MetroFocus: The Podcast

"Right To Shelter" Architect Slams Mayor Adams' Challenge Of Landmark Housing Guaruntee Just over 40 years ago, 26-year-old attorney Robert Hayes took on a pro bono case that turned into the biggest legal victory in history for homeless New Yorkers. That victory, the right to shelter, is once again being challenged, this time by Mayor Eric Adams. The mayor’s argument: the city does not want to nul...

Tony Bennett, the legendary Grammy-winning singer, philanthropist, and New York City icon, passed away last week at the age of 96. The Queens-born entertainer leaves behind one of the greatest songbooks in American history and a legacy that will live on forever. From classic hits like, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” and “The Way You Look Tonight,” to his newer collaborations with modern artis...

We will take you inside the operating room at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital, where brain surgeons are using cutting edge technology to treat patients more effectively.

"Trail To Zero" Horseback Ride Brings Awareness To Veteran Suicide, Mental Health, And The Benefits of Equine Therapy According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, each day on average 20 veterans take their own lives. To bring awareness to this crisis, BraveHearts, the leading equine rehabilitation program for veterans, annually embarks on its “Trail to Zero” ride in New York City...

Tonight, our Medical Marvels series spotlights advancements in eye care and the father-son team working diligently to restore sight. Doctors Richard and R.J. Mackool take us into the operating room at the Mackool Eye Institute in Queens.

Behind The Curtain At The Hospital For Special Surgery New York is home to some of the leading medical institutions in the world and one organization that’s turned the city into a go-to destination for treatment is the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS). Celebrating its 160th anniversary this year, HSS has been ranked number one in the nation in orthopedics for 13 years in a row by U.S. News &...

Rev. Al Sharpton has spent his life speaking up, loudly, against racism and racial violence. The new documentary "Loudmouth" chronicles his path from a teenage preacher to a racial justice firebrand on the streets of 1980s New York City. Rev. Sharpton joins MetroFocus to talk about his fascinating journey – from his days marching through then-hostile white neighborhoods like Bensonhurst and Howard...

In May of 2020, Black bird-watcher Christian Cooper was forced into the national spotlight when a white woman called the police on him in Central Park, falsely claiming that he threatened her. Though it garnered plenty of media attention, Christian has put that incident behind him to focus on his true passion, and the reason he was in Central Park in the first place that day, birding. His love of...

When former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson sued the network’s longtime chairman and CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment in 2016, she became an icon of the #MeToo movement and a leader in women’s rights. The lawsuit resulted in a $20 million settlement from the company, along with an unprecedented public apology. Since leaving Fox News, Gretchen has become a force in advocating for safer workplac...

Peril & Promise: Wildlife Conservation Society Tonight, as part of our special “Peril & Promise” reporting, we are joined by the new President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Monica Medina. Ms. Medina, the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, is the first woman to ever hold this position. She will be bring...

Dance superstar Misty Copeland knows a thing or two about breaking barriers, and this fall she’s pointing to the power of ballet to help New York City kids chase their dreams. Misty, the American Ballet Theatre’s first Black principal dancer, recently launched the “Be Bold” initiative with a free, 12-week program for children 8 to 10 that includes about 120 students from local Boys and Girls Clubs...

Just over fifty years ago, Geraldo Rivera shocked the nation with his groundbreaking exposé on the abuse taking place at Willowbrook State School, at the time the largest institution in the world for people living with disabilities. Geraldo’s reporting, which featured interviews with patients and images of the deplorable conditions at the facility, led to the eventual closing of Willowbrook and th...

What does life look like for LGBTQIA+ youth in New York City ? “Pier Kids,” a documentary film from POV, transports viewers to the Christopher Street pier, a place where homeless queer and transgender youth of color have forged community and family. The film shines a light on the lives of amazing young people who have been marginalized by society, and chronicles how they have created an oasis for...

Dangerous Shortage of Cancer Drugs National shortages of vital chemotherapy medications are forcing physicians to develop workarounds and the Biden administration to mount an all-out government response. The shortage of chemo drugs such as cisplatin and carboplatin are leaving hospitals and doctors with difficult decisions about how to treat their patients – including delaying treatment and even r...

The powerful new documentary “Americonned” examines the widening economic divide that has over the last few decades decimated the American middle class and put the American dream out of reach for millions. The film argues this was the result of policies designed by powerful corporate interests whose chief goal was to destroy the labor movement and they’ve largely succeeded. But after years of losi...

NYC Council Member Warns Fellow Democrats Don't Take Voters For Granted, Says Being Anti-GOP Is Not Enough Are Democrats taking voters in historically blue cities like New York for granted? Veteran Council Member Justin Brannan, who represents Brooklyn’s largely working class 43rd District, says yes. In a recent op-ed for “City & State,” he argues it’s a serious problem that urgently needs to...

“How different might our country look if all of us fully understood what had happened here?” That is the question author Clint Smith sets out to answer in “How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America” through visits to nine locations that memorialize or distort their link to the legacy of slavery- from Monticello in Charlottesville, Va., to the African Burial Gro...

Maria Shriver on Ending Alzheimer's Millions of Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. Now, one of the nation’s premier advocates, Maria Shriver, shares her fight against the illness that afflicted her father more than a decade ago. Marilu Henner: "How I Helped My Husband Beat Cancer" Marilu Henner, best known for starring on the hit sitcom “Taxi,” joins us with her husband Michael Brown to sh...

Seeing Broadway for free is something New Yorkers and theater fans often only dream about. But on June 18, in honor of the upcoming Juneteenth holiday, Broadway is returning to the heart of Times Square for a free outdoor concert celebrating Black artistry and community. More than 25 Black artists from 12 Broadway shows, including smash hits such as “SIX” and “MJ The Musical,” are expected to take...

Former President Donald Trump is now the first former president in U.S. history to face federal charges. Trump appeared in a federal court in Miami on Tuesday, and he plead not guilty to 37 counts related to alleged mishandling of classified documents. Tonight, we analyze the case with our panel: Daniel Richman, former federal prosecutor and professor of law at Columbia Law School; Bernarda Villal...

NYC Congresswoman Blasts Handling of Migrant Crisis & Calls For Greater Federal Response New York City’s migrant crisis is showing no signs of letting up. More than 72,000 migrants have reportedly arrived since last spring, with over 45,000 currently in the city's care. In response, Mayor Eric Adams has carried out several controversial measures and perhaps most controversially, he is challeng...

One of the most important figures in the fight for civil rights may be someone that you never heard of. Pauli Murray- a lawyer, activist, and writer was ahead of their time. They refused to give up their seat on a bus 15 years before Rosa Parks famously did. They argued that separate but equal was unconstitutional 10 years before the Supreme Court made that decision. And they were one of the first...

Peril & Promise: How Smoke From The Canadian Wildfires Could Impact Your Health Tonight, our special “Peril & Promise” coverage continues about the smoke from the Canadian wildfires that engulfed New York City. Though the air quality is slowly improving across the Tri-State, it is still at levels considered to be unhealthy. How will the air quality impact your health? Dr. Jay Varma, a prof...

Special Report: Air Quality in NYC Reaches "Hazardous" Levels Due To Canadian Wildfires Tonight, a Special Report on the Code Red air quality alert issued in New York City due to hazardous smoke engulfing the Tri-State region. Dr. Dan Westervelt, an air pollution scientist and assistant research professor at the Columbia Climate School’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, joins us to explain the th...

Broadway Week: "Camelot" As Broadway week continues here on MetroFocus, we have an inside look at the latest adaptation of one of the most iconic musicals to ever grace the stage, “Camelot.” The new revival, adapted by Aaron Sorkin, brings a fresh and modern perspective to the classic tale. The show, which can be seen at Lincoln Center Theater, was nominated for 5 Tony Awards, including Best Reviv...