Veteran auto writer Tom Krisher broke local, global and financial news by tapping AP’s broad reach and deep expertise to make the most of a rare interview with one of the business world’s most powerful executives: General Motors CEO Mary Barra.
Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, is interviewed at AP’s New York headquarters, July 14, 2022.
AP Photo / Julia Nikhinson
After securing the all-formats sit-down, Krisher and team reached out to audio, video and text specialists, auto and market experts, the White House team and international editors to craft an interview plan that was sure to deliver breaking news. The wide-ranging interview at AP’s New York headquarters covered subjects from GM’s plans to re-enter the European market (“a huge growth opportunity”) to the company’s response to the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade (GM will continue to pay for employees to travel for medical services). Krisher’s story led with Barra’s commitment to a bold prediction: By the mid-2020s, her company will sell more electric vehicles in the U.S. than Tesla.
The piece immediately made headlines on AP News and in major business publications. And responding to a line of questioning proposed by Midwest editor Roger Schneider, Barra told the AP that GM’s headquarters will remain in downtown Detroit’s Renaissance Center, despite longstanding rumors of a possible relocation. That generated a second story and a new burst of attention and engagement around the interview.