Tech Titans or Tyrants: Should the U.S. Government Break Up Big Tech?
Has Big Tech become too powerful? From social media platforms and e-commerce giants to cloud computing and AI, tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, and Microsoft wield unprecedented influence over our economy, democracy, and daily lives. The government is taking notice, with the Department of Justice and FTC pursuing landmark antitrust actions and bipartisan support building for breaking up tech giants. Advocates argue these firms are monopolies that stifle competition and innovation, harm consumers through data exploitation, abuse their market dominance, and wield outsized influence over public discourse. Structural separation, such as forcing Google to divest YouTube or Amazon to spin off AWS, would restore fairness. Others argue that breaking them up would undermine innovation and downgrade the user experience, which benefits from integrated ecosystems. It would serve as a blunt instrument when smarter regulation or self-governance could suffice. These measures could lead to unintended consequences for national security, critical infrastructure, and the broader economy.
As these tech companies grow their influence while under public scrutiny, we debate the question: Should the U.S. Government Break Up Big Tech?
Arguing Yes: Bharat Ramamurti, Founder of The Bully Pulpit; Former Deputy Director of the National Economic Council and Matt Stoller, Director of Research at the American Economic Liberties Project
Arguing No: Geoffrey A. Manne, President and Founder of the International Center for Law & Economics and Jennifer Huddleston, Senior Fellow in Technology Policy at the Cato Institute
Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates
Holiday Treats
Check out these Sound Beat features on PRX that are perfect to air for over the Holidays.
Download all of the episodes from PRX here: Sound Beat for Christmas
For the Holidays – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
A Family Event for the Holidays – Otherworld Media Productions presents “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” a four-part audio dramatization of L. Frank Baum’s timeless tale with an all-star cast
AVAILABLE on PRX
It’s been over the rainbow for 25 years, but the star-studded Centennial Audio Production in 2000 of THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ is reissued for Holiday release.
The only complete audio dramatization of of Dorothy’s whirlwind voyage to the land of OZ comes alive with an irreplaceable cast.
- HARRY ANDERSON as The Wizard
- ANNETTE BENING as Glinda the Good
- PHYLLIS DILLER as The Wicked Witch
- JOHN GOODMAN as Guardian of the Gate
- MARK HAMILL as Munch the Munchkin
- RENE AUBERJONOIS as The Scarecrow
- ROBERT GUILLAUME as The Cowardly Lion
- NESTOR SERRANO as The Tin Woodman
- MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG as Dorothy Gale
Adapted by David Ossman, this award-winning production has joyfully sought to create a movie-for-your-mind, wherein Baum’s tale of a strong-willed young girl, a new-made scarecrow, a lonely Tin Man and an un-crowned Lion can live anew.
Most people know the story through the classic motion picture with Judy Garland, released in 1938, fewer have actually read the book the film is based on. Realizing this, Ossman made sure that the songs in this audio production will remind listeners of the movie, while staying true to the turn-of-the-century original.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was produced in cooperation with the Children’s Museum of Los Angeles in 2000 for the Centennial Celebration of the book.Judith Walcutt produced and directed. David Ossman, wrote this chapter-by-chapter telling, brilliantly produced by Warren Dewey, with a score supervised by Scott Nagatani that includes tunes by Baum himself and music from the original stage production of the Wizard of Oz in 1902.
Searching for the First Rock and Roll Song
Is your station searching for a new, free, weekly music program? End your search with “Searching for The First Rock and Roll Song”
PERFECT FOR WEEKENDS OR OVERNIGHT!
From WWOZ in New Orleans comes a truly unique music show featuring great early rock music rarely, if ever, heard on other music programs. A two-decade long staple on WWOZ, uber-knowledgeable Host Jaime Dell’Apa spins records coveted by collectors from the era when rock and roll was emerging but hadn’t yet settled on a definition of itself.
On Searching For The First Rock and Roll Song, listeners will hear music:
- from before rock and roll was domesticated into a commercial music industry.
- when country and western sounded like swing,
- when pop music sounded like rockabilly,
- when rockabilly sounded like rhythm and blues,
- when doo wop sounded like girl groups,
and all those musics sounded an awful lot like what we now call “rock and roll.”
Available: PRX (Auto Download), PRX (Manual Download), AudioPort (1 hr Version), AudioPort (2 hr Version), AudioPort (3 hr Version), & Download
Length: One hour to Three Hours weekly
Cost: FREE
The Best of Broadway and Hollywood
Footlight Parade: Sounds of the American Musical
Public Radio’s Most Popular and Longest Running Broadway and Hollywood Musical Program
Since 1998, Footlight Parade: Sounds of the American Musical has been presenting the best of Broadway and Hollywood, from the early 20th century to current hits: from Gershwin, Berlin and Rodgers & Hammerstein to Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The best of Broadway and Hollywood music including rarely heard recordings.
“Bill Rudman brings musical theater history to life with charm, wit, insight, warmth, convivial chat and a wealth of knowledge”.
Entertaining and insightful backstage stories, anecdotes, and historical perspectives from Host and Producer Bill Rudman, a nationally recognized authority on musical theatre.
“I don’t know which I prefer: the music or your informative and entertaining commentary. BOTH are excellent!”
Exclusive archival interviews with, and in-depth interviews with of such acclaimed artists as lyricist Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof and She Loves Me), composer John Kander (Cabaret and Chicago) and singers Mandy Patinkin and the late Barbara Cook, and many more!
“Bill’s in-depth interviews with all manner of artists provide a permanent, irreplaceable archive.”
Cost: FREE
Length: 56:50
Available: PRX Automated Delivery, Downloads