Congressional Congress Hearing

Good evening. Katie Couric here for CBS Evening News. There was a mock congressional hearing both today and Monday in Mr. Pinza's classroom at Westmont High School in Campbell, California. And we now some live footage...

This is Chris Shmoltz reporting for CBS News. It was an interesting and very successful congressional hearing were in room 76 at Westmont High School. The members of the committee were asking the witnesses their position on whether or not journalists should be required to earn licenses before they are able to report.

One witness, Uncle Sam, has his own opinion:

Shmoltz(J.C. Mitchell): Are you for or against making journalism a licensed occupation?

Uncle Sam(Miguel Zaragosa): I'm against the proposition for licensed journalism.

Shmoltz: Why not? And do you think the United States currently has problems with its news companies and the news that these companies present every night???

Uncle Sam: I'm against this proposition because I feel that journalism doesn't necessarily have to be factual. I believe that people are entitled to their opinion and they should be allowed to say what they want on TV. And as for your second question, yes I do think that America has a problem. I think that we as Americans are being brainwashed by the news we are given by the big news corporations on TV.

Shmoltz: How do you propose we solve this problem???

Uncle Sam: Unfortunately the only solution I have is that the public analyze and form their own opinions rather based on a summary or a good amount of newscasts rather then listening to the news show that has the most money or is the most entertaining.

Shmoltz: Is the American public responsible for this ignorance toward the news that you say exists?

Uncle Sam: No... I think that the government doesn't tell anyone that news can and is usually inaccurate. The government should be telling the public that they should listen to a broad variety of newscasts in order to form a dynamic opinion.

Shmoltz: But wouldn't the big corporate news corporations dislike this because they would lose ratings because their would be more competition and diversity?

Uncle Sam: Yeah but I don't care. They can suck it. They will only make a million less dollars a year. Boo Hoo. They got hundreds of more millions to spend

Shmoltz: Thank you so much for your time