Good morning readers. The people spoke. And Apple listened. In a rare move, Apple issued an apology for a misfired ad promoting their new iPad Pro. The company’s marketing VP, Tor Myhren, expressed regret, acknowledging they "missed the mark" in celebrating user expression. As a result, Apple nixed plans to air the ad on TV, opting for damage control instead. Critics slammed the ad as tone-deaf, raising concerns over Apple's eroding goodwill and disconnect with its audience.

Let’s jump into today’s storylines.

In today’s digest:

• You might lose out on all your airline rewards soon

• Headline Hustle: Universities are still struggling to stop student protests, Sinclair is looking to sell 30% of its broadcast stations, TikTok is automatically labelling AI generated content

• Doctors are asking patients to pay for their surgeries upfront

• Pulse Points: What’s Trending

TRAVEL

Are your credit card rewards flying south?

Ever tried to decipher the value of your airline rewards points without needing a calculator and a law degree? If figuring out your rewards feels like solving a Rubik's cube, you're not alone. Recent discussions at a joint hearing with the Department of Transportation and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau aim to clarify these aerial enigmas.

Cracking the code on credit card confusion

On Thursday, the spotlight was on the opaque practices surrounding points-and-rewards programs offered by airlines in cahoots with big banks. These programs are a treasure trove for frequent flyers but can feel more like a pirate’s riddle when trying to use them. Rohit Chopra, CFPB’s director, highlighted the ease with which companies can devalue points, turning potential savings into puzzling predicaments. The real kicker? Consumers might be footing the bill for these benefits without any clear path to a refund if the terms shift beneath their feet.

The hearing also shed light on a darker aspect of reward cards—the debt trap. For those who carry balances, the allure of rewards is often wiped out by steep interest rates and fees, essentially paying more for their rewards than they’re actually worth.

The battle of benefits. Despite the allure of accumulating miles, the actual financial windfall from these cards often fails to take flight. With the CFPB and DOT now considering steps to protect already earned miles from devaluation and prevent them from expiring, the future of these programs hangs in the balance.

Looking ahead…as policymakers circle the runway on regulations, consumers are left wondering whether their reward miles will ever truly take off or if they'll simply vanish into thin air. With elections coming up, the direction of these consumer protections could hinge on who's in the pilot's seat, making every point and every policy a critical piece of the travel puzzle.

IN THE KNOW

Headline Hustle

🏫 Universities are still struggling to put an end to student protests. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), tensions are high as pro-Palestinian encampment protests have led to conflicts over the display of national symbols and the expression of political viewpoints. MIT and other universities like Harvard and Penn are grappling with how to manage these protests, which have sparked significant campus and community unrest. This situation intensified after MIT's President Sally Kornbluth demanded that protesters vacate the campus, leading to multiple suspensions. The universities are attempting to balance freedom of expression with campus safety and operational needs, amidst broader debates over Middle East policies and academic freedom.

📺️ Sinclair is looking to sell more than 30% of its footprint. Sinclair Broadcast Group, a major player in the U.S. broadcasting landscape, is contemplating the sale of over 30% of its stations, according to sources. The company, which owns or operates 185 TV stations across 86 markets, has enlisted Moelis as its investment banker to explore the sale of more than 60 stations. These stations include affiliates of major networks such as Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS, and the CW, located in key markets like Minneapolis and Austin. This strategic move, aimed at unlocking value and reducing debt, comes as Sinclair faces a significant decline in market value, compounded by challenges in the regional sports network sector and evolving media consumption habits.

📱 TikTok starts automatically labelling AI generated content. TikTok has announced a new feature to automatically label videos and images on its platform that are generated by artificial intelligence. The labels, known as "Content Credentials," employ digital watermarking technology from the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity to attach metadata to AI-created content. This update, which initially applies to videos and images and will soon extend to audio-only content, aims to enhance transparency on the platform. The move aligns with TikTok's participation in the Content Authenticity Initiative and comes amid concerns over AI's potential role in spreading misinformation during the 2024 election cycle.

HEALTH

Need surgery? You need to pay up (in full) first

Imagine being told your child needs surgery to breathe better. But first, you need to cough up $2,000.

It's a growing trend in healthcare—facilities are increasingly requiring payment upfront before performing non-emergency procedures. This practice, which helps hospitals avoid the hassle and cost of chasing down payments later, is proving to be a bitter pill for patients to swallow. With complex conditions hanging in the balance, patients are forced to either cough up substantial amounts or delay crucial treatments.

The financial diagnosis

This reflects a growing strategy among healthcare providers to secure funds early, minimizing their financial risk but increasing the burden on patients. While some argue this transparency helps patients shop for better rates, the reality is a bit more challenging—coming up with large sums can delay or even prevent necessary medical interventions.

But the pressure to pay upfront is piling up.

• A recent report highlighted that hospitals collected 23% of payments before services this year, up from 20% last year.

• Yet, this shift towards prepayment raises ethical concerns, especially when patients face the real risk of delaying crucial treatments due to financial constraints.

A prescription for change: Though hospitals argue that advance knowledge of costs allows patients to shop around, the stark reality is that many Americans can't afford unexpected medical expenses. A KFF survey revealed that half of the adults in the U.S. couldn't afford more than $500 for emergency healthcare.

SNIPPETS

Pulse Points

• In the fight to ban smoking in casinos, shareholders at Boyd Gaming, Bally’s Entertainment, and Caesars Entertainment will vote on proposals requiring the companies to examine the costs of allowing indoor smoking.

• Planet Fitness announced its first base-level membership price increase since 1998 for new customers, raising the Classic card membership to $15 per month starting this summer, while current members will continue paying $10 per month.

• Warner Bros. Discovery, in collaboration with New Line Cinema, announced last year they were developing multiple "Lord of the Rings" movies, and now the release date for the first film is likely in 2026.

• Vice Media announced plans to create a joint venture with Nashville-based Savage Ventures to relaunch its digital properties, including Vice.com, Munchies, Motherboard, and Noisey.

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