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Marketplace for Thursday, March 21, 2013
Mar 21, 2013

Marketplace for Thursday, March 21, 2013

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The European Central Bank has given Cyprus four days to agree on a new plan to raise billions of dollars and avoid bankruptcy. As desperation sets in, we examine  some of the plan B's, C's and D's that Cyprus has been considering. In the meantime, with March Madness underway, Stephen Dubner of Freakonics Radio looks at the NCAA tournament and the big bucks it brings in for TV broadcasters. Plus, we discuss the case of Russian accountant  Sergei Magnitsky, who goes on trial Friday in Moscow for tax offenses. The case is astonishing for two reasons: Magnitski is patently and demonstrably innocent of the charges ... and he's dead. And we check in with Ken Lennox,  a cattle rancher from Rolla, Missouri, to see how his land is holding up, after severe droughts crippled much of the Midwest last year.

Segments From this episode

Top 10 reasons why Marketplace trumps Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!

Mar 21, 2013
This past Monday, Southern California Public Radio (KPCC), created a March Madness bracket to finally determine the top dog of the public radio world. In round two, it's Marketplace versus Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell me!

To YouTube, a billion users adds up to ... what exactly?

Mar 21, 2013
Half the world's internet users visit the video site, but it's not known whether YouTube makes a profit or a loss for its owner, Google. Homemade squirrel videos aren't real attractive to advertisers.

As Russia tries dead man, cover-up alleged

Mar 21, 2013
Russian legal specialist Sergei Magnitsky is due to be tried tomorrow for tax offenses, even though he died in prison more than 3 years ago. Critics of Russian business practices say he was killed to cover up corruption by officials.

A Pennsylvania fracking settlement answers a few questions

Mar 21, 2013
The case arises in the first region of Pennsylvania to see fracking for natural gas. A family with a well contaminated by chemicals received a payment,

How much TV money does March Madness make?

Mar 21, 2013
The N.C.A.A. men's basketball tournament begins this week. Last year, the tournament earned its highest TV ratings in 18 years, while taking in more than $1 billion in revenue from ads. But Stephen Dubner of Freakonomics Radio wondered if CBS and Turner aren't making enough.

Why NBC may tap Fallon to succeed Leno

Mar 21, 2013
Jay Leno is king of late-night TV ratings, but Jimmy Fallon could represent the future of the TV franchise. He has strong ratings plus a big You Tube and Twitter following that advertisers care ever more about.
Jimmy Fallon and Jay Leno pose together in the press room at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards. Fallon is said to have been chosen to take over as 'The Tonight Show' host when Leno steps down.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Desperate but creative measures proposed for Cyprus

Mar 21, 2013
As Cyprus stares down an ultimatum from the European Central Bank, its government, friends and observers have come up with a range of solutions

Cattle ranchers get ready for the year ahead

Mar 21, 2013
We check in with Ken Lenox, cattle rancher in Rolla, Missouri about the lingering effects of last summer's drought.

The European Central Bank has given Cyprus four days to agree on a new plan to raise billions of dollars and avoid bankruptcy. As desperation sets in, we examine  some of the plan B’s, C’s and D’s that Cyprus has been considering. In the meantime, with March Madness underway, Stephen Dubner of Freakonics Radio looks at the NCAA tournament and the big bucks it brings in for TV broadcasters. Plus, we discuss the case of Russian accountant  Sergei Magnitsky, who goes on trial Friday in Moscow for tax offenses. The case is astonishing for two reasons: Magnitski is patently and demonstrably innocent of the charges … and he’s dead. And we check in with Ken Lennox,  a cattle rancher from Rolla, Missouri, to see how his land is holding up, after severe droughts crippled much of the Midwest last year.

Music from the episode

Bess St. White Denim
What's Crazy Oddisee, J-Live, Stik Figa
Parisian Goldfish Flying Lotus
Love Jones J Dilla