Director, USC's Norman Lear Center
Director of the Norman Lear Center and Associate Dean at the Annenberg School for Communication at University of Southern California; former speechwriter, during the Carter Administration; former executive at Disney; television writer and producer on The Distinguished Gentleman
The Architecture of Protest In the past couple of decades dystopian urban critics and sci-fi writers have been painting a picture of a society in which public space was becoming privatized—especially in LA—while the computer was drawing people into isolated virtual worlds. Then came rolling protests, bringing thousands into streets and public squares from Tunisia and Moscow to downtown Los Angeles. What happened? Marty Kaplan is a former political speechwriter who witnessed the political upheaval of the 1960s. Now he directs the Norman Lear Center at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism , studying the impact of entertainment on society. He explains that while social networking connected people, retaking physical space was essential. Image: Time's Person of the Year for 2011 is " The Protester" , with a cover by LA artist Shepard Fairey based on a photo of Occupy LA protestor Sarah Mason
Local Television News Isn't Local, Isn't News Federal Communications Commissioner Michael J. Copps says he's " flat out alarmed " by a study of local television news by the Norman Lear Center at USC's Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism. It's titled, "Local TV News in the Los Angeles Media Market: Are Stations Serving the Public Interest."
Pop Culture's Affect on Politics The TV show 24 portrays a hero who saves the country by violating the law. His use of torture is part of a hit program. An Inconvenient Truth is Al Gore's power-point lecture on global warming. For a movie-going audience, that might be the perfect sedative. But it's made more money than some big-time features and last night it won two Oscars . Both on stage with Leonardo DiCaprio and after the ceremony, Gore joked about another presidential run. Whether or not he does run again--or sparks action on climate change--one thing is clear: entertainment and politics really do mix. Do audiences get it? Are the messages getting through?
It's Obama versus Clinton in the Hollywood Primary Bill and Hillary Clinton were Hollywood's favorite politicians, but a young new politician with a matinee-idol smile is pushing Hillary aside. Not only did Barack Obama make a big entrance at a fundraiser here this week, but one of his key supporters gave a taste of the battle to come by delivering some harsh words about the Clintons . Marty Kaplan is Director of the Normal Lear Center at the University of Southern California.
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?