By Mel Laytner

Perhaps the worst day of Connie Chung’s life  was being fired from her dream job, sitting in “half of Walter Cronkite’s seat,” co-anchoring the CBS Evening News. With karmic irony, two days later was one of her best: Chung and husband Maury Povich learned that their long-pursued adoption had come through. 

That gave Chung a newfound perspective when weighing CBS’s "consolation prize" – subbing for Dan Rather, weekend anchoring, documentaries. "I said, ‘You can take this job and shove it’ because I decided I would have a new life raising my son." 

By Mel Laytner

In an afternoon of lively give-and-take, two leading observers of the national news media offered bleak and contrasting assessments of the challenges confronting the press today, from relentless attacks by President Donald Trump to collapsing business models.

They offered reasons for despair and some rays of hope. Brian Stelter, chief media analyst for CNN, and Oliver Darcy, publisher of the highly regarded Status newsletter, spoke before a rapt Silurians luncheon on March 19.  

By Mel Laytner

What is art?

Journalist Bianca Bosker tackled this question head-on, or more accurately, head-first, diving deep and emerging with Get the Picture , a rollicking expose of New York’s contemporary art scene.

Offering sharp humor and sharper insights, Bosker shared her experiences in a wide-ranging conversation with Silurians own Betsy Ashton, herself a successful artist, at the club’s Feb. 19 luncheon  catered, perhaps ironically, by the National Art Club.