Today, Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com) debuts Katie Couric’s interview with former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. The story is available at:
https://news.yahoo.com/katie-couric-and-michael-bloomberg-221417585.html

In his first major interview since leaving office in December, Bloomberg, the U.N.’s newly appointed Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, strongly defended his administration against critics. Among the wide-ranging topics addressed in the interview, Bloomberg weighs in on the value of charter schools in public education, the role cities play in creating and combating climate change, President Obama’s push to raise the minimum wage, and issues that put him at odds with his successor Bill de Blasio. He also stands behind many political initiatives of his administration, including his battle against public health problems like smoking and obesity and his push to enact stricter gun laws.

Viewers also got a chance to interact with Bloomberg and raise the issues that are top of mind for audiences worldwide. Showcasing the type of social interaction that will be a key component of Couric’s interviews on Yahoo News, several of the questions asked in the interview came from viewer submissions on Couric’s Tumblr page, katiecouric.tumblr.com.

Couric brings viewers Bloomberg’s hallmark candor and his views on some of the most debated issues of the day:

• Charter schools and the ongoing education controversy in NYC
• Why climate change ranks so low on the priority list for Americans
• Gun control and questions about whether he could outspend the National Rifle Association and other opponents of gun control measures (Bloomberg casually replied, “Oh sure.”)
• Income inequality and his belief that the Fed fuels it with its monetary policies
• Obama’s minimum wage proposal, which Bloomberg calls “misguided”
• Why he’ll win the court battle on the controversial 16-ounce soda ban, and why it will become a national movement
• The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade and why he chose to march

Select clips from the interview:

Bloomberg on education and charter schools:
https://news.yahoo.com/video/bloomberg-education-020031427.html

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Bloomberg answers a viewer’s question on climate change:
https://news.yahoo.com/video/bloomberg-climate-change-real-053249966.html

Bloomberg on Fed’s role in income inequality
https://news.yahoo.com/video/bloomberg-income-gap-minimum-wage-055239148.html

Bloomberg on the “misguided” effort to raise minimum wage
https://news.yahoo.com/video/bloomberg-minimum-wage-025715969.html

Bloomberg on why he chose to march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade and why a boycott isn’t useful
https://news.yahoo.com/video/bloomberg-st-patrick-day-parade-053242680.html

Bloomberg on gun control
https://news.yahoo.com/video/bloomberg-gun-control-044044012.html

Bloomberg on public health
https://news.yahoo.com/video/bloomberg-soda-021437875.html

The full interview is available at:
http://news.yahoo.com/video/exclusive-katie-couric-interviews-mike-050040494.html

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Clips for broadcast outlets and additional embed codes are available. Please contact:
bahareh@yahoo-inc.com / 310-779-3031

Photos available at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/565l1g9shtsk3fj/ymfY0oGt4L?n=11263305
(Photo credit: Gordon Donovan/ Yahoo News)