Today on AirTalk we'll look at a study which shows Americans still question the faiths of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, figure out why Facebook has more users but less profits, examine the world of "doping" and the Olympics, invite our KPCC film critics on to review the new movies this week on FilmWeek and consider the legacy of the Hollywood musical.
Church and state on the campaign trail
In 2008, when he was still a new face to many Americans, 12 % thought Barack Obama was a Muslim, according to the Pew Research Center. Today, a new Pew poll reveals that the number has jumped to 17%. – with over 30% of Republicans taking that view. Obama has talked about his Christian faith many times publicly, so why the lingering – even growing - confusion over our president’s religion? Hasn’t that question, along with doubts about his citizenship, been put to rest long ago?
The anti-Obama faction has been relentless in delivering the message that the president is somehow “un-American” – either by birth or ideology – and stirring the pot about his religious faith. And those who oppose him are only too willing to believe, it seems, despite the evidence to the contrary. As for Republican challenger Mitt Romney, Americans are much better informed: 60% say they know he’s a Mormon, with most of the rest saying they don’t know his faith.
The poll’s results indicated that both candidates are falling short in controlling their message in this area. How heavily will religion weigh in swaying voters this fall? Will conservative evangelicals rally behind Romney despite his Mormonism? Will Obama be able to overcome the misinformation about his Christianity? Do you take a candidate’s faith into account when you go to the polls?
Guest:
Alan Cooperman, Assistant Director of Research at the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life
John Kenneth White, Professor of Politics, Catholic University, Washington D.C.
With the latest earnings report, is Facebook losing more than its share price?
Yesterday, the folks at Facebook released their first earnings report since going public nearly two months ago. The results were a mixed bag for the Menlo Park social media giant that’s still trying to find its way through Wall Street.
On the plus side, Facebook saw its revenue exceed many analysts’ expectations with a 45% increase year over year. Users also increased in that same time showing that the social platform still reigns supreme. Yes, we’re looking at you MySpace & Friendster.
But Facebook still hasn’t taken control of a few glaring problems and that’s why its stock price continues to fall. The company spent its highest amount ever on advertising this year, which cut down on profitability considerably. Investors are still unconvinced that the platform can successfully turn almost one billion users into one billion consumers. Add to the fact that new studies by Capstone Investments and an AP/ CNBC recently found that there has been a slight decline in major markets both in time spent on Facebook and new users. In the long run, this may be the biggest hurdle that the Facebook leaders will have to face by the time Q3 comes out.
If your biggest assets are your users, what do you do if you start to lose them? Have you cut down your time on Facebook? Do you use your mobile applications for Facebook the most? Do you see a new social media trend taking the place of Facebook in the next few years?
Guest:
Matt DeBord, KPCC economy blogger, DeBord Report
Winning the ‘war on doping’ in athletics
All eyes are on London with the opening of the Olympics, but where there are high profile athletes, the conversation soon turns to performance enhancing drugs.
The World Anti-Doping Agency says the London games will be the most dope-tested in history, and has already spent roughly $30 million on drug testing and enforcement. Wealthier countries usually have a competitive advantage when it comes to athletics. More money to spend on sports means better training facilities and coaches, and more money for equipment like expensive aerodynamic swim suits.
But are wealthier countries better equipped to cheat, both within and outside of the rules, as well?
The Olympics and other athletic competitions strive for a level playing field between all competitors, and are spending up to roughly $30 million on tests and enforcement of anti-doping in the 2012 Olympic games to maintain balance ? but gray areas still remain. Several athletes train and sleep in hypoxic chambers that mimic high altitude, which boosts an athlete's red blood cell count, increasing endurance and recovery time. Such a chamber runs from $7,000 for a small tent, to $25,000 for a room, according to the Huffington Post. In 2008, medal winners in swimming were dominated by athletes who wore aerodynamic swimsuits that ran over $500, and needed to be replaced after five uses.
It may or may not be ethical, but as of now, it’s allowed. Those price tags are simply unaffordable for poorer countries.
Guests:
Daniel M. Rosen, author of Dope: A History of Performance Enhancement in Sport from the Nineteenth Century to Today (Praeger)
Michele Verroken, Founding Director of Sporting Integrity and former Director of Ethics and Doping at UK Sport
FilmWeek: The Watch, Ruby Sparks, Dark Horse and more
Our guest host David Lazarus is joined by KPCC film critics Andy Klein and Henry Sheehan to review this week’s new films, including The Watch, Dark Horse, Ruby Sparks and more.
Guests:
Andy Klein, film critic for KPCC and L.A. Times Community Newspapers
Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and dearhenrysheehan.com
Movie musicals remain footloose and fancy free
In the new film“Step Up Revolution,” a crew of street dancers is pitted against the world’s best hip-hop dancers. Ever since the days of Fred and Ginger and “West Side Story,” music and dancing have had audiences kicking up their heels. But although “Rock of Ages” and the recent version of “Footloose” stumbled at the box office, big screen adaptations of musicals continue to be popular.
The 2009 film “Mamma Mia!” surpassed Titanic as the U.K.’s highest grossing film of all time, an impressive feat. Closer to home, 2007’s “Hairspray” became the record-holder for biggest sales at opening weekend for a movie musical, only to be surpassed in 2009 by “Mamma Mia!” Meanwhile the newest adaptation, the upcoming “Les Miserables,” has garnered buzz from fans and critics for its star-studded cast.
The small screen latched onto the trend in 2006 with the TV movie “High School Musical,” which spurred an incredibly popular franchise that eventually made its way to movie theaters and paved the way for “Glee” and “Smash.”
What are your favorite movie musicals? Does “Singin’ in the Rain” have you dancing in the aisles? Do you think the trend will last, or do you think it’s on its way out? Are you tired of all the movie musicals and song-saturated TV shows? Or can you not get enough of them?
Guests:
Andy Klein, film critic for KPCC and L.A. Times Community Newspapers
Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and dearhenrysheehan.com