Press Play with Madeleine Brand
A Rocky Start to the Democratic National Convention
The DNC begins with some signs of disunity in the party. Struggling tech company Yahoo has been bought by Verizon. Social media is leading to too many young people having an unhealthy body images. And what's the role of global warming in wildfires here in Southern California?
By Madeleine Brand • • 52m ListenThe DNC begins Monday, but is the party united? The Clinton campaign is claiming the recent leak of party emails showing a preference for Clinton over Sanders was done by Russian-government directed hackers. We’ll talk about the purchase of Yahoo by Verizon, and look back on the tenure of Yahoo’s much ballyhooed CEO Marissa Mayer. Is an obsession with selfies, and social media sites like Instagram and Tumblr, making too many young people too obsessed with being thin? And as the Sand Fire rages. What role has global warming played in the fires, and how strong are they?
Banner image: Bernie Sanders march in Philadelphia ahead of the DNC. Photo by Saul Gonzalez
In this episode
5 storiesAre Democrats United?
The theme at the Democratic National Convention, which kicks off Monday , is “United Together.” But the reality so far has been anything but. The Wikileaks release of Democratic National Committee emails has reopened the wounds of Bernie Sanders supporters, forcing party Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to resign her post.
Read the story11 minOn the Ground at the DNC
How do Democrats attending the convention see the divide within the party? Polls show the vast majority of Sanders supporters will back Hillary Clinton in the general election. We’ll hear voices from Philadelphia on the state of the party.
Read the story7 minVerizon Buys Yahoo
Telecom giant Verizon announced this morning that it wants to buy Yahoo for nearly $5 billion. This is the second fading tech company Verizon has purchased recently; last year, they acquired AOL. Why are they buying companies that were popular years ago, and how do we judge the tenure of Marissa Mayer, Yahoo’s much-ballyhooed CEO?
Read the story7 minSocial Media and Body Image
A recent national study found a strong association between social media use and eating concerns. Is an obsession with selfies and social media making too many young people too obsessed with body image? And is that obsession putting them at risk for developing eating disorders?
Read the story14 minWildfires and Global Warming
The Sand Fire burning north of L.A. has forced about 20,000 people from their homes. The blaze near Santa Clarita exploded in size over the weekend and blanketed Los Angeles in a of haze of smoke and ash. We’re seeing more and more wildfires in California, and researchers point to climate change as one of the reasons.
Read the story7 min
