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Inside The Real Hollywood: The Sony Hack Continues

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With guest host Michel Martin.

A big Sony hack gets weirder and wider.  And Hollywood and Homeland Security are on edge.

A poster for the movie "The Interview" is carried away by a worker after being pulled from a display case at a Carmike Cinemas movie theater, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014, in Atlanta. (AP)
A poster for the movie "The Interview" is carried away by a worker after being pulled from a display case at a Carmike Cinemas movie theater, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014, in Atlanta. (AP)

Major news organizations are reporting that US officials have determined that North Korea is behind the hacking of Sony Pictures' computers, an effort to stop the Christmas release of a movie about the assassination of North Korea’s Supreme Leader. That plan seemed to have worked, as Sony has now cancelled the release after escalating threats. That’s just the latest development in the story: there was already buzz about hacked files exposing the less than attractive inner workings of the studio: Racial jokes and pay inequities. This hour, On Point: A real life drama: Sony Pictures story.
-- Michel Martin

Guests

Danny Yadron, cyber-security reporter for The Wall Street Journal. (@dannyyadron)

Eriq Gardner, senior editor at the Hollywood Reporter. (@eriqgardner)

David Carr, media and culture critic at the New York Times. Author of "The Night of the Gun." (@carr2n)

Elizabeth Weise, reporter for USA Today. (@eweise)

From The Reading List

USA Today: No 'Interview' ... on any platform — "Sony has pulled the plug on The Interview – on any platform. The studio has canceled the release of the Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy, which was set to open Christmas Day. In a statement Wednesday, Sony said, 'In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film The Interview, we have decided not to move forward with the planned December 25 theatrical release. We respect and understand our partners' decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theater-goers.'"

The Hollywood Reporter: New Lawsuit Claims Sony’s 'The Interview' Put Employees in Danger -- "As Sony Pictures confronts new threats from hackers who have exposed corporate secrets, it must also contend with proposed class action lawsuits that blame the company for not doing more to stop or at least mitigate the damage. Already sued once on Monday, Sony is now facing a second lawsuit brought by production managers on some of its most high-profile films including Jerry Maguire, Spider-Man and The Green Hornet."

New York Times: The Sony Hack and the Yellow Press — "As a screenwriter in Hollywood who’s only two generations removed from probably being blacklisted, I’m not crazy about Americans calling other Americans un-American, so let’s just say that every news outlet that did the bidding of the Guardians of Peace is morally treasonous and spectacularly dishonorable."

This program aired on December 18, 2014.

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