Boston Public Radio Podcast

Today on Boston Public Radio: – Rep. Joe Kennedy discussed concerns about meat plant workers returning to work, and his call for an investigation into the violent conflict at a Bristol County ICE detention center. – Food writer Corby Kummer discussed unsafe working conditions for meat plant workers, and proposed legislation to expand food stamps and bring additional cash for restaurants owners. –...

President Donald Trump classified meat plants as essential infrastructure last week, implying that they must remain open . Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio *on Tuesday about the ability of meat packing plants to stay open amid coronavirus outbreaks. "[Meat packing plants] are among the most dangerous, inhumane, cruelly run business operations in the United States," Kummer sa...

Today on Boston Public Radio: Dr. Benjamin Linas, infectious disease physician at Boston Medical Center, discussed why Mass. has the third most COVID-19 cases in the U.S., and responded to questions from callers. We opened our lines to talk with callers about Gov. Charlie Baker’s new mandate that all Mass. residents wear face masks. We aired live audio from Gov. Baker’s Monday press conference. WG...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to talk with callers about the sexual assault allegation against former Vice President Joe Biden. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed the latest news around coronavirus tracing software from Apple and Google, and how social media companies are handling pandemic misinformation. Beat the Press host Emily Rooney gave her take on Joe Biden’s response to th...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: Suffolk County DA Rachel Rollins discussed how her administration is responding to the pandemic, and answered questions from callers.  We opened lines to ask callers: are there certain businesses you’d be okay with seeing reopen now?  We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s press conference.  Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea C...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: Congressman Jim McGovern gave his take on remote voting, and Washington politicians who refuse to wear face masks. Medical ethicist Art Caplan talked about the disproportionate number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, and commemorated the life his mother, who passed away from the disease this week.   We opened our lines to talk with l...

Today on Boston Public Radio: — We opened our lines to talk with listeners about coronavirus vigilantes, and whether there’s a public responsibility to reprimand people who ignore safety guidelines. — NBC Sports Boston reporter Trenni Kusnierek talked about last week's NFL draft, and the latest news around the Tokyo Olympics, currently scheduled for 2021. — We aired live audio from Charlie Baker’s...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: New York Times columnist Ben Smith talked about the media's responsibilities when it comes to covering President Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.    We opened our lines to check in with listeners, and talk about the struggles of working from home. We aired live audio from Gov. Charlie Baker’s Monday press conference.  TV expert Bob Thompson discussed last w...

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened our lines to ask listeners: has President Trump gone too far in promoting misinformation about coronavirus? Beat the Press host Emily Rooney discussed the president’s daily coronavirus briefings, and read her weekly list of fixations and fulminations. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh called in for an hour-long edition of “Ask the Mayor.” Boston Globe Columnist Shirl...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd talked about his recent interview with Vice President Mike Pence, and broke down the debate in Washington over more stimulus funding. Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral discussed why some are advocating to reopen gun shops, and President Trump’s threats to sue governors over closed busi...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem talked about  President Trump’s latest restrictions on immigration, and U.S. governors pushing for what she calls a “careless" reopening of state economies.  MIT economist Jon Gruber discussed structural issues in America's nursing home industry, and how funding problems are exacerbating the crisis for seniors in need of care.  We opened o...

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio, *on Wednesday, about the way the food industry will be different, post-coronavirus crisis. "What we're looking at is maybe as few as 30 percent of independent restaurants coming back, it all depends on how long the current closings last," he said. "So one to two months closed has 70 percent coming back, than at 3 months it's 50 percent, and...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: We opened our lines to ask listeners: does the federal stimulus rollout, which is proving to benefit a few large companies over smaller businesses, have you feeling cynical about the government’s handling of the pandemic? Matt Segal, legal director for the Massachusetts ACLU, discussed his role in litigating the drug-testing scandal documented in the Netflix series “...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: Seed Global Health CEO Dr. Vanessa Kerry discussed the surge of COVID-19 patients in Massachusetts, the role of The WHO in fighting the global pandemic, and took questions from callers.  We opened our lines to talk with callers about how you’re handling coronavirus anxiety. WGBH news analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott discussed the positive strides b...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: Rep. Ayanna Pressley discussed her recent appeal to Gov. Baker to rescind COVID-19 crisis guidelines in order to address racial disparities in communities impacted by the coronavirus.   CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem recapped her latest writing for The Atlantic on the “strange purgatory” awaiting Americans post-quarantine, and criticized President Trump’s calls to pull...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd discussed the president’s authority the re-open the country, and talked about Joe Biden’s limited public presence during the pandemic.  Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung talked about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on small businesses, and how it could shape the identity of U.S. cities for years to come.  We opened...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: We opened our lines to talk with listeners ahead of Gov. Charlie Baker’s Wednesday press conference.  We aired live audio of the governor's press conference.  A.G. Maura Healey called in to address the range of issues her office is confronting amid the coronavirus pandemic, and took questions from callers. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed President Trump’s decis...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to talk with listeners about President Trump’s heated Monday press conference. NBC Sports Boston reporter Trenni Kusnierek discussed the slow reemergence of sports in the U.S., and athletic companies who’re pivoting to produce personal protective equipment.  Writer and TIME Editor-at-Large Anand Giridharadas discussed issues with the U.S. relying on b...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: Dr. Sandro Galea, Dean of BU’s School of Public Health, discussed the likelihood of racial disparities in cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, as well as the implications surrounding the president’s potential firing of Dr. Anthony Fauci.   We opened our lines to ask: if President Trump fires Dr. Anthony Fauci, will he make America sick again? TV expert Bob Thompson re...

The closure of schools, businesses, and restaurants, due to the coronavirus pandemic, has created a problem of abundance with farmers across the country. Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio *on Monday, about farmers who have excess food. "There's this double problem of not enough farm workers to harvest food, and food not being distributed," he said. "A single chicken processor...

Today on  Boston Public Radio : — NBC's Chuck Todd discussed the 2020 race, and whether Joe Biden will be able to woo Bernie Sanders supporters. — CEO of Ascend, Andrea Cabral, spoke about how the coronavirus pandemic is an opportunity for prison reform. — Rep. Richard Neal, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, analyzed the coronavirus stimulus package. — We then broadcasted  Governor C...

Today on* Boston Public Radio:* We opened the lines to hear from listeners about how best to enforce stay-at-home orders. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discussed the pandemic's effect on the local economy, especially small businesses. WGBH's Emily Rooney was back with her famous list, and more. Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell discussed how COVID-19 is disproportionately hitti...

Today on  Boston Public Radio : We opened lines to ask listeners: do you feel guilty going to grocery stores and putting clerks at risk? MIT economist Jon Gruber explained why he believes the stimulus package’s $100 billion for hospitals won’t be enough. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discussed the string of inspector general firings by President Trump, and the resignation of Navy Secretary Thomas Mo...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to ask listeners whether you’re also addicted to the president's daily coronavirus briefings. NBC Sports Boston reporter Trenni Kusnierek recapped a husband’s tragic bungle of his wife’s virtual triathlon, and weighed in when sports might make their return to the U.S.  Carol Rose from the ACLU of Massachusetts spoke on how the coronavirus pandemic is...

Today on  Boston Public Radio: Dr. Vanessa Kerry, founder and CEO of Seed Global Health, talked about the week ahead in the COVID-19 crisis, and took questions from callers.  WGBH News analyst and GroundTruth Project CEO Charlie Sennott discussed Sunday’s coronavirus address from Queen Elizabeth II, and news of a Russian doctor who was detained for criticizing the Kremlin’s COVID-19 response. TV e...