Police In Riot Gear Clear UCLA Encampment, Firing Flash Bangs And Arresting Protesters

Hundreds of law enforcement officers in riot gear moved into a pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA early Thursday, firing flash bangs and dismantling barriers. After initially forming a line and holding it, officers began to move more aggressively before 5 a.m., pushing back protesters holding makeshift shields and lobbing items at the police line. In short order, they'd cleared dozens of protesters who'd set up on the front portico of Royce Hall, where pro-Palestinian graffiti had been spray painted on the ornate stone doorways and scores of flyers taped on pillars and screwed into the barricaded front doors. By 5:15 a.m. the encampment was clear, with only a small contingent of protesters remaining. The initial police action began about nine hours after the first order to disperse was made. Law enforcement first declared the protest an unlawful assembly about 6:15 p.m. Wednesday night. Then by around 3:15 a.m. Thursday, officers began breaking down tents and dismantling plywood boards to remove a makeshift barrier wall erected by protesters in the week since the encampment went up. The Daily Bruin, the student newspaper, reported shortly after 4 a.m. that their journalists had confirmed dozens of people had been detained. There was no official word Thursday morning on how many arrests were made. Joining us to discuss are Brian Feinzimer, freelance photojournalist who was documenting the UCLA protests last night, and Tina Patel, reporter for KCAL News.

With files from LAist. Read the full story here.

What Paramount’s Future Holds Following CEO’s Exit

Paramount Global parted ways with CEO Bob Bakish on Monday, likely removing another impediment for Skydance Media to gain control of the entertainment company and its legendary film studio. The company announced its leadership change at the same time it released its first-quarter 2024 earnings. Its overall fortunes were boosted in particular by the company broadcasting the Super Bowl in February. Paramount revenue grew 6% year over year to $7.6 billion. But despite reducing its spending on programming by $556 million in one year — a 33% decrease — the company still reported a loss of $554 million. Bakish has been replaced by a troika of division leaders inside Paramount: CBS’ George Cheeks, studio chief Brian Robbins and MTV’s Chris McCarthy. Their stated three-point plan is to make the most of Paramount’s hit content, strengthen the balance sheet and optimize its streaming strategy. April 30 was the deadline for Paramount to renegotiate its carriage deal with Charter, the nation’s largest cable company -- that deadline was extended. Paramount generated $2.58 billion in advertising revenue from CBS and its cable networks in Q1, and $2 billion in affiliate revenue. Paramount’s exclusive negotiating window with Skydance expires Friday.

Today on AirTalk, Sean McNulty of The Ankler’s daily entertainment newsletter The Wakeup joins us to break down what Bakish’s exit portends for Paramount’s future.

With files from David Lidsky at The Ankler.

This story is published in partnership with The Ankler, a paid subscription publication about the entertainment industry.

‘Perfect Eloquence’ Captures Vin Scully’s Quiet Kindness Outside The Broadcast Booth

It is an undisputed fact in the baseball world that legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully is one of the greatest to ever grace the microphone. A one-of-a-kind talent, Scully’s voice was the soundtrack to the summer in Los Angeles and around the country, as he not only provided play-by-play for the Dodgers, but also for national baseball broadcasts. But to those who knew him, Vin was more than just a great broadcaster -- he was a great man. He was devoted to his family, his faith and of course his first love -- baseball. He was kind to his fans and admirers, and those who were lucky enough to cross paths with him always spoke of his humility, sincerity and humor. And it’s this side of Vin that journalist Tom Hoffarth sought to capture in his new book. It’s a collection of 67 essays -- one for every year Scully graced baseball broadcasts with his dulcet tones -- from friends, former players, historians, journalists, celebrities and others whose lives Vin touched during his 94 years with us. There’s even an essay by L.A. Times Columnist Patt Morrison that mentions a couple of LAist hosts that longtime listeners will recognize.

Today on AirTalk Tom and Patt join Larry to talk about ‘Perfect Eloquence’ and the many ways the essayists in the book chose to remember the great Vin Scully.

California’s Endemic Steelhead Trout Is Officially ‘Endangered’ – Why That’s A Good Thing

Southern California Steelhead Trout, which are endemic to the region, have been officially listed as an “endangered species.” For decades their populations have been dwindling, disrupted by dams and overdevelopment of their natural habitats. In 1997, the federal government recognized the species as endangered. This new designation, at the state level, will allow agencies to allocate funds to conservation groups that are working to restore their natural habitat. Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss the future of steelhead trout is Sandra Jacobson, director of the South Coast and Sierra region for California Trout and Andrew Rypel, professor of fish ecology and director of UC Davis’ Center for Watershed Sciences.

New Survey Examines Attitudes Toward Retirement

The Employee Benefit Research Institute’s annual Retirement Confidence Survey provides a snapshot of how people across different generations are feeling about retirement. Bottom line? Two thirds of workers and three quarters of retirees are “confident they will have enough money to live comfortably throughout retirement.” Among other findings, the survey also points out a discrepancy between when people think they will retire–age 65, when Medicare kicks in–and the actual median age of retirement, 62. We want to hear from you: how have your expectations for your retirement shifted? Are you going to retire earlier than you thought? Later? Are you confident you will have enough resources to last you through retirement? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com. Joining us to discuss is Craig Copeland, director of wealth benefits research at the Employee Benefit Research Institute, a nonprofit research organization in Washington DC.

TV-Talk: ‘Hacks,’ ‘The Veil,’ ‘Acapulco’ 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 freelance tv critic, Steve Greene, and tv critic and co-founder of LatinaMedia.Co, Cristina Escobar.

This week’s shows include:

• Hacks [Season 3] (Max) 
• The Veil (FX on Hulu) 
• Acapulco [Season 3]
• Big Mood (Tubi)
• Fiasco (Netflix)