Press Play with Madeleine Brand
The Rodney King Beating 25 Years Later; and the Real Life 'Whiskey Tango Foxtrot'
Twenty-five years ago today, Rodney King’s brutal beating by the LAPD was caught on video. What’s changed since then when it comes to police brutality and how the media covers similar incidents now?
By Barbara Bogaev • • 51m ListenTwenty-five years ago today, Rodney King’s brutal beating by the LAPD was caught on video. What’s changed since then when it comes to police brutality and how the media covers similar incidents now?
Also, how has social media influenced the national conversation about race?
Next, the latest on the Apple v. FBI conflict and more.
After that, hear from the real-life reporter who inspired the new Tina Fey movie Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. And finally, a primer on the craziest ballot proposals of 2016.
In this episode
5 storiesPolice Brutality and Rodney King, 25 Years Later
Remember when Rodney King’s brutal beating by the LAPD was caught on video? The nine minutes of grainy footage put an angry national spotlight on how the LAPD treated black people. The department has been through many reforms since then, but distrust between police and communities of color persists.
Read the story10 minThe Power of Hashtag Activism
Technology has changed the way police incidents are captured, viewed and shared. But how has social media been used to shape the national conversation that follows? For instance, Black Lives Matter is now a household phrase. How did that come to be?
Read the story8 minWeb Roundup: Apple v. FBI
The battle between the FBI and Apple continues, and now Congress has gotten involved. We get the latest on that conflict, plus more tech news, in our regular Thursday web roundup with Xeni Jardin.
Read the story9 minThe Real-Life Reporter Behind 'Whiskey Tango Foxtrot'
Tina Fey’s character in her new film, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is based on the real-life journalist Kim Barker. She served as the South Asia Bureau Chief for the Chicago Tribune From 2004 to 2009. During that time she covered the war in Afghanistan and also reported from Pakistan.
Read the story14 minThe Craziest Ballot Proposals of 2016
California voters could be in for a bumper crop of ballot measures in November. One quippy Democratic campaign strategist said, “The voters pamphlet is going to look like the Encyclopaedia Britannica.” There are initiatives on gun control, minimum wage, taxes on cigarettes, and shrinking public pensions.
Read the story7 min
