NEWS AND OPINION:
Could one of the most elite populations on the planet be losing members? It looks like that way, according to Forbes’ annual “World Billionaires List,” which was released Tuesday.
“Globally, we counted 2,640 ten-figure fortunes, down from 2,668 last year. Altogether, the planet’s billionaires are now worth $12.2 trillion, a drop of $500 billion from $12.7 trillion in March 2022. Nearly half the list is poorer than a year ago, including Elon Musk, who falls from No. 1 to No. 2 after his pricey acquisition of Twitter helped sink Tesla shares,” Forbes said in a brief analysis of the list — which debuted before the curious American public in 1982.
So who is No. 1?
“Bernard Arnault, head of luxury goods giant LVMH, takes his place as the world’s richest person, marking the first time a citizen of France leads the ranking. The United States still boasts the most billionaires, with 735 list members worth a collective $4.5 trillion. China (including Hong Kong and Macau) remains second, with 562 billionaires worth $2 trillion, followed by India, with 169 billionaires worth $675 billion,” Forbes said.
And who comes next? Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is third on the list with $114 billion, followed by Oracle founder Larry Ellison ($107 billion) and Berkshire Hathaway boss Warren Buffett ($106 billion) to round out the first five.
Former presidential hopeful and media kingpin Michael Bloomberg has $94.5 billion to his name.
And for those who wonder, yes, former President Donald Trump is on the lengthy list — weighing in at No. 1,217, with a fortune of $2.5 billion, according to Forbes.
FOXIFIED
In the week of March 27-April 2, Fox News marked 111 consecutive weeks as the top cable news network with viewers throughout the day and into prime time, according to data from Nielsen Media Research.
Fox News enjoyed an average daily audience of 2.3 million prime-time viewers, compared with MSNBC with 1.5 million viewers and CNN with 623,000.
Fox News also aired 74 of the top 100 cable news telecasts. As usual, “Tucker Carlson Tonight” drew the largest audience of all, averaging 3.4 million daily viewers, followed by “The Five” with 3.1 million viewers.
Late-night comedy on “Gutfeld” still trumps the broadcast competition with an average nightly audience of 2 million viewers, compared with ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” with 1.5 million viewers and NBC’s “Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon” with 1.4 million.
In the mornings, “Fox & Friends” continued to best the competition for the 106th week, netting 1.2 million viewers — compared with “CNN This Morning” with 379,000 viewers and MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” with 977,000 viewers.
IVY-COVERED HALLS
The nation’s institutes of higher learning continue to monitor language use by students on campus. Many colleges and universities issue language guides to young scholars — and they can be very specific.
“The latest ‘inclusive language’ guide offering comes from Michigan State University where now even words like ‘bunny,’ ‘gift’ and ‘nickname’ are considered offensive. The guide, courtesy of the school’s Brand Studio, states that ‘in alignment with strategic efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion,’” advises Campus Reform, a student-written website that reviewed the guide itself.
“It’s the guide’s section on global identity that’s arguably the biggest head-scratcher. Deep-thinking Michigan State officials believe the following ‘references to majority imagery’ should be bypassed: ‘merry,’ ‘Christmas trees,’ ‘wreaths,’ ‘holly,’ ‘bells,’ ‘gifts,’ ‘reindeer,’ ‘bunnies,’ ‘eggs’ and ‘chicks.’ (And don’t forget ‘America’ too as, after all, Central and South Americans, technically, are also ‘Americans’),” the Campus Reform analysis advised.
SAVING AM RADIO
Some automakers are phasing out AM radio in their vehicles — a move that has riled a cross section of critics who believe that AM radio remains a helpful and necessary feature for drivers and passengers.
“Public safety officials, policymakers, consumers and broadcasters alike have been sounding the alarm on the public safety consequences for removing AM radio from cars. As the backbone of the nation’s Emergency Alert system, Americans depend on AM radio to disseminate timely, urgent information,” advises the National Association of Broadcasters, which launched a new a new public campaign Tuesday highlighting the importance of AM radio in the car for news, community engagement and vital public-safety information.
“Recently, seven former FEMA administrators sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stressing the public safety imperative of keeping AM radio in vehicles. A growing number of policymakers in Washington are leading the charge to stop AM’s removal from cars by engaging with both auto manufacturers and relevant federal agencies,” the NAB statement also noted.
“With a monthly audience of 82 million Americans, AM radio is a cornerstone of everyday life for many that also serves a critical, life-saving function during extreme weather and natural disasters,” NAB President Curtis LeGeyt said in a written statement.
He calls the automakers’ decision to dump AM radio “reckless.”
Curious about the fate of good old AM radio? Visit Wearebroadcasters.com, and click the “Depend on AM Radio” section on the main page.
POLL DU JOUR
• 30% of U.S. adults say higher pay is the most important “job quality” to them.
• 13% cite flexible working hours as the most important job quality.
• 12% cite ability to work at home or remotely.
• 10% cite job security, 9% cite a less stressful environment.
• 9% cite more rewarding work.
• 5% cite more time off, or more vacation time.
• 4% cite employer values that are similar to their own.
• 3% cite a better or more inclusive work culture.
• 4% “don’t know” about the issue, 3% cite some other quality.
SOURCE: A Bankrate survey of 2,417 U.S. adults conducted March 8-10 and released Monday.
• Contact Jennifer Harper at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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