Jobs and families to be focus of spring sitting of Alberta legislature
by Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press Posted Mar 1, 2017 12:00 pm MDT Last Updated Mar 1, 2017 at 3:40 pm MDT AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email Jobs and families to be focus of spring sitting of Alberta legislature EDMONTON – The Alberta government will focus on jobs and families in the spring legislature sitting, but the opposition says it’s about time Premier Rachel Notley gets serious about saving money in an improving economy.The session begins Thursday with a throne speech that will outline the government’s goals and priorities.Finance Minister Joe Ceci is to bring in the 2017-18 budget on March 16.The province is running a $10.8-billion deficit this year. The NDP government has opted to keep operational spending steady and increase capital investments to avoid aggravating an economy battered by low oil prices.Richard Gotfried of the Progressive Conservatives noted the province brought in an extra $1.5 billion in the current fiscal year due to higher oil prices, but still spent all of it — and more.“I’m worried that we will go forward in that same path where we’ll see revenue improvements but no control of government spending to balance this budget,” Gotfried said Wednesday.“If we push (the debt and deficit) off to future generations … that’s irresponsible.”Ceci has promised to get the deficit tamed by 2023, but Opposition Wildrose house leader Nathan Cooper suggested the government is signalling it will spend heavily in good times and bad.“We’ve seen the price of oil increase over the last little while and we’ve also seen the government increase spending over the last little while,” said Cooper.“All indications thus far are that they aren’t interested in saving and only interesting in spending — and obviously that’s a concern to us and it’s a concern to many Albertans.”Alberta’s debt will surpass $32 billion this year, debt payments are now over $1 billion a year and the province has been hit with multiple credit downgrades.Ceci has noted the government has strong financial underpinnings, including a low tax regime and almost $20 billion in the Heritage Savings Trust Fund.Earlier this week, Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark said hard decisions are needed to stem the red ink, including a possible provincial sales tax.But Clark said any PST can’t be part of an NDP government.“I don’t trust the NDP with a PST,” he said.“The NDP have shown that they’re unwilling and unable to constrain government spending.”While details of the budget have yet to be released, government house leader Brian Mason reiterated Wednesday that the province will continue to invest in infrastructure and “protect the public services that Albertans rely on.”Mason said 15 bills will be introduced with measures to build on job creation, maintain front-line public services and help families save money.“I like the stuff that actually focuses on people’s pocketbooks, on their ability to cover the basic costs of their family and have a little money left over in difficult times,” said Mason.“Just because the economy is recovering this year doesn’t mean everybody is going to be back to work.”Mason said the sitting’s flagship legislation, Bill 1, will be introduced Thursday. He would not say what it will address.
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Koo Stark declined to comment on the case outside the High Court on WednesdayCredit:Richard Gittins /Champion News More than three years ago, Miss Stark was accused of stealing a £40,000 oil painting from Mr Walker.She returned the work by Anthonie van Borssom, which depicts a moonlit coastal landscape, before any trial was staged.A judge at Isleworth Crown Court had been told that prosecution and defence lawyers had reached an agreement under which Miss Stark would return the painting – and she was cleared of theft.American-born Miss Stark dated the Duke of York in the 1980s when she was in her 20s. Koo Stark, an ex-girlfriend of the Duke of York, is embroiled in a High Court cash dispute with a former partner.Miss Stark, 60, claims that Warren Walker owes her £200,000.A judge analysed preliminary issues at a High Court hearing in London on Wednesday. Miss Stark, an actress, and Mr Walker were in court.Mr Justice Moor heard submissions from lawyers representing both sides. He adjourned the case to a date to be fixed and little detail of claims being made in the case emerged.Mr Justice Moor said: “It is a claim by Miss Stark that she is owed £200,000 by him.”Miss Stark was asked, after the hearing, if she wanted to comment.She replied: “You know my policy.”
THIS IS THE week that was, in photos…
Since the release of the Google Nexus One, I was essentially of a mind that the Nexus Experience is pretty much exactly what I wanted from my phone. When the Nexus S arrived, I happily abandoned my Micro SD card in exchange for the curvy shininess of Samsung collaboration with Google. Here I was, completely happy to enjoy the Nexus experience and allow the other UI’s to fade into obscurity when LTE arrived.Now, the HTC Thunderbolt was cool, but after using a Nexus S for a while the Thunderbolt was not unlike a brick in my hand and pocket. Still, the speed and performance of the LTE network beckoned me in my sleep until the Samsung Droid Charge arrived. Here was a phone that was not entirely dissimilar from the Nexus S when you held it in your hand, yet it had an even better screen and the LTE radio wasn’t nearly as big a battery goblin as it was on the Thunderbolt. I thought I had found a nice Verizon phone to settle into, until about a day and a half into using it.I couldn’t quite put my finger on what exactly was wrong, but I was not enjoying the phone. It felt great in the hand and pocket, got pretty good battery life, and I giggled like a school girl every time a page loaded in what seemed like record time. I realized that what was making me unhappy was the TouchWiz UI that was deployed on this phone by Samsung. After trying to put to words exactly what I was having trouble with, I decided to put together a video explaining my dilemma.Now, all in all these seem like pretty trivial things for Samsung to fix, and hopefully in the next revision of TouchWiz, they will. Until then, however, I am forced to use third party launchers and simply suck it up when it comes to the rest.
Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsAppProvidenciales, 15 Apr 2015 – Climatologists from Colombia State University are first out of the gate with 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season predictions; and while the forecast is for a slow season, the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies, DDME is recommending readiness. The CSU forecasters predict seven named storms, three hurricanes of which one will be a major hurricane; that means category three status or above. Turks and Caicos is first to add Disaster Management to the Tourism portfolio Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsApp TCI: More active Hurricane Season predicted and DDME gives thorough update on its readiness Recommended for you Related Items:columbia university, DDME, hurricane season TCI: Hard-working DDME lauded as Hurricane Preparedness Month officially opened
JW Marriott at Galaxy Macau named venue and Galaxy Entertainment Group named Venue Sponsor for 2019 Asian Gaming Power 50 Black Tie Gala Dinner Load More Strong VIP growth sees Okada Manila GGR climb 72% in August RelatedPosts With net revenue growing 14% year-on-year to HK$55.2 billion and adjusted EBITDA up 19% to HK$16.9 billion, Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) dodged a 2018 undermined by geo-political and economic issues, the company said on Thursday in its annual results release.Galaxy said that global trade tensions, a slowing Chinese economy, rising interest rates, currency fluctuations and also the introduction of smoking restrictions in the Macau SAR impacted investor sentiment, causing periods of volatility. Big trouble in little China Notwithstanding those issues, Galaxy’s GGR on a management basis in 2018 was HK$67.2 billion, up 16% year-on-year, with VIP GGR up 18% to HK$37.3 billion and mass table GGR up 14% to HK$27.5 billion. EGM revenue rose 15% to HK$2.5 billion.The group experienced bad luck in its gaming operation during 2018, which decreased its adjusted EBITDA by approximately HK$484 million. This bad luck also negatively impacted adjusted property EBITDA at Galaxy Macau by HK$434 million in 2018.Nonetheless, Galaxy Macau’s FY18 net revenue increased 14% year-on-year to HK$39.5 billion. Adjusted EBITDA was up 16% to HK$12.9 billion.Peninsula property StarWorld recorded HK$12.2 billion in net revenue in 2018, up 18% year-on-year, with adjusted EBITDA up 28% to HK$3.8 billion.Broadway Macau kept improving with 2018 net revenue increasing 9% year-on-year to HK$562 million, and adjusted EBITDA of HK$32 million for 2018 versus HK$10 million in 2017.Quarterly resultsGEG’s Q418 net revenue was up 2% year-on-year and 9% quarter-on-quarter to HK$14.2 billion, with adjusted EBITDA up 4% year-on-year and 12% quarter-on-quarter to HK$4.3 billion.At Galaxy Macau, net revenue in 4Q18 rose 2% year-on-year and 11% quarter-on-quarter to HK$10.4 billion.StarWorld revenue reached HK$3 billion, up 12% year-on-year and 2% quarter-on-quarter.Quarterly net revenue at Broadway Macau was down 1% both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter to HK$144 million.
Veterinarian Kathy Woodie notes, “The prognosis for this otter looked grave, but he had a fighting spirit and overcame tremendous health conditions.” Dixon was named after Dixon Glacier. He arrived dehydrated, malnourished, and barely responsive. According to staff, he was found to have bacterial infections, anemia, and severe intestinal issues. Facebook0TwitterEmailPrintFriendly分享A male sea otter pup was admitted to Alaska Sealife Center, from Homer, earlier this month. Due to his rapidly degrading condition the veterinary team initiated treatment plans quickly, including more elaborate tests like an MRI.
According to the ASLC, the otter pup, named Dixon, was aged at approximately 2 months upon arrival. While Dixon is gaining strength, veterinarians and animal care staff still monitor him closely for any lapses in health.
1. “Information wants to be free”: Stewart Brand said this to Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, at the original Hackers’ Conference in 1984, and it’s circulated since. McKean disagrees, saying, “You can charge for content that is truly unique or better; better means really better. This kind of content helps people make money, save money, buy/sell something or offers something useful. It is hard-to-find, actionable information.”2. “Monetize new through old”: As McKean points out, the more disruptive a new product is, the less likely it is to develop an immediate revenue stream. Many publishers are bundling digital offerings with print products, and McKean points out that consumers don’t necessarily want all their information available in both print and digital forms; most customers have an access preference. He says, “This strategy is unwise, as you stifle the new before it can find its proper value.”3. “Protect existing products”: “Failure to cannibalize your portfolio is one of the worst mistakes companies can make,” say McKean. 4. “Sell via microsales”: This tactic has long appealed to publishers, selling bits of information to consumers for an extremely low rate. As McKean points out, while these pennies add up for publishers, this purchasing process forces consumer to begin to ration use of content. “This then motivates them to find free alternatives,” says McKean.5. “Settle for good enough”: In a time where consumers have endless alternatives, McKean reinforces the danger of producing mediocre content. He cited logic from a previous supervisor, Sports Illustrated editor Gil Rogin, “You’re not fighting for dollars, you’re fighting for attention.”6. “Hard paywalls convert best”: This is logic that depends on the publisher, says McKean. Periodicals like Financial Times and now The New York Times are finding success in the metered paywall model. A flexible business model may work best, using options like teaser content and membership offerings to entice consumers to subscribe. At Consumer Reports, a contextual paywall model is used; this kind of paywall details what the content behind the paywall will offer to subscribers. Consumer Reports does this categorically: for its automobile information, electronics, etc.7. “Apple charges too much”: Not surprisingly, McKean agreed with this statement, suggesting publishers would benefit from playing by Apple’s rules in addition to having digital products available through other venue. When FOLIO: asked what he considered to be a more reasonable revenue split (after all, newsstands often used to take 50 percent of total rev), McKean said an 80/20 split favoring publishers may be a fair model.”There is a greater user acceptance of traditional and novel web-pay models,” says McKean. “Publishers who aren’t charging are losing out.” At the ABM Executive Forum in Chicago, executives from all facets of the b-to-b world are on hand to discuss what’s top of mind for the majority (if not the entirety) of the industry: monetizing content.Part of the discussion included lessons learned from the consumer side of the business. Kevin McKean, Consumer Reports‘ vice president and editorial director, opened up the conference by discussing the successful paid content model Consumer Reports currently has in place. The magazine has a circulation of 4 million, and the website has 3.3 million subscribers. Combined with other products, these subscriptions bring in $225 million to $230 million in annual revenue for Consumer Reports.Consumer Reports began to establish its paid content model in 1998. McKean says that about 20 percent of CR’s content remains outside its paywall; this information “doesn’t tell specifics”, McKean says. General advice, videos and news items are accessible without payment; while specific, data-rich content like top ten lists, comparative ratings and individual test reports is available exclusively to subscribers.McKean highlighted several points he deemed as “common wisdom” about paid content that publishers should be weary of. Some of this faulty logic includes:
0 Post a comment 13 Photos CES 2019: Complete coverage 14 questions CES 2019 needs to answer CES 2019 TVs preview: Get ready for 8K AI rollable OLED with Alexa CES 2019 preview: Laptops, tablets and PC gaming Google is primed to go big at CES again CES 2019 Bluetooth Google Sony Tags Sony sold 5.6 million PlayStation 4s over the holiday season. Sarah Tew/CNET With its heritage of top TVs and notable audio equipment, Sony never misses a chance to show off its latest wares at the world’s biggest tech show, CES in Las Vegas.Unlike many other tech giants, Sony doesn’t pre-announce its new CES offerings, giving us no hint what to expect ahead of its Monday night press conference.But rather than offering up a slew of product announcements, Sony used its event to remind the world of what a content powerhouse it is, pulling Tim Rothman, chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Rob Stringer, CEO of Sony Music, up on stage to talk about their respective success stories and projects, including Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Individual news stories are posted on the APRN news page. You can subscribe to APRN’s newsfeeds via email, podcast and RSS. Follow us on Facebook at alaskapublic.org and on Twitter @aprn.Download AudioDrug Stockpile Recovered From Unalaska Home Lauren Rosenthal, KUCB – UnalaskaUnalaska police may have reached a turning point in a long investigation into drug sales. Two people are in custody after a stockpile was discovered at the home – and business – they both share.Amid Green Peace Protests, ExxonMobil Readies for Summer Project in Russian Chukchi Zachariah Hughes, KNOM – NomeYesterday Norwegian police and special forces cleared Green Peace protestors off an oil rig in the Barents Sea. Activists have since been using a boat to block access to the proposed drill site, which could become the world’s Northern-most offshore oil well. But on the Russian side of the Chukchi Sea, American and Russian energy companies are getting ready for a season of seismic surveying.Alaska Journalist Bob Tkacz Found Dead Casey Kelly, KTOO – JuneauVeteran Alaska journalist Bob Tkacz has died. He was 61. With his gravelly voice and dogged interviewing style, Tkacz was a fixture in the state capital press corps for more than 20 years.Bethel Test Fishery Starts Early Ben Matheson, KYUK – BethelThe Bethel Test Fishery put nets in the water five days early this year. With no salmon fishing happening in the early season, the test data will be central to understanding the strength of the king run and helping managers decide when to open up for other species.Rain Gives Crews Leg Up On Funny River FireShady Grove Oliver, KBBI – HomerRain and cooler conditions have given firefighters a chance to strengthen their effort and get a step ahead in their battle with the Funny River fire on the Kenai. Officials are always trying to plan a few days in advance. But now, they are also looking ahead to the next few months and long-term management of the fire and its effects.AK: A Musical CelebrationEd Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – JuneauAlaskans have had some big anniversaries this year: The ‘64 earthquake and the Exxon Valdez oil spill among them.Acoustic musicians celebrated their own anniversary last month in Juneau: the Alaska Folk Festival’s 40th. The week of concerts attract hundreds of singers, pickers and strummers and thousands of audience members from around the state – and the nation.300 Villages: RampartThis week, we’re heading to Rapart, in Interior Alaska. The Koyukon Athabascan community is tiny, but working to attract new residents. Floyd Green is tribal administrator of Rampart Alaska. He’s just 21-years-old.
Mitsubishi recently revealed a new Blu-ray player that can convert existing 2D movies into 3D in real time. The company showed off the technology to a few tech journalists at the Barclay’s PGA Tour at Westchester Country Club, and plans to market the product to consumers in early 2008. Citation: Mitsubishi’s new Blu-ray converts your movies into 3D (2007, August 28) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2007-08-mitsubishis-blu-ray-movies-3d.html To experience 3D movies with the Blu-ray converter, viewers wear a pair of special shutter glasses. Even though most films today weren’t shot in 3D (which usually requires two cameras), the conversion works with a combination of the glasses and a standard Digital Light Processing (DLP) projector. The projector divides a typical 120 Hz DLP TV output into two 60 Hz signals to create the 3D effect.Currently, the technology apparently works only with existing DLP TVs and projectors, but not with LCD and plasma displays due to their different refresh rate.During the demo for the journalists, Mitsubishi presented viewing material (movies, sports events, and commercials) that had all been shot in 3D. As CNet’s David Carnoy, one of the attendees, reported, “There was real depth to the 3D, and you got that 3D-feeling of objects poking out at you from the screen.”However, Carnoy said that he was less excited about the quality of 2D converted movies, which Mitsubishi did not present at the PGA Tour demo. “I´m pretty skeptical that the technology is going to show up anytime soon, and I have my doubts that converted 2D content is going to look all that great in 3D. … I have a feeling you´re only going to get a true Imax-like 3D experience with some eyewear,” he said.Nevertheless, talk of 3D movies is increasing, as companies see the possibility of improving upon the earliest 3D technology from the ‘80s. Samsung and Philips are two other companies developing 3D home technology. In Philips’ version, 3D would be integrated right into the display, eliminating the need for glasses.Mitsubishi has not disclosed the price of the 3D Blu-ray technology, even though representatives said it may be ready early next year. The company did reveal that it is working with a game console manufacturer to integrate 3D into the game. No names were revealed, but there is speculation that the partner may be Sony. 
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Guests:Doug Gottlieb – FS1 Analyst, Host of The Doug Gottlieb Show and All Ball Podcast; Rob Parker – FS1 Analyst; Derek Fisher – L.A. sparks Head Coach and NBA World Champion; Joel Klatt – FS1 Lead College Football Analyst Also:– Luck deserves MVP more than Mahomes– Herd Hierarchy after Week 15 Cam has Carolina trappedCam Newton looked awful in a Monday Night Football loss to the Saints, and after a hot start Carolina has lost six straight. Barring a miracle, they’ll miss the playoffs for the second time in 3 years.Much like Russell Westbrook in the NBA with Oklahoma City, Newton isn’t going to lead the Panthers to titles, but is the unquestioned face of the franchise and a small market rockstar with a die-hard fan following. Getting rid of either would lead to a backlash that neither franchise is willing to face.
The Austrian National Tourist Office (ANTO) in co-operation with the Swarovski Crystal Worlds and the local tourist boards invited 11 Indian luxury travel agents on a Familiarisation trip (FAM) to Vienna, Salzburg, Zell am see and Innsbruck near the end of March 2017.The highlight of the FAM was, the opening event of the famous Indian designer, Manish Arora’s collection of imaginative, colourful installations exclusively for the art spaces, windows, and display cases at the Swarovski store in Vienna, on the renowned Kärntner Straße.Manish Arora’s designs will be carried in Swarovski Kristallwelten (Swarovski Crystal Worlds) in Wattens, Innsbruck, and Vienna. The art spaces at the Swarovski Kristallwelten Stores in Vienna and Tyrol are renowned for their elaborate art installations.They offer artists from Austria and abroad an opportunity to use crystal – one of the most captivating materials – to create impressive displays that not only appeal to visitors and customers but also offer ample room for the artists’ individual creativity.The companies who were part of the FAM include Kesari Tours, SOTC, Cox & Kings, Thomas Cook, KFT Travels, Senator Travels, Abbot Travels, Corporate Travel, Amazing Vacations, American Express Travel & Lifestyle Benefits and Allways Marketing.
Explore and understand the reason behind why business in rising India is changing to become much more vibrant and booming.Source: CNN
The Top 10 Cities For Retirement Share March 4, 2019 1,323 Views According to Census data, the U.S. is a rapidly aging country, and more than 22 percent of the population is 60 and over. A new study from Rent Cafe shows where the highest number of retirees are living, and what may be the reason for the popularity of these cities. Over the last decade, the 60+ demographic grew bigger and faster than the rest of the nation, it also helped push the national median age to the highest it’s ever been, from 36.7 in 2007 to 38.1 in 2017. The report indicated that the overall aging of the population is partly due to declining birth rates following the 2007 Great Recession, but also the result of the baby boomers, America’s largest living adult generation, passing age 53 in 2017. And with higher life expectancy, this trend will likely continue, but which parts of the country have contributed more to this rapid aging of America?Here are top10 cities that showed the largest bump in seniors: Austin,Texas,113 percent; Phoenix, Arizona,112 percent; Fort Worth, Texas, 95 percent; Jacksonville, Florida, 83 percent; Charlotte, North Carolina, 66 percent; Dallas, Texas, 62 percent; Houston, Texas, 61 percent; San Antonio, Texas, 59 percent; Louisville, Kentucky, 58 percent; and Denver, Colorado, 20 percent.In terms of total numbers, the 60+ population is expected to grow to an estimated 18.6M by 2035 and will become the second largest group of renter households, surpassing those aged 34 and under. This growing share of older Americans is bound to have an impact on the U.S. real estate market. This is a generation of people that witnessed firsthand the impact of the 2007 housing crisis and the re-shaping of the economy, forcing most of them to give up their homeowner status and move into rental apartments. It’s important for developers to acknowledge the particular housing needs of older renters and make sure that they are being met.Read the full report here.
in Daily Dose, Data, Featured, News Cities For Retirement Rent Cafe 2019-03-04 Staff Writer
SkyBus, operators of Melbourne’s express service from the CBD to Avalon and Tullamarine Airports, has announced that QBT’s corporate and government customers will soon be able to add SkyBus’ Melbourne City Express tickets to their travel itinerary.Using the Amadeus e-Travel Management (AeTM) platform, SkyBus and QBT will provide business travellers with a seamless way of adding route tickets at the time of booking arrangements, including flights and accommodation. The integration will help remove the additional step of booking airport transportation separately.The system integration roll-out will be completed by the end of July 2017. Once finalised, all QBT customers will have access to booking SkyBus’ Melbourne City Express, which takes them from Melbourne Airport to the CBD. As part of the ongoing partnership, SkyBus and QBT look to integrate additional routes, including Avalon City Express and St Kilda Express into the platform at a later date.QBT’s Group General Manager Nick Sutherland said: “Our customers are increasingly asking for local content availability. They don’t want to spend unnecessary time looking at all the extra add-ons associated with corporate travel, including airport transportation services. Instead, they want a comprehensive platform that includes booking Melbourne Airport transportation. By partnering with SkyBus, we’re able to provide them a cost-effective and convenient airport transfer.” AmadeusQBTSkyBus
Pugh has played both left guard and right tackle in his time with the Giants. Health, and not his overall performance, has been the biggest question mark associated with Pugh.He ended the 2017 season on injured reserve with a back injury and has missed 13 games over the last two seasons.Originally drafted by the Giants No. 19 overall in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Pugh started at right tackle in his first two seasons. He would go on to play left guard in 2015, receiving high grades from Pro Football Focus in both 2015 and 2016 for his play at the position.At guard, the Cardinals had Mike Iupati, Evan Boehm, Earl Watford, Will Holden and Alex Boone start at one of the two spots in 2017. Boone and Watford were both in-season additions and are both unrestricted free agents, while Iupati agreed to take a pay cut, dropping his base salary from $7.75 to $5 million guaranteed. 8 Comments Share Former Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson retires The Arizona Cardinals have a need to improve its offensive line, and they are reportedly bringing in one of the bigger names on the offensive line free agent market for a visit.Per the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, New York Giants free agent offensive lineman Justin Pugh visited with the Cardinals on Thursday.UPDATE: March 16, 2018After meeting with the team, Pugh is reportedly weighing an offer from the Cardinals, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Indianapolis Colts are trying to fly out the lineman for a Friday visit. FILE – In this Sept. 10, 2017, file photo, New York Giants guard Justin Pugh (67) gets set at the line of scrimmage during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboy in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth, File) The 5: Takeaways from the Coyotes’ introduction of Alex Meruelo Derrick Hall satisfied with D-backs’ buying and selling Top Stories Grace expects Greinke trade to have emotional impact
Do Oscars and Grammys indicate awards shows losing appeal? by David Bauder, The Associated Press Posted Mar 13, 2018 7:49 am PDT Last Updated Mar 13, 2018 at 9:00 am PDT AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email FILE – In this March 4, 2018 file photo, host Jimmy Kimmel speaks at the Oscars in Los Angeles. The Academy Awards reached 26.5 million viewers, easily a record low for what is often the second most-watched program of the year after the Super Bowl. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) Summary
NEW YORK, N.Y. – After Nielsen’s brutal morning-after report cards for the Oscars and Grammys this winter, it’s worth asking whether television viewers are losing interest in watching the entertainment industry’s most prominent people celebrate themselves.The Academy Awards reached 26.5 million viewers, easily a record low for what is often the second most-watched program of the year after the Super Bowl. A month earlier, Grammy viewership slipped below the 20 million mark, down 24 per cent from 2017 and the music awards show’s smallest audience since 2009. Opening night of the Winter Olympics had a bigger crowd than both shows.That’s alarming news for networks that have considered major awards shows to be reliable, DVR-proof live events. Experts suggest the shows aren’t immune to the same forces depressing viewership across all of television, with some specific factors that hurt the Oscars and Grammys this year.By the time the Oscars are done, viewers who follow these things are probably exhausted from awards. Besides the Emmys, Golden Globes and Grammys, the calendar is filled with the actors, producers and directors guild awards, the MTV Movie Awards, the Billboard music awards, the iHeart Radio music awards, the American Music Awards, competing country music organization awards… You get the idea.There’s little novel about celebrities standing on stage with a piece of hardware, thanking God, their spouses and agents.Big awards shows used to be one of the few chances to see celebrities outside of their work. But the entertainment news shows make that common-place, too, said Tom O’Neil, editor of Goldderby.com, a website that dishes and predicts winners of big awards.“The true glut of media that we have out there nibbles at the viewership base of the awards shows,” O’Neil said.Television viewership in general is going down, with more people attracted to streaming services where they can watch programs without commercials and on their own schedules. Young people, in particular, increasingly prefer watching highlights on their devices than shows that stretch past three or four hours. Even Super Bowl ratings have slipped the past few years.Networks have tried to fix those problems for their shows in general, not just awards shows, without much success. One retired network executive questions whether that trend could be reversed.“Short of full-frontal nudity, I don’t know what they could do,” he quipped.The bad performances of the Grammys and Oscars can’t be explained simply by those factors, however. The Golden Globes audience of 19 million in January was 5 per cent down from 2017, a decrease roughly on par with what most programs see these days. The Emmy Awards audience of 11.38 million last fall was slightly up from the year before, Nielsen said.Some political conservatives have suggested that a backlash among viewers against liberal celebrities espousing their views contributes to the slump. A Fox News website headline in January said that the “Trump-bashing Golden Globes” ratings were down. That’s a factor hard to measure, however. One of the Globes’ biggest stories was an Oprah Winfrey speech some saw as a 2020 presidential campaign-opener. Despite that, Globe ratings didn’t nearly go down as much as the Grammys or Oscars.The Oscars, meanwhile, celebrated movies like “The Shape of Water” that could hardly be considered blockbusters. Couple that with major awards competitions largely viewed as shoe-ins, primarily because of the movie awards circuit that predated the Academy Awards, and the night bordered on the predictable.“The average American doesn’t know who (acting award winners) Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell are,” O’Neil said. “That’s unfortunate.”A big test can come next year for the Oscars, with the movie “Black Panther” both an enormous success and a critical favourite. That could bring viewers back: the biggest Academy Award ratings ever were recorded the year “Titanic” won best picture.___For full coverage of awards season, visit: https://apnews.com/tag/AwardsSeason Oscars reached 26.5 million viewers, a record lowGrammy viewership slipped below the 20 million mark 
I’m glad that Republicans have shown their cards and made the issue black and white for voters. she would just look up at you.