PBS NewsHour Weekend Season 1 Episode 17 Season 1, Episode 17

PBS NewsHour Weekend is a weekly news program that aims to provide an in-depth and balanced report on the current events of the week. Season 1, Episode 17 covers a variety of issues and stories from politics to culture.

The episode begins with a report on the rising number of migrant children crossing the border into the United States without their parents. Correspondent Maria Villarreal travels to Texas to investigate the conditions in which these children are being held. She speaks with lawmakers, advocates, and volunteers working to assist the unaccompanied minors. Villarreal gives an eye-opening report of the challenges these children are facing once they arrive at the U.S. border and what is being done to help them.

The episode then shifts to a discussion with Franklin Foer, a staff writer for The Atlantic, about his recent article on the social media platform, Facebook, and the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Foer explains how personal data was collected, manipulated, and used by the consulting firm for political purposes, and what the implications are for the future of data privacy and security on social media. The interview raises thought-provoking questions about the role of social media companies in the political landscape and how they must be held accountable for the data they collect and use.

The next segment of the show explores the cultural impact of artist Robert Rauschenberg. Correspondent Megan Thompson visits the Museum of Modern Art in New York to view a retrospective of Rauschenberg's work and speak with curators and experts about the artist's influence on pop art, performance art, and the art world as a whole. Through interviews with those closest to Rauschenberg, viewers gain an understanding of the artist's unique process and contributions to contemporary art.

The episode concludes with a report on the ongoing battle over the Dakota Access Pipeline. Correspondent Leigh Paterson travels to North Dakota to speak with members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and environmental activists who have been protesting the construction of the pipeline since 2016. Paterson gives viewers an update on the legal battle between the tribe and the government, as well as the environmental concerns surrounding the pipeline and its impact on indigenous communities.

Overall, Season 1, Episode 17 of PBS NewsHour Weekend provides viewers with a well-balanced and thought-provoking report on current events. Whether it's the crisis at the southern border, social media privacy, the art world, or pipeline protests, each segment of the episode brings unique perspectives, opinions, and insights into the challenging issues of our time.