Talk Fuse

    Culture

    Culture covers the stories that shape how we express ourselves and connect with one another. From film festivals and entertainment to social movements and artistic endeavour, these stories reflect the values, conversations and creativity that define our communities. Whether it's a new film project breaking ground, a performer taking their work to new audiences, or society grappling with important questions about identity and behaviour, culture encompasses the ways we live and the narratives we tell.

    This topic matters because culture is often where change begins. The entertainment industry responds to shifting tastes whilst simultaneously influencing them. Artists and creators challenge conventions, spark conversations, and hold up mirrors to society. Social and cultural movements highlight the issues that resonate with people's lives and futures.

    Culture also reflects broader trends in how we consume and engage with content and ideas. From streaming platforms to live performance, from traditional institutions to emerging voices online, the stories documented here chronicle the evolving landscape of how we entertain, educate and challenge ourselves.

    • Florida blocks Flock cams on state highways

      Florida has ordered the removal of Flock Safety cameras and other automated licence plate readers from state highways within 30 days, revoking all existing permits and blocking any future placement requests. The state’s Department of Transportation cited an “exponential increase” in deployments alongside mounting reports of misuse, data privacy concerns and surveillance schemes, making Florida…

    • Mary J. Blige Did A Fucking Suno Commercial

      Mary J. Blige has appeared in an advertisement for Suno, the generative AI music platform, prompting criticism from music writers and fellow artists. In the ad, which surfaced over the weekend as a promoted spot on platforms including TikTok, Blige is shown in a studio being played what appears to be an AI-generated version of…

    • ‘Get up, get breakfast, noise’: the teen going viral for enduring all 400 of Merzbow’s ear-splitting albums

      An 18-year-old Georgia teenager, Sam Andrews, has become an unlikely social media hit by attempting to listen to the entire catalogue of Merzbow, the Japanese noise artist known for his punishingly harsh soundscapes. Since February, Andrews has been vlogging his daily progress through the musician’s forbidding discography, with some videos amassing half a million views…

    • Alex Kingston, Iain Glen, Mimi Keene and Arian Nik Join Ray Winstone in Prime Video Action Comedy Series ‘Danger Money’ (EXCLUSIVE)

      Prime Video has confirmed casting for its new action-comedy series “Danger Money,” now filming in Malta, with Alex Kingston, Iain Glen, Mimi Keene and Arian Nik joining previously announced star Ray Winstone. The six-part series is produced by Two Brothers Pictures with All3Media International handling global distribution, bringing together well-known names from franchises including “Doctor…

    • Roku launches first OLED televisions exclusively through Amazon

      Roku has unveiled its first OLED televisions, expanding beyond the affordable QLED sets it has focused on in recent years. The Roku Pro Series OLED and Roku Pro Series LX OLED carry over the premium software features from Roku’s existing Mini-LED Pro TVs while adding the deeper blacks OLED panels offer, and both are being…

    • September brings crowded smartphone launch schedule

      September is shaping up to be an unusually intense month for smartphone launches, with dozens of new devices expected from major manufacturers within weeks of each other. The rush, dubbed “Techtember” by tech journalists, has returned in force after a few quieter years, driven partly by Qualcomm shifting its flagship chip announcements earlier to give…

    • Nvidia relaunches DLSS 5 ahead of 3 September debut

      Nvidia is relaunching DLSS 5, its “neural rendering” AI technology for video games, ahead of a launch on 3 September, after an earlier preview drew criticism when a character’s AI-altered face was widely mocked as “AI slop”. The company is now stressing that the tool “preserves artistic intent” and gives developers full control, positioning it…

    • Firefox for iOS adds optional built-in ad blocker

      Mozilla has launched a built-in ad blocker for Firefox on iOS, allowing users to block most third-party ads and trackers directly within the browser without needing a separate extension. The feature uses Apple’s WebKit Content Blocker technology alongside the EasyList filter, and follows several weeks of testing. It brings Firefox in line with rival browsers…

    • Dolly Parton estate confirm inaugural “star-studded” two-day DollyFest 2027 for Nashville and London

      Dolly Parton’s estate has confirmed plans for an inaugural “DollyFest”, a two-day event to be held in both Nashville and London in 2027, honouring the country icon’s life and legacy following her death last month. Organiser Danny Nozell said the festival-style celebration will take the place of a traditional public memorial, allowing time for tributes…

    • Poco’s F9 Ultra is a midrange phone with a flagship processor and a 185Hz display

      Xiaomi’s sub-brand Poco has unveiled the F9 Ultra, a China-market smartphone that pairs flagship-level specifications with midrange positioning, including a notably larger 8,050mAh battery, up from 6,500mAh in last year’s F8 Ultra. The phone won’t be sold in the US, but it offers a useful snapshot of how Chinese phonemakers continue to push hardware specs…