Free Literacy and Biliteracy Learning Tool - Year 2022 (CA Dept of Education) - CA.gov

California Department of Education
News Release

California Department of Education
News Release

Release: #22-41
August 31, 2022

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced today a partnership with Footsteps2Brilliance, an early literacy and biliteracy solution, that will provide California children and families free access to interactive digital eBooks, songs, and games in English and Spanish. This partnership is part of Superintendent Thurmond’s Statewide Literacy Campaign to help all California students reach the goal of literacy by third grade by the year 2026.

“Literacy is the key to opportunity. We are redoubling efforts to help students recover and expand literacy skills, which have been on the decline during the pandemic,” said Thurmond. “Our goal is to make literacy and biliteracy tools easy to access, easy to use, and most importantly, available for free because we know that once a student learns to read, a student can read to learn anything. And, when students don’t learn to read by third grade, sadly, we know that the risk is greater that they might drop out of school, they could end up in the criminal justice system.”

The Footsteps2Brilliance bilingual early literacy program for birth through third graders is accessible 24/7 via the Internet from the smartphones, tablets, and computers that families already own. This resource expands free access to all children and families statewide, creating a much-needed bridge between school and home. The $27 million digital literacy partnership will provide free learning resources in English and Spanish. Families and caregivers of young students can access the Footsteps2Brilliance digital bilingual educational resources starting today by going to the Footsteps2Brilliance California Bilingual Early Literacy Initiative web page .

“We are honored to be part of Superintendent Thurmond’s innovative statewide literacy campaign. This initiative will undoubtedly serve as a blueprint for states across the country, as more and more leaders come to understand the impact of early childhood literacy and the need to have students reading proficiently by third grade,” said Footsteps2Brilliance CEO, Ilene Rosenthal.

“We are determined to move the needle in the right direction for California to ensure that our students get access to the best resources to support literacy and biliteracy,” said Thurmond. “I’m excited that this year we are announcing as well, $250 million dollars to go to schools to hire literacy coaches and specialists to support our students and to support our educators. And now we are grateful to be layering on this incredible partnership, $27 million dollars in free resources being donated by Footsteps2Brilliance for California communities that have been working in our schools already.”

For more information about the digital partnership or the literacy campaign, contact the California Department of Education (CDE) at statewideliteracycampaign@cde.ca.gov.

# # # #

Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Last Reviewed: Wednesday, August 31, 2022

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Free fare month is over. Will it spawn a new era for transit in Colorado? - Colorado Public Radio

David Bledsoe smiled with glee as the Regional Transportation District R Line train whizzed by highway traffic. 

Beldsoe’s ride was back on Aug. 1, the first day RTD and other public transit agencies across Colorado waived fares as part of a state government push to reduce air pollution from vehicle traffic. Door-to-door time via transit was longer than Bledsoe’s typical drive, but he looked forward to the relaxing ride and wanted to do his part to clear the air during ozone-heavy summer days.

Now, a month later, Bledsoe said he’s commuted via RTD about 10 times for free. That’s a big jump for the resident of Denver’s Central Park neighborhood who used to drive to work exclusively. But it was far less than he had hoped at the beginning of the month. 

“Convenience is probably the biggest issue,” Bledsoe said. “That was the thing that got in the way of using the light rail more often.” 

He’s glad to know that RTD is a viable option, if not always practical. Even with traffic headaches, driving was often easier for Bledsoe when severe weather was in the forecast or when he had to pick up kids after work. 

We don’t yet know how many commuters like David Bledsoe are out there or what their impact was

A spokesperson for RTD, the state’s largest transit agency, said it will publish a report on ridership during the free-fare month in November. But anecdotally, it appears buses and trains were running a bit fuller in August than earlier in the pandemic when they were largely empty. 

“It feels nice seeing more people on the train,” said Madeline Goldkamp one morning last week from her seat on a mostly full W Line. “Because often I’ll get toward the end [of the line] and there’s barely anyone. And it’s kind of creepy to be honest.” 

Ron Short, vice president of the ATU Local 1001, has been driving buses for RTD for more than 20 years. To his eyes, ridership has risen between 5 percent and 7 percent in the last month. 

“It's having the desired effects as far as people coming out, people trying the service,” he said. “It really has.”

Smaller transit agencies around the state saw significant jumps in ridership through the first three-plus weeks of August, said Ann Rajewski, executive director of the Colorado Association of Transit Agencies. Those year-over-year increases include a roughly 60 percent rise in Pueblo, 48 percent in Colorado Springs, 35 percent in Fountain, and 28 percent in Bent County.

“It’s exciting to see,” Rajewski said.

It's unclear how many of the new rides were taken by existing transit users riding more frequently or, as state officials would like, drivers switching to transit. Rajewski said a more detailed report covering non-RTD agencies is expected by the end of September.

Pueblo transit director Ben Valdez said they’ve seen a “whole lot of new ridership.” 

"My operators have been driving the same routes for like a thousand years,” Valdez said. “So they see the same people every day and they're telling me about all the new faces they got going on."

The Colorado Department of Transportation’s statewide Bustang service, which has been offering half-price fares since July 1, has seen ridership climb 63 percent compared to the same period last year. The West Line between Denver and Grand Junction is now even carrying more people than it did in 2019 before the pandemic, CDOT data show.

A spokesperson for Gov. Jared Polis said ridership data will be helpful for the state in future planning. Polis told CPR’s Colorado Matters in early August that the state may expand the program in coming years; it is already set to return in August 2023.

Nathaniel Minor/CPR News

Kenny Rider, a 31-year veteran of Pueblo Transit, gets ready to drive the 11 bus on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020.

The free fare programs’ impact on air quality is also still quite fuzzy

Spokespersons for the state health department and the Regional Air Quality Council said they don’t have enough information to analyze the program’s impact on air quality — yet.

“We’re excited to see ridership numbers from participating transit agencies across the Front Range,” the air council’s David Sabados wrote in an email. “Every trip on a bus or train that could have been a car trip is beneficial for our air quality.”

So far this ozone season — typically June through August — the state has recorded 25 fewer action alert days than last year. But Leah Schleifer with the state health department said “many different factors” can account for that beyond driving, like weather patterns and other pollution sources.

Overall, the effort’s immediate effect on air pollution will likely be small because of how dominant cars are across Colorado. Only 4 percent of commuters in the sprawling, car-centric Denver metro use transit, according to Census data; more than 70 percent drive alone. Even a doubling of transit riders would only move the needle a little bit because there aren't that many to begin with.

Denver’s been in a similar position before. A year-long free-fare experiment from the late 1970s shifted some 12,000 drivers to RTD buses, but the resulting reduction in overall driving was just one-half of 1 percent. Denver’s “brown cloud” of the era only dissipated after the federal government raised vehicles’ emission standards. 

A similar dynamic may play out now with ground-level ozone. The state, as part of its climate efforts, is incentivizing drivers like David Bledsoe to move to electric vehicles — and he said he’s considering it. 

“I'll probably be taking action much sooner than I thought I would, to try to reduce my own impact,” he said. 

The free fare program was never meant to “fix everything,” said Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, who sponsored the legislation that created it. Rather, she hopes the program will help further the state’s gradual push to bolster public transportation across Colorado.

“You don't change culture overnight, and you don't build transformative systems overnight. Those take time to build and change and this was a significant step forward,” she said, adding: “We’re not going to meet our climate goals without reducing our vehicle miles traveled.”

Hart Van Denburg/CPR News

An RTD light rail train pulls out of the Decatur-Federal station, Aug. 12, 2022.

More than free rides, some passengers just want reliable service — and more of it

Megan Henderson was holding onto her bicycle as she rode the W Line to her job at Denver Health. It helps her get to the station faster — and it came in handy recently when her return train never showed up after 30 minutes of waiting. 

“I grabbed my bike and rode an hour home,” she said, adding: “[RTD] has to be reliable enough for people to utilize it on an ongoing basis.” 

RTD’s ongoing driver shortage and long-term funding challenges are two big reasons for service being unreliable and infrequent in many places. And while the state government has footed most of the bill for free fare month, it’s been hesitant to give RTD new funding directly.

A multi-billion-dollar transportation funding bill Democrats passed last year will raise hundreds of millions of dollars for transit statewide, but it did not include any dedicated funding for RTD. The agency is eligible for state grants through that bill, but an RTD spokeswoman said the agency has not applied for any and has not received any money from it yet.

A state climate rule could also shift nearly a billion dollars toward clean transportation — including public transit projects — in the Denver area, but none of that appears to be heading toward RTD’s operations budget either. 

A coalition of environmental, labor, disability, and transportation safety groups is organizing to change that dynamic. The new “Alliance to Transform Transportation,” announced Wednesday, is exploring different ways to raise more money to fund a higher level of transit service — perhaps through RTD, perhaps not. Funding options include a ballot initiative to raise sales taxes and persuading legislators to allocate more state money to public buses and trains in the Denver area. 

“RTD gets less than 1 percent of their operating budget from the state,” said Molly McKinley, policy director for the Denver Streets Partnership. “We know that the state can't just manufacture new dollars. But we certainly want to start exploring options for what that could look like.”

State legislators and the governor's office have yet to start the budget process, but Winter said she'll support the state's continued investment in public transit. 

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Thousands added to free and reduced lunch program in Detroit Lakes - Detroit Lakes Tribune

DETROIT LAKES – Typically there are a couple of hundred pages of student names printed on the free and reduced lunch program list every school year.

“This year, we printed 1,000-plus pages,” Food Service Director Anne Skjold said. “We had some inquiries from families as to why they got a letter of approval.”

The substantial increase began with the U.S. Department of Agriculture offering a pilot program that automatically enrolls students of families that receive Medicaid into the free and reduced lunch program. The pilot program starts during the 2022-2023 school year.

Minnesota was one of the states that threw their hat in to join the pilot program, and one of eight states that were chosen, Skjold said.

The new program does not mean all families are automatically added to the free and reduced lunch program, Skjold explained. Some families in the district receive aid through programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or are foster parents, which are also eligible for the free and reduced lunch program benefits.

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Students in all Detroit Lakes Public Schools receive a variety of healthy options for lunch, with the high school students even having a pizza choice.

Barbie Porter / Detroit Lakes Tribune

“If a family has not already received a letter of approval for the program, then they should fill out an application,” Skjold said, adding applications are in every school office or can be printed from the food service link on the school website.

Parents with questions or concerns with the free and reduced lunch program should contact Jill Jaeger at (218) 847-2309.

Free lunch for all ends

For the past two years, federal and state government programs have covered the cost of lunches for all students. With free lunch, Skjold saw the average student lunch count spike upwards of 60 percent.

The federal and state-funded program offering free lunches for all school children was not extended and expired at the end of the last school year.

“I think that will impact the number of students eating school lunch,” she said.

The district offers open campus lunch to students in grades 10-12, but some families opt to have their students bring lunch.

“The average cost of sending lunch with a student is about $4,” Skjold said. “What parents spend by having students buy lunch at school is less than $3.”

While there is no free lunch, students still receive a free breakfast. Skjold explained there are state reimbursements to the school district for breakfasts served. Whatever is not reimbursed, the district pays through the food service fund.

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The food service fund is independent of the school general fund and must operate on its own accord. Therefore, the district agreed a way to benefit those families using the food service would be to put some of the surpluses towards providing all students a breakfast.

The Detroit Lakes High School food service director was told to expect food supply disruptions until 2025.

File photo

Supply chain not expected to correct itself until 2025

Stocking products for student meals became bumpy last summer, Skjold recalled. It was as if all of a sudden they couldn’t get one item, then another and another.

“It goes in cycles,” she said.

Skjold was told at a food service conference to expect disruptions in the food supply until 2025.

Thankfully, the Detroit Lakes School District has several vendors. Skjold said the vendors are very helpful with providing alternative food options to fill nutritional needs. Still, that means publishing lunch menus for the following week may not happen until Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.

“I want to have it in stock, in the freezer, before I put it on the menu,” she said.

With so much turbulence in the industry, Skjold took time to applaud the district food service staff for being adaptable.

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“They are all rock stars,” she said. “There were frustrating days for all of us, but overall they have been fantastic. It doesn't matter what curveball is thrown, we catch it and move on.”

The staff was also recognized by the state health inspector. The district food service department is checked twice a year. In the most recent review, there was one minor violation that was fixed on the spot.

“A hand washing sign that was taped to the wall had fallen down,” Skjold said, noting that when the sign was noticed, it was picked up and reattached to the wall.

Having such a sparkling clean inspection may impress some districts, but Skjold explained the food service staff in Detroit Lakes takes pride in what they do and are meticulous when it comes to cleaning before, during and after shifts.

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Portal 2 is the last free Xbox 360 Games with Gold title - The Verge

Portal 2 will be the last Xbox 360 game available free to Xbox Live Gold subscribers through Microsoft’s Games with Gold program. Microsoft announced last month that Xbox Games with Gold will no longer include Xbox 360 games in October, simply because the company has “reached the limit of our ability to bring Xbox 360 games to the catalogue.”

The Games with Gold for September, spotted by Ars Technica, lists Portal 2 for Xbox 360, the last title before the October 1st cutoff point. Valve’s classic puzzle-platform game was released more than 10 years ago on Xbox 360, so it’s a fitting end to the nearly decade-long program of free Xbox 360 games for Xbox Live Gold subscribers.

Games with Gold is a monthly benefit for subscribers of Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Microsoft hand picks free games each month, which subscribers can download and keep forever, and all Xbox 360 titles are playable on the latest Xbox Series X / S consoles and Xbox One.

Microsoft has reached the limit on new Xbox 360 games through its Games with Gold offering simply due to its Xbox backward compatibility program coming to a halt. Microsoft returned with 76 new backward compatible games last year, but the company said at the time it had “reached the limit of our ability to bring new games to the catalog from the past due to licensing, legal and technical constraints.”

If you’ve already downloaded or redeemed Xbox 360 games through the Games with Gold program, they’ll still be available after October 1st. Microsoft’s change just means Portal 2 will be the last game you can claim for free with the Games with Gold offer.

Xbox Live Gold is still an incredibly popular subscription, but Microsoft has switched its focus to Xbox Game Pass. The software maker briefly attempted to double the cost of a yearly Xbox Live Gold subscription last year, but a backlash forced it to backtrack on the pricing changes and even remove the Xbox Live Gold requirement for free-to-play games.

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Free workforce trainings expanded to more Hawaiʻi residents | University of Hawaiʻi System News - University of Hawaii

(Photo credit: Will Loomis)

More Hawaiʻi residents are now eligible to apply for free short-term trainings leading to industry credentials in the resilient sectors of healthcare, technology and the skilled trades through the Hana Career Pathways program. The University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges’ program that has been serving unemployed and underemployed residents was recently expanded to include those who are currently employed.

The Hana Career Pathways program connects students with work-based learning opportunities such as paid internships and guaranteed interviews with local employers, and also prepares students to apply for registered apprenticeships and related degree programs.

More than $2 million in Hana Career Pathways funding from the U.S. Department of Education is available for tuition this year. Eligible applicants receive tuition assistance for courses and other training costs such as books and industry certification exam fees. The program is free for most eligible participants, since many of the trainings provide a 100% tuition subsidy to cover all costs. Wrap-around services are also offered to students including college and career advising, referrals to community partners with supportive services, and other financial assistance.

Seats are available in Certified Nurse Aide, Patient Care Services and Pharmacy Technician courses in the healthcare sector.

In IT, the Security+, AWS Cloud Foundation and AWS Solutions Architect courses prepare students for industry certifications, including free industry exam vouchers.

Trainings offered in the skilled trades sector include Carpenter Pre-Apprenticeship, Maintenance Electrician and a new Arborist Certification Prep course.

All trainings are designed to help participants find living wage career pathways. New training opportunities are updated quarterly.

Learn more and apply online for current trainings. Contact training@hawaii.edu for more information.

Expanded eligibility

“The Hana Career Pathways grant has now expanded our eligibility criteria to include incumbent workers in need of upskilling, as well as continuing to support unemployed and underemployed residents seeking job opportunities,” said Program Manager Nicolette van der Lee. “Expanding the eligibility criteria enables us to provide training to more Hawaiʻi residents and support the project objectives to increase the number of participants in in-demand college and career pathways.”

Previously the project had limited participants to unemployed or underemployed residents to focus on providing workforce training for furloughed and unemployed residents. With some of the highest unemployment rates during the pandemic and high cost of living, the project sought to support the state’s recovery from the negative workforce impacts of COVID-19. By newly expanding the eligibility criteria to include all working residents as well, the project will support increasing earning potential, career advancement and attainment of industry credentials for all eligible Hawaiʻi residents.

Financial support for the Hana Career Pathways was provided by the U.S. Department of Education federal grant #V425G200038, Reimagining Workforce Preparation: Hana Career Pathways, in the amount of $13,370,383.58 for the period of October 1, 2020–September 29, 2023. Grants from the Ascendium Education Group, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation support the UH Community Colleges’ coordination with industry partners in targeted sectors identified as recession-resilient in Hawaiʻi’s Talent Roadmap to Recovery, issued by the Hawaiʻi Executive Collaborative.

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New York creates ‘gun free zones’ after Supreme Court ruling - PBS NewsHour

NEW YORK (AP) — Amid the bright lights and electronic billboards across New York’s Times Square, city authorities are posting new signs proclaiming the bustling crossroads a “Gun Free Zone.”

The sprawling Manhattan tourist attraction is one of scores of “sensitive” places — including parks, churches and theaters — that will be off limits for guns under a sweeping new state law going into effect Thursday. The measure, passed after a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June expanded gun rights, also sets stringent standards for issuing concealed carry permits.

New York is among a half-dozen states that had key provisions of its gun laws invalidated by the high court because of a requirement for applicants to prove they had “proper cause” for a permit. Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday that she and her fellow Democrats in the state Legislature took action the next week because the ruling “destroyed the ability for a governor to be able to protect her citizens from people who carry concealed weapons anywhere they choose.”

The quickly adopted law, however, has led to confusion and court challenges from gun owners who say it improperly limits their constitutional rights.

WATCH: Supreme Court strikes down a New York gun restriction law amid national debate on firearms

“They seem to be designed less towards addressing gun violence and more towards simply preventing people from getting guns — even if those people are law-abiding, upstanding citizens, who according to the Supreme Court have the rights to have them,” said Jonathan Corbett, a Brooklyn attorney and permit applicant who is one of several people challenging the law in court.

Under the law, applicants for a concealed carry permit will have to complete 16 hours of classroom training and two hours of live-fire exercises. Ordinary citizens would be prohibited from bringing guns to schools, churches, subways, theaters and amusement parks — among other places deemed “sensitive” by authorities.

Applicants also will have to provide a list of social media accounts for the past three years as part of a “character and conduct” review. The requirement was added because shooters have sometimes dropped hints of violence online before they opened fire on people.

Sheriffs in some upstate counties said the additional work for their investigators could add to existing backlogs in processing applications.

In Rochester, Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter said it currently takes two to four hours to perform a pistol permit background check on a “clean” candidate. He estimate the new law will add another one to three hours for each permit. The county has about 600 pending pistol permits.

“It’s going to slow everything down just a bit more,” he said.

In the Mohawk Valley, Fulton County Sheriff Richard C. Giardino had questions on how the digital sleuthing would proceed.

“It says three years worth of your social media. We’re not going to print out three years of social media posts by everybody. If you look at my Facebook, I send out six or 10 things a day,” said the sheriff, a former district attorney and judge.

The list of prohibited spaces for carrying guns has drawn criticism from advocates who say it’s so extensive it will make it difficult for people with permits to move about in public. People carrying a gun could go into private business only with permission, such as a sign posted on the window.

Giardino has already started giving out signs to local businesses saying people can carry legal firearms on the premises. Jennifer Elson, who owns the Let’s Twist Again Diner in Amsterdam, said she put up the sheriff’s sign, along with one of her own reading in part “per our governor, we have to post this nonsense. If you are a law abiding citizen who obtained a legal permit to carry, you are welcome here.”

READ MORE: Art and medicine intersect in New York City hospitals

“I feel pretty strongly that everybody’s constitutional rights should be protected,” she said.

But in Times Square, visited by about 50 million tourists annually, and many less crowded places carrying a gun will be illegal starting Thursday.

New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said Tuesday she looked forward to seeing authorities move to “protect New Yorkers and visitors who frequent Times Square.”

One lawsuit challenging provisions of the law argued the rules make it hard for license holders to leave home without violating the law. A federal judge is expected to rule soon on a motion challenging multiple provisions of the law, which was filed on behalf of a Schenectady resident who holds a license to carry.

The Supreme Court ruling also led to a flurry of legislation in California to tighten rules on gun ownership, including a new law that could hold gun dealers and manufacturers responsible for any harm caused by anyone they have “reasonable cause to believe is at substantial risk” of using a gun illegally.

Earlier this month, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law a measure that would require gun permit applicants to undergo personal interviews with a licensing authority.

New Jersey required people to get training before receiving a permit and would require new residents to register guns brought in from out of state.

Hawaii, which has the nation’s lowest number of gun deaths, is still weighing its options. Since the Supreme Court’s ruling, the state has only granted one new gun permit.

While New York does not keep statewide data on pistol permit applications, there are reports of long lines at county clerks’ office and other evidence of a surge in applications before the law takes effect.

In the Mohawk Valley, Pine Tree Rifle Club President Paul Catucci said interest in the club’s volunteer-run safety courses “blew right up” late this summer.

“I had to turn hundreds of them away,” he said.

Hill and Khan contributed from Albany, New York.

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Samsung adds more free channels and content to its TV Plus lineup - The Verge

Samsung’s bringing more content to TV Plus, its free, ad-supported streaming package that’s built into a range of Samsung devices and available on the web. The update introduces several new shows, such as Top Gear, Law & Order Special Victims Unit, NCIS, and Chicago Fire.

In addition to the new shows, TV Plus is getting two exclusive Samsung-owned channels: Ride or Drive, a station geared toward car fans, and Samsung Showcase, a channel dedicated to “concerts, events, and special programming.” It’s also partnering with A&E to launch a new home improvement-focused channel, called Home.Made.Nation.

And while Samsung already offers several local and nationwide news channels, including ABC News Live, CBS News, NBC News Now, and more, Samsung says it plans on extending local news and weather coverage to more areas of the US. It also wants to double its video-on-demand library in 2023 by utilizing “new and expanded partnerships” with Lionsgate, Vice Media, and more.

First launched in 2015, Samsung TV Plus has been around for quite a while now. The service comes installed on TVs released in 2016 or later, Galaxy devices, and select Family Hub refrigerator models. Samsung even launched TV Plus on the web last year, making its free channels available to anyone without a compatible Samsung device. Right now, Samsung offers 220 channels in the US, as well as a total of 1,600 channels split across 24 different countries.

Samsung says TV Plus saw a 100 percent growth in consumer viewing over the past 12 months, with viewers streaming 3 billion hours globally. The overall free ad-supported TV (FAST) streaming industry, which includes contenders like Paramount’s Pluto TV, NBC’s Peacock, Fox’s Tubi, Amazon Freevee (formerly IMDb Freedive and IMDb TV), Roku, and Comcast’s Xumo, has been on the rise as well, filling in the gap for those who might not have linear TV but don’t want to pay for a streaming service. In January, a report from data analytics group Kantar revealed that 18 percent of households in the US now use a FAST service, a number that has doubled year over year.

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Could the IRS let everyone file taxes for free? Why Congress is considering cutting out the middlemen - CNBC

Come tax time, just about everyone has at one point or another found themselves wondering the same thing: "If the IRS knows how much I owe, why do I have to calculate this myself?"

For many, that leads to a second question too: "Why am I paying a middleman to help me file?"

The U.S. government is wondering the same thing. The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act provides $15 million for the IRS to study how it could implement a program that allows Americans to file their taxes for free. A resulting report, which must include third-party input, is due before Congress in nine months.

The program would theoretically replace the current free filing program, which isn't available to all taxpayers and isn't widely used by eligible filers. It would also no longer rely on partnerships with private tax prep firms, meaning the IRS could one day send you a bill directly for what you owe, experts say.

"Tax nerds like me will be getting our popcorn out to watch," says Robert Cordasco, a certified public accountant and founder of Cordasco & Co. in Savannah, Georgia. "Everything about free filing has been a disaster for a decade at least."

Below, tax pros explain why Congress is exploring this now, why major tax preparers oppose such a move and why you may have to wait a while before you can file your taxes for free.

Why the IRS is exploring free filing now

The IRS last explored the idea of free tax filing in the early 2000s, but major tax preparation firms lobbied hard against it.

In a resulting compromise, the IRS agreed to drop the idea of offering its own program provided that a group of tax preparers, including TurboTax maker Intuit and H&R Block, provide free filing services to Americans under a certain income threshold.  

The program, known as IRS Free File, proved to be extremely flawed. Although it is currently available to individuals making $73,000 or less — around 70% of taxpayers — only 3% of eligible filers used the program in 2020, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.

In 2019, a ProPublica Investigation found that Intuit and other firms were deliberately attempting to lead users away from the free versions of their programs. Following federal investigations and lawsuits from the states attorneys general, Intuit admitted no wrongdoing, but paid out a $141 million settlement to users of its service who qualified for Free File but instead paid for tax preparation.

Over the past two years, Intuit and H&R Block — the nation's largest tax preparers by far — have withdrawn from the Free File program.

With the agreement with major tax preparers effectively dissolved, "the IRS is now free to develop its own program," says Glenn Borst, senior legal analyst at Wolters Kluwer Legal and Regulatory U.S. "There's no reason it shouldn't work just as well, but it's going to provoke a lot of lobbying by the companies."

An IRS free filing program could work, but will take time

Tax preparation companies argue that free online filing through the IRS wouldn't necessarily be a win for taxpayers.

"Taxpayers see an inherent conflict of interest in having the IRS be the tax collector, investigator, auditor, enforcer and now preparer," said Rick Heineman, vice president of corporate communications at Intuit, as part of a longer statement given to ProPublica.

Although for-profit tax preparers have a clear financial incentive to take this position, it is worth questioning whether the IRS would be incentivized under a free filing system to maximize refunds (or minimize tax liability) for filers using its system.

"There are certainly political figures who would say it's like a fox guarding the henhouse," says Borst. "But the IRS will of its own accord point out if a customer misses a deduction. And if under a new system the IRS is missing obvious deductions, H&R Block and TurboTax will be able to say, 'They didn't get you this, and we did.'"

For millions of Americans with straightforward tax situations, a free filing program could be a massive benefit. Between 41% and 48% of all returns could be pre-populated based on taxpayers' previous filings and current-year financial documents from employers, according to recent research published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

"So many returns are just pure math. It wouldn't take much to automate it, send the result to the taxpayer and have them validate it," says Cordasco. "People don't trust the IRS, but for the simplest of returns, the option should be there for people to file without so much complexity and cost."

But don't expect to have the option to file your taxes by the next time you file, or even the year after that.

"If you look at what the bill does, you can get a feel for Congress's priorities," says Borst. The $15 million Congress is spending to look into this idea pales in comparison to the nearly $80 billion allocated to the IRS for purposes such as hiring more agents, increasing audits and updating aging computer systems.

"Something like this will likely require further appropriation," says Cordasco.

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MLB free agent rankings: Early look at top 20 players, including Aaron Judge, Jacob deGrom and Clayton Kershaw - CBS Sports

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Savvy shoppers know that it's never too early to start planning ahead. There are five weeks remaining in Major League Baseball's regular season, meaning we're at least two months away from the start of free agency. Still, with Labor Day upcoming, we figured this would be a good time to preview the winter's class -- and to give fans of noncompetitive teams some hope about who might be on their roster next year.

Below, you'll find our first draft of the class' top 20 free agents. As always, the rankings are based on an unscientific combination of a player's true talent level (how they can reasonably be forecasted to perform in the future)  and their expected annual average value. Players with options were included (or excluded) using the following rule of thumb: all team options are exercised; all player options are not. That's not realistic -- some players will opt in and some teams will opt out -- but it's a fairer solution than leaving it up to our read on a situation this far out.

Do note that these rankings are subject to change between now and the official publication of our top 50 list. There are games left to be played, after all.

Let's get to the list.

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Judge raised eyebrows in the spring when he rejected an extension offer worth $213 million. Front-office types were quick to point to his advanced age (he'll turn 31 next April) and his injury history as reasons he should've taken the deal. As it turns out, he was right to bet on himself. He's in the midst of possibly the finest walk season in history, a campaign that could soon double as the league's first 60-homer effort in two decades. That Judge is closing in on Roger Maris while primarily playing center field speaks to his unusual blend of power and athleticism. He isn't Richie Sexson or Kyle Blanks or some other lumbering giant of the past. He isn't a one-year wonder, either. The only person to accumulate more WAR than Judge during the Pandemic Era is Paul Goldschmidt -- and he might win the National League Triple Crown. Judge can't change his age or his injury history, but he's done everything within his power (literally) to boost his stock. He should be rewarded handsomely for it come winter.

Arenado has reportedly signaled that he doesn't intend to opt out of his current contract with St Louis. Fair enough. Our blanket treatment of these situations means that he gets a spot on here regardless. Arenado is in the midst of a phenomenal season, one that's being overshadowed only by teammate Paul Goldschmidt. He's a little older than some of the position players to follow, so you could argue he should be lower on the list. The rise in popularity of the short-term, AAV-heavy deal makes us put him here anyway. But again, none of this may matter on the final list if Arenado decides he's content with his situation. 

Statistically, Turner has been one of the handful of best position players in the majors during the Pandemic Era. It's easy to understand how. He remains a tolerable shortstop option who has consistently hit for a high average while providing above-average power and speed production. To wit, if 20/20 seasons were 19/20 seasons, they wouldn't sound as cool but Turner would have three of them instead of one. (He's on the cusp of a second.) There are some drawbacks to Turner's game worth mentioning: He might have to move across the bag at some point during his next contract, and he's whiffed and chased more frequently this season than usual. Neither spells doom for him, at least not yet; both do merit monitoring, however.

Although deGrom went more than a year in between appearances because of various injuries, and although he's yet to crack 200 combined innings since the start of the 2020 season, he's reaffirmed that he intends to opt out this winter. With the way he's performed since returning to the Mets rotation this month, why not? What's clear is that he feels confident he can fetch more than the two years and $65 million remaining on his contract. (Half of that is tied up in a club option.) What's unclear is if deGrom will be able to secure his payday as part of a long-term contract, or if the combination of his age (he's 34) and his recent absences will ferry him toward a shorter, AAV-heavy deal, similar to the one Max Scherzer signed last winter.

Remember, we're assuming that everyone who can opt out will opt out. Correa signed a three-year pact with the Twins last offseason that amounted to a series of one-year deals, each worth $35.1 million. Should he again test the market, he'll get to choose once more between maximizing his earnings and securing a long-term home. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how Correa is received this winter. He's having nearly the same offensive campaign as he did last year when his numbers are adjusted for his run-scoring environment, yet his month-to-month splits have deviated more than they did in 2021. Bill James once theorized that players who start hot are perceived better than players who end hot, since the former route allows the player's numbers to look better for longer. Is there a similar psychic effect working against players who swing between hot and cold months? Perhaps we'll find out this winter.

Bogaerts needn't look further than his own double-play partner, Trevor Story, to know that he can do better than the three years and $60 million remaining on his contract. (Story, for reference, received a $23 million AAV last offseason.) He's been a reliably well-above-average hitter for the last five seasons and he's done well to remain at shortstop this deep into his career. If there's one bugaboo here (beyond the possibility that he slides to third base or another position) it's that his power production is at its lowest since 2017. Bogaerts recently disclosed that he's been dealing with shoulder and wrist woes since colliding with a teammate in May. It would seem more reasonable than not to assume those developments are related.

We were bearish on Rodón last offseason because of his lengthy injury history and his scant record of being a dominant force in the majors. The league may have shared our reservations, as he ended up signing a two-year deal with the Giants that included a vesting player option if he cleared 110 innings. (Clearly he did.) Some mistakes you have to make only once. Rodón has again struck out nearly a third of the batters he's faced by following a simple formula: fastballs up, sliders down. There's not much more to it, just sheer force. Power left-handed starters are always in demand, and we suspect that Rodón will not suffer for long-term offers this winter. 

Swanson runs the risk of being overshadowed by the bigger-name shortstops in this class. It shouldn't be lost on anyone that he's developed into the kind of performer teams would be happy to take at No. 1. He's been an above-average hitter in two of the last three seasons (the exception saw him homer 27 times), and he's a more-than-capable defensive shortstop. Factor in how Swanson receives praise for being a leader in the clubhouse, and there's a lot to like about him and his game. If there is one glowing big-picture concern about him, it's the frequency with which he swings and misses. Swanson ranks 133rd out of the 144 qualifying batters in contact rate, putting him down there with the likes of Nelson Cruz, Josh Donaldson, and Nick Castellanos. In the interest of full disclosure, top-shelf rookies like Julio Rodríguez and Jeremy Peña are right around his contact rate. The difference is that they're a fair amount younger, giving them a longer runway before they start to have their bat speed, hand-eye coordination, and other physical skills diminish. Swanson will turn only 29 next February, so he still has some good years ahead of him. We just wonder if the back-end of his inevitable long-term deal could become hairier than you'd think.

Where have all the good center fielders gone? The trade market was barren this deadline, and this winter's crop isn't great, either. Nimmo is the exception. He's a prototypical leadoff hitter who commands the strike zone and who has a good feel for contact. Some of the advanced defensive metrics are fond of his work on the grass, too, particularly when he has to charge in to make the play. The catch with Nimmo is his availability. He made his big-league debut in 2016, yet this year is just the second in which he's cleared the 100-game threshold. (He did play in 55 of the Mets' 60 games in 2020.) There's also the matter of whether or not these Mets would allow a quality starter to depart for greener pastures without a true successor in place. Perhaps those factors will counterbalance one another. 

It's one thing to write that Contreras is among the best hitting catchers in the majors, it's another to illustrate it. Here's our attempt: he's hit so well this season that his production is on par with the likes of Matt Olson and Rhys Hoskins, two highly regarded first basemen. Why isn't Contreras higher on this list? We're not sure if anyone will pay him what he's worth because of the league's defensive predilections. He has a strong arm and he's obsessed with attempting backpicks, yet he ranks in the 29th percentile in framing, according to Statcast. Front offices will stomach all-mitt catchers because they're an efficient way to add runs by improving the pitching staff. The inverse profile, the one Contreras sports, isn't as enticing for two obvious reasons: 1) he won't get your pitchers beneficial calls; and 2) you have to actually pony up for offense. Will someone do that for Contreras? Again, we're skeptical.

We just went through this last winter with Kershaw. Despite rumors that he might join the Rangers, the closest thing he has to a hometown team, he elected to remain with the Dodgers for another season. Whether or not Kershaw entertains heading to Arlington this winter is to be seen. For as well as he's performed, his price is likely to remain reasonable because of his limited availability: both in terms of his health and his (seeming) unwillingness to entertain offers from other teams.

12. Edwin Díaz, RHP, New York Mets

Díaz is the best reliever on the market. He has it all. An electric slider-fastball combination. An unreal ability to get down the mound (his release point is more than seven feet in front of the pitching rubber). A made-for-television entrance. And, presumably, a great chance at toppling Liam Hendriks' $18 million AAV, the highest ever awarded to a relief pitcher. Díaz is even in pursuit of Aroldis Chapman's single-season record for highest strikeout-per-nine rate. In other words, his fielders are free to make like Lupe Fiasco and end their nights right where the horns are.

Our guess is that Abreu's winter will play out similarly to the one he experienced in 2019, his first foray into free agency. If you're drawing a blank on what happened it's for good reason: it didn't take long for him to accept the White Sox's qualifying offer. (The two sides subsequently agreed to a multi-year pact.) Should Abreu actively test the waters, he'll make for an interesting case study. He's remained a highly productive hitter, and he's sporting would-be career-best walk and strikeout rates. He's also a 35-year-old right-right first baseman who is on pace to finish with a career-low home-run total. That doesn't sound like the kind of profile that other teams are going to break the bank for, leaving the White Sox in the catbird seat.

Rizzo was a free agent last offseason when he signed a two-year pact with the Yankees. The deal allows him to opt out after this season, and it seems reasonable to think he will, given how he's exceeded expectations. Rizzo is having his most productive effort since 2019 as judged by OPS+. He's also on the verge of delivering his first 30-homer campaign since 2017, or the year after the Cubs won the World Series. A lot has changed since then. Rizzo is no longer one of the youthful faces of a potential dynasty; he's a 33-year-old first baseman with a history of back concerns. This might be his last chance for multiple years, and he should take advantage of the situation.

Brantley underwent a season-ending shoulder surgery earlier this month, complicating his free agency. He will always hit, but he's getting up there in age (he'll turn 36 early next season) and there's no telling if his shoulder will have a lasting effect. He seems like a good candidate for a lucrative one-year deal, be it as part of a return to the Astros or in joining some other contender looking for a lefty stick.

16. Andrew Heaney, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Heaney is almost certain to be a misrank, either high or low. He's been brilliant when he's pitched this season, but he's appeared only nine times. There are compelling reasons to believe he's improved in sustainable ways, including the implementation of a sweeper and refined mechanics, but he's appeared only nine times. And so on. (Did we mention that he's appeared only nine times?) If we had to guess, the most likely outcome here is him re-signing with the Dodgers on a short-term deal that provides him a chance to Prove It before he gets his big payday. Perhaps we're mistaken in that respect. It almost surely won't be the last time we're wrong here.

Bassitt technically signed an extension with the Mets in May that allowed the two sides to avoid arbitration. The pact included a $19 million mutual option for next season that, in a sense, doubled as an insurance policy. If Bassitt (who, in approaching his 34th birthday, is older than you think he is) hurt himself or his stock this summer, then at least he could stand to make bank next year on what amounted to a pillow contract. There's little reason to think that his side of the option will get exercised. He missed a week in July with a non-injury designation, and he's now closing in on a career-high amount of innings. The quality of his work has remained high, too. This could be the last contract he signs as a big-league player. He should aim high.

There appear to be several red flags with Martinez. His OPS+ is the lowest it's been for a regulation-length season since he was with the Astros. His homer total is barely higher than it was in 2020 despite him appearing in twice as many games. He just celebrated his 35th birthday. And yes, he continues to offer negative secondary value. Nevertheless, Martinez's ball-tracking data suggests his bat is healthier than all the above information makes it sound: he still hits the ball hard (albeit not as hard and not as frequently as he used to) and he launches it within that sweet, sweet 10-to-30-degree window about as often as anyone in the game. In some respects, Martinez could be this winter's Anthony Rizzo: a veteran who might have one big year left in them. You just have to be willing to take the risk to find out for sure.

Eovaldi, currently out with lower back inflammation, is a tough pitcher to place. He's been an above-average starter for most of the last four seasons, but there are some signs of decay present in his game. He lost another mile per hour off his fastball this season, and his quality-of-contact data got worse. Yes, Eovaldi has always been more prone to loud contact than the average bear; so far this year, however, nearly 48 percent of his batted balls allowed have had an exit velocity north of 95 mph. For perspective, his rate in that same category over the last four seasons was 38.6 percent. Teams will have to decide if that's a blip or a slip before they pony up.

20. Martín Pérez, LHP, Texas Rangers

One secret to these rankings is that once you get past a certain point it's just a bunch of coin flips. There's no difference between Nos. 19 and 20, or 20 and 21. Not really. All of this preamble to explain that Pérez gets this spot because it was always going to one of those veteran pop-up starter types -- be it him, Michael Wacha, or Tyler Anderson. You can make a case for any of the three; Pérez, who has mastered the ability to suppress contact quality by locating his sinker and changeup, just so happened to get the nod here. He's expressed interest in staying with the Rangers.

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MLB free agent rankings: Early look at top 20 players, including Aaron Judge, Jacob deGrom and Clayton Kershaw - CBS Sports
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Edinson Cavani joins Valencia on free transfer - ESPN

3:41 PM ET

• ESPN

Edinson Cavani spent two seasons with Manchester United. Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images

Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani has joined Valencia on a free transfer, the Spanish club announced on Monday.

The 35-year-old former Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain star is set to sign a two-year contract at the Mestalla.

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Cavani became a free agent after his contract with United expired at the end of the 2021-22 season. He had also been linked with a move back to France with Nice.

Cavani will join up with fellow Uruguay striker Maxi Gomez under Italian head coach Gennaro Gattuso.

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T-Mobile Magenta Max subscribers will now get free Apple TV Plus - The Verge

T-Mobile led the way in bundling mobile and entertainment services together, but now competitors like Verizon are doing the same to incentivize their subscribers to stick around. With that in mind, T-Mobile is trying to sweeten the pot a bit more with the addition of free Apple TV Plus. The new perk will be available starting August 31st for customers on the company’s Magenta Max plan.

Thankfully for T-Mobile customers, gaining Apple’s service doesn’t mean giving up Netflix. The carrier will continue to offer its long-running “Netflix on us” deal, which similarly provides free streaming access for as long as you’re a T-Mobile customer. Just keep in mind that the Netflix perk is limited to the basic, standard definition tier for most plans unless you’re on a multi-line Magenta Max plan. Whereas with Apple TV Plus, you’ll get full 4K streaming even on a single-line Max plan.

T-Mobile had previously been offering a free year of Apple TV Plus on many eligible T-Mobile and Sprint plans. But since access will be ongoing for Max customers, that promotion will be halved to six months for other plans like the standard Magenta tier. Aside from Apple TV Plus and Netflix, T-Mobile also offers a free year of Paramount Plus, plus monthly discounts on YouTube TV and Philo TV, both of which are $10 off for one year.

While it won’t give you Netflix or Apple TV Plus, Verizon’s big counter to T-Mobile is the inclusion of the Disney bundle — including Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus — on its 5G Get More and 5G Play More unlimited plans. Verizon also offers Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Google Play Pass, and other incentives depending on the plan.

Both T-Mobile and Verizon are now providing widespread 5G coverage and speedy performance, according to PCMag’s latest tests. AT&T is lagging behind somewhat in urban areas, but that could level out over the next couple years. With mobile data speeds starting to get so similar between all of them, these entertainment and streaming bonuses might swing customers to one carrier or the other. AT&T doesn’t seem interested in pursuing the same strategy, however. Following the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, the carrier stopped including complimentary HBO Max with its plans.

Last week, T-Mobile and SpaceX revealed their plan to bring satellite connectivity to mobile phones in 2023. The goal of “Coverage Above and Beyond” is to eliminate signal dead zones and provide enough data throughput for sending texts and messages in regions where it’s not currently possible. T-Mobile has said that “the vast majority of smartphones already on T-Mobile’s network will be compatible with the new service.”

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US government to end free at-home Covid test program this week - CNN

(CNN)The federal government is ending its free at-home Covid-19 test program this week, citing a lack of funding and efforts to preserve supply ahead of an anticipated fall surge in cases, a White House official told CNN on Sunday.

Both the White House and the website where people can claim their tests blamed Congress for failing to provide additional funding for the program, which provided up to 16 free tests per household since the beginning of the year.

"Ordering through this program will be suspended on Friday, September 2 because Congress hasn't provided additional funding to replenish the nation's stockpile of tests," the Covid.gov website reads.

The administration launched the initiative, which shipped rapid tests to Americans via the United States Postal Service, in January amidst a wave in Omicron variant cases and limited testing availability. However, officials have warned for months that, absent additional funding from Congress, the administration would be forced to roll back its Covid-19 response efforts.

"We have warned that Congressional inaction would force unacceptable tradeoffs and harm our overall COVID-19 preparedness and response—and that the consequences would likely worsen over time," the White House official told CNN. "Unfortunately, because of the limited funding we have to work with, we have had to make impossible choices about which tools and programs to invest in—and which ones we must downsize, pause, or end all together."

Still, the official said the administration would "expeditiously resume distribution of free tests through COVIDTests.gov" if and when Congress allocates additional funding, but "[u]ntil then, we believe reserving the remaining tests for distribution later this year is the best course."

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How to Watch VMAs 2022 Live Online Free: Where to Stream MTV Video Music Awards - STYLECASTER

And the Moon Person goes to…If you’e a fan of BLACKPINK, Bad Bunny (or just music in general), you may want to know how to watch the VMAs 2022 live online for free so you don’t miss a single performance.

The first MTV Video Music Awards were held on September 14, 1984, with Madonna, Tina Turner, David Bowie, Rod Stewart and more as performers. Since then, the VMAs, which were originally created as an alternative to the Grammys but for music videos, have been a cultural phenomenon with millions of viewers and votes each year. Unlike the Grammys, which are voted on by members of the Recording Academy, the VMAs are voted on by fans who come together to snag their favorite artists a Moon Person award. The award, which features a silver astronaut with an MTV flag, was changed from Moon Man to Moon Person in 2017 to be inclusive of all genders. “Why should it be a man?” Chris McCarthy, president of MTV, told the New York Times in 2017. “It could be a man, it could be a woman, it could be transgender, it could be nonconformist.”

As fans know, the VMAs have also been the home to countless water cooler moments, from the 2009 show where Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift to the 2015 show where Nicki Minaj called out Miley Cyrus. The VMAs are never short of viral moments and performances. If you don’t have cable or a TV, read on ahead for how to watch the VMAs 2022 live online for free.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Sling TV is a STYLECASTER sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Image: Manny Carabel/Getty Images for MTV.

When are the VMAs 2022?

The MTV Video Music Awards air on Sunday, August 28, 2022, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on MTV. The show will also be simulcast on The CW, BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land and VH1.

How to watch VMAs 2022 live

How can fans watch the VMAs 2022 live? The MTV Video Music Awards air on MTV, which is available to stream on Sling TV, Philo TV, Hulu+ With Live TV and Fubo TV. Sling TV starts at $17.50 for the first month; Philo TV offers a seven-day free trial and starts at $25 per month; Fubo TV offers a seven-day free trial and starts at $64.99 per month; Hulu+ With Live TV starts at $69.99 per month and includes free subscriptions to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. Read on for a breakdown of each service and how to watch the VMAs 2022 live online for free.

Sling TV Sling TV offers three plans: Sling Orange, which is suited for college sports and families; Sling Blue, which is suited for professional sports and news; and Sling Orange & Blue, which includes both plans. Both Sling Orange and Sling Blue offer BET and Comedy Central, where the VMAs 2022 will be simulcast with MTV.

Sling Orange and Sling Blue each cost $35 per month, while Sling Orange & Blue costs $50 per month and includes a combination package of both plans. However, Sling has a current deal where new subscribers can sign up for any plan for 50 percent off their first month, which cuts the price of Sling Orange and Sling Blue to $17.50 and Sling Orange & Blue to $25 for a new subscriber’s first month. The deal makes Sling the cheapest live TV streaming service on the market right now. Sling TV also has a current add-on promotion where new subscribers can receive one month of Showtime, Starz and EPIX for free. The promotion saves users $24 from subscribing to Showtime ($10 per month), Starz ($9 per month) and EPIX ($5 per month) as add-ons without the deal.

Sling Orange & Blue offers 47 channels, 50 hours of DVR storage and the ability to stream on up to three devices. Sling Blue offers 41 channels, 50 hours of DVR storage and the ability to stream on up to three devices. Sling Orange offers 31 channels, 50 hours of DVR storage and the ability to stream on one device. All Sling TV plans also include more than 10,000 hours of on-demand shows, movies and other content.

How to watch the VMAs 2022 live online for free

How can fans watch the VMAs 2022 live online for free? Read on for how to watch the MTV Video Music Awards at no cost.

Philo TV offers a seven-day free trial and costs $25 per month after the trial ends. Philo TV also offers seven-day free trials for its add-on channel packages: Movies & More  (Cinémoi, HDNet Movies, MGM HD, Reelz and Sony Movies); Epix (Epix, Epix Hits and Epix2); and Starz (Starz, Starz Encore and Starz Kids & Family). After the trials end, subscribers can add various channel packages for between $3 to $9 per month. Movies & More (Cinémoi, HDNet Movies, MGM HD, Reelz and Sony Movies) costs $3 per month; Epix (Epix, Epix Hits and Epix2) costs $6 per month; and Starz (Starz, Starz Encore and Starz Kids & Family) cost $9 per month.

Philo offers 64 channels, including MTV to watch the VMAs 2022 , as well as a DVR service that allows subscribers to record an unlimited amount of live or upcoming content and save it for up to 12 months. Philo also allows subscribers to stream on up to three devices at the same time, and create up to 10 profiles per account.

Fubo TV offers seven-day free trials for its Starter, Pro and Elite plans. Fubo’s Starter plan includes 116 channels, a DVR with 250 hours of space, and the ability to stream on up to three screens at the same time. The Pro plan includes 116 channels, a DVR with 1,000 hours of space, and the ability to stream on up to 10 screens at the same time. The Elite plan includes 210 channels, a DVR with 1,000 hours of space, and the ability to stream on 10 screens at the same time. Each plan includes MTV to watch the VMAs 2022.

Fubo starts at $64.99 per month for its Starter plan. The next level up is the Pro plan, which costs $69.99 per month. The final level is the Elite plan, which includes $79.99 per month. Fubo also offers a fourth plan, Latino Quarterly, which does not offer a free trial, costs $33 per month and includes 34 Spanish-language channels, a DVR of 250 hours, and the ability to stream on up to three screens at the same time.

While Hulu+ With Live TV doesn’t offer a free trial, it does come with free subscriptions to Disney Plus (a value of $7.99 per month) and ESPN Plus (a value of $6.99 per month), saving subscribers a total of $14.98 per month from subscribing to these services individually. Hulu+ With Live TV costs $69.99 per month. Hulu+ With Live TV also comes with more than 75 channels, including MTV to watch the VMAs 2022. Hulu+ With Live TV also includes access to Hulu’s streaming library of thousands of TV shows and movies, including Hulu originals like The Handmaid’s Tale, Only Murders in the Building, The Kardashians, The Dropout, Little Fires Everywhere, Normal People and The Great. Other Hulu+ With Live TV features include the ability to stream on two screens at the same time, and an unlimited DVR service that saves live TV recordings for up to nine months and allows users to fast-forward to their favorite parts.

Image: Kevin Winter/MTV VMAs 2020/Getty Images for MTV.

Where are the VMAs 2022?

The MTV Video Music Awards 2022 will be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards are an awards ceremony honoring the best music videos of the year hosted by MTV. The show will be hosted by LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj, and Jack Harlow. The ceremony will be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Sunday, August 28. Minaj will be honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Red Hot Chili Peppers will be honored with the Global Icon Award.[3]

Who are the VMAs 2022 hosts?

The MTV Video Music Awards 2022 hosts are LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow.

Who are the VMAs 2022 performers?

The MTV Video Music Awards 2022 performers include BLACKPINK, Bad Bunny and Lizzo. See below for a full list of VMAs 2022 performers.

VMAs 2022 pre-show performers

• Dove Cameron
• Saucy Santana – “Booty”
• Yung Gravy

VMAs 2022 main show performers

• Anitta – “Envolver”
• Bad Bunny
• J Balvin – “Nivel de Perreo”
• BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom”
• Kane Brown – “Grand”
• Eminem & Snoop Dogg – “From the D 2 the LBC”
• Jack Harlow
• Khalid & Marshmello – “Numb”
• Lizzo – “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)”
• Måneskin – “Supermodel”
• Nicki Minaj – Medley
• Panic! at the Disco – “Middle of a Breakup”
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – Medley

What are the VMAs 2022 nominations?

The VMAs 2022 nominations include Doja Cat, Drake, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow, Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift. Nicki Minaj will receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. The Red Hot Chili Peppers will receive the Global Icon Award. See below for the VMAs 2022 nominations for Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Best New Artist.

Video of the Year

• Doja Cat – “Woman”
• Drake (featuring Future and Young Thug) – “Way 2 Sexy”
• Ed Sheeran – “Shivers”
• Harry Styles – “As It Was”
• Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow – “Industry Baby”
• Olivia Rodrigo – “Brutal”
• Taylor Swift – All Too Well: The Short Film

Song of the Year

• Adele – “Easy on Me”
• Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever”
• Doja Cat – “Woman”
• Elton John & Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)”
• Lizzo – “About Damn Time”
• The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber – “Stay”

Artist of the Year

• Bad Bunny
• Drake
• Ed Sheeran
• Harry Styles
• Jack Harlow
• Lil Nas X
• Lizzo

Best New Artist 

• Baby Keem
• Dove Cameron
• Gayle
• Latto
• Måneskin
• Seventeen

The MTV Video Music Awards air on Sunday, August 28, 2022, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on MTV. Here’s how to watch them for free.

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