Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Trump and Media Bashing, and Sony Hack One Year Later
Politicians on the campaign trail regularly vilify the media. Why do they pit themselves against journalists, and how much of it trickles down to voters? And it’s been one year since the big hack at Sony. How is the studio faring?
By Madeleine Brand • • 52m ListenPoliticians on the campaign trail regularly vilify the media. Why do they pit themselves against journalists, and how much of it trickles down to voters?
Then, students at Princeton are demanding that Woodrow Wilson’s name be removed from university buildings and institutions because of his racist views. What is Wilson’s legacy when it comes to race, and what should Princeton do?
Next, Adele’s new album, 25, has broken the music industry’s record for most albums sold in a week. What does this milestone tell us about the state of the music industry?
And, it’s been one year since the big hack at Sony. How is the studio faring?
Finally, the weak box office returns for Angelina Jolie’s film By the Sea has Hollywood executives rethinking the so-called “favor” movie.
Banner Image: Donald Trump at the Conservative Political Action Conference 2015; Credit: Michael Vadon
In this episode
5 storiesTrump and the Media
It may be popular for presidential candidates to bash the “lamestream” media, but Donald Trump actually owes us a big thank you. During this campaign, he’s had so much media attention he’s barely had to spend any money on advertising. Yet he remains at odds with news outlets that recently have been fact-checking his campaign statements.
Read the story12 minWoodrow Wilson's Legacy at Center of Princeton Protests
Students at Princeton are demanding that Woodrow Wilson’s name be removed from university buildings and institutions because of his racist views. What is Wilson’s legacy when it comes to race, and what should Princeton do?
Read the story8 minAdele's Record-Breaking Record
Adele’s new album, 25, has broken the music industry’s record for most albums sold in a single week. And the week is barely halfway through! The record, released on Friday, has already sold more than 2 million copies. Only one other album has done that since Nielsen began tracking sales in 1991: N\*SYNC’s No Strings Attached, in 2000.
Read the story11 minSony Hack, One Year Later
One year ago today, everything changed at Sony . The entertainment company was hacked, probably by North Korea, in retaliation for the Seth Rogen movie The Interview. The computers in the office didn’t work. Troves of data disappeared, like salary information and internal phone numbers.
Read the story11 minAre "Favor" Movies Falling Out of Favor?
Studios often agree to throw a few million at a star’s pet project in order to keep them on board for more commercial movies. Angelina Jolie’s new film By The Sea is one example of a “favor” movie.
Read the story7 min
