Wednesday Scoop: Interactive YouTube

The big story…

YouTube to Produce Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Content

In an effort to compete with Netflix (and who isn’t these days), YouTube has announced plans to invest in interactive programming in the choose-your-own-adventure style of Netflix’s Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. This may mean the rise (or fall) of YouTube Originals, which already have a budget cut set for 2020.

However, YouTube isn’t by any means new to the genre. The streaming service has experimented with interactive ads in the past. But it remains to be seen whether this platform’s longform content can compete with the likes of Netflix, and whether they’ll be susceptible to the same lawsuit.

In national news…

Massachusetts Outlaws LGBTQ Conversion Therapy For Minors

On Monday, April 9, Massachusetts became the 16th state to outlaw LGBTQIA+ therapy for young minors. Passed by both Democratic Party majority houses of the legislature and signed by Republican Governor Charlie Baker, the new law will prohibit state-licensed health care providers from advertising or engaging in “sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts with a patient who is less than 18 years of age.” Read more in Duane Paul Murphy’s report for CMN.

In higher education…

Texas Tech School of Medicine to Stop Using Affirmative Action in Admissions

Texas Tech University’s School of Medicine will no longer look at race or national origin as a factor when going through the admissions process as part of an agreement they made with the Department of Education in February. CNN reports, “The agreement concludes a 14-year-long investigation into the school’s use of affirmative action in its admissions process after someone who did not end up applying to the school filed a complaint with the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights in 2004. The Department of Education’s office began the investigation in July 2005, according to department spokeswoman Elizabeth Hill.” The university plans to stop using references to race and national origin as admissions factors by Sept. 1 of this year.

In sports…

NBA ROY Race

Last year’s rookie class was loaded with talent, including Donovan Mitchell, Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum and Lauri Markkanen. Aside from those four, many second year players have improved immensely: De’Aaron Fox (17.3 PPG) and John Collins (19.5 PPG). The 2018-19 draft class had giant shoes to fill and thus far, the rookies have shown they are another great group of freshman. Read more in Adam Shay’s report for CMN.

Trending today…

Friends v. GG v. The Office v. Grey’s Anatomy

E! News wants to know, which one’s your favorite?

Last but not least…

Another Look at Juice WRLD’s ‘Death Race For Love’

Thomas Hobbs of NME published a review of Juice WRLD’s second studio album, Death Race For Love, awarding the project four stars out of five. The author makes several proclamations about the 20 year-old rapper throughout the review, some of which I agree with (“Juice WRLD makes songs that stick, his vocal dissonance capturing what it feels like to be young and in pain”). Read more in Ryan Feyre’s review for CMN.

Today’s Morning Scoop was made possible by Natalia Kolenko, Duane Paul Murphy, Adam Shay, Ryan Feyre, and the CMN Staff. The Midwest is getting another type of April shower this week. And winter storm Wesley says, “Let it snow.” P.S. Was this newsletter forwarded by a friend? Subscribe here to get the Morning Scoop straight to your inbox every day.