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Coming up Thursday on BPR:
NBC’s Chuck Todd
NAACP’s Michael Curry
Environmentalist Bill McKibben
Boston Globe film critic Odie Henderson
Recent segments
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Paul Reville: Should Religious Schools Receive Public Funds?
The Supreme Court is weighing a case that involves the separation of church and state. -
Baker Talks TCI, MBTA Construction And Drivers License Bill On Ask The Governor
On Thursday, Governor Charlie Baker joined Boston Public Radio for Ask the Governor. -
Chuck Todd Laments John Kelly’s Critique Of Trump
The “Meet the Press” moderator expressed frustration that Kelly didn't opted to speak up sooner. -
Art Caplan: Trump's Budget Would Cut America's Best Defense Against Diseases Like Coronavirus
President Trump has proposed cuts to the Centers for Disease Control, other global health agencies. -
What Happens To The Democratic Race After New Hampshire?
In the 2020 New Hampshire primary, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ended the night as the victor. -
Michael Norton Explains 'Boaty McBoatface,’ And The Risks Of Consumer Voting
The Harvard economist said voting campaigns can be effective, but work best under specific circumstances.
Listen to previous shows
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BPR Full Show: Michelle Wu Doesn't Want the Status Quo
Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the show by talking with listeners about the current gridlock in Congress, and why divisions persist despite Democrats’ control of the Senate, House and Presidency. Shirley Leung discusses her latest column about the escalating humanitarian crisis at Mass and Cass, and its impact on local businesses and nonprofits in the area. Leung is a business columnist for The Boston Globe and a BPR contributor. Dr. Eric Dickson gives a window into the pandemic in Central Massachusetts, where the largest healthcare system in Central New England has run out of ICU beds amid an influx of COVID-19 cases. Dickson is the President and CEO of UMass Memorial Health, based in Worcester. Paul Reville updates listeners on all things schools, including dropping MCAS scores and why he thinks Massachusetts schools are not as effective as they should be. Reville is the former Massachusetts secretary of education and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also heads the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book, co-authored with Lynne Sacks, is “Collaborative Action for Equity and Opportunity: A Practical Guide for School and Community Leaders.” Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu talks about her views on racial justice, the transportation crisis and other visions for Boston as she moves forward in the race for city mayor. Wu is a Boston City Councilor At-Large running for mayor of Boston. Jon Gruber argues that the demand for workers amid high unemployment is due to workers’ desire for more humane hours, higher wages and generally better working conditions. Gruber teaches economics at MIT. He was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts health-care reform and the Affordable Care Act, and his latest book is “Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth And The American Dream.” We end the show by asking listeners about ways they have built community during the pandemic. -
Corby Kummer: Business as Usual? Not for the Restaurant Industry
Award-winning food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio on Wednesday to share his thoughts on the movement within the restaurant industry to raise wages and foster better working environments in order to recruit workers. “There's a worker shortage. But more than that, there's a wage shortage,” Kummer said. “If you offer people more money, they will apply for jobs.” That’s no easy feat for restaurant owners, Kummer noted. “Pay people more, give them paid time off, try to give them health insurance, all the stuff that's very expensive,” Kummer said. “Very expensive means you have to have a better business plan. That sounds easy, but it actually has been a huge challenge for restaurant owners before and after the pandemic.” Kummer is the executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. -
BPR Full Show: Revenge of the Silt Throwing Octopuses
Today on Boston Public Radio: First, we talk with listeners about “missing white woman syndrome” following the death of Gabby Petito, and how the media fixates on the disappearances of white women while ignoring people of color. Superintendent Brenda Cassellius weighs in on dropping MCAS scores, proposals to expand athletics in public high schools and the status of school funding. Cassellius is the superintendent of Boston Public Schools. Juliette Kayyem discusses the low turnout at the Justice for Jan. 6 rally, assesses the current influence of Donald Trump and critiques the Biden Administration’s response to Haitian migrants at the border. Kayyem is an analyst for CNN, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Corby Kummer talks about how we should reframe the worker shortage in restaurants as a wage shortage. Kummer is the executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Art Caplan weighs in on what should happen to doctors spreading vaccine misinformation, and how healthcare workers are experiencing “compassion fatigue” when treating unvaccinated COVID-19 patients. Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Sy Montgomery updates listeners on latest news from the animal kingdom, including sexual harassment by male octopuses and animal rescue efforts. Montgomery is a journalist, naturalist and a BPR contributor. Then, we talk with listeners about the economic barriers to staying healthy. -
BPR Full Show: Sharing is Caring
Today on Boston Public Radio: Michelle Singletary talks about the effect of COVID-19 on Social Security Retirement funds, and her recent column on the financial impact of vaccine refusal on unvaccinated individuals. Singletary is a nationally syndicated columnist for The Washington Post, whose award-winning column "The Color of Money" provides insight into the world of personal finance. Then, we take calls from listeners about their thoughts on sharing desks as workplace protocols change throughout the pandemic. Michael Curry discusses latest efforts to combat vaccine hesitancy, and the importance of considering racial and socioeconomic equity when thinking about vaccine mandates. Curry is the president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and a member of Gov. Charlie Baker’s COVID Vaccine Advisory Group. He’s also a Member of the National NAACP Board of Directors and chair of the board’s Advocacy & Policy Committee. Trenni Kusnierek gives an update on all things sports, including the Boston Bruins’ fully vaccinated status and the Red Sox’ lack thereof. She also discusses the Anti-Doping Agency’s announcement that they will reconsider marijuana as a banned substance, following runner Sha’Carri Richardson’s suspension amid the summer Olympics. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston, as well as a Boston Public Radio contributor. Attorney General Maura Healey answers questions from listeners in this month’s Ask the AG, including about lack of access to Real ID licenses for immigrants and combatting overdose deaths in Black and Brown communities. Maura Healey is the Massachusetts Attorney General. -
BPR Full Show: Don't Cry Over Spilled Gazpacho
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners whether they prefer to return to the office or work from home at this point in the pandemic. Charlie Sennott gives an update on top international news. He critiques the U.S. government’s response to Haitian migrants at the border and the U.S. drone strike in Kabul that killed 10 civilians. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project. Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett takes questions from callers about all things vaccines. She discusses the ethics and uses of booster shots and the status of vaccine trials for children. Gergen Barnett teaches in the Department of Family Medicine at Boston Medical Center and Boston University Medical School. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III critique some Christian leaders’ hypocrisy in discouraging COVID-19 vaccines. They also talk about what it means for Boston that none of the three Black mayoral candidates made it through the preliminary election. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist, the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail and a visiting researcher in the Religion and Conflict Transformation Program at the Boston University School of Theology. Price is the founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston. Together, they host GBH’s All Rev’d Up podcast. Christopher Muther share memories from his recent trip to Quebec’s Eastern Townships, and discuss the decision by the European Union to remove the U.S. from its safe travel list. Muther is a travel writer and columnist for the Boston Globe. We end the show by asking listeners about their thoughts on the ethics of booster shots in the United States.