Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Tuesday press conference.  We opened lines to talk with listeners about your experiences with racism in the classroom. Mass. AG Maura Healey called in for our monthly edition of “Ask the AG." FRONTLINE producer and director Tom Jennings discussed his latest documentary, “Opioids, Inc.” CNN’s John King talked about Tuesday’s primary elections, and broke down the latest Washington headlines.  We opened lines to ask listeners: with Summer nearly in full swing, are you pining for baseball’s return? 

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to ask listeners: are you ready for Massachusetts to enter the next phase of reopening?  TV expert Bob Thompson talked about the Juneteenth special of “Sherman’s Showcase,” and broke down the best and the worst of what’s on TV. WGBH News analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott discussed the recent UN resolution on systemic racism, and American exceptionalism in the age of COVID-19.  Boston Public Library President David Leonard spoke about the library system’s “BPL to Go” program, which launches this week.  Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, talked about the controversy surrounding a Milton middle school’s response to classroom discussions about police brutality, and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross’ meeting last week with AG William Barr.  Poet Richard Blanco read and discussed “Let There Be Pride,” a poem he wrote for Sam Adams as part of their “Love Conquers All” campaign for Pride Month.  We opened our lines to ask listeners: has lockdown has brought you closer to your neighbors?

Today on Boston Public Radio: CNN analyst and national security expert Juliette Kayyem discussed the Supreme Court’s ruling on DACA, and why she thinks Trump’s Tulsa rally could get cancelled.  Media maven Sue O’Connell discussed the Supreme Court’s ruling on LGBT discrimination in the workplace, and commemorated the passing of Jean Kennedy Smith.  Beat the Press host Emily Rooney discussed Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s public withdrawal from Joe Biden’s VP pool, and defended her disdain for monuments and memorials.  We aired live audio from Gov. Baker’s Friday press conference.  We opened lines to hear your thoughts on Gov. Baker’s announcement that Massachusetts will move into the next phase of reopening on Monday.  Under the Radar host Callie Crossley talked about the legacy of Juneteenth, and discussed new accusations that the Atlanta police officer who killed Rayshard Brooks of covering up the 2015 killing of Jackie Harris. 

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd discussed the political ramifications of former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s new book, and the president’s upcoming indoor rally in Tulsa, Okla. We opened lines to talk with listeners about the rise of COVID-19 in states outside of New England. Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral discussed the current BPD payroll, and her thoughts on Gov. Charlie Baker’s  police reform proposals.  Andrew Bacevich, a former army colonel and President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, discussed his writing for The New Republic on how the U.S. fetishizes war. Travel guru Rick Steves discussed his new documentary, “The Story of Fascism in Europe,” and the parallels between the Trump Administration and the rise of fascism in 20th century Europe. AG Maura Healey called in to discuss the Supreme Court’s Thursday decision to uphold the DACA program.  Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam talked about his writing on the “better angels” of America, and the appearance of several lion's man jellyfish off the coast of Massachusetts.  

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to ask listeners: why do you think it’s taken so long for white America to denounce racism? MIT economist Jon Gruber talked about the value in repurposing generic drugs to treat COVID-19, and the politics around cure and vaccines developments.  We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Wednesday press conference.  Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed the risks of rushing a COVID-19 vaccine, and the unsurprising spike in Americans binging on junk food in quarantine.  Writer and naturalist Sy Montgomery talked about what to do if you spot a turtle in the road, and offered some tips on helping your pets adjust to life post-quarantine. 

Today onBoston Public Radio: We opened our lines to ask listeners: are you ready to come out of your coronavirus cocoon? NBC Sports Boston reporter Trenni Kusnierek talked about why she doesn’t expect to see baseball in 2020, and a new coalition of NBA players raising questions about the league's reopening plan. FRONTLINE reporter Martin Smith discussed his latest documentary on the coronavirus pandemic, “The Virus: What Went Wrong?" Former Mass. state trooper, Green Beret, and C3 policing architect Michael Cutone talked about the principals behind C3 policing, which he implemented in Springfield. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discussed the termination of nearly half the staff at Boston’s Four Seasons Hotel, and her latest writing on “a Me-Too reckoning on race." CNN’s John King discussed President Trump’s newly signed executive order on police reform, and Monday’s Supreme Court ruling on LGBT discrimination in the workplace. We opened lines to continue the coronavirus conversation with listeners.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to talk with listeners about the police killing of Rayshard Brooks, and the significance of his death in the context of ongoing Black Lives Matter protests.  Massachusetts Director of Transportation Chris Dempsey talked about the return of drivers to Mass. roads, and why he’d like to see Gov. Baker ride the MBTA amid coronavirus worries. We reopened lines to talk with business owners and consumers about how you’re adjusting to phase two of the state’s reopening. We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Monday press conference. TV expert Bob Thompson discussed “8:46,” the latest standup special from Dave Chappelle, and the cancellation of Paramount Network’s “Cops."  Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, discussed the Supreme Court’s Monday ruling on transgender discrimination in the workplace, and whether Boston ought to remove a controversial statue of Abraham Lincoln in Park Square.  Author Bill Buford discussed his new book, “Dirt: Adventures in Lyon as a Chef in Training, Father, and Sleuth Looking for the Secret of French Cooking."

Today on Boston Public Radio: Media maven Sue O’Connell talked about J.K. Rowling’s controversial stance on transgender issues, and the commencement address to a Kansas college from Ivanka Trump.  We opened lines to talk with listeners about everything that’s going on around police reform, coronavirus, and election 2020. We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Friday press conference.  Tech writer Andy Ihnatko talked about Microsoft’s ban on police use of their facial recognition technology, and explained how to “protest-proof” your phone.  Under the Radar host Callie Crossley discussed President Trump’s scheduled Juneteenth rally in Tulsa, Okla., and a new charity founded by LeBron James to protect the voting rights of Black Americans. Joe Spaulding, president and CEO of the Boch Center, talked about plans for the theater’s gradual reopening, and previewed their “Ghost Light Series" that’ll be streaming in the fall. 

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd talked about President Trump’s scheduled rally in Tulsa, Okla. on Juneteenth, and whether Democrats will be able to win back the Senate in the November election.  Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral discussed concerns around U.S. voting protections, and what Black Lives Matter protesters mean when they call to defund the police.   We aired live audio from Gov. Baker’s Thursday press conference.  Former Mass. Education Secretary Paul Reville discussed challenges for teachers and school administrators in adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ways that students of color stand to be disproportionally impacted by those challenges.   Quentin Palfrey, chair of the Voter Protection Corps, discussed Tuesday's voting debacle in Georgia, and the myriad of issues around voter protections ahead of the November election.  WGBH Arts Editor Jared Bowen discussed an open letter from 300 prominent actors condemning racism within the theater industry, and talked about the decision by HBO Max to remove “Gone With the Wind” from their catalogue. 

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to talk with listeners about your thoughts on defunding the police.  Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed whether left-leaning media was hypocritical in criticizing anti-lockdown protests, and talked about pro-life opposition to a COVID-19 vaccine made using stem cells.  CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discussed the bullish legacy of AG Bill Barr, and Sen. Mitt Romney’s decision to join Black Lives Matter protests.  Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco called in for another edition “Village Voice,” where he read a selection of poems about the act of protest.  Drake University professor and author Jennifer Harvey discussed her writing on white privilege, and what she describes as “white silence” amid racism and police brutality in the U.S.  Food writer Corby Kummer talked about the importance of supporting Black-owned restaurants, and why he’s no longer using food delivery services like Grubhub. We reopened our lines to talk with listeners about our interview with Jennifer Harvey, and the concept of white silence.