From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

A war of words about peace in Syria.

Hello again, I'm Orin Al-Nalini, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

Nobody thinks the Syrian Peace Conference will lead to peace. Even optimists call it a possible first step to ending three years of appalling civil war. President al-Assad has gained

strength by giving up chemical weapons and fighting extremists, despite charges that he's a war criminal.

Will the U.S. have no choice but to deal with him, rather than ending his rule, if only to gain a temporary ceasefire for humanitarian reasons?

We'll look at today's angry start of a process that might or might not lead to changing unacceptable conditions on the ground.

Today's talking point?

Will Internet TV mean the end of cable? First, here's

the news. Listen to KCRW's 24-hour all-news channel, stream BBC World Service, NPR and KCRW programs,

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Support for To The Point comes from the members of KCRW and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund.

Hello again. We're on Al-Nalny back with To the Point.

In Switzerland today, preliminary Syrian peace talks produced a chorus of dissonant voices,

a fitting start to a process that may fall well short of ending the Civil War.

We'll hear what's at stake for the U.S., Russia, and the Middle East region, and whether there's any relief in sight for the victims of brutal violence on a massive scale.

Today's talking point. Sony, Verizon, Apple, and Amazon are all in the race to deliver TV service entirely on the Internet.

Will cable companies let that happen without a fight?

First is news update. The annual World Economic Forum is underway once again at the picturesque

mountaintop resort of Davos in Switzerland. One topic on the agenda for heads of state and

...