Stories

Netflix and Paramount’s Interest In Warner? The Back Catalog. It’s An Old Strategy

Back in the 18th century for example, Longman, the UK’s oldest commercial publishing house, built up its business by acquiring the catalogues of other firms. - The Conversation

An Ethics Problem: AI Agents Go Rogue, Write Hit Pieces

When a coder rejected an autonomous AI's contribution, the digital diva researched and published a personalized attack piece. Welcome to the age when artificial intelligence doesn't just create—it retaliates with very human pettiness. - Undark

Classic Reconsidered: Hudson’s Bay Coat Gets Historical Reality Check

That vintage striped coat commanding boutique prices? Turns out its colonial baggage is heavier than its wool. Fashion meets reckoning as shoppers discover their thrift store treasure carries more than just warmth. — The Walrus

One In Five Broadway Theatergoers Is Going Alone

“Nearly 20% of Broadway theater tickets are now being purchased by solo attendees — double the rate from just a couple of years ago, according to audience data for the 2024-25 season from the Broadway League.” And one theater owner, ATG Entertainment, is tapping into that crowd with a “Solo Seats” initiative. - NPR

What Will Happen To DC Theatre Without A WaPo Theatre Critic?

The Washington Post's theatre critic chair sits empty after layoffs, leaving D.C.'s robust theatre scene wondering who's watching—and whether anyone still cares. Local companies now face the existential question: make art for critics, or just make art? — American Theatre

When Your Reading List Becomes A High Score (Is That Good?)

LitHub explores how platforms like Letterboxd and Goodreads transform intimate cultural experiences into competitive metrics. Because apparently we can't enjoy a book anymore without turning it into content for our personal brand. — Literary Hub

One Of Portugal’s, And Europe’s, Greatest Authors, António Lobo Antunes, Is Dead At 83

“A trained psychiatrist, Lobo Antunes wrote, … in an elaborate, metaphorical style that he called 'controlled delirium,' … more than 30 novels dealing with topics ranging from Portugal's battles in its former colonies to the dictatorship that ran the country and social ills such as drug addiction.” - AFP (Yahoo!)

Let’s Not Call It “Intelligence”

"When I speak to high-school and college students (including my own children), I worry that at the time when they should be developing their own voices, they’re being told they don’t need to bother. AI writes for us, reads for us, thinks for us. It replaces our voice with its own." - The Atlantic

Architect: What’s Wrong With Trump’s Grandiose Ballroom Design

“The net effect of this is to adversely impact what is the most important historic — the most identifiable historic — house in the entire United States. This is permanent, what it will do to the White House.” - AP

Study: Pinpointing Where Stradivari’s Wood Came From

A study of the tree rings in Stradivarius violins, published in January in the journal Dendrochronologia, has revealed the most likely origin of some of the craftsman’s violins: wood from trees growing at high elevation in northern Italy in the same valley that hosted part of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. - The New York Times

Mexico Sees Increasing Backlash Against Over-Tourism

“The Guardian visits Oaxaca, ... where tourism has grown 77% since the pandemic and once-private family rituals such as the Day of the Dead are now big international parties. But with this opportunity comes a growing backlash across the country, as local people struggle with a cost-of-living crisis.” (video) - The Guardian

A Second Country (A Big One) Bans Social Media For Anyone Under 16

Australia instituted the ban this past December, and following suit is Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous nation. Starting March 28, accounts owned by children under 16 on "high-risk platforms" — including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, ​and Roblox — will be gradually deactivated. - Reuters

One Of Seattle’s Top Theater Companies Lays Off Staff

“The 5th Avenue Theatre Company, Seattle's primary producer of Broadway-scale musicals, is eliminating about 14 staff positions and pausing some education and engagement programs amid cash flow problems, the nonprofit announced Friday.” - The Seattle Times

Britain’s Daily Telegraph Bought By German Media Conglomerate Axel Springer

Axel Springer, which owns the German publications Bild and Die Welt and the US website group Politico, will pay £575 million ($766 million) for Telegraph Media Group. Springer intends to “turbocharge” the Telegraph’s expansion into the U.S. marker and to make it “the leading center-right media outlet in the English-speaking world.” - AP

A Dance Critic Meets Olympic Figure-Skating Champion Alysa Liu

“Things gotta change, 100 percent,” Liu says. “I think the whole system’s got to scrap it and start over. The competition system and the setup just isn’t fit for consumption, honestly.” - The New York Times

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