C-SPAN packed up its monthly Book TV program “In Depth” and brought it to Hillsdale College Sunday to interview radio talk-show host Dennis Prager.
Peter Slen, senior executive producer and a host at the nonprofit cable and satellite network, said although “In Depth” has covered events at college, it had never before moved the show from its Washington, D.C., studio to an institution of higher education. He said it chose Hillsdale for its conservative reputation, fitting for an interview with Prager.
“It grew up organically,” Slen said. “We knew we wanted Mr. Prager on our program, and we started thinking about how we could do this differently.”
Slen interviewed the syndicated columnist in Markel Auditorium from noon to 3 p.m. for the show that aired on C-SPAN2. Prager has written six books, including his most recents “Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph” and “The Ten Commandments: Still the Best Moral Code.”
In addition to speaking about his books, Prager took questions from student audience members and the live TV audience through phone calls and texts. He addressed Capitalism, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, and political correctness.
“Hillsdale is an island in this sea of moral confusion, and it’s independent of the state, which now has controls nearly everywhere,” Prager said. “It’s an extremely significant institution.”
Students who attended the live taping said they enjoyed experiencing the interview in real time.
“I’m very interested in his rebuttals,” freshman Lauren Adams said. “Dennis Prager is a very straightforward man, and I really appreciated when he talked about the disintegration of the American family, which is very important to me.”