Opinion
Thoughtful columns and commentary pieces from The Desk contributors.
Viewpoint: Could the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint increase inequality?
"The judge should have blocked the deal: It will likely increase economic inequality."
By:
Amitrajeet A. Batabyal
How to protect yourself from online disinformation
You might have fallen for someone’s attempt to disinform you about current events. But it’s not your fault.
By:
Elizabeth Stoycheff
As Craigslist turns 25, a look at how it democratizes the Internet
"There was a period when websites didn’t rely on user data for profit margins, when people still viewed the internet as a radical laboratory for freedom and liberty."
By:
Jessa Lingel
Researcher: Social media can make people more lonely
Research by Relationships Australia revealed one in six experience emotional loneliness, which means they lack meaningful relationships in their lives.
By:
Roger Patulny
How podcasts are changing the state of radio storytelling
In 2009, newspapers prophesied the death of the radio drama. But as of 2020, audio fiction has become the fastest-growing strand in publishing, with tech, media and film companies crowding in.
By:
Richard Brooks
Inside the battle between NBC & CBS to film a Berlin Wall tunnel escape
A media historian uses declassified government documents to show how both sides of the Iron Curtain worked to have the projects canned.
By:
Mike Conway
How NPR became radio’s authoritative news voice
From its start half a century ago, National Public Radio heralded a new approach to the sound of radio in the United States.
By:
Jason Loviglio
Cartoons, once a children’s staple, are finding an audience with adults once again
Cartoons were historically aimed at adult audiences, but in the decades since, they've swung from becoming a children's staple right back to finding a home in the heart of a more-mature audience.
By:
Julian Lawrence
Is Roku being disingenuous about why Fox was removed?
Roku says it needs an agreement with Fox to retransmit software apps through its operating system. Whether that's true is debatable.
A Cincinnati TV station will stop publishing mugshots. Others should do the same.
"It's not a strong visual, except maybe as the butt of a joke."
Trump could start a war via Twitter — and the social network is OK with that
Twitter's own decision not to enforce its terms of service means it could be the first social network used to facilitate an international war.
To thwart misinformation, is it time to assign news services a credibility rating?
Research shows only one in five people can actually spot misleading content. One way to help fight the spread of misinformation: Assign credibility ratings to news sources.
By:
Antino Kim, Alan R. Dennis, Patricia L. Moravec & Randall K. Minas