The “current composition as a consolidated public company is not working. At current levels, we argue that exploring strategic alternatives such as asset sales, restructuring and/or mergers would create more shareholder value vs. the status quo,” the report, led by BoFA’s Jessica Reif Ehrlich, reads. - The Hollywood Reporter
"His understated comedy routines that emphasized the absurdities of ordinary life made him a national sensation. (He) became the first comedian with a No. 1 record and the star of two long-running sitcoms (and is) regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern comedy." - The Washington Post (MSN)
Following NPR’s 10% staff cutback last year, 2024 has seen 25 workers pink-slipped at KQED, 15 at WAMU, 31 at Boston’s WGBH along with 14% of WBUR’s workforce, 14 at Chicago Public Radio, and 15 at Colorado Public Radio. - Current
What does it mean to discover one’s true, authentic self? To act from a place of authenticity? Is there a truer self within the self that can be uncovered? What are we really talking about when we talk about authenticity? - Aeon
In a recent paper published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Cory Clark and 38 co-authors argue that, in science, censorship often flows from within, as scientists choose to avoid certain areas of research, or to avoid publishing controversial results. - Undark
The Witch of Konotop is a 1982 stage adaptation of a classic Ukrainian novella published in 1832, telling the story of a Cossack town administrator in the 17th century who goes on an honest-to-goodness witch hunt. For more than a year it has been the hottest ticket in Kyiv. (audio) - NPR
Beyond particular items in its collections, is the universal museum itself a product of colonialism that expresses an implicit belief in the superiority of Western culture over Indigenous cultures in the areas the West came to control in the age of imperialism? - The New Republic
The online news outlet, founded in 2013, collapsed in 2021 after Watson and other execs were caught lying to potential investors with wildly inflated figures for audience size, valuation, and earnings. Watson, convicted of identity theft, securities fraud conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy, faces up to 37 years in prison. - CNN
In the survey, creatives of all stripes, success and income levels say that — faced with rising housing prices, inflation and a weakened local art infrastructure — making a living as an artist in King County is now a Sisyphean endeavor that leaves them stressed out, exhausted and, in some cases, contemplating leaving the region. - Seattle Times
Stanley Kubrick died shortly after turning his cut in to Warner Bros. — which has left plenty of room for others to make their own assessments of the film's meaning and its quality. Some of those interpretations can be weirder than the movie itself. - BBC
It seems like such a basic thing: paying working artists a living wage. But it’s not something that most arts organizations, particularly smaller ones, find easy to do. - Seattle Times
The Metro Arts Commission had rescinded the funds in 2023 on advice from the city's attorneys that, because commissioners had discussed race in awarding the grants, and consequent to a Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action, those awards might be unconstitutional. - The Tennessean (Nashville) (MSN)
Some popular locations are struggling with the crush of visitors. Tens of thousands of Spanish residents have taken to the streets in Málaga and the Canary Islands to protest mass tourism and rising housing costs, as more units convert into short-term rentals. - The Wall Street Journal
Last Sunday, as dancers carried heavy sheets of metal and glass in Joan Jonas’s Mirror Piece I & II, audience members from Los Angeles's performance community held signs saying "Fair Pay 4 Dancers" and "Getty We C U Paying Performers Poorly" (meaning about half what MOMA paid for the same piece). - Hyperallergic
The staff cuts, coming a week after the conglomerate eliminated around 100 jobs at CNN, involve multiple departments, including production, business affairs, finance, and Max (formerly HBO Max). The media giant's stock price is down 70% from when Discovery acquired Warner Bros. in 2022. - Deadline
