The CA bill, introduced by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), would mandate police body camera footage to be publicly released, but is there a way to standardize releases without compromising investigations? We also take a look at the lack of research and regulations behind therapy animals; economic impacts of historically low U.S. fertility rates; your favorite road trip stories; and more.
New state bill reignites debate over release of police body camera footage
The ongoing debate over the release of police video is being taken up by the state legislature.
According to the Los Angeles Times, a new bill would require law enforcement in CA to release video from police shootings and protests. The issue pits individual privacy against transparency – police and prosecutors say making videos public early on could compromise investigations. There are also privacy concerns about members of the public being shown during highly traumatic experiences.
AirTalk looks at whether the rules on police videos can be standardized.
Guests:
Cory M. Salzillo, legislative director for the California State Sheriffs’ Association
Adrienna Wong, staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California
Should the source of the Trump-CNN video be unnamed on certain conditions?
The viral video of President Trump wrestling a doctored “CNN” opponent is at the center of another story – this time with CNN in the hot seat.
The news organization released a story earlier this week on the anonymous Reddit user who created the video, but decided not to give out his name on a few conditions. As reported by the New York Times, CNN identified the video creator as a “private citizen” and would not reveal his identity, but only if certain things about his behavior did not change.
The anonymous source of the video had reportedly issued a statement of apology, and displayed remorse, taking down racist, anti-Semitic and other offensive posts. The CNN story went on with the following condition, “CNN reserves the right to publish his identity should any of that change.”
So what are the implications of unnamed sources? Larry speaks to two media ethicists on whether this oversteps the bounds of journalistic ethics.
Guests:
Jane Kirtley, professor of media ethics and law at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota
Jeffrey McCall, professor of communication at DePauw University in Indiana and former journalist; he is the author of “Viewer Discretion Advised: Taking Control of Mass Media Influences” (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007); he tweets
The rise of therapy animals and the limited research on their efficacy
Humans and animals have long had close and comforting relationships – but does that mean our critter companions are scientifically helpful therapy tools?
A Washington Post article published this week explores what’s already out there, and what’s still missing, in terms of research regarding the efficacy of therapy animals (not to be confused with service animals like seeing-eye dogs).
As we see more and more animals in the workplace, inside restaurants and brought onto airplanes for their comforting presence, how are different companies and businesses responding? Are people abusing the title “therapy animal” so they can take their pets everywhere? Are there risks in using therapy animals before there is clear scientific evidence of their benefits? What if we find out animals aren’t especially therapeutic after all?
Guests:
Hal Herzog, Western Carolina University psychologist; he has studied human-animal interactions for more than twenty years
Alan Beck, director of the Center of the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University
Will dropping US fertility rates hurt the nation’s economy?
U.S. fertility rates have hit a historic low.
That’s according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2016 provisional population data. The numbers showed that there were only 62 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. As reported in the Washington Post, the decline is due lower birth rates for teens and women in their early 20s.
With less teen pregnancy, and more access to health education and health care, this should be good news, right? Some economists disagree. With less population comes less labor force, and eventually more aging people without young relatives to care for them. In theory, this would lead to more cost to care for the elderly over time.
But some argue low birth rates could also boost the economy, giving women more time to focus on their careers and maintain finances. What do you think? Would lower birth rates help or hurt the economy?
Guests:
Ross DeVol, chief research officer at the Milken Institute; his research interests include population growth and labor force dynamics
John Townsend, Ph.D., director of the Reproductive Health Program at the Population Council, a nonprofit organization; the council’s focus includes conducting research on contraceptive technologies and family planning
Sexism and other challenges of being a woman entrepreneur
The New York Times released an extensive story on female experiences with sexual harassment in Silicon Valley last week.
The report spurred apologies from several prominent figures in the industry, including a major investor who resigned and apologized in a blog post, encouraging women with similar experiences to come forward.
In the wake of the Times’ story, AirTalk sits down with Assistant Professor in Entrepreneurship, Lakshmi Balachandra, and Aimee Sandarac, Founder and CEO of WhatFriendsDo.com, to explore the challenges of start-up culture for women.
We want to hear from female entrepreneurs: Have you faced sexism in trying to start a business? How have you responded to such situations? Has the culture described by women in Silicon Valley hampered your interest in pursuing entrepreneurship?
Guests:
Lakshmi Balachandra, an assistant professor in entrepreneurship at Babson College in Massachusetts; she is Fellow in the Women and Public Policy Program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she examines the impact of gender on entrepreneurial success in acquiring early-stage funding; she tweets at
Aimee Kandrac, founder and CEO of the startup, WhatFriendsDo.com, who has written about the challenges of being a woman entrepreneur for Fortune; she tweets at
AirTalk asks: Your favorite road trip stories
The summer of 2017 is underway and with the recent heat wave here in the southwest jacking temperatures so high that planes can’t take off in some places, why not skip the airport security lines and take a good old-fashioned road trip this summer.
They’re great opportunities to bond with your fellow road-trippers, see places in the country you wouldn’t see otherwise, and you might even save a little money in the process. Plus, no matter what happens while you’re out on the open road, there’s almost always a story to tell everyone when you get back.
Today on AirTalk, we want to hear your past road trip stories, good and bad. Maybe it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that turned into an unforgettable vacation. Maybe it was a trip that seemed like a great idea at the time and turned into a nightmare. Maybe you’ve got big plans for a trip this summer.
Larry and his family have just concluded a cross-country road trip and has tons of stories to share. He also wants to hear your tales from the road. Call us at 866-893-5722.