Boston Public Radio

The latest Frontline documentary examines the divisive decade in politics.

Movements like dry January are helping even bartenders find sobriety.

The NBC Sports commentator broke down exactly what’s at stake for the Red Sox manager.

TV expert Bob Thompson says the popularity is due to a mix of nostalgia for the game itself and for host Alex Trebec.

The inaugural poet recited a handful of modern takes on the classic form.

WGBH News Analyst Charlie Sennott said that Trump's actions could lead to further instability in the region.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We open lines to talk about the latest round of pandemic rollbacks in Mass., asking: is this the right thing to do? NBC Sports Boston anchor and reporter Trenni Kusnierek talks about the economic consequences of the truncated, physically distanced year in professional and collegiate sports, Celtics player Jaylen Brown getting named a “Bostonian of the Year” by the Boston Globe, and the Cleveland Indians’ announcement that they're going to change their name. Self-described “transit nerds” Jim Aloisi and Chris Dempsey talk about the ramifications of the MBTA board's approval of severe pandemic-related service cuts, and offer their takes on President-elect Biden's best options for transportation secretary. Behavioral economist Michael Norton talks about the science behind people's decision making processes, and why we have a tendency to turn down opportunities even when there’s nothing to lose. Boston Globe cannabis reporter Dan Adams discusses the latest news on the state of cannabis in Mass., four years after voters elected to legalize marijuana, including the opening of the first legal pot shop in Hyde Park, head by a former Boston firefighter and a Roxbury-based activist. He also touches on what he’s expecting from the incoming Biden administration on the question of federal cannabis legalization. CNN’s John King discusses the latest political headlines out of Washington, including Monday’s electoral college vote confirming President-elect Joe Biden’s November win, and President Trump’s announcement that Bill Barr will be stepping down in his final month as A.G. We close out Tuesday's show by returning to listeners, asking: what are you saying "good riddance" to as we head out of 2020?

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the week off by opening lines and asking listeners: after Monday’s electoral vote, should the media stop covering President Trump’s legal efforts to challenge November’s election results? Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart offers news on The Boston Pops’ virtual holiday concert for 2020, and discusses the complicated logistics of putting on a safe and festive show, which is available through January 9. Dr. Rebecca Weintraub explains the U.S.’ current vaccine distribution plan, with inoculations beginning on Monday for frontline healthcare workers and long-care health facility staff. Weintrau heads Ariadne Labs' Vaccine Delivery initiative, and also helped create the New York Time’s “Find your Place in the Vaccine Line” tool. Boston Globe travel writer Christopher Muther talks about some best practices for spurned travels looking to get refunds and rebates after pandemic-related cancellations. He also touches on a DOT crackdown on emotional support animals, and how President-elect Joe Biden’s win might boost U.S. tourism. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of GBH’s All Rev’d Up, discuss COVID vaccine skepticism in the Black community, the legacy of 98 year-old civil rights activist Gloria Richardson, and their indifference to ongoing debate around President-elect Biden’s Catholic faith. TV expert Bob Thompson reviews NBC’s widely-panned “Grinch the Musical,” HBO Max’s “Love Boat,” and that 15 minute KFC ad featuring Mario Lopez, “A Recipe for Seduction.” We end Monday's show by returning to listeners to talk about the conflicting reality of “streamer burnout,” as the U.S. heads into month nine of the coronavirus pandemic.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Ayanna Pressley discusses Gov. Charlie Baker’s decision to send the Mass. police reform bill back to legislators, racial disparities with facial recognition software, and what she’s doing to confront the country’s ongoing eviction crisis. We open our lines to talk with listeners about the recently-approved Pfizer vaccine and ask: are you eager to get one? Beat the Press host Emily Rooney celebrates the (temporary) death of the office party, and reads a monopoly-themed list of fixations and fulminations. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem gives a reality-check on the rollout timeline for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, which was approved for distribution on Thursday by the FDA. Media maven Sue O’Connell talks about recent reporting on the cognitive decline of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and the ensuing questions about aging public officials. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral discusses the 106 Congressional Republicans backing a Texas lawsuit to overturn President-elect Biden’s win in the 2020 election, and Gov. Baker’s refusal to sign the Mass. police reform bill. Under the Radar host Callie Crossley weighs in on the police killing of 23 year-old Casey Goodson, a new Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor highlighting Colin Kaepernick’s activism, and hints at some of her secrets to making the perfect deviled egg.

Note: Much of Thursday’s show was devoted to GBH’s one-day pledge drive. If you’d like to make a contribution to support the local journalism produced by GBH, you can visit the link here. Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd discusses President Trump’s refusal to concede his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden, stalled COVID stimulus talks out of Washington, and the standing of the four senate candidates ahead of the Georgia’s January runoff election. Next, we turn to listeners, talking about the anticipated FDA approval of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, and hearing your takes on whether the government ought to create a vaccine mandate to pull the U.S. out of the pandemic. Then, we keep our lines open, talking with callers about all the things you’re looking forward to returning to in a post-pandemic world. Suffolk County D.A. Rachael Rollins talks about her recently published letter urging Gov. Baker to sign the Mass. police reform bill, and weighs in on a range of other criminal justice issues as part of our monthly series, “Ask the D.A.”

M.I.T. economist Jonathan Gruber discussed his forthcoming editorial on how the U.S. government might want to use a lottery system to incentivize tracking for Americans who get vaccinated from COVID-19, as a way to gain insight on vaccine effectiveness. We turned to listeners to talk about “pandemic stomach,” amid a spike in Americans buying antacids. Brenda Cassellius, Superintendent of Boston Public Schools, called in to talk about the decision making process behind the reopening of 28 public schools in Boston, and evolving attitudes around whether schooling ought to remain open during the pandemic. She also responded to a range of questions and comments from listeners who phoned in. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed news on COVID-19 vaccines, from reports of allergic reactions to the Pfizer vaccine in the U.K., updates on a newly-announced treatment out of China, and the expected timeline for FDA approval of vaccines here in the U.S. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed the latest headlines from the world of tech, including Washington Post reporting on a forthcoming antitrust lawsuit against Facebook, news that Samsung will no longer include chargers with their phones, and NordPass' list of the most-used passwords of 2020. We closed out Wednesday’s show by returning to listeners, to talk about finding ways to laugh through the coronavirus pandemic.