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Friday 13 OctOber 2017 TECHNOLOGY
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Apple teams with Steven Spielberg on video expansion

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE Karaoke,” but neither has
AP Technology Writer created much buzz.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Even though it appears to
Apple is teaming up with be more serious about TV
award-winning director programming, Apple still
Steven Spielberg for its first isn’t sending anywhere
major push into TV pro- near Netflix, which is pour-
gramming. ing $6 billion into its line-up
The iPhone maker is bring- this year as it tries to expand
ing back Spielberg’s its current worldwide audi-
30-year-old anthology se- ence of more than 100 mil-
ries “Amazing Stories” in its lion subscribers. And Netflix
attempt to build an online is increasing the prices for
video subscription service its two most popular plans
to challenge the digital by a $1 to $2 per month
networks operated by Netf- in an effort to raise more
lix, Amazon, Hulu and HBO. money to spend on future
“We love being at the fore- programming.
front of Apple’s investment Apple is expected to spend
in scripted programming, more than $50 million on
and can’t think of a better 10 episodes of “Amazing
property than Spielberg’s Stories.” While the future
beloved ‘Amazing Stories’ Filmmaker Steven Spielberg attends the world premiere of “Spielberg,” during the 55th New York plans for the series revival
franchise,” NBC Entertain- Film Festival, at Alice Tully Hall on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017, in New York. haven’t been revealed,
ment President Jennifer Sal- Associated Press the original “Amazing Sto-
ke said in a statement Tues- Emmy awards for its mixture include box-office block- about $1 billion on original ries” run attracted guest
day. NBC Entertainment of science fiction and hor- busters such as “Jaws,” programming during the appearances from a list
works with Spielberg’s Am- ror episodes, although the ‘’E.T.,” ‘’Jurassic Park,” the next year in an effort to of stars that included Kev-
blin Television on the series. series was never a big hit in “Indiana Jones” franchise bring in more revenue to in Costner, Harvey Keitel,
Apple declined to com- the ratings. and critically acclaimed its rapidly growing services Charlie Sheen, Mark Hamill
ment on the deal. The Wall It marked a return to TV for pictures such as “Saving division. The Cupertino, and John Lithgow, while
Street Journal first reported Spielberg, who first made Private Ryan,” ‘’Lincoln” California, company al- its list of episode directors
Apple had secured the a name for himself direct- and “Schindler’s List,” for ready offers two video se- and writers included Spiel-
“Amazing Stories” rights. ing the ABC film, “Duel” in which he won an Acade- ries through its Apple Music berg, Martin Scorsese, Clint
The series aired on NBC from 1971 before moving on to my Award for best director. streaming service, “Planet Eastwood, Robert Zemeckis
1985 to 1987 and won five the movie theaters. His films Apple is planning to spend of the Apps” and “Carpool and Brad Bird.q

Facebook’s Sandberg favors release of Russia-linked ads

By BARBARA ORTUTAY amplified posts that show Bill Clinton.
AP Technology Writer up in users’ news feeds. Sandberg said Facebook
NEW YORK (AP) — A top Facebook has turned over didn’t catch these ads ear-
Facebook executive says the ads — and information lier because it was focused
ads linked to Russia trying on how they were target- on other threats, such as
to influence the U.S. presi- ed, such as by geography hacking. Facebook, she
dential election should or to people with a cer- said, does owe America an
“absolutely” be released to tain political affiliation — to apology.
the public, along with infor- congressional investigators. “What we really owe the
mation on whom the ads Congress is also investigat- American people is deter-
were targeting. ing Russia-linked ads on mination” to do “everything
Previously, Facebook de- Twitter and Google. we can” to defend against
clined to make the ads In an interview with the threats and foreign interfer-
public. While Facebook’s news site Axios on Thursday, ence, Sandberg said.
chief operating officer, Sh- Sandberg said Facebook Sandberg didn’t say wheth-
eryl Sandberg, now favors has the responsibility to pre- er she believes Facebook
the release, she didn’t say vent the kind of abuse that In this Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, file photo, Facebook Chief played a role in electing
Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg speaks during a plenary
Thursday when the compa- occurred on its service dur- session during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum Donald Trump as president,
ny would do so. ing the election. She said in Davos, Switzerland. as critics have said it did by
The company disclosed Facebook hopes to “set a Associated Press allowing the spread of fake
last month that it found ads new standard in transpar- she said. elected officials in Wash- news on its service.
linked to fake accounts — ency in advertising.” “The thing about free ex- ington this week ahead of She said only that the role
likely run from Russia — that But she also said that had pression is that when you a House hearing at which Facebook plays in elec-
sought to influence the the ads been linked to le- allow free expression, you executives from Face- tions “go beyond any one
election. Facebook says gitimate, rather than fake, allow free expression,” book, Twitter and Google campaign, any one coun-
these ads focused on divi- Facebook accounts, “most Sandberg said. are expected to testify. try.”
sive political issues, such as of them would have been The move comes as critics Sandberg is no stranger Facebook’s CEO, Mark
immigration and gun rights, allowed to run.” While the and lawmakers are increas- to Washington. Before her Zuckerberg, has back-
in an apparent attempt to company prohibits cer- ingly calling for the regula- time at Google and later tracked from calling the
sow discord among the U.S. tain content such as hate tion of Facebook and other Facebook, she worked for idea of Facebook’s influ-
population. The ads includ- speech, it does not want internet giants. Larry Summers, the treasury ence on the election “pret-
ed promoted events and to prevent free expression, Sandberg is meeting with secretary under President ty crazy.”q