Warren Buffett On Which Newspapers He Reads | May 7, 2012 | Summary and Q&A

Summary

In this video, Bill Gates, Charlie Munger, and Warren Buffet discuss their daily reading habits, their preferred news sources, and their TV viewing habits. They also share their thoughts on potential vice presidential candidates for Mitt Romney and discuss the motivators in their working lives.

Questions & Answers

Q: What newspapers or websites do you guys read every morning?

Both Bill Gates and Warren Buffet mention reading the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal regularly. Bill Gates also mentions reading The Economist as his regular weekly fare. Charlie Munger reads a variety of publications, including the local paper, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today.

Q: What do you watch on TV aside from sports?

Bill Gates mentions watching sports and Sunday news shows on TV. He also reveals that he watches all the Sunday news shows and has them taped so he can watch them at his convenience. When it comes to shows, he believes Comedy Central is clever, especially during a political season.

Q: Who do you think might be a good vice presidential candidate for Mitt Romney?

Charlie Munger admits that he has no idea and jokingly says that he has a long list of people he doesn't think should qualify. Warren Buffet suggests that Mitt Romney should pick someone who he believes would be best qualified to serve as President of the United States if anything happened to him. He emphasizes that the majority of people don't vote for the vice presidential candidate to a significant degree, so Romney has the luxury of making his decision based on his own judgment.

Q: What is the most significant motivator in your working life and how has that changed through the years?

Bill Gates reveals that his motivator has shifted from innovation at Microsoft to helping the poorest. He finds it exciting to see the number of children dying decreasing each year and focuses on science aimed at improving the lives of the poorest. Warren Buffet shares that his biggest motivator is running Berkshire Hathaway. He describes it as a never-finished painting with enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. He finds it fun and prefers it over retirement.

Q: Any other shows you find clever?

Bill Gates mentions that Comedy Central is clever, especially during a political season when there is a lot to make fun of. It is not explicitly mentioned whether Charlie Munger and Warren Buffet find any shows clever.

Q: Do you have any specific preferences in news publications or TV shows?

Bill Gates prefers reading the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Economist. Warren Buffet reads a variety of newspapers including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and USA Today. Charlie Munger also mentions reading the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and the local paper. It is not mentioned whether they have specific preferences for TV shows other than Bill Gates finding Comedy Central clever.

Q: Do you watch all the Sunday news shows?

Bill Gates confirms that he watches all the Sunday news shows and has them taped. It is not explicitly mentioned whether Charlie Munger and Warren Buffet also watch them.

Q: What is your biggest motivator in your working life?

Bill Gates shares that his biggest motivator has shifted from innovation at Microsoft to helping the poorest. He finds it exciting to see the number of children dying decreasing each year and focuses on science aimed at improving the lives of the poorest. Warren Buffet reveals that his biggest motivator is running Berkshire Hathaway. He finds it fun and describes it as a never-finished painting with enough twists and turns to make it interesting.

Q: Why do you think Mitt Romney should pick someone he thinks would be best qualified to serve as President of the United States?

Warren Buffet believes that Mitt Romney can afford to pick someone he believes would be best qualified to serve as President of the United States because people don't vote for the vice presidential candidate to a great degree. He suggests that this luxury allows Romney to make a decision based on his own judgment.

Q: What publications do you read regularly?

Bill Gates reads the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Economist regularly. Warren Buffet reads the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and USA Today. Charlie Munger reads the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, the local paper, and possibly more.

Takeaways

In summary, Bill Gates, Charlie Munger, and Warren Buffet have varied reading habits, with a focus on prominent newspapers like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Gates has shifted his primary motivation from innovation to helping the poorest, while Buffet finds running Berkshire Hathaway a never-ending and interesting endeavor. They also assert that Mitt Romney should prioritize selecting a vice presidential candidate based on their qualifications rather than for the sake of winning votes.