Boston Public Radio

On Wednesday, WGBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen said the film "Joker" was disturbing and fascinating.

A new FRONTLINE documentary takes viewers inside Saudi Arabia's power structure to find answers about the journalist's murder.

Juul's new CEO used to be a tobacco industry executive.

Thirty-two prisons bought uninspected and degraded meat for their inmates, Corby Kummer says.

The law will go into effect in 2023, but a legal fight with the NCAA seems imminent, says Trenni Kusnierek.

WGBH News Reporter Craig LeMoult said Monday that legislators aren't equipped to respond to new data about ultrafine emissions particles.

Today on Boston Public Radio: MGH psychiatrist and pediatrician Dr. Elizabeth Pinsky discussed how remote learning can hinder childhood development, in a conversation sparked by her recent Atlantic piece, titled "We Flattened the Curve. Our Kids Belong in School." We opened lines to hear your thoughts on the rollout of remote learning, and whether Mass. ought to be doing more to prioritize children’s mental wellbeing. Boston City Counselor and mayoral candidate Michelle Wu called in to talk about why she’s running to lead the city, and how she’d improve on the job being done by current mayor Marty Walsh. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed the ways companies are navigating COVID-19 testing for employees, and President Trump’s willingness to hold largely mask-free rallies during the coronavirus pandemic. We opened lines to talk with listeners about Michelle Wu’s campaign for mayor, and the improvements you’d like to see from future Boston leadership. Naturalist and journalist Sy Montgomery discussed the varying ways animals cope with wildfires, and why dogs have such a hard time recognizing people in face masks.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Mass. AG Maura Healey reflected on the life and career of Mass. Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph Gants, who died on Monday. Deval Patrick, former Mass. Gov. and Chairman of the Together Fund, called in to continue the conversation about the life and legacy of former Mass. SJC Chief Justice Gants. NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek talked about the Patriots' win – and Tom Brady’s loss – this past Sunday, and weighed in on the growing number of NFL and NBA players using their platform to advocate for social justice causes. Heather Goldstone, Chief Communications Officer at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, discussed the link between climate change and the current string of record-setting hurricanes and wildfires in the U.S., and touched on why the COVID-19 pandemic has had a minimal impact on the climate crisis. Jim Aloisi and Chris Dempsey discussed potential service cuts and fare hikes for the MBTA, and Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu’s track record on transportation issues in light of news that she’s running for city mayor. Jim Aloisi is former Mass. Transportation Secretary, a member of the Transit Matters Board, and a contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Chris Dempsey is the Director of Transportation for Massachusetts and former Mass. Assistant Secretary of Transportation. GBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen talked about the Museum of Fine Arts' reopening, a new exhibit at Mass MoCA from artist Blane De St. Croix., and the documentary “Our Time Machine,” which was released to “virtual theaters” last Friday. CNN’s John King talked about the near-certain coronavirus transmission taking place at the president's reelection rallies, and news Tuesday of a diplomatic deal reached between Israel, the U.A.E., and Bahrain. We opened lines to ask listeners: as museums and movie theaters reopen, do you feel comfortable returning to the great indoors?

Transportation experts Jim Aloisi and Chris Dempsey joined Boston Public Radio on Tuesday, where they attested to Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu’s record on transportation issues, in light of her newly-announced campaign for city governor. "I think she’s already impacted the conversation,” Dempsey said. "She has been a leader on transportation since she joined the City Council, not just within the city of Boston but really across the region and across the state.” Aloisi agreed, saying he believes Wu “has already triggered conversations that are good ones.” "I think that the dynamic between her and [current mayor Marty Walsh] in terms of thinking about dedicated bus lanes, protected cycling lanes, is good one,” he said, adding that any future leadership in Boston will need to implement aggressive measures to modernize the city's transportation infrastructure. The two also weighed in on MBTA proposals to mitigate a looming budget crisis with fare hikes and service cuts, as well as Mayor Walsh’s announcement that Boston will be increasing bus lanes and making a series of bike lanes permanent. Jim Aloisi is former Mass. Transportation Secretary, a member of the Transit Matters Board, and a contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Chris Dempsey is the Director of Transportation for Massachusetts and former Mass. Assistant Secretary of Transportation.

Trenni Kusnierek spoke to Boston Public Radio on Tuesday about Tom Brady’s first performance as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer last Sunday. The Buccaneers lost to the New Orleans Saints 34-23. “Brady is 43 and I don’t think we’re going to see the same Tom Brady ever again,” Kusnierek said. “Don’t build your entire offense around Tom Brady and put it all on his shoulders.” Having an offense with a solid running game will take the pressure off Brady, she added. “Make it a versatile offense, similar to New Orleans with Drew Brees, who’s 41 years old,” she said. “Anything so that every time you need a score, it’s not solely on him.” Trenni Kusnierek is a sports reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Jake Auchincloss, the Democratic candidate for Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District, discussed why he believes America needs a green energy economy, and offered his take on how Congress ought to be handling economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. We opened our lines to talk with listeners about the wildfires devastating the west coast, and America's failure to seriously confront climate change. New Yorker staff writer and historian Jelani Cobb called in to talk about his new documentary for FRONTLINE, “Policing the Police”. TV expert Bob Thompson weighed in on news of the final season of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” and reflected on the passing of veteran actor Diana Riggs. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, discussed the recently published Harvard Law School report into racial disparities in the Mass. prison system, and the racist subtext of President Trump’s “law and order” messaging. We opened lines to talk with listeners about the Patriots' Sunday victory over the Miami Dolphins, and whether the win has added significance in light of Tom Brady’s loss with the Buccaneers. Inaugural poet Richard Blanco called in for our monthly edition of “Village Voice,” where he read a handful of poems commemorating the September 11 terrorist attacks.