Week of February 18th, 2019

The Academy Awards take place this Sunday and, for the first time since 1989, the show will have no host. Viewership in 2018 fell 19 percent from the year before. In creative attempts to hold on to viewer interest, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has floated and withdrawn proposals for new awards, […]

Between the hosting debacle, declining viewership and last-minute changes to how awards are presented, the road to this Sunday’s Oscars has been bumpy. Despite all that, ad rates are still a bright spot for the academy. But first: Why Kraft and Oscar Meyer got a $15 billion write-down. Plus, can a lake have rights? Residents of Toledo, Ohio, are voting on it.

One co-founder moves out of the CEO position, and another moves back into it.

After Google employees aired out the company’s dirty laundry on social media regarding forced arbitration, the company said it is ending the practice. The Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona next week, but the story of sticker shock is already unfolding. Plus, traders are taking climate change into account for their financial decisions, and so are potential home buyers. Today’s show is sponsored by the Alliance for Lifetime Income, WellFrame, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Indeed.

The USDA talks exports with farmers, but the latter say the U.S. needs to settle its beef with China before they can start thinking about sending their product overseas. The Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona next week, but the story of sticker shock is already unfolding. Plus, in Athens, Texas, business is booming for one manufacturer of prefab homes. Today’s show is sponsored by the Alliance for Lifetime Income, WellFrame, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Indeed.  

From the BBC World Service… As the U.S. and China haggle over the toughest issues in their trade talks, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is in China strengthening ties between the two nations. What do “Despacito” singer Luis Fonsi, Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro and billionaire businessman Richard Branson have in common? They’re all involved in rival concerts to raise awareness of the Venezuelan crisis. Plus, we explore the rise of the zombie statistic: fake numbers that are repeated again and again until they end up influencing policy. Today’s show is sponsored by the Alliance for Lifetime Income, WellFrame, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Indeed.

Earlier this month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed that perhaps tech companies that make lots of money collecting and monetizing our personal information should share that wealth. He said that people who live in California should get paid a data dividend. Host Molly Wood talks with Owen Thomas, the business editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, who recently wrote that the data dividend idea is overly simplistic and has been tried before. Today’s show is sponsored by Evident, Brother Printers and Indeed.

A report in the Wall Street Journal Thursday said Apple is about to launch a new credit card with Goldman Sachs. The move comes as Apple is trying to diversify its revenue sources away from iPhones, which have been struggling around the world. For Goldman, the reported partnership could be the bank’s latest attempt to […]

The snow delayed our interview with International Monetary Fund Managing Director and Chairwoman Christine Lagarde, and by the time we sat down this morning, there was a lot to talk about: rising inequality, being a woman in finance and President Trump’s trade war with China. “I cross my fingers every morning and my toes every evening,” she said. “Because I hope that it is going to end up with a way to fix the system, not break it.” Then: Why law schools are closing and the the finances behind that broken Nike shoe.

The Fed admits it has a communications problem. Honda announced it’s shuttering its Swindon plant in the U.K., but the company says it’s not about Brexit. Several major companies have pulled advertising from YouTube amid increased scrutiny about posts from pedophiles in video comment sections. Plus, despite baseball’s supposed decline in status as America’s No. 1 pastime, a lot more people are playing the sport, just not in the majors. Today’s show is sponsored by Sales Genie, WellFrame and Indeed.

The Supreme Court cracks down on the police’s power to seize money and property from alleged criminals, assets local governments have been using to line their coffers. Plus, some ranchers along the U.S.-Mexico border are hoping “The Wall” will shield their cattle from deadly fever ticks.  Today’s show is sponsored by Sales Genie, WellFrame and Indeed.

From the BBC World Service… Trade unions in Spain have called for a general strike in the northeastern region of Catalonia. Less than a week after the prime minister announced a snap election, we’ll explain what’s behind the protests. Then, Facebook remains under fire for facilitating the spread of fake news. The British culture minister is travelling to Silicon Valley to seek answers from boss Mark Zuckerberg. Plus, as Fashion Week moves from London to Milan, we’ll explore why many models are drowning in debt.  Today’s show is sponsored by Sales Genie, WellFrame and Indeed.

If you need a ride somewhere, Uber or Lyft will match you up with a car and a driver. If you’re a landlord renting a house, you post it on Zillow and renters can find you. Tech has made it really easy for most of us to get matched up with what we need with just a few clicks. But like so much technology, this convenience is not evenly distributed. A new platform called Lease Up is tackling that problem by better matching homeless people with housing in Los Angeles. The website makes it easier for landlords to list affordable housing units and for nonprofits to find those homes for clients. Today’s show is sponsored by Pitney Bowes and Indeed.  

Americans got back more than $320 billion in tax refunds last year, and plenty of tax prep services would have you believe that’s a nice little bonus on top of your income. But it’s not. Today we explore the psychology of tax season and how it’s changed over time. But first: About those Fed minutes. Plus: Money is already pouring into the presidential race, but will there be any donations left by 2020?

We have some new economic data that was stalled by the government shutdown. The world’s largest mining company has promised to do its part on climate change by capping coal output. The rent is too darn high in China, too. Plus, with only weeks until the Brexit deadline, the U.K.’s trade deals with Japan and South Korea seem far from finalized. Today’s show is sponsored by the United States Postal Service, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Indeed.

Negotiators get ready for the next round of talks on China-U.S. tariffs ahead of the March 1 deadline. Procter & Gamble says it will expand its “Uber for laundry” service. Plus, people are starting to track e-scooter injuries, and it might be enough to keep you off one. Today’s show is sponsored by the United States Postal Service, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Indeed.

From the BBC World Service… Britain’s competition watchdog has thrown a proposed tie-up between Sainsbury’s and Walmart-owned Asda into doubt. Walmart’s sales have been growing as the retail giant focuses on upping its game against Amazon. We’ll explore what’s next amid a rapidly changing retail landscape. Then, in a surprise announcement, commodities giant Glencore said it will cap coal production going forward. And we’ll explore what Brexit means for the fishing industry. Today’s show is sponsored by the United States Postal Service, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Indeed.

You know how there’s this sense that if Amazon gets into your line of work, you’re in trouble? Well, hello, digital advertising. Amazon has been slowly building up its ad business, letting brands target ads to people on Amazon.com and its other sites, like the live-streaming platform Twitch, IMDB, Zappos and all across the web. Its pitch is simple: Amazon is telling advertisers that the best predictor of what you, the consumer, are going to buy is what you’ve already bought. A report out today from research firm eMarketer says Amazon has been a distant third behind Facebook and Google and is starting to look like a dangerous third. Host Molly Wood talks about it with Monica Peart, senior forecasting director for eMarketer. Today’s show is sponsored by Topo Athletic, Evident and Indeed.

Rent for single-family homes is up again, and the people most likely to feel the pinch are also those who can least afford it. We do the numbers on that, plus venture capital and the trail of debt failed startups can leave behind. Finally, “Office Space” came out 20 years ago today. We look at how it changed workplace culture.

Samsung is coming out with a bendable smartphone, but who asked for that? Uganda floats taxing social media. Plus, restaurants are teaming up with food delivery companies to help cur down on waste. Today’s show is sponsored by SalesGenie.com and Indeed.

A new survey finds high-tech businesses owned by immigrants are more innovative than those owned by Americans. Tesla might be getting a run for its money with Amazon’s recent electric truck acquisition. Plus, we take a look at the disparity between how the U.S. treats metal tariffs on China versus Canada. Today’s show is sponsored by SalesGenie.com and Indeed.  

From the BBC World Service… What’s the impact of America’s attempt to pressure its allies to stop dealing with Huawei? In an exclusive interview, the Chinese technology giant’s founder reveals all. Also, Honda has confirmed it will close its U.K. manufacturing plant in 2021. It won’t blame Brexit. We’ll explain the other factors. Then, fast fashion has become a major contributor to climate change. A new report suggests clothing brands should pay a penny on every garment they sell to fund recycling schemes. But will it work? Today’s show is sponsored by SalesGenie.com and Indeed.

By now, if we’re doing our job right, you should kind of get how digital advertising works. Companies collect information about you — like where you live, your age, what you buy online, what websites you visit and much more. And they use that information to target you with ads they think you will like so you’ll buy their stuff. But you may not know that this is also happening on television. It’s called addressable advertising, and it means your cable or satellite TV provider is showing you ads on your TV that your neighbor might not see. Right now only a small number of the ads you see are targeted ads, but it’s evolving fast because the money is good. Molly Wood talks about it with Tim Peterson, a senior reporter at Digiday. She asked him how the tech works. Today’s show is sponsored by WellFrame, Nulab  and Lenovo for Small Business.

Many young adults looking to buy their first home have a trillion-dollar obstacle in their way: college debt. On this Presidents Day show, we look at the impact that’s having on the housing market. Plus, how to be a make-up artist and the typewriter’s unlikely comeback.

Britain’s parliament issues harsh criticism for Facebook, saying the company intentionally broke the law. The world’s largest retailer ramps up its grocery delivery business. Plus, we take a look at how states across the country are protecting LGBTQ employees and why some are still not doing so. Today’s show is sponsored by Pitney Bowes, the United States Postal Service and Indeed.

The world’s largest retailer ramps up its grocery delivery business. Uber sets the stage for ride-sharing in the sky. Plus, Albania cracks down on gambling in its many betting shops. Today’s show is sponsored by Pitney Bowes, the United States Postal Service and Indeed.

From the BBC World Service… A British parliamentary committee has branded Facebook a “digital gangster” as it said fresh controls should be put on social media giants to help limit harmful content. While Facebook says it’s open to more meaningful regulation, can new laws help to limit the spread of fake news? Then, British intelligence officials have concluded that the risks posed by involving the Chinese technology giant Huawei in critical U.K. telecoms projects can be managed, in stark contrast with governments in the U.S., New Zealand and Australia. Plus, pressure is growing for tougher rules on the construction of new mines and dams in Brazil, after a dam collapse last month left hundreds dead or missing. The BBC’s Katy Watson reports from Mariana, where many of those affected are still living in temporary accommodation. Today’s show is sponsored by Pitney Bowes, the United States Postal Service and Indeed.

As facial recognition software spreads, it brings the challenge of diversity along with it. So far, programs identify male, white faces far more accurately than they do black women, for example. A new IBM project aims to change that. Diversity in Faces is a data set of a million faces pulled from public domain pictures on Flickr. It gives computers a lot more to look at and process, and it introduces a way to better measure diversity in faces. John R. Smith is an IBM fellow and lead scientist of Diversity in Faces. He tells Jed Kim that there’s nothing else like this. Today’s show is sponsored by Pitney Bowes and Indeed.