O.J. and the rise of infotainment

+ why fixing stressed water infrastructure is so hard US Edition - Today's top story: Has the media learned anything since the O.J. Simpson trial? [View in browser]( US Edition | 13 April 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( In all my years as a student, class was stopped and TVs were wheeled in for two news events: the O.J. Simpson verdict and 9/11. I was in third grade in 1995, and I didn’t understand what was happening; I’d somehow been shielded from the coverage of the trial. (Nickelodeon, thankfully, didn’t have any O.J. specials.) On the other hand, my teacher, Mrs. Marston, had clearly been following the legal drama. Hunched over in her swivel chair and blowing on her massive mug of hazelnut coffee, she was absolutely riveted as the jury forewoman declared Simpson not guilty on all counts. Our third grade class in Belmont, Massachusetts, was joined by roughly 150 million Americans who tuned in that day. As Frankie Bailey, a professor of criminal justice at SUNY-Albany, writes, the verdict “marked the culmination of 16 months of wall-to-wall, prime-time television coverage.” As much as O.J. Simpson’s legal saga is a story of race, class and the criminal justice system, it’s [also a story about the media](. Bailey explains how the Simpson trial was a harbinger of things to come, with the lines between news and entertainment becoming increasingly blurred. This week we also liked stories about the colorful [Sikh festival of Baisakhi](, the emerging threat of [the synthetic opioid nitazene](, and how [juries are selected for high-profile trials]( such as President Trump’s, which starts on Monday. [ [Get a global perspective on the news, with the best of The Conversation’s journalism from around the world, twice weekly.]( ] Nick Lehr Arts + Culture Editor O.J. Simpson shows the jury a pair of gloves, similar to those found near the crime scene, during his trial in Los Angeles in 1995. POO/AFP via Getty Images [Has the media learned anything since the O.J. Simpson trial?]( Frankie Bailey, University at Albany, State University of New York Since the ‘trial of the century,’ the lines between news and entertainment have become increasingly blurred. Workers attempt to repair a water main break in Jackson, Miss. Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images [The South’s aging water infrastructure is getting pounded by climate change – fixing it is also a struggle]( Jonathan Fisk, Auburn University; John C. Morris, Auburn University; Megan E. Heim LaFrombois, Auburn University Extreme downpours and droughts, both fueled by rising global temperatures, are taking a toll on water infrastructure. Communities trying to manage the threats face three big challenges. Debates over LGBTQ+ issues have divided Methodist congregations for years leading up to the current schism. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File [A dramatic schism over social issues? The United Methodist Church has been here before – but this time, America’s religious landscape is far different]( Christopher H. Evans, Boston University The United Methodist Church will hold its General Conference, delayed several years by the pandemic, in April 2024. The meeting comes amid a dramatic divide over LGBTQ+ rights. - [New York City greenlights congestion pricing – here’s how this toll plan is expected to improve traffic, air quality and public transit]( John Rennie Short, University of Maryland, Baltimore County One more reason not to drive into midtown Manhattan: Soon it will cost an extra $15 as New York City launches its long-debated congestion pricing system. - [‘I’m not black, I’m O.J.’: What O.J. Simpson’s life showed about transcending race and being trapped by it]( Rodney Coates, Miami University The death of O.J. Simpson rekindled memories of the racial divisions of his domestic violence case involving the murder of his former wife and her friend. - [Domestic violence survivors seek homeless services from a system that often leaves them homeless]( Nkiru Nnawulezi, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Lauren Cattaneo, George Mason University Programs and policies to help domestic abuse survivors find safe housing work only if they’re implemented and supported with resources. - [From Reagan to Obama, presidents have left office with ‘strategic regret’ − will leaving troops in Iraq and Syria be Biden or Trump’s?]( - [Trump pushes the limits of every restriction he faces – including threatening judges and their families]( - [Tiny crystals capture millions of years of mountain range history – a geologist excavates the Himalayas with a microscope]( - [A young Black scientist discovered a pivotal leprosy treatment in the 1920s − but an older colleague took the credit]( - [US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names]( - [I spent a decade helping Afghan girls make educational progress − and now the Taliban are using these 3 reasons to keep them out of school]( - [A monumental case, unfolding in a court of law and a court of public opinion – Trump goes on trial]( - [How jurors will be selected in Trump’s legal cases - a criminal law expert explains]( - [Nitazenes found in 5 overdose deaths in Philly – here’s what they are and why they’re so deadly]( - [Why Sikhs celebrate the festival of Baisakhi]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( Which of these is an actual rallying cry for baristas working to unionize Starbuck? - A. Pumpkin spice and union rights - B. Say no to scabbuccinos - C. Venti pay for skinny lattes - D. Solidarity is the extra shot [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [Giving Today]( [New!] • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Follow us on social media: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( • [Instagram]( • [Facebook]( • Or [get a daily text from us]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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