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Boston Public Radio Podcast

WGBH

Join hosts Jim Braude and Margery Eagan for a smart local conversation with leaders and thinkers shaping Boston and New England. We feature our favorite conversation from each show. To hear the full show, please visit wgbhnews.org/bpr To share your opinion, email bpr@wgbh.org or call or text 877-301-8970 during the live broadcast from 11AM-2PM Monday through Friday.

Location:

Boston, MA

Networks:

WGBH

PRX

Description:

Join hosts Jim Braude and Margery Eagan for a smart local conversation with leaders and thinkers shaping Boston and New England. We feature our favorite conversation from each show. To hear the full show, please visit wgbhnews.org/bpr To share your opinion, email bpr@wgbh.org or call or text 877-301-8970 during the live broadcast from 11AM-2PM Monday through Friday.

Language:

English

Contact:

877-301-8970


Episodes
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Best Of BPR 3/28: Rep. Pressley Calls Trump Dictator Over Tufts Student Detention & Handel And Haydn For All

3/28/2025
Today: U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley calls into the show to discuss the detention of Tufts University grad student Rumeysa Ozturk. And, the Handel and Haydn Society join ahead of a show celebrating Boston’s LGBT community. We talk with violinist Carmen Levita Johnson-Pájaro and Alexandria Ebernhardt from the state’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

Duration:00:34:18

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BPR Full Show 03/28: An 'Assault' On Free Speech

3/28/2025
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley reacts to ICE officials detaining Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk. Pressley represents the district that contains Somerville, which is where Ozturk was arrested. Live Music Friday with the Handel and Haydn Society, ahead of a show to celebrate Boston’s LGBT community. We’ll talk with violinist Carmen Levita Johnson-Pájaro and Alexandria Ebernhardt from the LGBT Chamber of Commerce NBC Boston's Sue O’Connell on the latest fallout from the leaked Signal messages, the latest on Karen Read, and Ed Sheeran’s new pop-up pub in Ipswich. Boston Medical Center's Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett discusses federal cuts to health services and 10,000 federal health department workers. She also discusses a state order that makes prenatal vitamins & birth control free. NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik discusses Tuesday’s DOGE subcommittee hearing.

Duration:02:31:44

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Best Of BPR 3/27: There Will Be No 'Liberal Joe Rogan' & In Defense Of USAID, From The Republican Who Used To Run It

3/27/2025
Today: Vulture podcast critic Nick Quah delves into the man-o-sphere. And, Andrew Natsios - former leader of the Massachusetts Republican party who went on to lead USAID under George W. Bush - comes to its defense.

Duration:00:38:27

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BPR Full Show 3/26: Immigrations Raids In Boston

3/26/2025
Jared Bowen discusses whether art can survive the climate crisis Juliette Kayyem on "signalgate" and growing concerns about espionage with the firing of thousands of federal workers. Jim Aloisi and Christian MilNeil of Streets Blog Mass join for a transit panel Sarah Betancourt joins with BU professor/immigrant rights lawyer Julio Henriques and International Institute of New England senior Vice President Xan Weber to discuss the affects of immigration raids in Boston.

Duration:02:38:36

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Best Of BPR 3/26: ICE's Collective Punishment In Boston & Who Needs Media Literacy Anyway?

3/26/2025
Today: Immigration officials announced the arrests of nearly 400 people around Boston this week, as well as the detention of a Turkish Tufts student. We speak with GBH reporter Sarah Betancourt, immigration attorney Julio Henriquez, and senior vice president of the International Institute of New England Xan Weber. And, we bring you snippets from the Congressional hearing into NPR and PBS; featuring some insights into editorial decision-making from U.S. Rep. James Comer.

Duration:00:27:41

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BPR Full Show 3/25: World Figure Skating Championships

3/25/2025
Trenni Casey discusses the livestock competitions going viral thanks to one girl's intense stare Doug Zeghibe, executive director of the Skating Club of Boston joins with Olympic skater Ashley Wagner to discuss the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at the Garden this week. Kelly Beatty of Sky and Telescope discusses the earthly return of Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, Chancellor of UMB on Trump administration attacks on higher education.

Duration:02:38:15

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Best Of BPR 3/25: World Figure Skating Championships & Astronaut Sunita Williams' Recovery After 288 Days In Space

3/25/2025
Today: The U.S. will play host to the ISU World Figure Skating Championships, coming to TD Garden this week. We talk about the art and physicality behind the sport – and the tragic loss of friends and colleagues in that DC plane crash – with the Skating Club of Boston’s Doug Zeghibe and Olympic skater Ashley Wagner. And, Sky and Telescope senior editor Kelly Beatty discusses the impacts of Sunita Williams' extended stay in space.

Duration:00:38:00

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Best Of BPR 3/24: Lamentations Of An Aztec Philosopher-King & Can Ozempic Treat All Manner Of Addiction?

3/24/2025
Today: Amherst College's Ilan Stavans discusses his new book "Lamentations of Nezahualcóyotl: Nahuatl Poems" - a re-telling of an Aztec king's writings, translated directly from the indigenous language. And, Nicholas Reville, CEO of the nonprofit Center for Addiction Science, Policy & Research argues there’s potential for GLP-1 drugs to revolutionize addiction treatment.

Duration:00:37:26

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BPR Full Show 3/24: Jim Threatens To Sell His Tesla

3/24/2025
Boston University journalism department head Brian McGrory discusses the release of the 'John' names in the brothel case, the CIA-related disclosures from JFK files and how media coverage of COVID-19 may have damaged people's trust in institutions. Amherst College's Ilan Stavans discusses his new book "Lamentations of Neahualcoyotl: Nahuatl Poems" and how Mexico's president Claudia Sheinbaum is handling Trump. Nicholas Reville, CEO and co-founder of CASPR (Center for Addiction Science, Policy & Research) discusses how GLP-1s and other weight-loss products can also be effective for treating addiction. Richard Davey, head of MassPort, discusses the agency's expansion of climate and environmental staffing and raising fees on rideshares to Logan Airport.

Duration:02:32:39

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Best Of BPR 3/21: Judge Gertner Rings Democracy Alarm Bells & The Zahili Zamora Trio

3/21/2025
Today: Retired federal judge Nancy Gertner rings alarm bells on Trump's attack of the American legal system, comparing his intimidation and consolidation of power to that of Hungary's Viktor Orban. And, Cuban-born jazz pianist Zahili Zamora joins for Live Music Friday, at the Boston Public Library.

Duration:00:40:49

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BPR Full Show 3/21: Acts of Kindness

3/21/2025
Live Music Friday with Cuban-born jazz pianist and Berklee professor Zahili Zamora. She's performing next Thursday at Long Live Roxbury Brewing Company. NBC Boston commentator Sue O’Connell discusses the latest news on the Karen Read trial, including blogger "Turtleboy" pleading not guilty to witness intimidation charges. Retired federal judge Nancy Gertner reacts to Justice Roberts’ rebuke of Trump on the issue of judicial impeachment, and more on Trump ignoring judicial orders. Our 'Press Play' media segment with GBH's Adam Reilly and Callie Crossley on the media's coverage of the Trump administration and coverage of the Boston mayoral race.

Duration:02:32:01

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Best Of BPR 3/20: Mahmoud Khalil's First Amendment Case & Tesla's Market Slump

3/20/2025
Today: Columbia’s Mahmoud Khalil is being held in Louisiana, awaiting his fate after the federal government targeted him for his pro-Palestine advocacy – We speak with one of the members of his legal team, the head of the New York Civil Liberties Union, Donna Lieberman. Dan Primack is the business editor at Axios. He discusses the latest on interest rates and the fed – holding steady at least for now -- and the fate of Tesla.

Duration:00:39:44

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BPR Full Show 3/20: Are we unhappier than ever?

3/20/2025
Political analyst Chuck Todd returns for his weekly D.C. news roundup Former secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral weighs in on the deportation of RI doctor Rasha Alawieh. She also discusses the Trump administration's attempts to bypass the judiciary. Dan Primack, business editor over at Axios, talks about the Fed's latest decision to keep interest rates steady because of ongoing economic uncertainty. Donna Lieberman leads the New York Civil Liberties Union. She joins us to talk about her role defending detained Colombia University student and green card-holder Mahmoud Khalil.

Duration:02:30:10

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BPR Full Show 3/19: Pump the Brakes? Boston’s Bike Lane Dilemma

3/19/2025
BPR Full Show 3/19: Pump the Brakes? Boston’s Bike Lane Dilemma

Duration:02:38:22

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Best Of BPR 3/19: Marc Dunkelman Asks 'Who Killed Progress?' & Sy Montgomery Talks Homosexual Humpbacks

3/19/2025
Today: Marc Dunkelman argues the abject failure of progressive politics to get things done played a role in the rise of Trumpism. He joins to discuss his book “Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress – and How to Bring It Back.” And, despite their name, there’s actually very little that we know about the mating habits of the majestic humpback whale. We talk about the first recorded mating observance of the humpback, between two male whales, with naturalist Sy Montgomery.

Duration:00:39:03

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BPR Full Show 3/18: Massachusetts Women's Hall Of Fame

3/18/2025
BPR Full Show 3/18: Massachusetts Women's Hall Of Fame

Duration:02:38:26

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Best Of BPR 3/17: The Case Of Mahmoud Khalil & Republicans Love Electric Vehicles Now?

3/17/2025
Today: Princeton public affairs professor Khalil Gibran Muhammad warns that the Trump administration’s actions against Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil puts higher education on the front lines of authoritarianism, right here in America. Plus, environmentalist Bill McKibben joins to discuss what the majority of Americans who support a transition away from fossil fuels can do during Trump 2.0.

Duration:00:41:47

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BPR Full Show 3/17: Buttermilk Public Radio

3/17/2025
Environmentalist Bill McKibben discusses EPA rollbacks, despite the majority of Americans supporting policies to protect the climate. Michael Curry of the Mass League of Community Health Centers and the NAACP discusses the reshaping of our reality through selective data sharing by the federal government. Food policy analyst Corby Kummer discusses the RFK Jr.-backed proposal to cut certain foods from SNAP benefits. Princeton University's Khalil Gibran Muhammad focuses in on the detention of Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, and the threat to academic freedom and free speech on campus and beyond.

Duration:02:32:25

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Best Of BPR 3/15: "A Man Of No Importance" & Gasp ... Even More Corporate Media Capitulation

3/14/2025
Today: “A Man of No Importance” is the latest musical from SpeakEasy Stage Company. We move the show to GBH’s stunning Fraser Performance Studio to hear performances from the cast and speak with some of the actors for this week’s Live Music Friday. Watch the performance here. Then, our media analysis segment Press Play features Chuck Todd this week. We talk about the latest spat between the White House and Associated Press – all because the AP dared to present the facts. And, the oligarchic obedience of media moguls to Trump fueling mistrust of the media.

Duration:00:37:31

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BPR Full Show 3/14: Irish Goodbyes

3/14/2025
“A Man of No Importance” is the latest musical from SpeakEasy Stage Company.. We hear performances from the cast and speak with actors Eddie Shields, Billy Meleady & Kathy St. George for this week’s Live Music Friday. GBH's Callie Crossley discusses federal pressure on Maine's governor over a trans student athlete. She also discusses the removal of the “Black Lives Matter” mural in D.C., and Attorney General Andrea Campbell joining other AGs who are suing Trump about the dismantling of the education department. Boston Globe travel writer Christopher Muther gives a eulogy for free checked luggage on domestic flights and provides tips for traveling on the cheap in Thailand. Political analyst Chuck Todd joins for our "Press Play" media analysis segment.

Duration:02:29:36