1 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:11,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,759 Speaker 1: Cynthia Lyttleton, co editor in chief of Variety. Today my 4 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,759 Speaker 1: guest is Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey. Murphy is 5 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: cruising into the last nine months of his second term 6 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: as the big boss of the Garden State. By any measure, 7 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: he's had a successful run. From day one. Murphy put 8 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: huge emphasis on making New Jersey a much bigger player 9 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: in TV and film location work. In recent years, he's 10 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: focused on bringing brick and mortar studio infrastructure to the state. 11 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: Murphy details the arc of this campaign and why he 12 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: knew it was crucial for New Jersey. Murphy's a rare 13 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: breed these days, a popular Democrat. He talks about the 14 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: state of his political party and where he thinks leaders 15 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 1: should put their energy, and we talk about what it's 16 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: like to be a public figure these days amid rising 17 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: incidence of violence, such as the arson attack this week 18 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:21,320 Speaker 1: on the residence of Murphy's fellow Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania. 19 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: That's all coming up after this break, and we're back 20 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 1: with the conversation with Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey. 21 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey, thank you so much 22 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: for joining me here today. 23 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me well, I know. 24 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: You are coming. You're getting down to about the last 25 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: eight nine months of your tenure in the State House. 26 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: You've had two very successful terms. From my purchet variety, 27 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: I have noticed that you personally and the state has 28 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: put so much much attention on entertainment, on content creation, 29 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 1: on sound stages, the nitty gritty work of production. You 30 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: have really made a point of making New Jersey a 31 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,919 Speaker 1: very friendly place to work for people in the business 32 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: of shooting visual and audio content. Let me ask, did 33 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: you come into the State House with that in mind? 34 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: Was this a goal from the get go. 35 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 2: Yes, we thought we could use incentives much more aggressively, 36 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 2: much more carefully, much more targeted as a general matter, 37 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 2: in one of the arenas that we were specifically focused 38 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 2: on from moment one was film, television and digital with evolved. 39 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 2: Having said that, as you rightfully mentioned, we're in year eight. 40 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 2: If you want, if you roll the tape back to 41 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 2: the beginning, it was literally just putting incentives in place. 42 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 2: My predecessor had pulled the program completely, but we migrated. 43 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 2: We tweaked the incentives. I think almost every year since 44 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 2: we've been in office, and we've gone from being really 45 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: happy about stuff getting made in New Jersey and we 46 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 2: still are. We love that, we think we've got a 47 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 2: lot to offer, but we have migrated importantly to building 48 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:20,360 Speaker 2: bricks and mortar soundstages campuses, so that some of the 49 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 2: big companies Netflix at the top of the list, lions Gate, 50 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 2: there's a third big one called eighteen eighty eight, which 51 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,239 Speaker 2: is named after the year that film was invented. Those 52 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 2: are multi decade decisions to either buy, lease or both. 53 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 2: So we still love it when folks make stuff in 54 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 2: New Jersey around the state, but we have added to 55 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 2: that a very substantial program to actually get sound stages 56 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: and campus is built. 57 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: And obviously the infrastructure brings that even more permanent jobs 58 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: and the ripple effect. I want to talk to you 59 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: about both of those polls of what you talked about, 60 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: but let's start with the incentives in terms of what 61 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: the state is committed to support every year. Am I 62 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: right in thinking that it's about five hundred million a year, 63 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: that that's the whole budget for the program. 64 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 2: Of late it has been. But it also depends on 65 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 2: where you are on that cycle, particularly I'm building the 66 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 2: bricks and mortar part of it. 67 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: How do you make sure that for every dollar that 68 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: goes out you're bringing in at least two dollars or 69 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,919 Speaker 1: at least a dollar fifty. What are the hard metrics 70 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 1: that you use to judge the efficacy of the program. 71 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 2: So the folks who don't like film incentives have a 72 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 2: very narrow definition of return, and their argument is that 73 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 2: it's the state that's the actual dollar that gets returned 74 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,679 Speaker 2: to the state, which is not the role of the state. 75 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 2: By the way, I'll take all the dollars we can get, 76 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 2: believe me. But our job is to incent economic activity. 77 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 2: Put sum in the water, for instance, and we're not 78 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 2: looking for two dollars back on a dollar. Ever, is 79 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 2: about seven dollars of economic impact for every dollar that 80 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 2: we put on the street. That's in jobs, it's in 81 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 2: local economies, it's in construction trades. You just go across 82 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 2: the whole range. We measure our economy like any other state. 83 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 2: So the GDP, if you will, that is connected to 84 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 2: the hard dollars we put on the street is about 85 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 2: a sevenfold return. Again, most of it not coming back 86 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 2: to the state. The state gets some revenues, but most 87 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 2: of it going into the real economy. And frankly, that's, 88 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 2: among other things, what government should be doing, and this 89 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 2: is working quite well in that respect. 90 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 1: Can you give me, I'm sure you have a number 91 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 1: of practical, anecdotal examples. Can you give me some success 92 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:50,160 Speaker 1: story examples of local businesses that have reaped the benefits 93 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: of this influx of activity. 94 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, no matter whether it's a sound stage 95 00:05:56,120 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 2: or something being made, economies are the big winners. So 96 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 2: it's the coffee shop, the diner, the dry cleaner. And 97 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 2: we have a pretty cool program called film Ready. We 98 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:15,719 Speaker 2: have communities go basically through a if you will, a 99 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 2: boot camp of what to expect if you've got a 100 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 2: film being made in your town. And I say that 101 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 2: because they these towns, it's almost like a good housekeeping 102 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,159 Speaker 2: stamp of approval. These towns get it. They know that 103 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:34,039 Speaker 2: the economic the local economy will benefit enormously, and the 104 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 2: filmmakers love it because they've got an informed counterpart that 105 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 2: understands the responsibilities and the opportunities both. So you see 106 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 2: at all levels of society, all levels of our communities. 107 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,039 Speaker 1: Do you have any favorite projects that you were able 108 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: to either you know, you or the team were able 109 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: to help recruit to New Jersey or or came to 110 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: the state because you know, because of the very generous 111 00:06:57,680 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: incentives in place. 112 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, Star with Netflix, a near three hundred acre campus, 113 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:08,119 Speaker 2: a near billion dollar investment by them, which will transform 114 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 2: it's in the old Fort Monmouth. It will transform that 115 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 2: part of New Jersey, which happens to be by the 116 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 2: way where we live. It is absolutely the king of 117 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 2: the hill in terms of what we've been able to 118 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 2: do in terms of making stuff. I could give you 119 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 2: a bunch of examples, but Spielberg is probably the name 120 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 2: the gold standard. He made West Side Story here. He's 121 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 2: back in New Jersey this month making another project. He 122 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 2: loves it here. 123 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: Is there any opposition to this in the legislature? Has 124 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 1: it been difficult in the beginning to get to get 125 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: people to get behind incentives which, as I know you know, 126 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: sometimes to outsiders can seem like you're giving money to 127 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: Hollywood to make movies. 128 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 2: This is I'm knocking on wood here. We've been blessed 129 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 2: by bipartisan support on this overwhelmingly and that's been a 130 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 2: huge key here and hopefully it'll stay that way. I 131 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 2: know it's gotten some controversy in other places. A couple 132 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 2: of years ago, Georgia had a big debate again. That 133 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 2: was that debate between the narrow definition of economic impact, 134 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 2: i e. What goes back into the state coffers versus 135 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 2: the broader economic activity. We've escaped that largely, if not entirely, 136 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 2: escaped that, and I think it will continue to stay 137 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:34,680 Speaker 2: that way. In fact, we extended the program a couple 138 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 2: of years ago to twenty thirty nine, which is just 139 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 2: puts it way out beyond the horizon, if you will, 140 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 2: so that you've taken the political fear or concern out 141 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 2: of this equation entirely. And I'm betting that'll that will 142 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 2: stay that way for the years to come. 143 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 1: It's impressive that you started from a standing stop. You 144 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: did not that you had to be. And let me 145 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: ask you your predecessor, Chris Christie. It's famously it's believed 146 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 1: that he yanked the program, that he pulled the state 147 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: support for tax incentives because he was unhappy with the 148 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: portrayal of the Garden State on MTV's Jersey Shore. Can 149 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: you tell US. Is that true? Was there were there 150 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 1: larger forces going on or was it a fit of peak? 151 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: Yeah? I can't. I don't have any insights on it. 152 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 2: In fact, I'm way overdue to ask Chris ifitscrew. That's 153 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 2: the sort of that's the legendary reason that people hang 154 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 2: their hat on it. But it led to things like 155 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 2: you know, Boardwalk Empire about Atlantic City getting made in 156 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 2: New York City, which is crazy, that should have been 157 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 2: made in Jersey. And but listen, we've turned the page. 158 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 2: We're now globally significant. I can't tell you now how 159 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 2: many conversations were in where it's okay, it's coming down 160 00:09:56,160 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 2: to New Jersey, London or some other country. Some we're 161 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 2: in the world, Hungary and New Zealand, but on the 162 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 2: list of late other countries come and go. We're on 163 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 2: that short list and intend to stay there. 164 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: New Jersey can pass for I'm guessing you know, with 165 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 1: enough set dressing can pass for a lot of different climates. 166 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 1: You do have a lot of different whether it's whether 167 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: it's cliffs or you know, shore, you've got a lot 168 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:21,560 Speaker 1: to work with. 169 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 2: We do in a small the nation's fourth small estate geographically. 170 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 2: So not only do we have the diversity of Look, 171 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 2: I think we've got everything, frankly except the desert. But 172 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 2: you could do it very quickly, very easily. Filmmakers producers 173 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 2: looking at budgets love New Jersey for that reason as well, 174 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,599 Speaker 2: because you could move around fairly quickly and at a 175 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 2: fairly low level of expense. 176 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,439 Speaker 1: Has there been any Have you had any tension or 177 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,320 Speaker 1: have you had any coordination with with you know, that 178 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: big state to the to the east of you, New York, 179 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: which also has you know, put a real investment in 180 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: the last decade, more than more than a decade in 181 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 1: bringing incentives. Has there been any tension or any opportunities 182 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 1: to coordinate at all? 183 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 2: Less of the coordination. I mean, we compete, there's no 184 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 2: question about it. And we're in the you know, we 185 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,319 Speaker 2: both are sitting in one of the big talent reservoirs 186 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:22,079 Speaker 2: in the world. So it's not surprising each each state 187 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 2: has got its own legacy in terms of talent and entertainment. 188 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 2: We do a lot with New York City, We do 189 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 2: a lot with New York State. They're very good partners 190 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 2: in many respects. Their success is our success. But in 191 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 2: film and television we're largely competing made the best state 192 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 2: within and I think this room enough for both of 193 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 2: us to succeed. 194 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 1: There's a lot of production out there, for sure. Don't 195 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: go anywhere. We'll have more from Governor Phil Murphy of 196 00:11:52,679 --> 00:12:01,439 Speaker 1: New Jersey after this break with the rest of our 197 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 1: conversation with Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey. Where I 198 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:08,440 Speaker 1: sit now, my home state, California is quite Frankly, I 199 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: think this state's trying to figure out how they lost 200 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,559 Speaker 1: the majority of this business. But that's that's another story. 201 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:17,479 Speaker 1: Let me ask you also, you know, really significantly impactful 202 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 1: is the Fort Monmouth project that you mentioned. There's a 203 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 1: lions Gate project I believe in Newark if I'm not mistaken, 204 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: and some other you know, especially Fort Monmouth seems like 205 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 1: a really innovative and you know, really thoughtful way to 206 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: take to take an old army facility and bring it 207 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: into the future. 208 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 2: Yeah. I think there are largely three parts to if 209 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 2: you're succeeding with something like Netflix or lions Gate or 210 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 2: even a particular movie getting made. The three elements one 211 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 2: is the math has to work for the for the 212 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 2: studio and for the producers. So as nice as we are, 213 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 2: it's rare that our niceness, all of the other good 214 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 2: things about New Jersey will solve a math problem that 215 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,320 Speaker 2: is going against the production. So number one is math. 216 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:12,079 Speaker 2: Number two is making it easy and productive to film here. 217 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 2: And that's talent where Union state it's a union industry. 218 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 2: It's having a lot of the soft stuff, wardrobe set 219 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 2: ecosystems beginning to build up in New Jersey. So there's 220 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 2: sort of that part of it. And then thirdly, relationships 221 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:38,359 Speaker 2: we know and aggressively pursue in court the top leadership 222 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 2: at all the big studios. We're on with them constantly. 223 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:46,320 Speaker 2: We know them, they know us. So it's like everything 224 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 2: else in life, there's a relationship. This is a relationship 225 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:53,200 Speaker 2: business like most things. So it's the math, it's our 226 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 2: non math film environment. And then it's the relationships at 227 00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 2: the highest levels of the studios. 228 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 1: Any other aspects of entertainment or content or any of 229 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 1: the media companies like Audible, any tangible impacts that you 230 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: can see over your eight years and looking out into 231 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: the future, tangible impact of entertainment, content creation, media in 232 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: general that are paying benefits for New Jersey. 233 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 2: I mean all frankly, if you've brought an entertainment to 234 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 2: include sports. We have the World Cup Final next year 235 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 2: in New Jersey. That doesn't happen by accident. We have 236 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 2: the World Club Cup Final this year in New Jersey. 237 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 2: We've got post productions sprouting up because we've got now 238 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 2: incentives for post production. We have Worldwide Wrestling coming in 239 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,840 Speaker 2: for a couple of days this summer, huge concert slate, 240 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 2: a ton of movies getting made, a ton of television 241 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 2: getting made all over the state. There's evidence none of 242 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 2: this is by accident. This is an absolute, cold blooded, 243 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 2: focused strategy from moment one to become a major player. Again, 244 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 2: I might add in sports and entertainment, and the evidence 245 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 2: is all over the place. 246 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: Did you have any key allies, whether it's the state 247 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: or in local communities, anybody that you would say that 248 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: really helped you, especially early on, convince the state and 249 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: residence in the legislature of the need to get aggressive 250 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: in this area. 251 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 2: Well, I think we had good leadership in the legislature. 252 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 2: This stuff doesn't get done without legislative leadership, because you 253 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 2: need bills that I can't get the bill of my 254 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 2: desk I can sign up right against there. So I 255 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 2: give folks on both sides of the aisle, in the leadership, 256 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 2: especially the Senate President and Speaker of the Assembly. We're 257 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 2: a big union state. I mentioned, so iatsees head Matt 258 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 2: Loeb lives in New Jersey. He's become a very close 259 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 2: partner in this. I mentioned the studio heads. I don't 260 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 2: think there's a big studio that we don't have a 261 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 2: direct line into. That's been incredibly important. We've looked to 262 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 2: other states and other models. We wanted to make sure 263 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 2: we got our incentives program right. We've also, as I mentioned, 264 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 2: tweaked it almost I think every year since we've been here, 265 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 2: to make sure that we stay competitive on a global basis, 266 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 2: again consistently. Right now it's London is the big one 267 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 2: that we're competing with. I'd say Georgia as well, and 268 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 2: then other countries come and go. So having a real 269 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 2: sense of the not just the Hollywood piece of this, 270 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 2: but the global piece has been really important. We're going 271 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 2: to the Golf next week to pitch New Jersey. Part 272 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 2: of that will have film elements associated with it. A 273 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 2: lot of capital coming from the Golf interested in film 274 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 2: and television. So there's not one mentor not one model, 275 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 2: not one partner, but as they say, it takes a village, 276 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 2: and that's been our mantra since day one. 277 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 1: Did you know basically how media and inner came and 278 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: worked before you came into the governorship. You seem to 279 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: have a strong understanding of it. 280 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:07,479 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm not sure. I used to be an actor, 281 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:10,360 Speaker 2: an amateur actor in high school, in college, so I've 282 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 2: loved performing arts and entertainment, but that didn't necessarily give 283 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 2: me the instincts that I needed to help job start 284 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,439 Speaker 2: an industry. And I was a former I was a 285 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 2: banker and covered a lot of big companies, some of entertainment. 286 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 2: And I was a former US ambassador in my case 287 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 2: in Germany, which has a big legacy and history and film, 288 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 2: including a big studio that's right outside of Berlin. Yeah, 289 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,160 Speaker 2: so a combination of experiences. 290 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: All right, I have two last questions for you. Both 291 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 1: are hard to answer and both you can probably predict. Okay, 292 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: the first one is, Governor Murphy. You're a Democrat. You've 293 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: been elected twice now in twenty seventeen, re elected in 294 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one. You're a Democrat. The Democratic Party is, 295 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: by any measure, is in a very difficult place. How 296 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 1: have you booked the trend and been able to be 297 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: a successful governor, a popular governor, at a time when 298 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 1: the country is riven, even blue bastions are riven with divisiveness. 299 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:16,439 Speaker 1: What do you think are the keys for your party 300 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:19,400 Speaker 1: right now? What should they be doing in this time 301 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 1: of incredible disruption and quite frankly chaos in national politics? 302 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 2: General comment. After President Trump got elected in November, I 303 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:33,439 Speaker 2: felt like we had three or four months of the 304 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 2: proverbial deer in the headlight, just frozen, couldn't believe it happened, sideways, etc. 305 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 2: That's begun to change, and not necessarily for good reasons. 306 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 2: All the volatility, all the chaos, all the threats, and 307 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:56,280 Speaker 2: things like Social Security, Medicare, seniors, prescription drugs, Medicaid. This 308 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 2: has begun to rouse up the base of our party 309 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 2: again kind of for all the wrong reasons. But it's 310 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,199 Speaker 2: reminiscent now of what it felt like to me, at 311 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:11,120 Speaker 2: least in the twenty seventeen twenty eighteen midterm cycle, where 312 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 2: the Democrats did quite well. As you rightfully point out, 313 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:17,640 Speaker 2: I got elected in seventeen, and we had big successes 314 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:22,440 Speaker 2: in the midterm elections in eighteen. It feels like that's 315 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:26,360 Speaker 2: the direction we're headed again, not necessarily for the right reasons. 316 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,159 Speaker 2: I'd say two things more specific to me. One is 317 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:33,160 Speaker 2: you've got to meet people where they are, and that's 318 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:36,480 Speaker 2: pretty much always the kitchen table. What are you doing 319 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:40,560 Speaker 2: for affordability? What are we doing for opportunity? Are my 320 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:42,880 Speaker 2: kids going to have a better shape than we had? 321 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 2: Rising healthcare costs, energy costs? What are we doing explicitly 322 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 2: to push back on inflation? That's one the thing that 323 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 2: we've a mantra that we've lived by. The Other is 324 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 2: this is more of a national I was the National 325 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 2: Finance Chair when Howard Dean was the chair and what 326 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:05,440 Speaker 2: really struck me and attracted me to work with Howard 327 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 2: as a volunteer was his fifty state strategy. So I 328 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,680 Speaker 2: think the Republican Party does that really well. The plumbing, 329 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 2: the wiring, the non sexy stuff that makes parties go 330 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:20,879 Speaker 2: day in and day out. We're not good at that. 331 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:25,239 Speaker 2: So getting back to those basics, I think we'll do that. 332 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 2: The new chair feels like he's of that school of thought, 333 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:35,239 Speaker 2: But to me, it's the unsexy, quiet, boring stuff that 334 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 2: I think distinguished as political parties. 335 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: We're speaking as the news is breaking that Governor Josh 336 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:44,640 Speaker 1: Shapiro of Pennsylvania that there appears to ben Arson at 337 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 1: the governor's mansion in Pennsylvania. Is it scary to be 338 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 1: a public figure right now? 339 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 2: I think it's scary, But it's a sign of the times. 340 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 2: Josh is a great guy. He's a very close friend. 341 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 2: We were back and forth yesterday this news broke. It's 342 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 2: just that it tells you a lot about the tension 343 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 2: out there right now, the fact that somebody would even 344 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 2: think about this. So you want to obviously, you want 345 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 2: to make sure that the folks, the professionals who keep 346 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 2: you safe and secure, are reviewing an incident like this 347 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 2: and making sure that we're we've got a good system 348 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 2: in place to prevent something like that from happening. But boy, 349 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 2: we need to come together sooner than later as a country. 350 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 2: We're Americans first and foremost, and that's getting lost in 351 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 2: the sauce right now by too many folks out there. 352 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: Okay, we're going to leave on a more hopeful note. 353 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 1: What do you want to do next. 354 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 2: In the immediate term, it's to run through the tape. 355 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:49,640 Speaker 2: We've got nine months to go and we want to 356 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 2: make sure that those nine months are incredibly productive and 357 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 2: that we are that we are sprinting, and that we're 358 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 2: not putting our feet up. So that's the near term commitment. 359 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 2: I don't know beyond next January. I really don't. My 360 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 2: guess is there'll be some amount of public service. We're 361 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 2: spending a lot of time in hand to hand combat 362 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 2: with a lot of things I mentioned in the environment, 363 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 2: the volatility that we probably weren't anticipating would be doing. 364 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 2: That's probably taken up some of the otherwise free time 365 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:23,639 Speaker 2: to think about what's next. But no news to break, 366 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:25,960 Speaker 2: but I promise you when there is, we'll give you 367 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 2: a shout. 368 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:30,159 Speaker 1: Thank you, Governor Murphy, thank you for being a friend 369 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:37,000 Speaker 1: to showbiz, Thanks for having me, Thanks for listening. Be 370 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:40,159 Speaker 1: sure to leave us a review at Apple podcast our 371 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 1: Amazon Music. We love to hear from listeners. Please go 372 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 1: to Variety dot com and sign up for the free 373 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 1: weekly Strictly Business newsletter, and don't forget to tune in 374 00:22:52,880 --> 00:23:03,159 Speaker 1: next week for another episode of Strictly Business.