Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Exide Cleanup, Apple and an Oscars Swag Fight
Yesterday, California Gov. Jerry Brown introduced a $177 million plan to test and clean up the areas contaminated by the Exide battery recycling plant. What’s going on with residents in those areas in the meantime?
By Madeleine Brand • • 52m ListenYesterday, California Gov. Jerry Brown introduced a $177 million plan to test and clean up the areas contaminated by the Exide battery recycling plant. What’s going on with residents in those areas in the meantime?
Then, Apple continues to fight an order to help the FBI unlock an iPhone used by the San Bernardino terrorists. We get an update on that and other Internet-related news in our weekly web segment.
Next, two entertainment business stories: First, the hiring of Channing Dungey at ABC, the first African-American to run one of the “big four” TV networks.
Second, the Academy is taking legal action to separate itself from Oscars “swag bags” put together by an outside marketing company.
And finally, Pope Francis just wrapped up a six-day trip to Cuba and Mexico. What has he said about birth control and abortion given the danger of the Zika virus in those countries?
Image: Protesters gather at the Exide battery recycling plant in Vernon in 2014.
In this episode
5 storiesExide Cleanup
Gov. Jerry Brown introduced a $177 million plan yesterday to test and clean up the areas contaminated by the Exide battery recycling plant. This comes almost one year since Exide Technologies shuttered its Vernon facility to avoid criminal charges for illegally handling toxic materials.
Read the story15 minWeb Roundup: Apple and More
A heated debate continues over whether Apple should unlock one of its phones to aid the feds in the San Bernardino attack investigation. We discuss that and other news of the digital world in our regular Thursday Web roundup.
Read the story9 minChanning Dungey
Channing Dungey has just been named president of ABC Entertainment Group, becoming the first African-American to run one of the “Big Four” TV networks, and home of shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and Blackish. What’s Dungey’s background, and how much of a role will she have in shaping the network going forward?
Read the story8 minAn Oscars Swag Bag Lawsuit
The Oscars are coming up at the end of this month. For nominees that means interviews, photo shoots and swag. Oscars gift bags are famously lavish, and the Academy says they’ve gotten so over-the-top, the Academy is now suing the company that puts them together. Basically, the Academy wants nothing to do with them. Photo by BDS2006
Read the story9 minThe Pope and Contraceptives
Pope Francis just wrapped up a six-day trip to Cuba and Mexico. The Zika virus wasn’t on his agenda, but on his flight back to the Vatican last night, he was asked whether church teaching on abortion and contraception could be loosened to help stop the spread of the virus to babies.
Read the story9 min
