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Soul Train! - 'The Hippest Trip in America'

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"The Hippest Trip in America" by Nelson George.

When it debuted in October 1971, seven years after the Civil Rights Act, Soul Train boldly went where no variety show had gone before, showcasing the cultural preferences of young African-Americans and the sounds that defined their lives: R&B, funk, jazz, disco, and gospel music.

The brainchild of radio announcer Don Cornelius, the show’s producer and host, Soul Train featured a diverse range of stars, from James Brown and David Bowie to Christine Aguilera and R. Kelly; Marvin Gaye and Elton John to the New Kids on the Block and Stevie Wonder.

"The Hippest Trip in America" tells the full story of this pop culture phenomenon that appealed not only to blacks, but to a wide crossover audience as well. Famous dancers like Rosie Perez and Jody Watley, performers such as Aretha Franklin, Al Green, and Barry White, and Cornelius himself share their memories, offering insights into the show and its time: a period of extraordinary social and political change.

Guest:

Nelson George, Author, "The Hippest Trip in America: Soul Train and the Evolution of Culture & Style;" George is an acclaimed author and filmmaker who specializes in documenting and celebrating African-American culture.


From grow-ops to greenbacks: How should California regulate and tax recreational pot

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Over 400 Marijuana Stores Ordered To Close As City Regulates Industry

Jars full of medical marijuana are seen at Sunset Junction medical marijuana dispensary on May 11, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. Today, over 20 states are looking into creating or enlarging their medical pot programs.

Public perception has overwhelmingly shifted toward the legalization of recreational marijuana since Colorado and Washington voted to put the practice in place, and California is seen as one of a handful of states that will inevitably follow suit.

Four measures for the November 2014 ballot were introduced, but all four have subsequently been scrapped. As the state’s pro-legalization movement gears up for 2016, AirTalk looks at how the state should tax and regulate the substance.

Guests:

Mark Kleiman, Professor of Public Policy at UCLA and a nationally recognized expert in the field of crime and drug policy. He is co-author of “Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know” (Oxford University Press, 2012)

Lynne Lyman, the CA State Director for the Drug Policy Alliance, the pro-legalization organization that was behind “The Control, Regulate and Tax Marijuana Act,” a ballot measure intended for the 2014 November ballot that was subsequently scrapped

 

 

Many would-be grandparents feel the tick of “biological clock”

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Museum Of Modern Art Hosts Children And Grandparents

Grandparents Richard and Barbara Grossman help granddaughter Talia, 7, listen to an audio tour during the annual Grandparent's Day at the Museum of Modern Art June 26, 2007 in New York City. Hundreds of grandparents and grandchildren enjoyed interactive gallery tours and hands-on art workshops. ; Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

In the U.S., men and women are waiting longer than ever to get married. According to a 2013 report from the University of Virginia, the average age at which men first marry in America has risen to 28.7, and 26.5 for women. And data released last year from the National Center for Health Statistics show that it's becoming more commonplace for women in their late 30s and 40s to have children.

These demographic changes are creating unintended consequences for another group of people: would-be grandparents who feel that their biological clocks are ticking. Because of the delay, many Americans are having to wait until they are in the 70s to have their first grandchild.

Experts say older grandparenthood has important social implications and has huge impact on the grandparent-grandchild relationship.

Are you an older grandparent? Has that changed the way you relate to your grandchildren?

Guest: 

Merril Silverstein, Professor of Sociology at Syracuse University whose research focuses on aging

 

How can LA create more jobs? LA 2020 commission's new report looks at solutions

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People take a holiday stroll against the

People take a holiday stroll against the background of the Los Angeles city skyline at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area on December 31, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

The LA 2020 commission put together last year by city council president Herb Wesson painted a pretty dismal picture of the future of the city in its first report published in January.

The report, ‘A Time for Truth, found that there was a crisis in the leadership and direction of the city. Now the panel has released their second and final report that offers solutions to the problems identified earlier this year.

'A Time for Action' highlights ways that Los Angeles can create more jobs and put the city back on a path to prosperity. It focuses on three areas of change - accountability and transparency; fiscal stability; and job creation. There are no “silver bullets”, it says, but if the city adopts the proposed measures then Los Angeles won’t get left behind in the 21st century.

What can LA’s leaders do to turn things around? Can the city afford to implement some of these proposed changes? What should be the priority?

LA 2020 doc by scprweb

 

Guests:

Austin Beutner, Chairman of Vision to Learn, Co-chair and Principal Author of LA 2020's A Time for Action report.

Mickey Kantor, former Secretary of Commerce and Chair, LA 2020's A Time for Action report.

 

'Heartbleed' bug compromises two-thirds of the internet — How to protect your data

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A computer screen showing a Facebook pag

A computer screen showing a Facebook page on May 10, 2012.; Credit: RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP/Getty Images

More than half a million Web sites are vulnerable to the “Heartbleed” bug - a major flaw in the security software known as OpenSSL. SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer and it is the technology that establishes a secure encrypted link between a Web server and your browser. In other words, it is what ensures that your information (usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers) travels safely and privately from your browser to the Web server hosting some of your most-frequented Web sites. The “Heartbleed” bug allows potential hackers to steal that “secret” information.

So, what sites have been affected? There’s no way for a server administrator to know if their server has been compromised, so tech experts say they just have to assume that they have been.

But  GitHub  lists Yahoo, Flickr, and OKCupid among sites that they deem vulnerable. Tools have also popped up online that allow you to search for yourself to see if a Website is at risk.  

The “Heartbleed” security flaw went undetected in OpenSSL for two years because using it leaves no trace of anything abnormal happening to the secure encryption logs. How can one know whether personal information has already been intercepted by a hacker? Should I change my password right away? If breaches such as this are an ever-present threat, how can we better protect ourselves in the future?

Guest:

Seth Rosenblatt, Senior Editor, CNET

Jody Westby, CEO & Founder of Global Cyber Risk, a cybersecurity firm that provides advisory services to corporations and governments in the U.S. and globally. She is also Chair of the American Bar Association's Privacy and Computer Crime Committee

 

Does online shopping spell an end of an era for traditional American malls?

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A shop employee (C) walks past boutiques

A shop employee (C) walks past boutiques at a shopping mall in Beijing on September 11, 2011.; Credit: LIU JIN/AFP/Getty Images

American malls are palaces of consumerism, but those of us who have visited the Americana or the Grove know them as a bit more than just that.

Sure, they are a one-stop destination where you can get the latest in fashion and whatever else your heart desires, but they are also social spaces where people can gather and hang out without having to necessarily open their wallets. Take for instance, the legion of septuagenarians that use the Glendale Galleria on Sunday mornings as the location for their leisurely strolls.

This very American invention is under threat. Rick Caruso, the California mall magnate behind the Grove and the Americana, sounded the alarm in January at the national Retail Federation’s annual convention in New York.

“Within ten to fifteen years, the typical U.S. mall, unless it is completely reinvented, will be a historical anachronism—a sixty-year aberration that no longer meets the public’s needs, the retailers’ needs, or the community’s needs,” he said.

Online shopping is largely to blame. Online sales hit 6 percent of total retail spending in the fourth quarter of 2013, nearly double since 2006.

Are malls really going the way of dinosaurs? When was the last time you shopped at a mall? For avowed online shoppers, is there anything a mall can do to bring you back?

 

Guest:

 

Lisa Cavanaugh, Assistant Professor of Marketing at the USC Marshall School of Business

Nation! Stephen Colbert named the new host of 'The Late Show'

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Comedy Centrals "Indecision 2008: America's Choice"

Stephen Colbert hostsComedy Central's "Indecision 2008: America's Choice" at Comedy Central Studios on November 4, 2008 in New York City.; Credit: Brad Barket/Getty Images for Comedy Central

CBS announced that Stephen Colbert will become the new host of "Late Show," replacing David Letterman upon his retirement. The announcement created quite a buzz across social networks and media outlets, with both fans and critics chiming in.

CBS has not given any details on the creative direction of "Late Show" when Colbert takes over in 2015, but Colbert’s satirical conservative persona on Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report has sparked controversy in the past.

Will Colbert appeal to viewers on both sides of the political fence? Will his past caricature of conservative political pundits alienate right-leaning viewers?

Guests:

Dominic Patten, Legal Editor and writer at Deadline, a news site covering Hollywood and the entertainment industry

Will Rahn, senior editor for The Daily Caller

Is reading online affecting our ability to learn?

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A fair goer tries out the textunes eBook

A fair goer tries out the textunes eBook reader app on an Apple iPad at the Leipzig Book Fair on March 15, 2012 on the fairgrounds in Leipzig, eastern Germany; Credit: ROBERT MICHAEL/AFP/Getty Images

Digital devices have exploded onto the market in the past decade and they're already having a major impact on how humans read and absorb information.

Reading books and articles online or a tablet takes very different brain skills than reading an actual book on paper. It's a constant struggle to keep our eye focused as we're being bombarded by links, ads, short paragraphs and pop-ups.

So is it possible that the constant distractions are retraining our brains to absorb information differently?

Some reading experts say yes and are now concerned that our brains are being rewired to read differently. Our 'digital brains' are no longer primed to sit down with a thick classic novel and read with no distractions.

Americans spend more time online on desktop and mobile devices than ever. It's been estimated that US adults  spent up to 5 hours a day online in 2013 -- up from three hours in 2010.

Do you find that increased time online is having an impact on your ability to read and absorb information? What impact is this type of reading having on our brains? Does our reading comprehension level change when reading on paper versus a digital device?

Guest:  

Andrew Dillon, dean of the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin

 


OC Journalists Roundtable: San Onofre settlement called ‘theft’, Edison execs legally sell millions in stock days after proposed deal, and more

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Future Uncertain For Nuclear Energy In California

Evening sets on the San Onofre atomic power plant December 6, 2004 in northern San Diego County, south of San Clemente, California. Electric companies are reportedly saying that nuclear energy could disappear from California within a decade if the state rejects plans to spend $1.4 billion repairing the aging generators at the San Onofre and Diablo Canyon nuclear power plants.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

Reporters covering the OC beat join Larry to discuss the latest news concerning Orange County residents, including the proposed settlement for Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric customers. The deal would leave utility customers on the hook for over $3 billion in costs for replacement power caused by the San Onofre nuclear power plant shutdown. Ratepayer group calls the proposed deal “theft.”

We’ll also discuss the legal Edison stock sale initiated by two Edison executives just four days after the company announced the proposed agreement.

Plus, the Orange County district attorney’s office is in the hot seat for allegedly improperly disclosing evidence to five men convicted of murder and other serious offenses. The allegations raise the possibility of new trials for the inmates, and have already led to a second trial phase for accused murderer Scott Dekraai, who is accused of killing eight people at the Salon Meritage in Seal Beach in 2011.

Guests:

Ed Joyce, KPCC Orange County Reporter

Norberto Santana, Editor-in-Chief of the Voice of OC, a non-profit investigative news agency that covers Orange County government and politics

Teri Sforza, Columnist for the Orange County Register’s OC Watchdog blog

More women are becoming 'stay at home moms', but is it by choice?

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Air Raid Evacuees

18th December 1940: Evacuated mother Mrs Gwendoline Cook of Mitcham, Surrey, bathes her three children in the bathroom at Stone Hall Mansion, the country house of Lady Denman, chief of the Women's Land Army. ; Credit: William Vanderson/Getty Images

For decades, the number of women who don’t work outside the home after having kids was on the decline and reached a modern-era low of 23 percent in 1999. But according to an analysis of government data by the Pew Research Center, that trend is starting to reverse itself. The number of "stay at home moms" reached 29 percent in 2012.

The data behind the increase paints a diverse picture of the women who are staying out of the workforce. Despite the attention brought by the so-called 'opt out' moms who chose not to work - the majority of women who stay at home with their kids are there because of a mix of societal and economic factors.  

Among all mothers, the share who are the prototypical married mother with a working husband fell to 20% in 2012 from 40% in 1970. 'Opt out' moms make up an even smaller bunch - only 370,000 out of 316 million Americans are married women with a graduate degree and a household income above $75,000.

Today, stay at home moms are generally less educated and less well off than working mothers. A full third (34%) of stay at home moms are living in poverty, compared to 12% of working mothers.

Are more women choosing to stay at home with their kids or are they being priced out of the workforce by the high cost of childcare? Data from the U.S. Census shows that the average cost of childcare for working women with children under 15 went from $84 a week to $143 a week at the same time that wages for women have stagnated or plummeted.

How many moms are staying at home because they can not find a job? How is immigration impacting the trend of more moms staying at home?

Guest:

 D’Vera Cohn, senior writer in social and demographic trends at the Pew Research Center

Family rescued at sea arrives in San Diego greeted by criticism

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Kaufman Family Returns After Rescue In Sailing Ordeal

In this handout provided by the U.S. Navy, the Kaufman family disembarks the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) at Naval Air Station North Island April 9, 2014 in San Diego, California. ; Credit: U.S. Navy/Getty Images

A family who required a rescue at sea after their one year old daughter became seriously ill is being criticized for taking her and her three-year-old sister out on a long sailing expedition.

Eric and Charlotte Kaufman’s smallest child, Lyra, had been treated for salmonella just weeks before the family set sail around the round-the-world. Just two weeks into the trip, she began suffering from a rash and high temperature.

Worried about her symptoms, nine hundred miles off the coast of Mexico and unable to steer their ship, the Kaufmans decided to call for emergency help. After a complicated and expensive rescue operation, the Kaufman’s returned to San Diego safely on Wednesday, greeted by harsh criticism and questions about whether their decision to take their small children on the voyage was unwise.

Were the Kaufmans negligent when they set sail with a sick young daughter? Are lifestyle choices such as this beneficial for child development? Or are long sailing trips just too dangerous for young children?

Guest

Jennifer Medina, Reporter for The New York Times

Filmweek (04/11/2014): Rio 2, Draft Day, Oculus and more

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Denis Leary, Jennifer Garner and Kevin Costner attend the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVIII Pregame Show at MetLife Stadium on February 2, 2014 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ; Credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Larry and KPCC film critics Claudia Puig, Alynda Wheat and Charles Solomon review this week’s releases, including Rio 2, Draft Day, Oculus and more. TGI-Filmweek!

Rio 2

Draft Day

Oculus 

Guests:

Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA Today

Alynda Wheat, film critic for KPCC and People

Charles Solomon, animation film critic for KPCC and Indiewire’s ‘Animation Scoop’

Don’t underestimate your kindergartner; research shows they can learn more

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San Bernadino Kindergarten

Kindergarten students use a concentric circle graph to map the similarities and differences between Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King. This social studies lesson usually happens in 4th grade, says teacher Diana Enciso.; Credit: Deepa Fernandes / KPCC

Pushed by Common Core standards, kindergarten teachers have put academic pressure on their students, pushing out play to make more room for letter and number drills and test prep.  

In fact, researchers in 2009 found that eighty percent of kindergarten teachers allotted less than thirty minutes of the school day for playtime. Pressure to meet higher academic standards, however, does not have to mean all fun and no play. Researchers have found that kindergarten students learn more when they are exposed to challenging content through stories, games, and art.  

In a study published in the April issue of the American Educational Research Journal, kindergartners were found to learn even more when they are exposed to more challenging content instead of simply the basics. Through fun, real-world teaching examples, 5-year-olds are highly capable of learning complicated, abstract concepts and math skills such as fractions.

What’s more, children who are taught more complicated math and reading concepts in kindergarten are more likely to do better throughout the rest of their grammar school years. However, some child development experts think pushing kindergartners further academically is unnecessary. 

Is play and social development more important than early exposure to complex ideas? Is the kindergarten curriculum already too academic?  If comprehension is possible at five years old, why should teachers wait to challenge their kindergartners?

Guest: 

Deepa Fernandes, KPCC’s Early Childhood Development Correspondent

 

 

‘Maximalist’: American foreign policy since World War II

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‘Maximalist: America in the World from Truman to Obama’ (Knopf 2014) the new book by Stephen Sestanovich. Sestanovich is currently a George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and former U.S. ambassador-at-large for independent states of the former Soviet Union (1997-2001).

Stephen Sestanovich knows a thing or two about foreign policy. The career diplomat worked for the State Department during the Reagan administration and served as ambassador-at-large to the Soviet Union under Clinton.

In his new book, “Maximalist: America in the World from Truman to Obama,” Sestanovich examines America’s foreign policy and military engagements under twelve Presidents—from post-World War II to today. He gives particulary, anecdote-rich focus to the eras of the Johnson and Nixon administrations.

Sestanovich’s book identifies two different approaches to diplomacy: maximalism and retrenchment. The maximalists are those looking to put America’s stamp on the world and launch countermeasures against potential threats. The retrenchers are those inclined to shift responsibilities to allies, negotiate, reduce foreign involvement and military spending—and focus on domestic issues.

In what ways has the United States’ role on the world stage changed since World War II? How do individual presidents impact the country’s foreign policy—and how the world perceives America?

Guest:

Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations; former U.S. ambassador-at-large for independent states of the former Soviet Union (1997-2001); author of ‘Maximalist: America in the World from Truman to Obama’ (Knopf 2014)

 

'Superman' versus 'Batman'; Have you had enough of superhero films yet?

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"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" Rings The NYSE Opening Bell

Actors Sebastian Stan and Chris Evans pose with Captain America during The NYSE Opening Bell at New York Stock Exchange on April 1, 2014 in New York City. ; Credit: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

Movie blockbusters have almost become synonymous with superhero movies. “Iron Man 3” was the highest grossing film of 2013, and “Man of Steel,” the Superman reboot, came in at number 4 spot last year.

In 2014, a slew of superhero movies are slated to hit the big screen, including “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, and “X-Men: Days of Future Past”.

In 2015, audiences will be presented with “The Avengers 2,” “The Fantastic Four,” and “Ant Man.” Projects that are in the works include “Batman vs. Superman,” and Marvel announced in February that it’s planning to give Black Widow, the character played by Scarlett Johansson first introduced in “Iron Man 2,” her own spinoff. Rumors have been swirling that Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique might also get her own star vehicle.

Do you welcome this ever-expanding list of superhero movies, or a bit confused by the endless offerings? How do you choose which ones to go see? What are the challenges facing studios and filmmakers in ensuring that these storylines and characters stay fresh?

Guests:

Charles Solomon, animation film critic for KPCC and Indiewire’s ‘Animation Scoop’

Paul Dergarabedian, veteran box office analyst and tracker and Senior Media Analyst at Rentrak, a media measurement and research company

 


DC Round-up: What’s going down on Capitol Hill?

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Senate Finance Cmte Holds Confirmation Hearing For Kathleen Sebelius

Kathleen Sebelius testifies before the Senate Finance Committee April 2, 2009 in Washington, DC. Sebelius testified on her nomination to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

It’s never a dull week in Washington.

This week, the House approved a “symbolic” Paul Ryan budget proposal. Senate Republicans blocked the “paycheck fairness” bill.

The House voted to hold ex-IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress and requested the Justice Department take a look at her for other various alleged crimes.

Just as the number of Americans signed up for Obamacare tops the 7.5 million mark, Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius steps down. Now President Obama calls on Budget Chief Sylvia Mathews Burwell to take her place.

And, Hillary Clinton ducks a projectile shoe with measured wit.

What else is new this week on Capitol Hill? What kinds of partisan politics can we expect as we look forward to midterm elections and the big one in 2016?

Guests:

Lisa Mascaro, Congressional reporter for the Los Angeles Times, based in Washington DC.

Rebecca Sinderbrand, Deputy White House Editor for POLITICO

 

Bus crash kills ten: low-income and first generation students affected by tragedy

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A California Highway Patrol Officer looks over the wreckage, Friday, April 11, 2014, where a tour bus and a FedEX truck crashed on Interstate 5 Thursday in Orland, Calif.; Credit: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

According to authorities, a FedEx tractor-trailer crossed over a freeway median and crashed into a bus carrying a group of high school students on their way to tour Humboldt State University, killing five teenage students and five adults.

The students were on their way to a “Preview Plus” event, part of the university’s Student Academic Services Outreach Program, a program that focuses on increasing the enrollment of low-income and first-generation students.

Nineteen of the students in the three-bus caravan were from schools in the LAUSD. Three of the students were from Pasadena Unified schools.

Guests:

Judy Burton,  President and CEO of Alliance College-Ready Public Schools,  a nonprofit charter organization in Los Angeles comprised of 22 free, public charter high schools and middle schools serving 10,000 low-income students. 

Lorna Bryant, a former chaperon for the Preview Plus program (also works at KHSU, the college radio station as an admin and host)

The fight of their lives: How Juan Marichal and John Roseboro turned baseball's ugliest brawl into a story of redemption

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John Rosengren's new book “The Fight of Their Lives” (Lyons Press, 2014). Rosengren also authored “Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes” (New American Library, 2013), which has recently come out on paperback.

The Fight of their Lives: tells the story of two men forever linked by a moment portrayed in an iconic photograph:  Marichal with his bat poised to strike Roseboro in the head. 

At the time, Marichal was a Dominican anxious about his family’s safety during the civil war back home; John Roseboro was a black man living in South Central L.A. shaken by the Watts riots a week earlier.

That Sunday afternoon in August 1965, on a day when the Dodgers and Giants clashed in a tight pennant race, the national pastime reflected the tensions in society and nearly sullied the two men forever.

Yet Marichal and Roseboro were able to rise above the moment, eventually reconciling and becoming friends.  

;

Guest:

John Rosengren, author of “The Fight of Their Lives” (Lyons Press, 2014) and “Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes” (New American Library, 2013), which has recently come out on paperback

 

High School’s Big Night: Are we spending too much on prom?

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New Orleans High School Holds First Prom Since Katrina

Juniors and seniors from John McDonogh High School celebrate at their prom June 1, 2007 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The struggling inner city school held its first prom today since Hurricane Katrina. ; Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Sending your kid to prom? Headed there yourself? If the answer is yes, chances are you’re in for one expensive night. The cost of attire, limousine rental, and tickets to the actual event can add up quickly.

Luckily for 2014 prom attendees the average cost of attending a prom is expected to decrease for the first time since 2010. A survey conducted by Visa found that prom spending by teens and their families is expected to fall by 14 percent from $1,139 in 2013 to $978 in 2014.

Families in California may not be as lucky. The survey anticipates that prom spending in the Western United States will average $1,125, the highest regional average in the country.  Families in the Midwest will spend the least, only $926, while those in the northeast are expected to spend $1,104.

When it comes to who actually pays for all of proms expenses, Visa found that parents are footing 56 percent of the bill while teens pay for the remaining 44 percent.

How much did you spend on your prom? If you are a parent, how much would you spend on your child’s prom?  How much money is too much money when it comes to prom?

Guest: 

Kit Yarrow, PhD, consumer psychologist and professor at Golden Gate University in San Francisco and author of “Decoding the New Consumer Mind” (Wiley, 2014)

 

Does CNN’s primetime shakeup spell a new future for TV news?

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CNN Journalist Award 2013

General view of the CNN Journalist Award 2013 at the Künstlerhaus at Lenbachplatz on April 4, 2013 in Munich, Germany. How will CNN's decision to put more original programming into the primetime slots change cable TV news? ; Credit: Dominik Bindl/Getty Images

CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker has unveiled a new lineup for CNN, which spells an end of an era for a primetime cable news staple. Instead of interview-based news programs, Zucker is betting on original series and films instead to fill the 9pm slot previously owned by Larry King and, until recently, Piers Morgan.

“We believe that genre is no longer viable. There are just too many outlets with not enough big gets for a pure talk show to thrive any longer," Zucker said Thursday. "And just because CNN has always done a talk show at 9, it doesn't mean that's what we should be doing there going forward."

In other news, Al Jazeera America, which launched 8 months ago and went on a hiring spree, announced layoffs reportedly involving dozens of staffers and a large number of staffers. The cuts touched the entire network, but the new network’s sports department and a social media show named “The Stream” were the hardest hit.

Larry talks to Bloomberg Industries’ media analyst Paul Sweeney for a check in on the cable TV news industry.

Guest:

Paul Sweeney, Bloomberg Industries Senior Media analyst

 

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