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Twitter goes for a Hail Mary with NFL deal (The 3:59, Ep. 22)

On the latest 3:59 podcast, we discuss whether the NFL can bring mainstream interest to Twitter, talk about PayPal's actions in North Carolina, and dabble in a little future tech.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials
  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
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Ben Fox Rubin Former senior reporter
Ben Fox Rubin was a senior reporter for CNET News in Manhattan, reporting on Amazon, e-commerce and mobile payments. He previously worked as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and got his start at newspapers in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
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Roger Cheng
Ben Fox Rubin
Tim Steadman/Icon SMI

Twitter's deal to stream the National Football League's Thursday night games marks a first down for the social network. Or does it?

The company has been desperate to attract mainstream attention, and the prospect of NFL games could help draw new interest in its service. It's an evolution of Twitter's relationship with the NFL, which already includes in-game highlights, breaking news and game recaps.

But whether it's effective remains to be seen. After all, you can watch the games on broadcast networks and the NFL Network.

We also tackle PayPal's decision to scrap its expansion plans into North Carolina after the state passed its transgender law, which forces students to use bathrooms according to their biological gender. And we look at the crazy tech coming out of Belgian research center Imec.

The 3:59 gives you bite-size news and analysis about the top stories of the day, brought to you by CNET Executive Editor Roger Cheng, Senior Writer Ben Fox Rubin and producer Bryan VanGelder.

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