Today on AirTalk we discuss the court appearance of the man charged in the Aurora, CO shooting, ponder who will be Mitt Romney's running mate, discuss Chick-fil-A's public support of traditional marriage, analyze the deal between DirectTV and Viacom, and listen in to the sounds of the Olympics.
Should James Holmes have been able to buy stockpiles of ammo?
Today, James Holmes appeared in court for the first time since the midnight mass shooting in Aurora, CO. Holmes appeared emotional at times and dazed at others while sitting in front of the judge.
According to authorities, Holmes is unwilling to cooperate with investigators and could face the death penalty. However, Carol Chambers, the district attorney in the case, stressed that pursuing such a path would first require consultation with the victims’ families, some of which were present today at the hearing.
Holmes started buying guns two months ago at local shops, but the most extreme items on his inventory were 6,000 rounds of ammunition, all of which were purchased over the Internet.
What is the legality of purchasing that much ammo? Is there an upper limit? Should there be? Are there any practices in place to monitor extreme buying practices such as this? Do we need more regulation? Is the system we have now sufficient?
GUESTS
Louis Sahagun, staff writer for The Los Angeles Times
Jim Hooley, Reporter, KOA News Radio (was in court this morning)
Ben Van Houten, Managing Attorney, Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Jeffrey Miron, director of undergraduate studies at Harvard University's Department of Economics; Senior Fellow, Cato Institute
Who will be Mitt Romney’s running mate?
In August, the Republican Party faithful will gather in Tampa, Florida for the official crowning of Mitt Romney as the GOP's presidential candidate. As the days to the convention tick by, vast column inches are dedicated to one question: Who will be the former Massachusetts governor's running mate?
For months, names have appeared on a revolving carousel of possibilities: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former U.S. Secretary of State Condolezza Rice and Florida Senator, Marco Rubio, to name a few.
The Republican Party is keen to avoid a repeat of the problems encountered in Senator John McCain's 2008 presidential race, in the wake of the selection of then Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin. The McCain/Palin ticket became fertile fodder for the media, along with the book and subsequent film, Game Change.
Close attention is expected to be paid to the vetting process of potential vice presidential nominees, with only the most suitable going forward for consideration.
What attention do you pay to a presidential candidate's running mate? Does the selection sway your vote one way or another? Who would you like to see as Mitt Romney's running mate? Or would you prefer to focus your attention on the person who may one day be Commander-in-Chief?
Guests:
Tom Del Beccaro, Chairman of the California Republican Party and author of ‘The New Conservative Paradigm’
Jonathan Collegio, Spokesman for American Crossroads Super PAC
Ted Frank, Attorney and VP Vetter during John McCain’s 2008 presidential bid; currently runs the Center for Class Action Fairness
Chick-fil-A takes a stand on gay marriage
Have you ever wondered if the businesses you frequent share your political views? Well, it’s been getting easier to find out lately as a number of companies have been coming out with their positions on same sex marriage.
Chick-fil-A, a company that has always been open about its Christian values — and closed for business on Sundays — has recently stirred up a social storm with its anti-gay marriage stance. Chick-fil-A’s president Dan Cathy, when asked in an interview with Baptist Press if his company’s support of the traditional family unit means opposition to gay marriage, Cathy replied, “Guilty as charged.” The reaction was clamorous. Supporters cheered and critics denounced the company’s political views.
“I think from a business perspective, I would have to ask Mr. Cathy whether he wanted to sell chicken sandwiches or whether he wants to evangelize his view. I’m proud to be in a country where you can do either one, and it’s up to him, but as far as selling chicken sandwiches is concerned I believe it’s gonna harm his business,” said Robert Winsor, professor of marketing and business law at Loyola Marymount's College of Business Administration.
It’s not clear yet what effect, if any, Cathy’s stance will have on his company’s profits. But Southern California residents have mixed views.
“I don’t agree with Chick-fil-A’s opinion but at the same time I’m still gonna bring my kids there because my kids enjoy going there, playing and also my kids enjoy the food. And that’s with a lot of companies. I find it refreshing that people have the right to have their own opinion and can say what they want to say,” said Arabella from Irvine.
“I think Chick-fil-A can do whatever they wish but then we as consumers can also choose not to support them. And my biggest question to him [Cathy] is, aren’t we all God’s children?” said Sandy from Pasadena.
Chick-fil-A isn’t the only company making headlines. JCPenney recently featured a gay couple and their children in a Father’s Day advertisement. Oreo became a hot topic after releasing an ad with a rainbow-stuffed cookie with the word “Pride” emblazoned beneath it. Target was called out for donating thousands of dollars to a politician with an anti-gay platform. The company then launched a sale of Gay Pride T-shirts, donating part of the proceeds to an LGBT advocacy group. Now, Target is even selling same-sex marriage greetings cards.
“I think the evidence is there both anecdotally and empirically that this can cause lasting damage...If I feel like I don’t get respected at a company I’m never going back. And I think we all have companies that we will not patronize even if it’s in our financial interest to do so,” said Winsor.
Weigh In
What’s behind this trend of businesses airing their political views? In a country that’s so politically polarized, how risky is it for companies to take a stand on controversial issues like gay marriage? Would you take your business elsewhere if a company’s values contradict your own?
Guest:
Robert Winsor, Professor of marketing and business law at Loyola Marymount's College of Business Administration
Could the DirectTV/Viacom deal be a step towards à la carte cable?
Good news for DirectTV’s 20 million U.S. customers. A deal was struck between DirectTV and Viacom early Friday, restoring 26 networks to subscribers including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.
The two companies have been fighting over fees, triggering a nine-day blackout. The terms of the new deal were not disclosed.
Both sides are claiming victory, but for the first time in history the distributor – DirectTV – seems to have won the public relations war. The blackout resulted in Viacom’s channels, such as Nickelodeon, losing ground to competitors like the Disney channel. But the battle did cost DirectTV some customers during the same period.
What will DirectTV’s next big negotiation be? Will more channels come down before deals can be made? Will the DirectTV agreement result in better terms for other programmers down the road?
Guest:
Andrew Wallenstein, TV Editor, Variety
The art and science behind the sound of the Olympics
This segment is part of KPCC’s series “L.A. To London,” which will be exploring local connections to the 2012 Summer Olympics. View the series and follow it on Twitter at
The average television viewer of the Olympic Games may not think about the details of recording audio for sports, but rest assured it is an intricate art form that requires finesse and some creative touches. In other words, not everything you hear through your television set is ‘real sound.’
Sports audio engineers often have to enhance the sounds of sporting events, either by miking the athletes themselves and adding that to the overall sound of the arena or in some cases by mixing in pre-recorded sounds compiled in more controlled environments.
For example, rowing is a particularly difficult event to capture sound for, because it’s such a long race and often has loud background noise like helicopters and chase boats. To get around this, audio engineers go out for a ride with rowers before the real event takes place, record the sound minus all the background noise, and add their recording to live race.
You may feel a bit duped, but in reality sitting on your couch probably delivers you a more complete audio experience than that of someone sitting in the stadium. You get to hear every little sound the mics pick up that wouldn’t be audible to those actually attending the events. It’s a necessary practice to deliver the best possible product.
Weigh In
Is there a definitive line between ‘real’ and ‘fake’ when it comes to audio for sporting events? Should there be?
Guest:
Peregrine Andrews, Sony Award-winning freelance audio engineer and producer of The Sound of Sport, which aired on BBC Radio 4
Olympic Sound Effects