Media

The Boston Globe Needs An Owner Who Has Read The First Amendment

March 1, 2013
One of the potential bidders for the Globe just adopted a policy of screening political ads for 'negativity' at one of his other papers. If the move reflects his journalistic philosophy, says Eileen McNamara, Aaron Kushner is not our man. Kushner is pictured here on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012. (Jae C. Hong/AP)

One of the potential bidders for the Globe just adopted a policy of screening political ads for ‘negativity’ at one of his other papers. If the move reflects his journalistic philosophy, Aaron Kushner is not our man.

Oscar Predictions: Who Will Win Vs. Who Should Win

February 22, 2013
Who Will Win And Why: Assessing Oscar's X Factors (Frank Wiese/AP)

Movies win Oscars based on box office success, critical response, and the precursor awards. Right? Yes and no. There are other, more surprising, factors at play.

Oscar Pistorius: Another Athletic Hero Falls From Grace

February 21, 2013
Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius stands inside the court as a police officer looks on during his bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. (Themba Hadebe/AP)

The double-amputee Olympian insists he shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp accidentally. But prosecutors have presented a very different version of events.

‘Feminine Mystique’ At 50: If Betty Friedan Could See Us Now

February 20, 2013
Betty Friedan, co-founder of National Organization for Women (NOW), speaks during the Women's Strike for Equality event in New York's Central Park on Aug. 26, 1970, the 50th anniversary of woman suffrage. Friedan, whose manifesto "The Feminine Mystique" became a best seller in the 1960s and laid the groundwork for the modern feminist movement, died in 2006 at the age of 85.  (AP)

If Betty Friedan was still alive, she would be thrilled to see all the progress we’ve made — but similarly discouraged by how much more there is to overcome.

Sex, Violence And Goats Eating Chips: What To Expect From This Year’s Super Bowl Ads

January 24, 2013
In its 2013 Super Bowl campaign, Coca-Cola is asking viewers to cheer for three very different groups in an interactive marketing blitz during the big game -- a troupe of showgirls, a band of cowboys and a biker-style gang of "badlanders" -- all on a quest for a third-quenching Coke in a desert. (Coca Cola/AP)

A 30 second spot in this year’s Super Bowl costs an estimated $4 million, an all-time record. At that price, advertisers will go pretty far to get your attention.

Why We Need Violent Video Games

January 17, 2013
This video game image released by Bethesda Softworks shows a scene from "Dishonored." (AP)

Could it be that violent video games are an important outlet for aggression?

Aaron Swartz: We Need A Better Sense Of Justice, And Shame

January 14, 2013
Aaron Swartz, a co-founder of Reddit, hanged himself Friday, Jan. 11, 2013, in New York City. In 2011, he was charged with stealing millions of scientific journals from a computer archive at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in an attempt to make them freely available. He had pleaded not guilty, and his federal trial was to begin next month. In this photo, Swartz pictured at Boston Wiki Meetup, August 18, 2009. (ragesoss/flickr)

It angers me that he did what he did. But if we’re going to learn from this, we can’t let slide what brought him here.

Violent Video Games Under Scrutiny

January 11, 2013
This undated publicity image released by Activision shows soldiers and terrorists battling in the streets of Yemen in a scene from the video game, “Call of Duty: Black Ops II.”  (Activision/AP)

Amid a national conversation about video games after the Newtown, Conn. mass shooting, one city plans to offer coupons in exchange for trashing violent games.

Oscars Nods Include Oldest, Youngest Best Actress

January 10, 2013
Nine-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis and 85-year-old Emmanuelle Riva are the youngest and oldest ever nominees for Best Actress. (Fox Searchlight Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics)

Steven Spielberg’s film “Lincoln” leads the field with 12 Oscars nominations. There were also a handful of surprises.

‘All My Babies’ Mamas’: New Low In Reality TV?

January 8, 2013
Rapper Shawty Lo is pictured with his 11 children and their 10 mothers in a short video promoting "All My Babies' Mamas." (screenshot)

Oxygen Media is under fire for a planned TV special called “All My Babies’ Mamas,” which follows the life of rapper Shawty Lo (Carlos Walker), his 11 children and their 10 mothers in Atlanta.

Bill Kristol Is Charting Future Of GOP, Starting With Hagel Nomination

January 8, 2013
Bill Kristol is founder/editor of The Weekly Standard political magazine, and a regular commentator on the Fox News Channel. (Fox News screenshot)

With a leadership void in the Republican Party, neoconservative William Kristol, a political analyst and Fox News commentator, is driving much of the debate on important policy matters.

The Literary World’s Latest Teapot-Sized Tempest: Or, When Writers Attack!

January 8, 2013
Steve Almond: I’m tired of writers passing judgment on entire genres. Journalistic narcissism -- or, more politely, writing about oneself -- has a place. (nyoin/flickr)

I’m tired of writers passing judgment on entire genres. Journalistic narcissism — or, more politely, writing about oneself — has a place.

Educator Answers Your Questions On iPads In The Classroom

January 7, 2013
Burlington High School Principal Patrick Larkin shows off his iPad at Here & Now studios at WBUR in Boston. (Jesse Costa/Here & Now)

From costs and logistics to limiting cheating and distractions, educator Patrick Larkin answered your questions about iPads in the classroom, during a live web chat with more than 200 participants.

Can We Really Expect Football Culture To Change If We Don’t Want It To?

January 7, 2013
Bill Littlefield: As long as players are celebrated for “crushing tackles” and fans cast votes for “best hit ever” -- no amount of helmet technology can protect against head injuries.  (Seth Perlman/AP)

As long as players are celebrated for “crushing tackles” and fans cast votes for “best hit ever” — no amount of helmet technology can protect against head injuries.

N.H. Journalist Is Missing In Syria

January 2, 2013
James Foley in Aleppo, Syria, in November 2012. His family says he went missing in Syria more than one month ago while covering the civil war there. (Nicole Tung, freejamesfoley.org/AP)

BEIRUT — The family of James Foley, of Rochester, N.H., said he was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on Thanksgiving.

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