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On Point

WBUR

Let's make sense of the world – together. From the economy and health care to politics and the environment – and so much more – On Point host Meghna Chakrabarti speaks with newsmakers and everyday people about the issues that matter most. On Point is produced by WBUR.

Location:

Boston, MA

Networks:

WBUR

Description:

Let's make sense of the world – together. From the economy and health care to politics and the environment – and so much more – On Point host Meghna Chakrabarti speaks with newsmakers and everyday people about the issues that matter most. On Point is produced by WBUR.

Language:

English

Contact:

On Point Radio 890 Commonwealth Avenue, 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02215 1 800 423 8255


Episodes

What the impeachment of the Texas attorney general means for Ken Paxton and his party

6/5/2023
Republicans in the Texas House voted overwhelmingly last week to impeach State Attorney General Ken Paxton. Charges include fraud, bribery and more. But it’s also revealed a divide in the Texas GOP itself.

Duration:00:47:14

'Greedflation': A once fringe theory of inflation gains momentum

6/2/2023
A pandemic, war in Ukraine, supply chain breakdowns -- all led to soaring prices. And now, the idea that inflation is driven in part by corporations keeping prices high is gaining momentum. We hear why economists are beginning to take 'greedflation' seriously.

Duration:00:47:23

The little-known virus behind a majority of nongenetic birth defects

6/1/2023
One virus causes more birth defects in American babies than any other nongenetic disease – but most don’t know it exists. We hear a mother’s journey to understand her daughter’s diagnosis of congenital CMV.

Duration:00:47:21

How the medical aid in dying movement is gaining momentum in the U.S.

5/31/2023
In the past five years, states allowing access to life-ending medication for the terminally ill have more than tripled. But as more states allow such end-of-life care, is access really growing? And for whom? Dr. Diana Barnard and Katie Engelhart join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:35

What the debt ceiling deadline means for your money

5/30/2023
The debt ceiling deadline is quickly approaching. How will it impact your personal finances if the U.S. government can’t pay its bills? Michelle Singletary joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:18

'The last supper': How a 1993 Pentagon dinner reshaped the defense industry

5/29/2023
In 1993, then Secretary of Defense Les Aspin invited the CEOs of America's largest defense contractors to a private get-together. We hear how a secret dinner at the Pentagon kicked off a massive consolidation in the defense industry. Norman Augustine and Rep. John Garamendi join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:34

Gold Star children on life without their heroes

5/26/2023
The children of fallen soldiers often bottle up their suffering. But some are opening up with the help of a writing seminar for Gold Star kids. Bailey Donahue, Maria Rossi and Thomas Brennan join Anthony Brooks.

Duration:00:47:35

Rebroadcast: Understanding J. Edgar Hoover's America

5/25/2023
J. Edgar Hoover, former FBI director. History has cast him as powerful, paranoid, a man not afraid to intimidate and investigate his critics. That's how he's seen now. What about then? Beverly Gage joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:17

What Hunter Biden's troubles could mean for the president's 2024 reelection campaign

5/24/2023
Hunter Biden faces possible indictment from the Justice Department. Exploring the details behind the headlines about the President's son. Adam Entous joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:34

What the DeSantis agenda means for higher education in Florida

5/23/2023
Florida law now bans public colleges from offering general ed classes that “distort significant events” or “teach identity politics." What happens when the government tells colleges what they can and can’t teach? Ana Ceballos, Andrew Gothard and Eden McLean join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:33

First person: 'I helped to connect families ... from country to country'

5/22/2023
Thousands of miles of fiber optic cable at the bottom of the world’s oceans carry more than 95% of the world’s data, from phone calls and emails to encrypted military secrets. Rick Chislett spent 41 years laying fiber optic cable around the world.

Duration:00:05:37

A new rivalry between the U.S. and China over the world’s undersea cables

5/22/2023
Thousands of miles of fiber optic cable lying at the bottom of the world’s oceans carry more than 95% of the world’s data. Now, those undersea cables are at the forefront of a new rivalry between China and the U.S. over who controls the flow of big data.

Duration:00:47:14

The U.S. military promised to counter extremism. Has the Pentagon made progress?

5/19/2023
The U.S. military promised to implement policies that would counter extremism in its ranks. But still it persists. What more should the Pentagon be doing to stop extremism in the military?

Duration:00:47:02

How remote work is reshaping commercial real estate

5/18/2023
Commercial real estate is cratering. In cities like Los Angeles and Chicago, more than 20% of office space lies vacant. What does that mean for America’s cities?

Duration:00:47:04

Why hasn't the media learned its lesson about covering Donald Trump?

5/17/2023
Former president Donald Trump tried to overthrow an election he lost. Now, he’s running for president again. How should news organizations cover candidate Trump in post Jan. 6th America?

Duration:00:47:25

A record cull of Yellowstone bison intensifies debate into how to best manage them

5/16/2023
This year more than a third of Yellowstone’s bison have been removed from the herd – most of them shot – after they wandered out of the national park in search of food. That’s intensified the debate into how to best manage the iconic animal. Rick Wallen joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:28

What happened to Nina Jankowicz when Fox News came for her

5/15/2023
When the Department of Homeland Security appointed Nina Jankowicz to lead an effort to fight disinformation and hate speech, disinformation and hate speech came for her. Now, she’s suing Fox News. Nina Jankowicz joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:33

The U.S. COVID public health emergency ends: How did the pandemic change American life?

5/12/2023
The COVID-19 emergency declaration is over. Over three years, Americans saw their lives forever changed. We check in with Americans we heard from during the pandemic about life now.

Duration:00:47:21

How the politicization of COVID endangered our lives and democracy

5/11/2023
The federal COVID-19 public health emergency is coming to an end today. But as we look back at the three-plus years of the pandemic, did we miss the opportunity to best protect our country? Olivia Troye and Shana Gadarian join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:34

The clock ticks on the debt limit: Lessons from America's last debt ceiling crisis

5/10/2023
The U.S. debt limit clock is ticking. The nation could default in weeks. In 2011, the country came within 72 hours of that happening.

Duration:00:47:34