
Behind the Headlines Podcast
Each week host Eric Barnes discusses major stories in the Memphis area with business executives, community leaders and politicians, as well as local journalists. WKNO’s Behind the Headlines Podcast is powered by the Daily Memphian.
Latest episodes

Jun 28, 2024 • 32min
1452: ‘River of Time’ will be an immersive tech playground
More than 4,000 people had a chance to walk, crawl and climb through artist Christopher Reyes’ 2020 immersive exhibit at Off the Wall Arts. Now, Baron Von Opperbean is coming back with 15 times the amount of space and a much larger budget in a new location: Mud Island.

Jun 21, 2024 • 31min
1451: Suburban schools mark 10 years
Germantown Municipal School District Superintendent Jason Manuel and Lakeland School System Superintendent Ted Horrell joined Behind the Headlines to reflect on their history and discuss current issues.

Jun 15, 2024 • 31min
1450: Leaders of nonprofit youth organization address impact of violence
The leaders of Bridges and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis talk on “Behind The Headlines” about how the city’s violence impacts the world of the children their programs serve.

Jun 12, 2024 • 27min
1449: What we don't know about xAI, what we know about Elon Musk and the space between the two
The known and unknown about Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer in Southwest Memphis dominated the conversation in a reporters roundtable on “Behind The Headlines.”

May 31, 2024 • 32min
1448: Mulroy talks bail, gun reform and city subpoena
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy and Daily Memphian reporter Aarron Fleming discuss bail reforms, public safety concerns, prosecution challenges, case backlog, and efforts to crack down on gun switches and a controversial assault weapons referendum.

May 24, 2024 • 31min
1447: Church Health founder discusses complexity of organization's goal
Church Health founder Dr. Scott Morris talks on “Behind The Headlines” about the 37-year-old institution he founded and how complex it has become in an era of big medicine and big health-care institutions.

May 18, 2024 • 32min
1446: County to add three new mental health diversion facilities
Exploring mental health diversion facilities in Shelby County, including funding allocation, reform initiatives, and innovative safety and justice programs. Addressing mental health in schools, truancy issues, and the benefits of diverting mental health crises from the criminal justice system for reduced recidivism and taxpayer savings.

May 10, 2024 • 27min
1445: Journalist Roundtable
Memphis City Council members weigh a 75-cent tax hike as Shelby County commissioners have to make some decisions about change to the funding for a Regional One Health rebuild. The two paths to city and county budgets are explored in a journalist roundtable on “Behind The Headlines.”

May 2, 2024 • 31min
1444: Regional One CEO talks about new terms of rebuild of ROH campus
Dr. Reginald Coopwood says on “Behind The Headlines” that refunds of the state’s franchise excise tax means state funding for a rebuild of the ROH campus is still moving but on a different course.

Apr 26, 2024 • 31min
1443: Memphis Public Works director Robert Knecht
Robert Knecht discusses Public Works' budget and their involvement in Memphis City Beautiful, residential and commercial code enforcement, illegal dumping, and blighted properties. In addition, Knecht discusses funding, wastewater treatment and how the city handles any findings of forever chemicals in the water supply.