As KNX looks to rebrand to sports talk, we check in with listeners on the state of local radio

KNX announces new sports talk format, we ask listeners about the state of local radio

In another shakeup to local radio, KNX News is ending its FM simulcast, with plans to launch a sports talk format with its higher fidelity audio. Its parent company, Audacy, still plans to keep its news format on its AM signal. Given the variety of radio programming, particularly with news and sports, we thought we’d ask listeners about the state of local radio and how it’s evolved. What are your thoughts on KNX’s decision? Is the current simulcast format something you’ll miss? How has local L.A. radio affected you? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.

The legal landscape of prediction markets that let you bet on nearly everything

Last week, AirTalk guest host Julia Paskin took a foray into the wild west of prediction markets. These markets are presented to consumers similar to how sports betting is, with users wagering their money on the outcome of nearly any event rather than on just sports. What sets prediction markets apart from traditional gambling is the absence of a house — users trade against other users, and odds are calculated based on how much money is going to what side of a wager. This distinction has led to a lot of legal ambiguity. So are prediction markets subject to the same kinds of regulation as gambling? Or are they legally distinct enough to require a different regulatory scheme? Joining AirTalk this morning to break down where we are at currently is Bobby Allyn, NPR technology correspondent and Mackenzie Schanke, senior analyst of regulatory research and analysis at Vixio.

Does the stage of your career impact how active a mentor you are?

Mentorship in workplaces could be a very important aspect of maintaining culture long-term; this tends to serve as a common cliche for most sports fans, as a ‘passing of the torch’, seemingly quite common when a team’s star player is supported by a promising prospect. Typically, in these sports scenarios, the implication is that on top of leading the team production-wise, they’re also mentoring these younger players and instilling good habits in them. Given that these general ideas pop up in all types of workplaces, we wanted to ask listeners about how they view mentorship. If you’re someone who’s mid-career or late-career, how do you view mentorship? Has your interest in mentoring coworkers changed over time? Join the conversation, give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.

Disneyland the latest to roll out facial recognition technology

Many venues across the U.S. have started using facial recognition technology and systems to verify tickets and prevent fraud. Disneyland and its sister park, California Adventure, are the latest example, as the parks now utilize biometric technology that is able to convert face images into unique numerical values. Experts are warning that normalizing this type of technology poses serious privacy risks as facial recognition systems often capture and identify individuals without their explicit consent. Today on AirTalk, we’re joined by Ari Waldman, professor of law and director of the Center for Technology and Justice at UC Irvine. We also want to hear from you! Have you been to a venue that uses facial recognition? How are you seeing it play out in your daily life? How do you feel about this technology? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.

William Shatner and Neil deGrasse Tyson talk upcoming live show ‘The Universe is Absurd’

For two nights at the Saban Theatre, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and Star Trek star William Shatner have a live show together that’s equal parts science and banter, titled The Universe is Absurd. This event follows the release of an audiobook collaboration they did together, titled Cosmos Confidential: Bill & Neil's Excellent Bromance, in which the two pop science icons chat about life and science. Having built a relationship off of that, they’ve now taken The Universe is Absurd to offer a similar experience for live audiences. Today on AirTalk, Larry sits down with Neil deGrasse Tyson and William Shatner to talk about their live show and the importance of science in media and storytelling.

“The Universe is Absurd” will be at the Saban Theatre, May 19 and 20. Click here for more info.