1A

1A is home to the national conversation. The show frames the best debates with great guests in ways to make you think, share and engage.

Rank #1: The 1619 Project.
"We really tried to select stories that would go across the spectrum of American life," journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones told us.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Rank #2: The Friday News Roundup for July 5, 2019.
Justin Amash says "adios" to his party. The printers start rolling on the new census forms. And the car world loses a legend.Around the world, protesters smash up the parliament in Hong Kong. President Trump crosses a line in Korea. And there's change at the top of the European Union and Central Bank.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Here & Now

NPR and WBUR's live midday news program

Rank #1: New Hampshire Debate; Intimacy Coordinators In #MeToo Era.
Democratic presidential candidates are set to debate Friday night in New Hampshire ahead of the state's primary on Tuesday. The primary looms as the results of the Iowa caucuses are still unknown. And in the #MeToo era, the demand for intimacy coordinators, professionals who work with actors and production staff to ensure safe and consensual sex scenes, is on the rise.

Rank #2: Spirituality Without God; Making Smart Financial Decisions In 2020.
What does it mean to be spiritual outside the confines of religion? This week, we'll explore that trend. We talk to Krista Tippett, creator and host of the public radio show "On Being." Also, with the near year upon us, Americans have a lot of money decisions to make. We check in with personal finance expert Jill Schlesinger about financial risks and making smart financial decisions.

The NPR Politics Podcast

Every weekday, NPR's best political reporters are there to explain the big news coming out of Washington and the campaign trail. They don't just tell you what happened. They tell you why it matters. Every afternoon.

Rank #1: In Fight With 'Chuck And Nancy,' Trump Says He'd Be 'Proud' To Shut Down Government.
In a testy and dramatic Oval Office exchange with Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer, President Trump made clear he would be "proud" to shut down the government in less than two weeks if he doesn't get funding for his border wall. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, political editor Domenico Montanaro and Congressional correspondent Scott Detrow. Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org. Find and support your local public radio station at npr.org/stations.

Rank #2: Iowa Results Waylaid By "Technical Difficulties," Democrats Say.
As problems with a mobile app through which vote tallies were transmitted electronically caused a delay in the reporting of Iowa caucus results on Monday night, Democratic candidates seized the moment to fire up their supporters.Several Democratic contenders delivered what sounded like victory speeches, even though state officials have not yet released vote totals.It is unclear when officials plan on announcing the results.This episode: White House Correspondent Tamara Keith, election security and voting reporter Miles Parks, campaign correspondent Asma Khalid, and National Political Correspondent Mara Liasson.Connect:Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast here.Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org.Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.Find and support your local public radio station.

NPR News Now

The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

Rank #1: NPR News: 02-17-2020 2AM ET.
NPR News: 02-17-2020 2AM ET

On the Media

The Peabody Award-winning On the Media podcast is your guide to examining how the media sausage is made. Hosts Brooke Gladstone and Bob Garfield examine threats to free speech and government transparency, cast a skeptical eye on media coverage of the week’s big stories and unravel hidden political narratives in everything we read, watch and hear. WNYC Studios is a listener-supported producer of other leading podcasts including Radiolab, Snap Judgment, Death, Sex & Money, Nancy and Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin. © WNYC Studios

Rank #1: Introducing: The Scarlet E .
Millions of rent-burdened Americans face eviction filings and proceedings every year. On this week’s On the Media, what we think we know, and what we definitely don’t know, about America’s eviction crisis. Plus, how local journalists failed the Central Park Five.  1. Jim Dwyer [@jimdwyernyt], columnist for The New York Times, on his experience reporting on the Central Park Five trial.  2. We hear the story of Jeffrey, a security guard in Richmond, Virginia whose severe rent burden caused his family to be evicted.  3. Matthew Desmond [@just_shelter], founder of the Eviction Lab, explains what he and his fellow researchers have learned from their massive collection of eviction data. 

Rank #2: Full Faith & Credit .
Ten autumns ago came two watershed moments in the history of money. In September 2008, the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers triggered a financial meltdown from which the world has yet to fully recover. The following month, someone using the name Satoshi Nakamoto introduced BitCoin, the first cryptocurrency. Before our eyes, the very architecture of money was evolving — potentially changing the world in the process. In this hour, On the Media looks at the story of money, from its uncertain origins to its digital reinvention in the form of cryptocurrency. 1. The life and work of JSG Boggs, the artist who created hand-drawn replicas of currency that he used to buy goods and services. With Lawrence Weschler and MIT's Neha Narula [@neha]. Listen. 2. A brief history of money with UC Irvine's Bill Maurer and Mark Blyth [@MkBlyth] from Brown University. Listen. 3. How cryptocurrency could shape the future of money, with MIT's Neha Narula [@neha], New York Times' Nathaniel Popper [@nathanielpopper], Vinay Gupta [@leashless] of Mattereum, Brown University's Mark Blyth [@MkBlyth] and artist Kevin Abosch [@kevinabosch]. Listen.

Fresh Air

Fresh Air from WHYY, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Hosted by Terry Gross, the show features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.

Rank #1: Grief, Guilt & An Ex-Husband's Secret Addiction.
Eilene Zimmerman didn't learn of her ex-husband's addiction to cocaine and opioids until after his drug-related death. Her memoir, 'Smacked,' explores how her former spouse, a wealthy, high-powered attorney, hid his addiction and depression from her and their two children. "This had happened in front of us, and we hadn't recognized it," she says. Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews Emma Copley Eisenberg's new book, 'The Third Rainbow Girl,' which centers on the 1980 murders of two young hitchhikers.

Rank #2: Coronavirus, Animal Infections & The Next Pandemic.
Science writer David Quammen talks about the new virus in China, what we learned from SARS, and how viruses travel from animal to animal to humans. "When there's an animal host, then it becomes much, much more difficult to eradicate or even control an infectious virus," Quammen says.Also, Ken Tucker reviews the new album, 'Have We Met,' by the Canadian band Destroyer.

The New Yorker Radio Hour

Profiles, storytelling and insightful conversations, hosted by David Remnick.

Rank #1: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the 2020 Presidential Race and Why We Should Break up Homeland Security .
It’s hard to recall a newly elected freshman representative to Congress who has made a bigger impact than Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Her primary victory for New York’s Fourteenth District seat—as a young woman of color beating out a long-established white male incumbent—was big news, and Ocasio-Cortez has been generating headlines almost daily ever since. Practically the day she took her seat in Congress, Ocasio-Cortez became the hero of the left wing of the Democrats and a favored villain of Fox News and the right. She battled Nancy Pelosi to make the Green New Deal a priority, and has been involved with a movement to launch primary challenges against centrist or right-leaning Democrats. Like Bernie Sanders, she embraces the label of democratic socialism and supports free college education for all Americans. She has called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She joined David Remnick in the New Yorker Radio Hour studio on July 5th, just after her trip to the border to examine migrant-detention facilities. Remnick and Ocasio-Cortez spoke about why she courted controversy by referring to some facilities as “concentration camps”; why she thinks the Department of Homeland Security is irredeemable; and whether Joe Biden is qualified to be President, given his comments about colleagues who supported forms of segregation. “Issues of race and gender are not extra-credit points in being a good Democrat,” she says. “They are a core part of the ... competencies that a President needs. . . . Where are you on understanding the people that live in this country?”

Rank #2: What Would a World Without Prisons Be Like? .
Mass incarceration is now widely regarded as a prejudiced and deeply harmful set of policies. Bipartisan support exists for some degree of criminal-justice reform, and, in some circles, the idea of prison abolition is also gaining traction. Kai Wright, the host of the WNYC podcast “The United States of Anxiety,” spoke about the movement with Paul Butler, a law professor and former federal prosecutor who saw firsthand the damage that prosecution causes; and sujatha baliga, a MacArthur Foundation fellow who leads the Restorative Justice Project at the nonprofit Impact Justice and a survivor of sexual violence. “Prison abolition doesn’t mean that everybody who’s locked up gets to come home tomorrow,” Butler explains. Instead, activists envision a gradual process of “decarceration,” and the creation of alternative forms of justice and harm reduction. “Abolition, to my mind, isn’t just about ending the prisons,” baliga adds. “It’s about ending binary processes which pit us as ‘us, them,’ ‘right, wrong’; somebody has to be lying, somebody’s telling the truth. That is not the way that we get to healing.”

Embedded

Host Kelly McEvers takes a story from the news and goes deep. Whether that means digging into the Trump administration's past, the stories behind police shootings caught on video, or visiting a town ravaged by the opioid epidemic, Embedded takes you where the news is happening.

Rank #1: Mitch Part 1: 'Win This Thing'.
Mitch McConnell has been described as "opaque," "drab," and even "dull." He is one of the least popular - and most polarizing - politicians in the country. So how did he win eight consecutive elections? And what does it tell us about how he operates?

Rank #2: Trump Stories: The Apprentice.
Omarosa Manigault Newman has a new book. What about those tapes? We re-visit an episode from our "Trump Stories" season.

Make Me Smart with Kai and Molly

Hosted by Kai Ryssdal and Molly Wood, “Make Me Smart with Kai & Molly” is a weekly podcast about the economy, technology and culture. In a time when the world is moving faster than ever, this podcast is where we unpack complex topics, together. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.

Rank #1: Is this even working? Economist Esther Duflo is trying to find out..
About 1.3 billion people are in extreme poverty, living on less than $1.25 a day. Meanwhile, some of the most powerful people in wealthy countries, like the U.S., say they want to help alleviate some of that poverty. Every year, individuals, charities and governments pour billions of dollars into aid, development and a range of causes. But how do you know what’s actually working and what’s a waste of time? Our guest today, MIT economist Esther Duflo, just won a Nobel Prize for using a hard science approach to answer that question.

Rank #2: Must. Keep. Growing..
Every single day here at Marketplace, Kai Ryssdal “does the numbers,” talking about how the stock market fared at close. When they are up, we play the happy music. Same with monthly jobs numbers and the GDP. We’ve had a few listeners write in to ask: Why? Does the economy always need to get bigger, all the time, forever? Here to help us sort through this kind of existential question and maybe even figure out some better numbers to “do” is Josh Bivens with the Economic Policy Institute. By the way: We’re still looking for your 2020 predictions! Send them to makemesmart@marketplace.org, and we’ll play some on our last episode of the year.

All Songs Considered

Hosts/nerds Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton are your friendly music buddies with the week's best new music discoveries, including conversations with emerging artists, icons and more. Hear songs that can completely change your day, with humor, heart and (sometimes) a whole lot of noise. Directions for use: Morning commute, the gym, or alone time. (If rash persists, discontinue use.)

Rank #1: New Music Friday: Sep. 20.
Our shortlist of the best albums out this week includes Brittany Howard's masterpiece, Jaime, sad bangers from Tove Lo, a profoundly beautiful, debut solo LP from Mountain Man's Molly Sarlé and more.

Rank #2: Hobo Johnson's Journey From Homelessness To A Major Label Contract.
On the day before his album came out, Hobo Johnson joined me to play DJ. We discussed the making of his album and played some of the music that has inspired him over the years. I think you'll be surprised by some of his picks.

It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders

A talk show with a heart. Each week, Sam interviews people in the culture who deserve your attention. Plus weekly wraps of the news with other journalists. Join Sam as he makes sense of the world through conversation.

Rank #1: Coming Out.
To mark National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, Sam examines the history, meaning and future of coming out with University of Nevada, Las Vegas professor Marcia Gallo and E. Patrick Johnson of Northwestern University. He also shares coming out stories from listeners and swaps stories with NPR film critic Bob Mondello. Tweet @NPRItsBeenaMin with feels or email samsanders@npr.org.

Rank #2: Why 'Friends' Remains So Successful — And So Divisive — Even In 2019.
The NBC sitcom 'Friends' has been around for 25 years, and its popularity endures. Netflix says 'Friends' was the second most popular show on its streaming platform this year, based on minutes watched, and the show has also struck a chord with a younger generation. What is it about 'Friends' that resonates with viewers, and what does it say about us? Sam Sanders spoke to listeners, reporters and a critic to find out what it is that people love — and despise — about Chandler, Joey, Monica, Phoebe, Rachel and Ross.

Up First

NPR's Up First is the news you need to start your day. The three biggest stories of the day, with reporting and analysis from NPR News — in 10 minutes. Available weekdays by 6 a.m. ET, with hosts Rachel Martin, Noel King, David Greene and Steve Inskeep. Now available on Saturdays by 8 a.m. ET, with hosts Lulu Garcia-Navarro and Scott Simon. Subscribe and listen, then support your local NPR station at donate.npr.org.

Rank #1: Wednesday, February 12, 2020.
Senator Bernie Sanders wins the New Hampshire primary. All four prosecutors resign in the Roger Stone case after the Department of Justice requests a more lenient sentence. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó returns home after meeting with heads of state around the world.

Rank #2: Tuesday, February 11, 2020.
Voters in New Hampshire make their choice for the Democratic presidential contender. Health officials worry about the spread of the coronavirus outside China. Two large teacher unions question the effectiveness of active shooter drills.

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour is a fun and freewheeling chat about the latest movies, television, books, and music.

Rank #1: Parasite.
Even if you've seen a lot of movies about class struggle, you can bet you've never seen one like Parasite. From director Bong Joon-ho, it tells the story of two families, one with a lot of money and one that's just struggling to get by. Parasite won the top prize, the Palme d'Or, at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and it's South Korea's entry into this year's Oscars race.

Rank #2: Avengers: Infinity War and What's Making Us Happy.
The Avengers try to keep a space-tyrant from performing cosmic genocide. The film doubles down on character interactions both familiar and unfamiliar. Guest: Code Switch co-host Gene Demby.

Left, Right & Center

Left, Right & Center is KCRW’s weekly civilized yet provocative confrontation over politics, policy and pop culture.

Rank #1: It’s a quid pro quo. Is it impeachable?.
Ambassador William Taylor described a quid pro quo — military aid in exchange for a Ukrainian announcement of an investigation into Burisma — in his testimony to Congress. He says a top national security official told him that, and EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland confirmed it, saying he’d made a mistake when he said only a White House meeting depended on such an announcement. In fact, “everything” depended on it. President Trump usurped Congress’ constitutional spending powers for personal use. Is this impeachable. Rich Lowry, Linette Lopez and Josh Barro debate. Plus: The situation in Syria heats up, Democrats and Republicans take unlikely positions on tax policy, and could Congress do anything to prevent another WeWork mess? And what’s the status of the “phase one” trade deal with China? Have we agreed to anything?

Rank #2: Impeachment.
Nancy Pelosi says the inquiry is on, and it now has the support from nearly every Democrat and therefore, a majority of the House. This may be a rapid impeachment — just two months and just about the new Ukraine scandal. Should this be quick and easy? Or should there be more hearings and more charges? Spoiler alert: no one on the show expects the Senate to actually remove President Trump if he is indeed impeached, so what then is the strategic reason to impeach him? And how might this affect Democrats, including those running for president against Trump and those running for down-ballot races in 2020? President Trump railed against the whistleblower, insinuating that people who passed along information to that person were spies and spies should be executed. Bradley Moss, a lawyer specializing in national security issues and whistleblower protections, joins the panel to talk about President Trump’s comments, protocols for whistleblowers, and how this story saw daylight in the first place.  Finally, what is going on with Brexit? Tom Nuttall updates the panel on the mayhem across the pond.

PBS NewsHour - Full Show

Listen to the complete PBS NewsHour, specially formatted as a podcast. Published each night by 9 p.m., our full show includes every news segment, every interview, and every bit of analysis as our television broadcast. Is this not what you're looking for? Don't miss our other podcasts for our individual segments, Shields and Brooks, Politics Monday, Brief but Spectacular, and more. Find them in iTunes or in your favorite podcasting app.

Rank #1: February 6, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode.

Rank #2: February 5, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode.