The Buzz 06.29.23

FREE SPEECH

Who should select what you read, an algorithm or a human? According to findings in this year’s Digital News Report, produced by the Reuters Institute and University of Oxford based on a survey of 93,000 online news consumers across the globe, readers don’t care – they are equally skeptical of a journalist’s selection or a robot’s selection. “Much of the public is skeptical of the algorithms used to select what they see via search engines, social media and other platforms,” according to a report summary. “Less than a third (30 percent) say that having stories selected for me on the basis of previous consumption is a good way to get news. Despite this, on average, users still slightly prefer news selected this way to that chosen by editors or journalists (27 percent).” In general, according to the report, trust in news is again falling – the survey found it is 2 percentage points lower than last year, reversing gains made during the coronavirus pandemic. On average, 40 percent of respondents said they trust the news most of the time; the country with the highest trust overall was Finland (69 percent) and the lowest was Greece (19 percent).

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I don’t want to mislead anyone -- there will be fireworks this year.” - Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges talking about how even with ramped-up enforcement, the department cannot keep up with illegal fireworks (see story).

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

GOOD:

Blue Strike Environmental, a local company that manages waste at various large events throughout the region (and beyond), was set to see its agreement with ReGen Monterey expire on June 30. It allows Blue Strike to deliver certified compostable products (such as bioplastics, soiled paper – items otherwise not accepted as compost) to ReGen’s compostable waste stream. On June 15, ReGen General Manager Felipe Melchor informed Blue Strike that ReGen would continue to accept such products in its compost stream from the following six local events: AT&T Pro Am, Big Sur Marathon (and Half Marathon), Cali Roots Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival and Rebels & Renegades. ReGen’s change of heart means the recognizable compost bins will remain at those events, and organizers can continue diverting waste from the landfill that will, theoretically, at least, be converted into soil.

GREAT:

The Ag Land Trust is ensuring 112 acres of prime farmland in the Salinas Valley can be permanently preserved to train Latino immigrant farmworkers through programs at the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA). The Ag Land Trust – dedicated to protecting agricultural space in Monterey County – has purchased a conservation easement on ALBA’s property, home to the nonprofit’s Farmer Education and Enterprise Development project. The program develops the organic farming skills of immigrant field laborers, fostering opportunities for them to advance in agriculture careers. The Ag Land Trust says the easement is the “first of its kind in Monterey County” for a farm with ALBA’s nonprofit organizational mission, and will allow the property – located south of Salinas on Old Stage Road – to be preserved in perpetuity as agricultural land and protected from redevelopment.