Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Immigration Bills Stall, the Suicide Gene and Movie Marketing
Can this Congress get anything done? Republicans withdrew a border control funding bill yesterday. Was it another Tea Party success? Will the GOP leadership try again today? And a new study finds a gene connected with suicide. Could it lead to a suicide blood test?
By Madeleine Brand • • 51m ListenToday on Press Play, Congress still hasn’t passed an immigration border bill. House Republicans withdrew a funding bill yesterday. Can they make it happen today? Will it be DOA with Democrats? Did Congress get anything done this session? Is there a suicide gene, and could it lead to a suicide blood test? In our weekly film round-up, Marvel’s latest, “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and a James Brown biopic, “Get On Up.” And the cost of marketing movies is exploding: how much do you need to spend to get the word out...around the world?
Banner Image: US Border warning sign, by Makaristos
In this episode
5 storiesCongressional Inaction on Immigration
With Congress about to go on break for five weeks, President Obama still doesn't have the funding bill he asked for to tackle the immigration issue at the border. House Republicans called for - and then cancelled - a vote on a funding bill yesterday. But can they make it happen today?
Read the story10 minCongressional Action Elsewhere
The immigration debate has eclipsed the fact that some important legislation DID pass this week. Things like Veterans Affairs reform and a new highway transportation bill managed to make it out of the House. So is it unfair to call this Congress a “do-nothing” Congress?
Read the story6 minThe Suicide Gene
Imagine being able to prevent just one of the roughly 40,000 suicides that happen every year in the US.
Read the story10 minMovie Roundup: Biopics and Superheros
Marvel’s pretty much printing money these days with all of their movie efforts. Will “Guardians of the Galaxy follow suit? And a James Brown biopic hits theaters this weekend. What’s the secret to making a great biopic? All the new releases, and some casting news as well in this week’s Movie Roundup.
Read the story14 minMovie Marketing Explosion
The cost to market movies is exploding: it’s now common for blockbusters to have marketing budgets of well over $200,000,000. But in a world of ballooning marketing budgets, have studios backed themselves into a corner? If they have to spend that much to get the word out about a movie, will studios be forced to make fewer movies?
Read the story8 min
