>> OH MY GOD!
>> Sreenivasan: MAJOR
EARTHQUAKES ROCK CALIFORNIA AND
RESIDENTS BRACE FOR AFTERSHOCKS.
AND, IN OUR SIGNATURE SEGMENT:
THE HOLLYWOOD OF UGANDA.
NEXT, ON PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.
>> PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY:
BERNARD AND IRENE SCHWARTZ.
SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.
SETON MELVIN.
THE CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN
FAMILY.
THE J.P.B. FOUNDATION.
ROSALIND P. WALTER.
BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.
CORPORATE FUNDING IS PROVIDED
BY MUTUAL OF AMERICA--
DESIGNING CUSTOMIZED INDIVIDUAL
AND GROUP RETIREMENT PRODUCTS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE YOUR
RETIREMENT COMPANY.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT HAS BEEN
PROVIDED BY:
AND BY THE CORPORATION FOR
PUBLIC BROADCASTING, AND BY
CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS
STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
FROM THE TISCH WNET STUDIOS AT
LINCOLN CENTER IN NEW YORK,
HARI SREENIVASAN.
>> Sreenivasan: GOOD EVENING,
AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.
ANOTHER MAJOR EARTHQUAKE STRUCK
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LAST NIGHT,
THIS ONE REGISTERING 7.1.
IT WAS 11 TIMES MORE POWERFUL
THAN THE 6.4 EARTHQUAKE ON THE
FOURTH OF JULY.
>> OH MY GOD!
>> Sreenivasan: THE EPICENTER OF
THIS EARTHQUAKE WAS IN THE
MOJAVE DESERT NEAR THE CITY OF
RIDGECREST, NOT FAR FROM THE
CENTER OF THURSDAY'S EARTHQUAKE.
SEISMOLOGISTS SAY THE TWO WERE
ALONG THE SAME FAULT.
AS A RESULT, THERE WERE MULTIPLE
SMALL FIRES AND POWER OUTAGES
LAST NIGHT, BUT TODAY, THE KERN
COUNTY FIRE CHIEF SAID THERE
WERE NO MAJOR INJURIES OR
FATALITIES REPORTED.
THE SHAKING COULD BE FELT AS FAR
AWAY AS LAS VEGAS, WHERE THE
N.B.A. CANCELLED SUMMER
BASKETBALL GAMES IN PROGRESS.
IN LOS ANGELES, PEOPLE SOUGHT
SHELTER AS LIGHT FIXTURES SWAYED
OVERHEAD.
OTHERS DESCRIBED THE SENSATION
OF DRIVING WHEN THE QUAKE HIT.
>> AND IT JUST STARTED, FELT
LIKE YOU'RE IN THE SEA.
YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE CAR.
I HIT THE CURB.
THE CABLE LINES STARTED GOING.
>> Sreenivasan: CALIFORNIA
GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM HAS
DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN
THE TWO COUNTIES CLOSEST TO THE
EARTHQUAKES, AND REQUESTED
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE
RECOVERY.
JOINING ME NOW FROM SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RADIO IS
SHARON McNARY, A REPORTER AT
KPCC.
THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.
SO WHAT IF WE LEARNED NOW SINCE
LAST NIGHT, SINCE THE QUAKE
HAPPENED?
>> WELL, JUST A LOT OF
AFTERSHOCKS.
NOT A HUGE AMOUNT OF, YOU KNOW,
CATASTROPHE.
A LOT OF UPSET INSIDE PEOPLE'S
HOUSES, BUT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW,
CATASTROPHIC FIRES, IT SEEMS
LIKE THEY'RE REALLY KEEPING
THINGS IN CHECK.
I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF ONE OF
THE HOMES THAT BURNED, IT'S A
MOBILE HOME, AND THIS THERE'S
SPECULATION IT WAS A GAS LINE,
THEY DON'T HAVE AN OFFICIAL WORD
ON THAT YET.
SO FAR, AS BAD AS IT COULD HAVE
BEEN, IT'S REALLY NOT THAT BAD,
GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE
EARTHQUAKE.
>> Sreeinvasan: ARE THE
OFFICIALS CONCERNED ABOUT THE
POWER LINES, THE GAS LINES, THAT
THEY TURN THINGS OFF THAT THEY
ASSURE PEOPLE ARE STILL SAFE AS
THE AFTERSHOCKS HAPPEN?
>> DRIVING AROUND TOWN, THINGS
ARE SPORADIC, I WAS OUTSIDE A
SUPERMARKET THAT HAD SUBSTANTIAL
DAMAGE INSIDE.
AS I WAS OUTSIDE, THE WORKERS
CAME RUNNING OUT AND SAID OUR
POWER WENT OFF.
I'M A COUPLE OF BLOCKS AWAY AT A
TRAILER PARK, AND ONE-HALF TO
HAVE THE STREET, THE OWNER OF
THE TRAILER PARK TURNED OFF THE
GAS OUT OF FEAR OF LEAKS OR
DAMAGE, WHILE, ACROSS THE
STREET, THERE WAS A HOUSE THAT
BURNED DOWN AND SOME PEOPLE ARE
CONCERNED THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
DUE TO A GAS LEAK.
SO FG&E WORKERS ARE WALK UP AND
DOWN MOBILE HOMES MAKE SURE
THERE ARE NO LEAKS.
WITH THE ENTIRE PARK SHUT DOWN
FROM GAS, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO TURN ON EVERY SINGLE PILOT
LIGHT WHEN IT COMES BACK ON,
WHICH IS VERY TIME CONSUMING.
>> Sreeinvasan: YOU AND YOUR
COLLEAGUES ARE FILING STORIES IN
AN ACTIVE EARTHQUAKE ZONE, ARE
YOU FEELING THE AFTERSHOCKS?
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
I WAS IN MY CAR AND GOT A VERY
HEAVY AFTERSHOCK.
MY CAR WAS BOUNCING AROUND AS IF
I HAD IT CUSTOMIZED THE DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE LIKE THAT IN L.A.,
BUT THERE WAS NOT ON PURPOSE.
>> Sreeinvasan: RIGHT, SO HOW
ARE THE RESIDENTS THAT YOU'RE
SPEAKING WITH DEALING WIthiiñrç?
Iñrçó MEAN, IS THIS SOMETHING T3
IS THIS SOMETHING THEYÑYsÑi JUSO
WITH?
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S SO DEPENDENT
ON THE INDIVIDUAL FAMILY.
I MET ONE WOMAN WHO HAD PUT UP A
TENT IN HER FRONTçó YARD AND
PULLED A MATTRESS OUT OF HER
HOUSEçó TO SLEEP IN BECAUSE IT S
JUST SO UNNERVING TO BE IN THE
HOUSE, AND I ASKED HER WHAT SHE
NEEDED AND SHE SAID, I NEED THIS
TO BE OVER.
ANOTHER WOMAN, SHE DOESN'T WANT
TO LEAVE HER HOUSE BECAUSE HER
LETTING DOGS ARE THERE, SO SHE'S
VERY CONCERNED.
THEN THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO
ARE PERFECTLY CALM.
ONE WOMAN WHO WORKS ON THE CHINA
LAKE NAVAL BASE, SHE'S THE ROCK
OF HER FAMILY, AND THEY WERE ALL
COMING OVER TO HER HOUSE AND
HANGING OUT IN HER GARAGE AND
FRONT PATIO.
IT'S JUST REAL INDIVIDUAL TO THE
FAMILY.
>> Sreeinvasan: WHAT ARE THE
LOCAL AUTHORITIES SAYING NOW?
LAST NIGHT WE SAW THE USGS
EXPERTS SAYING THE AFTERSHOCKS
COULD LAST MONTHS IF NOT LONGER.
>> WELL, THE AFTERSHOCKS WILL
LAST YEARS, NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.
SCIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT, WITH A
BIG EARTHQUAKE, THEY'RE GOING TO
HAVE A LOT OF AFTERSHOCKS.
50% THE DAY OF, 30% THE DAY
AFTER.
THEY'RE SURPRISED THEY HAD A 6.4
THURSDAY FOLLOWED BY 7.1, AN
EVEN BIGGER ONE THE NEXT DAY.
SO THEY'RE WONDERING COULD THERE
BE ONE EVEN BIGGER THAN A 7.1?
THE CHANCES OF THAT, SCIENTISTS
SAY, IS ABOUT 3%.
YOU KNOW, I GO OUT AND BUY
LOTTERY TICKETS WITH MORE
EXTREME ODDS THAN THAT.
>> Sreeinvasan: SHARON
McNARY, REPORTER FROM
RIDGECREST, CALIFORNIA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> YOU BET.
>> Sreenivasan: FOR MORE ON THE
LARGEST EARTHQUAKE TO STRIKE
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN NEARLY
TWO DECADES, VISIT
www.pbs.org/newshour.
>> Sreenivasan: AT LEAST 20
PEOPLE WERE INJURED, TWO OF THEM
SERIOUSLY, IN A HUGE EXPLOSION
AT A SHOPPING MALL IN
PLANTATION, FLORIDA, WEST OF
FORT LAUDERDALE, TODAY.
THE EXPLOSION HAPPENED IN A
VACANT PIZZA RESTAURANT, LEAVING
ONLY THE METAL FRAME OF THE
BUILDING STANDING.
WINDOWS WERE BLOWN OUT IN A
FITNESS CLUB NEXT DOOR, AND
CONCRETE AND STEEL DEBRIS WERE
SCATTERED MORE THAN 100 YARDS
AWAY ACROSS A BUSY STREET.
FIRE OFFICIALS SAID THEY FOUND
RUPTURED GAS LINES IN THE AREA,
BUT DID NOT CONFIRM THE CAUSE OF
THE EXPLOSION.
EYEWITNESSES SAID THEY SAW A
BRIGHT LIGHT AND THEN DEBRIS
BEGAN RAINING DOWN.
THE NEARBY FITNESS CLUB WAS FULL
OF PEOPLE WHEN THE BLAST
HAPPENED, AROUND 11:30 THIS
MORNING.
THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF
FATALITIES.
THE MALL AND NEARBY ROADS REMAIN
CLOSED WHILE THE INVESTIGATION
CONTINUES.
HUNDREDS OF PROTESTERS MARCHED
TO MYANMAR'S POLICE HEADQUARTERS
TODAY TO DEMAND JUSTICE FOR A
TWO-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO WAS RAPED
AT HER NURSERY SCHOOL IN MAY.
WEARING SHIRTS AND CARRYING
BANNERS EMBLAZONED WITH “JUSTICE
FOR VICTORIA”-- A NICKNAME GIVEN
TO THE CHILD-- PROTESTERS CALLED
FOR A SWIFT INVESTIGATION AND
TRANSPARENCY ON THE PART OF THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH REMAINS
UNDER MILITARY CONTROL.
A SUSPECT IN THE CASE WAS
RELEASED IN JUNE DUE TO LACK OF
EVIDENCE, AND THEN RE-ARRESTED
AND CHARGED WITH THE RAPE ON
THURSDAY.
BUT, PROTESTERS SAY THEY DON'T
TRUST POLICE ACCOUNTS, AND SOME
BELIEVE THE CHILD'S ATTACKER IS
STILL AT LARGE.
THE PARENTS OF OTTO WARMBIER,
THE AMERICAN STUDENT WHO DIED
AFTER BEING DETAINED IN NORTH
KOREA, HAVE FILED A CLAIM FOR A
NORTH KOREAN CARGO SHIP.
THE VESSEL WAS NORTH KOREA'S
SECOND LARGEST MERCHANT SHIP,
AND WAS SEIZED IN MAY FOR
VIOLATING U.S. SANCTIONS.
WARMBIER'S PARENTS SAY THAT THE
VESSEL WOULD HELP PAY OFF MORE
THAN HALF A BILLION DOLLARS THAT
WAS AWARDED TO THEM IN DECEMBER
IN A WRONGFUL DEATH SUIT AGAINST
NORTH KOREA.
OTTO WARMBIER WAS TOURING NORTH
KOREA WHEN HE WAS DETAINED AND
SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS HARD LABOR
IN 2016 FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING A
PROPAGANDA POSTER FROM A HOTEL.
WARMBIER DIED LESS THAN A WEEK
AFTER HIS RETURN TO THE UNITED
STATES, AFTER BEING IN A COMA
FOR 14 MONTHS.
IRANIAN NEWSPAPERS DEMANDED
SWIFT REVENGE TODAY FOR THE
SEIZURE OF ONE OF ITS COUNTRY'S
OIL TANKERS OFF THE COAST OF
GIBRALTAR.
BRITISH ROYAL MARINES SEIZED THE
SUPERTANKER ON THURSDAY, FOR
ATTEMPTING TO TRANSPORT OIL TO
SYRIA, WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF
EUROPEAN UNION SANCTIONS.
THE SHIP AND ITS CREW ARE BEING
HELD IN WATERS OFF GIBRALTAR
WHILE OFFICIALS INVESTIGATE.
BRITISH VESSELS IN THE PERSIAN
GULF ARE NOW PREPARING FOR
RETALIATORY MEASURES FROM THE
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC, INCLUDING
SEIZURES OR SURPRISE
INSPECTIONS.
THE HEAT IS STILL ON IN ALASKA
AS TEMPERATURES ARE PREDICTED TO
CONTINUE ABOVE NORMAL THIS
WEEKEND.
A RECORD-BREAKING 90 DEGREES WAS
RECORDED ON THE FOURTH OF JULY
IN ANCHORAGE, BEATING THE
PREVIOUS RECORD OF 85 DEGREES
SET IN 1969.
THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EVER
RECORDED IN ALASKAN HISTORY WAS
A BLAZING 100 DEGREES IN FORT
YUKON ON JUNE 27, 1915.
IT WILL BE IN THE MID-80s IN
ANCHORAGE THIS WEEKEND, FAR
ABOVE THE USUAL MID-60s.
>> Sreenivasan: THE WORLD OF
ACTION FILMMAKING HAS GROWN A
LITTLE LARGER IN RECENT YEARS,
THANKS IN PART TO MOVIES FROM
THE CENTRAL AFRICAN NATION OF
UGANDA.
THE BUDGETS ARE LOW, BUT THE
MOVIES ARE DYNAMIC, AND THE
WORLD OF CINEMA IS TAKING
NOTICE.
NEWSHOUR WEEKEND SPECIAL
CORRESPONDENT BENEDICT MORAN AND
VIDEOGRAPHER JORGEN SAMSO HAVE
OUR STORY.
>> Reporter: YOU'VE HEARD OF
HOLLYWOOD.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF BOLLYWOOD.
( SINGING, MUSIC PLAYING )
BUT HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF
WAKALIWOOD?
THESE ARE THE OUTSKIRTS OF
UGANDAN CAPITAL KAMPALA, IN THE
SLUMS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
WALKALIGA.
BUT THE GRIME DOESN'T PREVENT
SOME OF ITS RESIDENTS FROM
MAKING IT A CITY OF DREAMS.
WAKALIWOOD IS THE ENGINE OF
UGANDA'S TINY FILM INDUSTRY AND
THE PLACE WHERE UGANDA'S FIRST-
EVER ACTION MOVIE WAS MADE:
2010'S "WHO KILLED CAPTAIN
ALEX," DIRECTED AND PRODUCED BY
ISAAC NABWANA.
>> ACTION!
>> Reporter: HE'S CONSIDERED THE
FOUNDER OF WAKALIWOOD.
HIS FILM STUDIO IS RAMON
PRODUCTIONS.
HE GREW UP HERE.
>> Reporter: NABWANA PRODUCED
AND DIRECTED MORE THAN 40 MOVIES
RELEASED OVER THE LAST DECADE
WITH TITLES LIKE "UGANDAN
EXPENDABLES," "TEBAATUSASULA:
EBOLA" AND "RESCUE TEAM."
>> RESCUE TEAM!
>> Reporter: BEFORE LEAPING INTO
THE WORLD OF CINEMA, NABWANA
WORKED AS A BRICKLAYER.
WITH THE MONEY HE EARNED, HE
BOUGHT HIS FIRST CAMERA AND
TAUGHT HIMSELF HOW TO EDIT.
>> CUT!
>> Reporter: THEN, HE VENTURED
INTO DIRECTING.
HE SAYS HIS INSPIRATIONS ARE THE
INTERNATIONAL ACTION STARS HE
WATCHED WHILE GROWING UP.
>> Reporter: MOVIES HERE ARE
MADE WITH MINISCULE BUDGETS.
THE ALL-TIME BIGGEST WAS LESS
THAN 200 U.S. DOLLARS.
THE ENTIRE WAKALIWOOD STUDIO
OPERATION TAKES PLACE HERE AT
ISAAC'S HOUSE.
THIS IS WHERE THE EDIT SUITE IS,
TO MY LEFT IS THE PROPS STUDIO,
AND BEHIND IS WHERE THEY HAVE
REHEARSALS.
ALL OF THE MOVIES ARE TIED
TOGETHER BY TWO MAIN
INGREDIENTS.
>> Reporter: NABWANA SAYS THE
ACTION AND VIOLENCE ARE HIS
ATTEMPT TO REACH A GLOBAL
AUDIENCE.
>> Reporter: MUCH OF THE
"ACTION" IN UGANDA IN RECENT
GENERATIONS HAS BEEN ANYTHING
BUT FICTIONAL.
SINCE ITS INDEPENDENCE IN 1962,
THIS EAST AFRICAN COUNTRY HAS
ENDURED MILITARY COUPS, CIVIL
WAR AND REBEL ATTACKS.
AND WAKALIWOOD'S STORYLINES ARE
OFTEN PULLED FROM THE COUNTRY'S
RECENT HISTORY.
THE STYLE OF THE EDIT IS ALSO
TYPICALLY UGANDAN, LIKE USING
VOICEOVER NARRATION FROM WHAT
THEY CALL A "VJ," OR A VIDEO
JOKER.
THE VJ GIVES COMEDIC COMMENTARY
AND IS EDITED INTO THE FILM.
ANOTHER THEME IS INTENSE
VIOLENCE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THE FILMMAKERS
SAY IS INSPIRED BY UGANDA'S REAL
PAST, BUT ALSO BY THE
INTERNATIONAL ACTION FILMS THEY
GREW UP WATCHING.
TO KEEP COSTS LOW, EVERYTHING ON
SET IS HOMEMADE.
PROPS ARE FASHIONED FROM SCRAPS
FOUND IN ONE OF KAMPALA'S DUMPS.
>> LET US SHOW YOU THE... MY
EQUIPMENT.
>> Reporter: DAUDA BISASO IS
WAKALIWOOD'S PROPS MASTER.
>> PARTS FOR RADIO, PARTS FOR
CARS, PARTS FOR MICROWAVE.
YOU CAN FIND, LIKE, THIS IN THE
SCRAPYARD.
FOR ME, I LIKE IT BECAUSE I
CAN... I CAN MODIFY IT HERE AS A
BOMB.
>> Reporter: IT TAKES HIM A WEEK
TO MAKE A MOCK SHOTGUN LIKE THIS
ONE.
THIS GATLING GUN MADE FROM A
BROKEN LAWNMOWER IS ONE OF HIS
FAVORITE CREATIONS.
AND THEN, THERE'S BISASO'S
BIGGEST PROJECT SO FAR, THIS
HELICOPTER MADE OUT OF SCRAP
METAL.
>> IT'S NOT YET FINISHED.
THERE IS SOMETHING MISSING: A
PROPELLER, AN ENGINE, INTERIOR,
DOORS, AND THE GLASS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE HERE.
>> Reporter: BISASO SAYS HE AIMS
TO FINISH IT SOON.
BUT WILL IT FLY?
>> NOW, I'M STARTING TO SELL THE
TICKET.
ONE-WAY TICKET.
NO RETURN.
>> Reporter: ACTORS HERE SAY
WAKALIWOOD LETS THEM BE ALL
THAT THEY CAN BE, IF EVEN FOR
JUST A FEW DAYS A WEEK.
29-YEAR-OLD NAKIBUUKA NASHIBAH
IS ONE OF THREE FEMALE ACTRESSES
IN WAKALIWOOD.
BY DAY, SHE IS A LAWYER.
BUT ON WEEKENDS, SHE'S AN ACTOR
AND STUNTWOMAN.
>> ACTING IS MY PASSION.
I LOVE ACTING.
I REALIZED THAT WAKALIWOOD, THEY
DO WHAT I LOVE MOST: ACTION.
KICKING AND PUNCHING GIVES ME
SOME BIT OF CONFIDENCE AND SELF
DEFENSE.
I ENJOY IT.
I FEEL LIKE I'M IN CONTROL.
>> Reporter: APOLLO ASIIMWE
WORKS IN A MARKET SELLING
VEGETABLES.
BUT ON HIS DAYS OFF, HE'S HERE,
WORKING AS A STUNTMAN
APPRENTICE.
HIS DREAM IS TO MAKE IT BIG.
>> OF COURSE, I THINK I SHOULD
FEATURE IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST
MOVIES, LIKE, IN HOLLYWOOD
MOVIES OR BOLLYWOOD.
THAT'S MY DREAM, TO BECOME A
STUNTMAN LIKE IN THE BIG MOVIES.
>> Reporter: TODAY, THE CREW IS
SHOOTING A SCENE FOR A FILM
ABOUT THE ILLEGAL TRADE IN
EXOTIC WILDLIFE.
AMERICAN ALAN HOFMANIS WORKS IN
THE STUDIO.
HE OFTEN PLAYS THE BAD GUY.
EIGHT YEARS AGO, HOFMANIS LIVED
IN BROOKLYN.
HE SAYS, ONE DAY, A FRIEND
SHOWED HIM A WAKALIWOOD MOVIE
TRAILER.
>> IT'S SELF EVIDENT.
I MEAN, IT'S ACTION COMEDY, AND
IT'S... IT'S FREAKING AWESOME.
>> Reporter: HOFMANIS SOLD
EVERYTHING HE OWNED, BOUGHT A
PLANE TICKET TO UGANDA AND HAS
LIVED HERE IN WAKALIGA EVER
SINCE.
TODAY, HE'S AS AN ACTOR,
CO-PRODUCER AND PROMOTER.
>> IT REMINDS YOU WHY YOU LOVE
MOVIES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WELL, ISAAC IS INTRODUCING THE
IDEA OF, SAY, THIRD-WORLD CINEMA
OR THIRD-WORLD ACTION CINEMA.
AND I THINK HE'S AN ARTIST
THAT'S COMMUNICATING ON A
WORLDWIDE LEVEL.
>> Reporter: AFTER DOZENS OF
MOVIES, THE WORLD OF CINEMA IS
TAKING NOTICE OF WAKALIWOOD.
EVERY WEEK, THE CREW TAKES TIME
OFF TO SIGN MOVIE POSTERS, WHICH
ARE SOLD TO FANS AROUND THE
WORLD.
IN MAY, A WAKALIWOOD FILM, "BAD
BLACK," HAD ITS WORLD PREMIERE
AT THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART IN
NEW YORK CITY.
IT'S ABOUT A DOCTOR WHO IS
TAUGHT COMMANDO VENGEANCE BY A
KID NAMED WESLEY SNIPES, AFTER
THE AMERICAN ACTOR.
THE MOVIE IS ALSO BEING SCREENED
IN THE FAMOUS EGYPTIAN THEATRE
IN LOS ANGELES.
>> Reporter: NABWANA SAYS HE
DREAMS OF WORKING WITH BIG
HOLLYWOOD-STYLE BUDGETS SO HE
CAN BUILD A BIGGER MOVIE STUDIO
AND, IN TURN, HELP MORE UGANDANS
BECOME MOVIE STARS.
>> Reporter: EVEN VISITING
JOURNALISTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO
TAKE PART IN THE ACTION...
...IF ONLY FOR 15 SECONDS OF
FAME...
...WAKALIWOOD-STYLE.
( GUNSHOT )
>> Sreenivasan: THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE WAS FOUNDED
ALMOST 150 YEARS AGO, PROVIDING
WEATHER FORECASTS, WARNINGS AND
CLIMATE DATA ACROSS THE U.S. AND
SHARING THAT INFORMATION WITH
OTHER WEATHER SERVICES AROUND
THE GLOBE.
THERE ARE NOW SUPERCOMPUTERS
POWERING THE FORECASTS THAT HELP
US PREPARE FOR THE INCREASINGLY
EXTREME WEATHER AROUND THE
WORLD.
BUT, THE SYSTEM ITSELF IS ALSO
EVOLVING.
PRIVATE PLAYERS ARE CREATING
THEIR OWN DATA SETS, AND IT'S
RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THAT
INFORMATION WILL BE SHARED, AND
ULTIMATELY, IF SOME WILL BENEFIT
MORE THAN OTHERS.
I RECENTLY SPOKE WITH ANDREW
BLUM, AUTHOR OF “THE WEATHER
MACHINE: A JOURNEY INSIDE THE
FORECAST."
>> THAT'S BEEN THE CULTURE FOR
150 YEARS, GOING BACK TO THE
ORIGINAL TELEGRAPH OBSERVATIONS.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICES WOULD
COLLECT THEIR WINDSPEED, THEIR
TEMPERATURE, ALL THAT.
THEY'D SEND IT, A VERY ORGANIZED
SYSTEM.
AND THEN, THEY'D ALL SHARE IT
BACK WITH EACH OTHER.
AND AS THAT BECAME AUTOMATED, IT
BECAME EVEN MORE... MORE GLOBAL.
TODAY, IT'S COORDINATED EVEN TO
THE EXTENT THAT THE EUROPEAN
SATELLITES FLY OVER PARTS OF THE
EARTH IN THE MORNING AND THE
AMERICAN SATELLITES FOLLOW IN
THE AFTERNOON.
IT'S ALL VERY CAREFULLY
CALIBRATED.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, WHEN I OPEN
MY APP RIGHT NOW, I AM... AND I
LOOK AT THE WEATHER, I AM
PROFITING FROM THIS MASSIVE
COLLECTIVE AROUND THE WORLD
THAT'S DECIDED TO COOPERATE.
>> IT'S REALLY AN INCREDIBLE
GLOBAL PUBLIC GOOD.
METEOROLOGISTS ARE VERY PROUD OF
THAT.
THEY'RE MOSTLY GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SORT OF
WORKING QUIETLY WITH THE WORLD
METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION,
WHICH IS, QUITE LITERALLY, THE
U.N. OF WEATHER.
>> Sreenivasan: MM-HMM.
>> AND THEY REALLY HAVE KIND OF
BUILT THIS ASTONISHING SYSTEM
VERY DELIBERATELY-- NOT EMERGENT
LIKE THE INTERNET, BUT REALLY A
KIND OF DESIGNED SYSTEM THAT HAS
BEEN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL.
>> Sreenivasan: IS THAT GOING TO
CHANGE?
>> WELL, THE RISK IS A FEW
THINGS.
I MEAN, ONE IS THAT THE STAKES
ARE HIGHER THERE.
THE WEATHER IS MORE EXTREME.
OTHERS, THERE'S MORE MONEY AT
RISK.
AND, WELL, IT USED TO BE THAT
ONLY GOVERNMENTS, YOU KNOW,
WOULD SPEND $20 MILLION OR
$30 MILLION ON THE, YOU KNOW,
SUPERCOMPUTER YOU WOULD NEED TO
FORECAST THE WEATHER.
THAT BET IS STARTING TO SEEM A
BIT MORE REASONABLE FOR PRIVATE
COMPANIES.
YOU ADD INTO THAT THESE PRIVATE
SATELLITES, WHICH ARE GETTING
CHEAPER, AND OTHER KINDS OF
OBSERVATIONS-- THESE ARE NEW...
WHETHER CELL PHONES OR BETWEEN
CELL PHONE TOWERS, ARE ALL THESE
NEW WAYS OF COLLECTING
ATMOSPHERIC OBSERVATIONS-- AND
THE EQUATION BEGINS TO CHANGE.
MORE MONEY, LOWER COST TO GET
INTO IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF AT
THE BRINK OF A PARADIGM SHIFT OF
PRIVATE WEATHER.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, PRIVATE
WEATHER MEANS WHAT?
THAT WHEN I OPEN THAT APP OR
WHEN I OPEN A WEBSITE, THAT MY
WEATHER DATA WOULD BE LESS
ACCURATE?
>> WELL, SO, WE'VE HAD THIS, YOU
KNOW, WE'VE HAD THESE FOR 20, 30
YEARS.
WE'VE HAD COMPANIES LIKE
ACUWEATHER OR THE WEATHER
CHANNEL, THAT HAVE TAKEN
GOVERNMENT DATA AND SORT OF
ADDED TO IT, MADE IT SORT OF
EITHER MADE IT PRETTY OR MADE IT
MORE PRECISE FOR OUR LOCATION OR
THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE DIFFERENCE THAT WE'RE SEEING
NOW IS BOTH PRIVATE WEATHER
MODELS, WHICH WERE THE, SORT OF,
WHAT WERE HAPPENING BEFORE ONLY
IN THE REALM OF GOVERNMENTS, AND
THINGS LIKE PRIVATE
OBSERVATIONS.
SO, THE CHALLENGE IS, YOU KNOW,
HOW DOES THAT FEEL FOR US AT THE
MOMENT?
IT MIGHT... THE SOONEST THING
MIGHT MEAN THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR
WEATHER CHANNEL APP IS MORE
ACCURATE.
YOU KNOW, THAT... THAT WOULD BE
GOOD.
>> Sreenivasan: BUT I'D BE
PAYING FOR THAT.
WELL, YOU PAY FOR IT NOW IN THE
ADS THAT THEY SHOW YOU...
>> Sreenivasan: SURE.
>> ...OR THE SUBSCRIPTION COSTS
OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE RISK IS IF IT BEGINS TO
BIFURCATE THE GLOBAL SYSTEM, IF
IT BEGINS NOT JUST TO ADD VALUE
TO THE EXISTING PUBLIC SYSTEM
BUT TO BEGIN TO SORT OF ERODE
THE FOUNDATIONS OF GLOBAL DATA
EXCHANGE, OF GLOBAL WEATHER DATA
THAT HAVE REALLY BUILT THE
SYSTEM WE HAVE TODAY.
>> Sreenivasan: BECAUSE THE
PRIVATE COMPANIES HAVE NO
INCENTIVE TO CONTRIBUTE ALL OF
THEIR INFORMATION TO THE GLOBAL
POOL, THEY ARE GOING TO
CONTRIBUTE THEIR INFORMATION TO
THEIR OWN CLIENTS.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, AT THE MOMENT,
ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS HAPPENING
AT NOAA, THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN THE UNITED STATES,
IS, YOU KNOW, WE COULD BUY
SATELLITE DATA AS A SUBSCRIPTION
FROM A PRIVATE COMPANY.
BUT ACCORDING TO THE RULES OF
THE WORLD METEROLOGIC
ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE TO THEN
SHARE THAT DATA.
WE HAVE TO PUT IT IN THE GLOBAL
POOL.
THE QUESTION IS, WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN A PRIVATE COMPANY SAYS,
"NO, YOU CAN'T SHARE"?
"YOU COULD BUY IT AND USE IT
YOURSELF, BUT YOU CAN'T SHARE IT
BECAUSE WE WANT TO SELL IT TO
EVERY OTHER COUNTRY."
AND THE REALITY IS, NOT THAT
MANY OTHER COUNTRIES WOULD BUY
IT.
AND YOU WOULD IMMEDIATELY HAVE A
SORT OF FRAGMENTATION OF THIS
SORT OF... THIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, YOU WOULD
HAVE EVERY COUNTRY, OR COMPANIES
INSIDE EVERY COUNTRY, DECIDING
TO DO THIS, AND THEN YOU
WOULD... WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT
KIND OF GLOBAL COLLECTIVE
ANYMORE.
>> BUT, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW,
THEY WOULD ONLY BE EIGHT, TEN,
12 COUNTRIES THAT WOULD ACTUALLY
BE PAYING FOR THIS DATA.
AND IT WOULD THEN, YOU KNOW,
RATHER THAN THIS SORT OF SYSTEM
THAT'S 150 YEARS OLD, YOU KNOW,
OF NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICES
HAPPILY GIVING THEIR DATA TO GET
A LOT OF DATA BACK, CONTRIBUTING
IT FOR THE GLOBAL GOOD.
YOU WOULD HAVE A SITUATION
WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU... THERE'S
A SORT OF BREAKDOWN OF THAT
PUBLICNESS.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, WHAT'S
WHAT'S OUR PARTICULAR
GOVERNMENT'S STANCE ON IT NOW?
WHAT'S THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
THINK ABOUT THIS?
>> WHEN I INTERVIEWED NEIL
JACOBS, WHO IS THE ACTING
ADMINISTRATOR OF NOAA, FOR A
PIECE FOR "TIME" MAGAZINE THIS
WEEK, HE SURPRISED ME IN THAT
HE SAID HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE,
AS THE SYSTEM EVOLVES, THAT
COMPANIES CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE
PROFIT.
AND THE END OF HIS SENTENCE, I
EXPECTED TO BE "TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROTECT
LIFE AND PROPERTY."
BUT CLEARLY THERE ARE LOTS OF
SIGNS, INCLUDING THE APPOINTMENT
OF BARRY MYERS, THE FORMER C.E.O
OF ACUWEATHER, TO BE THE
NEXT ADMINISTRATOR OF NOAA.
LOTS OF SIGNS THAT THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION IS VERY EAGER TO
ENCOURAGE THIS PRIVATE BUSINESS
AND IS LESS CONCERNED, OF
COURSE, WITH THE SORT OF
MULTILATERALISM THAT IS REQUIRED
FOR THE GLOBAL GOOD OF THE STATE
EXCHANGE OF THE LAST 150 YEARS.
>> THIS IS "PBS NEWSHOUR
WEEKEND," SATURDAY.
>> Sreenivasan: YOU ALSO TAKE A
LOOK AT SOME OF THE START-UPS
THAT ARE TRYING TO CHANGE HOW WE
LEARN ABOUT WHAT THE WEATHER IS
IN A SPECIFIC PLACE AND ADD THAT
INFORMATION TO A LARGER MODEL.
WHAT ARE THEY DOING TODAY THAT
THEY WEREN'T DOING 20 YEARS AGO?
>> SO, ONE EXAMPLE IS, YOU KNOW,
ONE THING THAT I.B.M. ANNOUNCED
A NEW WEATHER MODEL, AND IT'S
VERY SIMILAR TO THE HIGH
RESOLUTION MODEL THAT EXISTS IN
THE UNITED STATES THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE RUNS.
BUT THEY CAN USE THEIR CLOUD
COMPUTING, AND THEY CAN SAY, "WE
CAN RUN THAT SAME SORT OF
DETAILED THUNDERSTORM MODEL
WHEREVER YOU WOULD LIKE US TO--
IN AFRICA, IN SOUTH AMERICA."
AND THAT ABILITY IS GREAT.
I MEAN, THAT OFFERS, YOU KNOW, A
POTENTIAL FOR MAJOR SAFETY
AND...
>> Sreenivasan: YEAH, PREPARE
FOR A STORM IN THOSE PLACES...
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> Sreenivasan: ...AND SAVE
LIVES.
>> AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
HAVE THOSE HIGH RESOLUTION
MODELS IN THE U.S. AND EUROPE,
SO IT REALLY DOES EXTEND THAT
CAPABILITY AROUND THE WORLD.
THE QUESTION, THOUGH, IS WHEN IT
BECOMES MORE COMPETITIVE, WHEN
IT'S NOT AS MUCH ABOUT PUBLIC
SAFETY.
IT IS MORE ABOUT WARNINGS IN
ADVANCE FOR... AS A COMMODITY
FOR A PRICE.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, BASICALLY,
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT
PRIVATE CORPORATIONS WOULD BE
VERY INTERESTED IN KNOWING, TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADJUST EITHER
THEIR SHIPPING LANES OR THEIR
PATTERNS OF PRODUCTION.
>> OR MORE, MORE COATS ON THE
SHELVES AT WALMART OR WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT,
WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
>> Sreenivasan: RIGHT.
>> AND THERE ARE LOTS OF VALID
USES OF THAT DATA.
BUT AGAIN, THE CONCERN IS THIS
SORT OF 150-YEAR TRADITION OF
METEOROLOGY AS A GLOBAL PUBLIC
GOOD BEING REPLACED, AS SO MANY
THINGS ARE, WITH A SORT OF TWO-
TIERED SYSTEM FOR ONE YOU CAN
PAY FOR AND ONE THAT YOU GET
OTHERWISE.
AND WE'RE SORT OF IN UNCHARTED
TERRITORY WHEN YOU BEGIN TO NOT
JUST THINK ABOUT PRIVATE
COMPANIES SUPPLYING SATELLITES
TO GOVERNMENTS, BUT REALLY SORT
OF BEING MORE PARTICULAR ABOUT
HOW THEIR DATA IS BEING SHARED.
>> Sreenivasan: ALL RIGHT,
ANDREW BLUM.
THE BOOK IS CALLED "THE WEATHER
MACHINE."
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Sreeinvasan: JOINING US
TOMORROW FOR THE LATEST FROM
CALIFORNIA WHERE AFTERSHOCKS
CONTINUE, AND WE'LL HAVE THE
RESULT AND REACTION TO WHICHEVER
TEAM NETHERLANDS OR THE U.S.A.
WIN THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP SOCCER
FINAL.
THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF
"NewsHour Weekend".
I'M HARI SREENIVASAN.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
Captioning sponsored by WNET
Captioned by
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access.wgbh.org
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