Today on AirTalk, we revisit the Watts Riots 55 years on. Also on the show, we learn more about TikTok; answer your questions about COVID-19; and more.
China? Microsoft? Trump? Ok, Boomer, Here’s A Primer On What’s Going On With TikTok
The latest twist in the TikTok saga is an especially strange turn in a tale filled with strange turns. Suddenly, Microsoft - known primarily for work software like Windows and Office - is in talks to buy the popular Chinese-owned video app, which has raised national-security concerns for U.S. officials.
The U.S. government is effectively forcing ByteDance, TikTok’s owner, to sell so it can salvage the app in the U.S., a huge and valuable market. President Donald Trump has threatened a “ban” on TikTok and other administration officials and U.S. lawmakers of both parties have said the app's Chinese ownership is a concern.
It’s unclear what shape such a ban would take or whether the sale will go through. TikTok’s users are posting videos saying they are upset and angry.
AirTalk dives into theTikTok saga and provides a primer for those unfamiliar with COVID-19’s most popular social media app.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Mike Isaac, technology correspondent for the New York Times; he is the author of “Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber”; he tweets
Wendy Lee, digital media reporter for the L.A. Times covering the growing influence of tech giants; she tweets
Previewing Football Season: NFL Sets Thursday Opt-Out Deadline, Pac-12 Players Pen Unity Letter With List Of Demands
NFL players who decide to opt out of the coming season must do so by Thursday afternoon, a person familiar with the agreement between the league and the players told The Associated Press.
There also are opt-out provisions for players who experience emergency or extenuating circumstances during the season due to the coronavirus, the person said, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the changes to the collective bargaining agreement have not been made public. Those provisions would cover a player with a severe family situation related to COVID-19 or if he is diagnosed with a high-risk condition after Thursday's deadline. Any player who opts out and is in the high-risk category will receive a $350,000 stipend for 2020, with his contract paused. Players in the voluntary opt-out category will get $150,000 in the form of an advance on a contract.
Meanwhile, the Pac-12 responded Monday to football players who have threatened to opt-out of the season because of concerns related to health and safety, racial injustice and economic rights with a letter touting the conference’s work in those areas and an invitation to meet later this week. A letter from Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott, dated Aug. 3, was sent to 12 football players leading the #WeAreUnited movement. The letter was obtained by The Associated Press and first reported by Sports Illustrated. The players say they have been communicating with more than 400 of their peers throughout the Pac-12. The group released a lengthy list of demands Sunday and said if they are not addressed they will not practice or play. The group said it reached out to the Pac-12 on Sunday to request a meeting. In the letter, Scott said he was eager to discuss their concerns. The #WeAreUnited players' demands focused on four areas: health and safety protections, especially protocols related to COVID-19; guarding against the elimination of sports programs by schools during an economic downturn; ending racial injustice in college sports; and economic freedom and equity.
Guests:
Kavitha A. Davidson, host of “The Lead” podcast from The Athletic and Wondery Media; she tweets
Kyle Bonagura, staff writer for ESPN covering college football; he tweets
COVID-19 AMA: Drop In Infections, Vaccine Frontrunners And More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, Dr. Kimberly Shriner.
Topics today include:
The latest California numbers
California is going through a reduction in confirmed COVID-19 cases. What does that mean for re-opening?
LA and OC experience drop in hospitalizations
How many positive COVID-19 cases should it take to close down a school?
What are the vaccine frontrunners? What are the pros and cons of each, so far?
Plus, once the vaccine is online, who should be the first to get it?
There are still questions about COVID-19’s ability to spread ‘silently’
Guest:
Kimberly Shriner, M.D., infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena
Anger, Distrust And A Political Reckoning: Reflecting On The Watts Riots And How Things Have Changed 55 Years Later
Shortly after a California Highway Patrol officer pulled over and arrested Marquette Frye on Aug. 11, 1965, a crowd started to form. Tensions rose as the crowd grew and it eventually led to days of destruction and violence in South Los Angeles and clashes between Watts residents, a predominantly Black neighborhood, and police.
The events resulted in 34 deaths, hundreds of injuries and more than $40 million of property damage. The uprising didn’t develop out of thin air though. Tensions had been simmering for a number of reasons, including long-time distrust in police, disparities in education and residential segregation. The Voting Rights Act also went into effect around the same time, so there was a heightened political awareness in L.A. It’s been 55 years since the events in Watts transpired, but many civil rights and Black Lives Matter advocates wonder how much has really changed since then. This year, the world has seen large-scale protests, marches and riots in response to George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police in May, and the actions have led to the “defund police movement.”
Today on AirTalk, we contextualize the history of the Watts Riots and discuss the changes or lack thereof that have been made over the last 55 years. Do you have thoughts? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Brenda E. Stevenson, history & African-American studies professor at UCLA
Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles County Supervisor representing District 2, which encompasses parts of the Westside, including Culver City, and the Eastside, including Carson and Compton; he tweets
Connie Rice, LA-based civil rights lawyer; she is on the board of KPCC trustees
AirTalk Checks In With Metro CEO Phil Washington: Federal Relief, COVID-19 Risks, Alternatives to Armed Police And More
Metro’s CEO Phil Washington joins Larry Mantle for his regular check-in to talk about all things public transit. Topics include:
Public transit use is associated with higher COVID-19 death rates
MTA encourages travelers to return amidst depressed ridership and revenues
LA Metro and Metrolink received more than $1 billion in COVID-19 relief
MTA bus drivers have protested for coronavirus hazard pay. One bus driver died of COVID-19 complications
Drivers have expressed concern over crowded buses
LA Metro receives renewed attention for ongoing racial justice programs
In response to racial justice protests, MTA is looking into alternatives to armed police
MTA drew attention in early June when its buses were used to transport protesters to jail
How is the ongoing coronavirus pandemic affecting construction projects?
Guest:
Phil Washington, CEO of The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)