The future of sports streaming is under further scrutiny – What's the latest?

With the U.S. Open tennis tournament beginning Monday and college football kicking into high gear, this was supposed to be the week when some expected the Venu Sports streaming service to have a soft launch at least. Instead, the joint venture between ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery has been sidelined by a federal court’s preliminary injunction, and its future is very much up in the air. The Aug. 16 ruling by United States District Judge Margaret M. Garnett that Fubo was likely to be successful in proving that the joint venture would violate antitrust laws put the brakes on what was an ambitious timeline to get Venu Sports up and running. ESPN, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery and Hulu announced their plans to offer a sports streaming service on Feb. 6. They immediately got questions from competitors and sports leagues on how it would work. Before the case goes to trial, though, streaming companies and cable and satellite providers hope the ruling will advance discussions regarding how media companies sell their content. Will it continue to be bundling — where if a consumer wants to get ESPN, they often have to subscribe to a package that includes Disney Channel, Freeform, FX and National Geographic — or will there eventually be a day when a viewer can subscribe to ESPN only?

Joining us today on AirTalk is Joe Flint, media and entertainment reporter for The Wall Street Journal and Alex Alben, Lecturer in Law at UCLA, with a focus on Internet Law and Antitrust Law.

With files from the Associated Press.

The best of humanity is all around us and if you’re skeptical, check out this new book

When you tune into the news these days, you’re more likely to see examples of people being atrocious to one another rather than kind and generous. Social media is unlikely to offer you any relief, with algorithms favoring slander and harmful content. But there are corners of the internet, some small and some big, that center stories about joy, kindness, and the best of humanity. Since 2012, one of those corners has been Upworthy, the social media platform with 5 million followers that promotes positive storytelling. Now, a new book from Upworthy’s team seeks to remind people of our inherent goodness. Hand-picked interviews, stories and conversations from members of the Upworthy community comprise the new book titled GOOD PEOPLE: Stories From the Best of Humanity. Joining us today on AirTalk is Lucia Knell, vice president of Upworthy, a media brand focusing on positive storytelling and co-author of the forthcoming book GOOD PEOPLE: Stories From the Best of Humanity, and Gabriel Reilich, co-author of GOOD PEOPLE: Stories From the Best of Humanity (National Geographic, September 3, 2024); he is the head of content and innovation at Upworthy, a media brand focusing on positive storytelling We also want to hear from you. What’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.

Lucia and Gabriel will be discussing GOOD PEOPLE on Tuesday, September 3rd at 6:30 p.m. at Diesel Bookstore. Free seating will be available, but you can also reserve a seat if you purchase a copy of the book. More information here.

Watching people working for the weekend--the films that capture labor and workplace

Hollywood is a union town. So, its no surprise that there has been so many movies focused on the working class and various labor movements, from Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times" to Sally Fields’ "Norma Rae". But there are also a wealth of films that highlight certain professions and capture the hidden artistry and entertainment behind mundane jobs. Think "9 to 5" or "Office Space". Today on AirTalk, we celebrate the movies that put labor and its workers at the center with Peter Dreier, professor of Politics and Urban & Environmental Policy at Occidental College and Wade Major, film critic for LAist and CineGods.com and author of the “Hollywood Heretic” Substack. We'd also love to hear from you! Is there a movie that you think accurately captures your workplace or profession? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.

TV Talk: ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ ‘Lord of the Rings,’ ‘Kaos’ and more

Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we will try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching with Jen Chaney, television critic for Vulture, and Dominic Patten, executive editor for Deadline.

This week’s shows include:

• Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) 
• Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon Prime Video) 
• Kaos (Netflix) 
• English Teacher (FX/Hulu) 
• Slow Horses [Season 4] (Apple TV+)