May 9, 2017
The
dream of a democratic internet has become a dystopia of unregulated
monopolies. Creators are being devastated - deprived of their
income and control by a handful of tech behemoths. That’s the
analysis of Jonathan Taplin in the new book
MOVE
FAST AND BREAK THINGS: How Facebook, Google, and Amazon Cornered
Culture and Undermined Democracy.
Taplin is director emeritus of the Annenberg
Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California. He’s had a
wide-ranging career that began in the 1960s as road manager for Bob
Dylan and The Band, movie producer for Martin Scorsese, and - as a
consequence - he was the executive producer of The Last Waltz, the
landmark 1976 concert film documenting the final show by that The
Band.
Our conversation took place before a live audience at Nashville’s City Winery in March 2017 as part of a book tour stop presented by Nashville’s Who Knew speaker series. Taplin outlines his case against Google, Facebook and Apple and offers some ideas to tilt the playing field back toward the interests of creators.
Also in this hour, an unaired interview with Col. Bruce Hampton and a historic return to the Ryman Auditorium by Emmylou Harris.