Dean Baquet, a New Orleans native and executive editor of The New York Times, spoke to a crowded room of journalists and WWNO supporters Friday morning during, "The Breakfast Briefing with Dean Baquet," event, sponsored by WWNO and held at the New Orleans Advocate.
Baquet says The New York Times role has never been clearer than it is now, following the 2016 presidential election.
"It is not our role to be the house organ to the loyal opposition of Donald Trump," he says. "We are a non-partisan news organization that tells truth."
He also spoke about the impact of technology on the media industry as a whole and says as a leader he is encouraging his staff to experiment with new forms of storytelling and news gathering, citing everything from podcasts to drones.
"Our mission is not to paper, but to principles, and if we are not read, what good are our principles," says Baquet. "Don't get so caught up in our struggles that you miss the fact that technology has created a golden age in American journalism."
Baquet urged the crowd to invest in local journalism and credited his hometown of New Orleans for giving him such a strong foundation.
"Growing up in New Orleans has made me a more committed and serious journalist," he says.
Listen to Baquet's full speech below.