Martin Smith is a journalist and his documentary “Heat,” which explored climate change, recently aired on Frontline on the PBS network. During his reporting for “Heat,” Smith interviewed General Motors Corp. executives about the company’s efforts to re-tool to offer more “green” products. He discovered a company more concerned with making profits off of SUVs and trucks than building fuel-efficient vehicles.

On whether the Big Three should be given a bailout:
“My reporting didn’t lead me to answering that question. But when you look at what opportunities they’ve missed and what support they’ve taken in the past — and yet they continue to miss opportunities. I don’t think anyone is advocating bailing them out because they’ve been such great visionary businesses.”

On developing more fuel efficient cars:
“All of (the Big Three) missed the opportunity to develop hybrids in the 1990s. That’s when the Japanese government was going forward with that.
“All three took money from federal government and went forward with a promise to develop hybrid vehicles. But gas was cheap and they just continued to just stick their heads in the sand.”

On seeing a test drive of the GM Volt gas/electric hybrid. The Volt didn’t work and GM workers told Smith he could speed up his camera to make it appear that the car was moving:
“It was pretty amazing (that the Volt test failed). I can’t imagine a well-run auto company allowing that to happen.
“It was so muscle looking and big. I think there’s the assumption that we’re not going to buy small cars. There’s the whole system of suburban life that Americans are accustomed to living and having a big car.”