Media Bits and Bytes – October 3, 2023

https://portside.org/2023-10-03/media-bits-and-bytes-october-3-2023
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  1. The WGA Deal
  2. Is the Sun Setting On the Murdoch Empire?
  3. Google vs DOJ
  4. Amazon vs FTC
  5. Black Folks: It’s Bad News
  6. The Pains of Researching Disinfo
  7. Gender Bias in AI
  8. Allende’s Cyber Experiment
  9. Creator-Owned Comics: The Double-Edged Sword
  10. The Vital Pulse of Radio

The WGA Deal

By Cynthia Littleton
Variety

The scribe tribe’s sacrifice of mounting a 148-day work stoppage — coupled with the extra pressure heaped on when SAG-AFTRA went out on strike July 14 — gave the WGA the leverage it needed to power through its agenda. Here are the key issues that have been settled in the tentative agreement that the union reached Sept. 24 with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Is the Sun Setting On the Murdoch Empire?

Google vs DOJ

By Nick Robins-Early
The Guardian

The landmark antitrust trial pitting the US justice department against Google is now in its third week, and the government continues to roll out its case arguing that the internet search behemoth abused its power and resources to maintain a monopoly. The trial has widespread implications for the tech industry, antitrust law and hundreds of millions of people who engage with and access the internet.

Amazon vs FTC

By Sara Morrison and A.W. Ohlheiser
Vox

The Big Tech antitrust reform movement has come for Amazon. On September 26, the Federal Trade Commission and 17 states sued the Everything Store for “illegally maintaining monopoly power.” This comes after two different antitrust lawsuits against Google from the Department of Justice — one of which is currently on trial — and another one against Meta from the FTC.

Black Folks: It’s Bad News

By Deborah Barfield Berry
USA TODAY

Black Americans, scarred by a history of mistrust of the media, have little faith that news organizations will do a good job of covering their communities fairly, and that’s not likely to change anytime soon, according to a Pew Research Center study.

The Pains of Researching Disinfo

By Mathew Ingram
Columbia Journalism Review

Misinformation and disinformation have arguably never been as prominent or widely distributed as they are now. Unfortunately, researchers and academic institutions are scaling back or even canceling their misinformation programs, due to legal threats and government pressure. 

Gender Bias in AI

By Joan Goodchild
SC Media

With the rise in the pervasiveness of AI technology in the last year, particularly with the introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT to the masses, many are voicing concerns about gender bias in the technology, as well as gender inequities in professional AI roles globally.

Allende’s Cyber Experiment

By Eden Medina
The MIT Press Reader

By following how Chile’s innovative political experiment with democratic socialism led to the creation of this innovative technological system, we see that political innovation can spur technological innovation and that science, technology, and design were also distinguishing features of Chile’s socialist process.

Creator-Owned Comics: The Double-Edged Sword

By Joseph Illidge
Popverse

Comic creators provide the intellectual properties that make fortunes for publishers when they get to the screens. But beware.

The Vital Pulse of Radio

By Laura Vidal
IFEX

In vast stretches beyond cities, the resonance of the radio fills a void. It offers access to information, to education, and to connection. In many parts of the world, and certainly in the Americas, radio has become a lifeline. Latin America provides a compelling testament to radio as a potent vehicle for information dissemination and education, especially in rural areas. But it is under threat.


Source URL: https://portside.org/2023-10-03/media-bits-and-bytes-october-3-2023