Producer, 'Press Play'
Amy Ta has worked in public media since 2010, having produced NPR's Tell Me More with Michel Martin, Weekend Edition and NPR Music. She also photographed several special events and guests at NPR. Before coming to KCRW, she worked on the independent podcast Tiny Spark: Investigating the Business of Doing Good.
How will Disney-Fox deal affect what you see in theaters and on TV? For $71 billion, Disney gets Fox’s TV and film studios, 60 percent of Hulu, the FX and National Geographic cable channels, and some properties in India and Latin America. The combined Disney and Fox movie studios have earned nearly 50 percent of the North American box office this year.
How home staging makes housing more expensive The median home price in LA surpassed $600,000 for the first time this year. Prices are fueled by big market forces, but today we’re looking at one little factor juicing the stats: home staging.
President Trump dials back his rhetoric on Russia President Trump today says he misspoke at yesterday’s disastrous news conference with Vladimir Putin. He explained that he said “would” instead of “wouldn’t.” Why wouldn’t it be Russia who meddled in the election? That explanation stretches credulity, but it may be enough to satisfy Republicans who’ve been critical. We talk with Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff about what Congress needs to do next.
The challenges of being Native American in Oakland Tommy Orange is a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma, but he grew up in Oakland. His new novel, “There There,” is set in Oakland. His many disparate characters -- all urban Indians -- struggle with what it means to be Native and struggle to connect with disappearing traditions.
Justice Department indicts 12 Russians for election hacking The Department of Justice says it has enough evidence to charge 12 members of the Russian military with hacking the Clinton campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Sen. Kamala Harris on SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh: 'There is a lot to be concerned about' Democrats are waging an intense battle to block Judge Brett Kavanaugh from joining the Supreme Court. Moments after President Trump nominated him, California Senator Kamala Harris said she’d vote no. She tweeted that Kavanaugh “represents a direct and fundamental threat to the rights and health care of hundreds of millions of Americans.” She joins us to explain her concerns.
The future of HBO AT&T now owns HBO, since the Time Warner merger went through. AT&T has made it clear it wants from the channel: More subscribers watching more programming more hours of the day. That may not fit very well with HBO’s higher-end programming model, which emphasizes quality over quantity.
Would you take a tram to the Hollywood sign? Warner Bros. wants to build an aerial tram to the Hollywood sign, which would cost $100 million. The ride would start from a parking structure by the studio in Burbank. The plan has us wondering about other ways to ease traffic congestion. Is it time to reconsider the monorail?
How the Federalist Society shapes the Supreme Court President Trump will make his Supreme Court pick this evening. He’s reportedly whittled his options down to four people. All are younger than 55, meaning they’re likely to be on the court for decades. They all come from a list compiled by the conservative Federalist Society.
For asylum seekers, all eyes on one notebook At the San Ysidro Port of Entry near Tijuana, asylum seekers use one notebook to keep track of who is next to enter and make their case for asylum. There are 2000 names on it -- people from all over the world, including Mexico, Central America, and Africa. Immigrants treat it like a “sacred totem.” But some suspect it’s not impartial.
How much pain can the human brain handle? How does the human brain respond to pain? Journalist Nicola Twilley offered to be a test subject for Irene Tracey, who calls her Oxford lab the “torture chamber.” Researchers stuck needles in Twiley’s calf, burned the back of her hand with a laser, and applied a cream to her shin, which contained capsaicin, the chemical responsible for the burning sensation in chili peppers.
Why the mentally ill end up in jails and prisons The Los Angeles County Jail is the largest psychiatric ward in America. About a quarter of the men imprisoned in LA -- and nearly half of the women -- need some form of mental health care. Across the country, jails and prisons are increasingly being forced to provide psychiatric care for their inmate patients. These institutions are not set up to do that.
Will West LA see denser housing near public transit? L.A. City Council will vote Tuesday on a plan that could pave the way for up to 6,000 new housing units near the Expo Line by 2035. It’s a model city leaders hope to emulate all over the city: dense housing near public transportation. Many homeowners are embracing it.
'Three Identical Strangers:' true story of triplets separated for 19 years Identical triplets were separated at birth, then found each other by chance when they were 19 years old. They bonded instantly and became celebrities overnight. It sounds like a fairytale, but it didn’t turn out that way. A new documentary tells their story.
How do motel owners feel about housing the homeless? We meet some motel owners who are turning their properties over for use as homeless shelters, and others who aren’t so sure that’s a good idea.
Press Play Special: Justice Kennedy’s retirement The Supreme Court is about to get more conservative. Justice Anthony Kennedy is retiring at the end of July. Although nominated by Ronald Reagan, he was the court’s swing vote. Trump’s next nominee will be firmly on the right.
How do Trump supporters feel about the Paris Accord? Globally and around the U.S., there are strong opinions whether or not the Paris Climate Accord is a good idea. The American exit is either a horrifying abdication of American leadership or a forceful and long overdue statement about U.S. sovereignty.
Accusations of lying fly between James Comey and White House During his testimony Thursday, former FBI Director James Comey accused President Trump and other White House officials of lying when they said the FBI was in disarray and its staff had lost confidence in him. President Trump’s lawyer said Comey was wrong -- that the president never asked for his loyalty, and never asked him to back off the investigation into former NSA director Michael Flynn.
George Saunders: Lincoln in the Bardo (Part I) Lincoln in the Bardo dramatizes a grieving President Lincoln as he visits the grave of his beloved son Willie, who died at age eleven. In the novel, the buried dead believe they're not dead -- "they're sick and refer to their coffins as "sick boxes."