The Fourth Estate - Out to Lunch - It's Baton Rouge

In historical Britain the three estates of the realm were the
clergy, the nobility, and the commoners. The Fourth Estate is a
segment of society that wields an indirect but significant
influence on society, even though it is not a formally recognized
part of the political system. The most commonly recognized part of
the fourth estate is the news media. However, these days, it s more
difficult to ascertain just what kind of influence the news media
exerts, between the competitive pressures posed by the internet,
and the almost daily barrage of attacks from the most powerful seat
in the country and arguably the world against the "fake news"
media. Stephanie s guests on this edition of Out to Lunch have some
unique insights on the subject. Rolfe McCollister is the owner of
Louisiana Business Inc., a Baton Rouge based company that publishes
the Baton Rouge Business Report, 225 magazine, and In Register, as
well as dozens of special publications for contract clients. Rolfe
is also the consummate entrepreneur he founded the Business Report,
the company s flagship publication, in 1982, when he was just 26
years, and he still writes an influential and often controversial
opinon column in each biweekly issue. In the interest of full
disclosure, Rolfe also happens to be Stephanie s employer, but that
doesn t make him any less interesting of a guest. Jim Engster is
one of the best known media figures in Baton Rouge. Jim is the
president and owner of The Louisiana Radio Network, which produces
and distributes news content to dozens of affiliates throughout the
state. Jim also produces and hosts two daily radio shows Talk
Louisiana on WRKF and The Jim Engster Show on 107.3 FM in the
afternoon. He is also the owner of Tiger Rag Magazine, the self
proclaimed bible of LSU sports. Jim got his start in journalism as
an LSU student in the late 1970s and has been affiliated with the
Louisiana Radio Network since the 1980s. He acquired the network in
2010. Jim is also a political analyst for WAFB TV due in part, no
doubt, to his encyclopedic knowledge of local politics. If you re
looking for insight into what s going on in Baton Rouge, you ve
come to the right lunch table Photos at Mansurs on the Boulevard by
Ken Stewart.

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