cutting? >> guest: well, this is a truly harrowing and unprecedented event that requires extraordar

. >> host: this week on "the communicators" our guest is michael powell, president and ceo of the ncta, the internet and television association. mr. powell, , how has the coronavirus quarantine affected cable tv operators, internet operators and specifically, how was it affected cord

ncta president and ceo, michael powell. >> we should not make the mistake of thinking because somethingrtant, it is a utility. is extortfrastructure narrowly important. i don't think it is a luxury. i think it is an essential service for most americans. >> watch the communicators tonight at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span two. what do you think we can do about that? >> with police reform, protests in the coronavirus continuing to affect the country, watch our live, unfiltered coverage of the government's response with briefings from the white house, congress, governors and mayors from across the country, updating the situation. trail,m a campaign 2020 join the conversation on our live program, washington journal. if you miss any of our coverage, watch any time on demand at c-span.org or listen on the go with the free c-span radio app. >> washington journal continues. host: time for your phone calls for the last 20 minutes of our program today, asking for your top public policy issue. phone lines, republicans. (202) 748-8001. democrats, (202) 748-8000. .ndependents, (202) 748-8002 on capitol