The Big Dig

Once the highway is gone, can the divisions these structures created actually be healed? Can the people on either side become neighbors again? Rochester, NY is trying to answer that question.Guests: Erik Frisch, Brian Sharp, Shawn Dunwoody, Suzanne MayerRecorded live at the WXXI studios in Rochester, NY.

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2026

Is it possible to re-write the Interstate map and send highways around cities instead of through them? Syracuse, NY is doing just that. Guests: Marie Therese Dominguez, Lanessa Owens-Chaplin, Joe DriscollRecorded live in partnership with WRVO and the Syracuse Museum of Science and Technology.

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2026

What to do with the BQE? It’s a one of a kind highway in desperate need of repair, but no one can agree how to fix it. Guests: Polly Trottenberg, Lara Birnback, Stephen NessenRecorded live at WNYC’s Greenspace.Archival audio courtesy of Municipal Archives, City of New York.

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2026

Every American city is divided by crumbling old highways. Every city is trying to figure out what to do with them. But even if the problems with these structures are obvious, the solutions are not – often they are contentious. Welcome to The Big Dig Highway Teardown Tour.

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2026

In The Cult Queen of Canada from CBC’s Uncover, a tiny Saskatchewan town faces a surreal crisis when a cult leader calling herself “The Queen of Canada” occupies an abandoned school. As neighbours turn on each other, a retired teacher leads resistance in a story about what happens when online extremism spills into the real world. Hosted by Rachel Browne.Crime. Investigation. Revelation. Uncover brings you explosive, high-caliber true crime year-round. From CIA mind control to serial abuse, mysterious disappearances to wrongful imprisonment.More episodes of The Cult Queen of Canada are available wherever you get your podcasts, and here: https://link.mgln.ai/CQOCxCF—When I decided to take on the story of the Codfather, I realized it was a little more true-crime than anything I had done before, and so it was important to me that we do true crime in a way that served a larger purpose. That there was a point to it all besides just people breaking the law and getting caught. And for me, one of the models of that kind of storytelling is the CBC’s Uncover. It’s an ongoing feed that has released just a stunning run of highly original and intensely engaging crime stories that also help us understand our world. They have a new series out this spring so we wanted to feature an episode of that here.It’s called ‘The Cult Queen of Canada.’ It’s set in a small prairie town of 120 people in Saskatchewan, which becomes the unlikely home base for a cult leader known as the “Queen of Canada.” In the series, journalist Rachel Browne uncovers how online extremism bleeds into everyday life and divides this small town. It’s a story about polarization, power vacuums, and what happens when a small community becomes the testing ground for extremism.

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2026

In the 1980s, six women on an island off the coast of Massachusetts began selling lobster rolls as a church fundraiser. Today, people travel by car, boat, and plane just to taste these hallowed summer treats. Today we bring you an episode from one of our favorite food podcasts, “The Sporkful”, in which host Dan Pashman travels to Martha’s Vineyard to uncover Grace Church’s secret recipe. Plus, Daniel Gritzer from Serious Eats breaks down the science of why frozen lobster might be better than fresh.https://www.sporkful.com/the-secret-to-grace-churchs-lobster-rolls/Find more from The Sporkful, wherever you listen to podcasts or at www.sporkful.com---We talked a lot this season about fish: the cod, the haddock, the flounder. We heard about monk fish and grey sole, hake and halibut. But if you’ve ever spent a summer in New England, you know that if there is one food we take more seriously than our fish, it’s our shellfish.  So today I’m excited to bring you an episode from one of my favorite podcasts – The Sporkful – in which host Dan Pashman travels to Martha’s Vineyard to uncover the secret recipe of his favorite lobster roll. Plus, Daniel Gritzer from Serious Eats breaks down the science of why frozen lobster might be better than fresh.As always, Dan and the team have a special knack for telling stories about food that also help you understand the world. You can find all their work wherever you are listening right now, just search for “The Sporkful.” And please enjoy: The Secret To Grace Church’s Lobster Rolls…

Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2026

Buying fish can be a puzzling process. It comes frozen and fresh, wild and farmed, from many different countries, and with all kinds of ratings and labels. So what does it all mean?For this bonus episode to “Catching The Codfather,” Ian sits down with a legend of New England seafood, Roger Berkowitz, to talk about his life in fish buying and what he’s learned along the way. Major sponsorship for “Catching The Codfather” is provided by Roger’s Fish Co.

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2026

John Vecchione represented a group of fishermen who challenged government regulations all the way to the Supreme Court. Together, they helped overturn the decades-old “Chevron Doctrine,” which has been cited thousands of times in federal court rulings. But Vecchione is not done, and you might be surprised to learn what regulations he is challenging next. For a very different take on the future of regulation after the fall of the Chevron Doctrine, check out this article from climate reporter Molly Taft: The Koch Brothers Are Getting What They Wanted: The Supreme Court Is Gutting Environmental Protections

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2026

A new revelation forces federal investigators to close down the case, fast. But what will taking down The Codfather mean for the port of New Bedford?Major sponsorship for "Catching The Codfather" is provided by Roger’s Fish Co.---------------------------Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardIntern: Fiona Boyd Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 18 March 2026

When federal agents first meet with Carlos Rafael, the fishing mogul offers up a tantalizing clue: a special system for ‘painting fish.’ It’s the key to understanding the entire fraud, and why Carlos is the only one who could pull it off.Major sponsorship for "Catching The Codfather" is provided by Roger’s Fish Co.---------------------------Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardIntern: Fiona Boyd Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2026

A new regulatory system is meant to end overfishing, but Carlos Rafael exploits it to accumulate even more boats and power – drawing resentment from other fishermen, and attention from the feds. Major sponsorship for "Catching The Codfather" is provided by Roger’s Fish Co.---------------------------Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardIntern: Fiona Boyd Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2026

The west has cowboys, the east has fishermen – it's a job defined by freedom and self-reliance. But in 1991 a contentious lawsuit forces the government to step in, setting Carlos Rafael and the regulators on a collision course.You can watch the full film of “A Fish Story” on YouTube. Major sponsorship for “Catching The Codfather” is provided by Roger’s Fish Co.---------------------------Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardIntern: Fiona BoydScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 25 February 2026

How did Carlos Rafael become “The Codfather”? It starts in the 1980s, when a bitter strike divides the city of New Bedford and its famed fishing fleet. But Carlos manages to turn the strike to his advantage.Major sponsorship for "Catching The Codfather" is provided by Roger’s Fish Co.---------------------------Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardIntern: Fiona Boyd Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 18 February 2026

Every American city is divided by crumbling old highways. Every city is trying to figure out what to do with them. Join us live in 10 American cities for The Big Dig “Highway Teardown Tour.” Details at wgbh.org/bigdiglive. 

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2026

Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael dominates the most valuable fishing port in the United States, and no one is quite sure how he did it. But in 2015, when undercover federal agents offer to buy his business, Carlos opens his books.Major sponsorship for "Catching The Codfather" is provided by Roger’s Fish Co.---------------------------Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardIntern: Fiona Boyd Scoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 11 February 2026

A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against an overbearing state. So who is Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael really – a folk hero, a crook, a righteous rebel, a selfish conman?  In Season 3 of The Big Dig™ podcast, “Catching The Codfather,” we go down to the docks. It’s a place where food, work, nature, money and politics all meet – where dreams are born, fortunes ruined, and where the watchful eye of the government is always present. The series traces the rise of Carlos Rafael and his escalating conflict with the government, because to judge the crimes of The Codfather, you also have to judge the whole system that he chose to break.For instant access to the whole season, join The Big Dig membership program. Learn more at wgbh.org/hovlane. Major sponsorship for Catching The Codfather is provided by Roger’s Fish Co.

Transcribed - Published: 4 February 2026

Your official invitation to join The Big Dig membership program. Listen on for details, sign up at wgbh.org/hovlane

Transcribed - Published: 28 January 2026

NEW name. NEW art. NEW season. NEW events. NEW mailing list. Listen for all the updates and a preview of what's to come.  --- A few links to share: Sign up for our mailing list at: wgbh.org/thebigdig Email us at: thebigdig@wgbh.org *LIVE EVENT* in Seattle, WA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-big-dig-and-booming-podcasts-where-our-roads-go-next-tickets-1665207834459 *LIVE EVENT* in Portland, OR: https://literary-arts.org/event/opb-the-big-dig/

Transcribed - Published: 15 October 2025

American Experience Presents stops by to share the fascinating story of Joseph McCarthy. From humble beginnings on a Wisconsin farm, to leveraging his military service after World War II to launch a successful Senate bid, McCarthy's story is one of ambition and opportunity. As Cold War tensions escalate, McCarthy masterfully taps into America's deepest fears about communism, positioning himself as the nation's defender against an invisible enemy. Discover how his rise coincides with a national climate of paranoia, setting the stage for the demagoguery that would define McCarthy's career—all against the backdrop of a nation grappling with its identity and values.You can find all episodes of American Experience Presents wherever you listen. Learn more about American Experience Follow the show on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2025

The team from Antiques Roadshow Detours stops by to share a historical fact that they just can’t seem to get right. This is one for the architecture and urban design enthusiasts. You can find all episodes of Antiques Roadshow Detours wherever you listen. 

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2025

The team from Antiques Roadshow Detours stops by to share a historical fact that they just can’t seem to get right. This is one for the architecture and urban design enthusiasts. You can find all episodes of Antiques Roadshow Detours wherever you listen. 

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2025

Last week, we heard about a movement to challenge the authority of government agencies and push power down to the people. This week, the story of a central figure in that movement: Ralph Nader. This episode comes from NPR’s Throughline, co-hosted by Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei. 

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025

Last week, we heard about a movement to challenge the authority of government agencies and push power down to the people. This week, the story of a central figure in that movement: Ralph Nader. This episode comes from NPR’s Throughline, co-hosted by Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei. 

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025

This podcast has featured two stories about government endeavors: the much-criticized infrastructure project known as ‘The Big Dig,’ and of course the wildly successful state lottery. So why do these two stories play out so differently?In the final interview episode for this season, host Ian Coss speaks with Marc Dunkelman, a research fellow at Brown University, about why some parts of government draw intense scrutiny while others run quietly in the background. Dunkelman’s new book is "Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress -- and How to Bring It Back."

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2025

There’s a lot of talk lately about patronage politics returning to Washington – a system based on loyalty, relationships, favors and transactions – but this kind of system is not new. Patronage was once the beating heart of the Democratic Party, and of course, the Massachusetts state lottery. So what changed? How did the party of patronage become the party of technocrats?In this second interview episode, host Ian Coss speaks with historian Lily Geismer, co-editor of a new book about the evolution of the Democratic Party: “Mastery and Drift: Professional Class Liberals Since 1960.”

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2025

Lotteries are part of a long trend toward more and more legal gambling: bingo helped open the door for lotteries, just as lotteries helped open the door for casinos. And by that logic, sports betting is just the latest addition to the trend. So why does it feel so different?In the first of three interview episodes expanding on themes from the series, host Ian Coss speaks with gambling historian Jonathan Cohen about why this expansion of legal gambling is unlike anything that came before it.Cohen’s new book "Losing Big: America’s Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling” is out April 1st, 2025.

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2025

Part 8: Most lottery games follow a predictable life cycle: a burst of interest followed by a long decline. But something else happened with the scratch ticket, and it changed how every lottery in the country operates. Credits:Host an Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2025

Part 8: Most lottery games follow a predictable life cycle: a burst of interest followed by a long decline. But something else happened with the scratch ticket, and it changed how every lottery in the country operates. Credits:Host an Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2025

Part 7: By 1986 Treasurer Bob Crane has turned the lottery into the most successful operation of its kind, but now he’s in the fight of his political life with a challenger who says he’s the real crook. To cement his legacy he will have to win one last election, and it’s a dirty one.Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2025

Part 7: By 1986 Treasurer Bob Crane has turned the lottery into the most successful operation of its kind, but now he’s in the fight of his political life with a challenger who says he’s the real crook. To cement his legacy he will have to win one last election, and it’s a dirty one.Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2025

Part 6: The Mass Lottery stumbles when it attempts to launch the nation’s first ‘lotto’ game. But that failure soon becomes an opportunity – and a national craze – when Treasurer Bob Crane brings in a new agency to take over the state’s marketing efforts.Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2025

Part 6: The Mass Lottery stumbles when it attempts to launch the nation’s first ‘lotto’ game. But that failure soon becomes an opportunity – and a national craze – when Treasurer Bob Crane brings in a new agency to take over the state’s marketing efforts.Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2025

Part 5: The lottery was never just about stopping crime; it was about bringing in money. In 1980, an anti-tax ballot measure throws Massachusetts state finances into chaos, putting new pressure on the lottery to close the gap.Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 19 February 2025

Part 5: The lottery was never just about stopping crime; it was about bringing in money. In 1980, an anti-tax ballot measure throws Massachusetts state finances into chaos, putting new pressure on the lottery to close the gap.Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 19 February 2025

Part 4: The state lottery can’t run the mob out of the numbers business on their own. Luckily they’ve got help from the FBI, who are just launching a daring operation of their own – to bug the headquarters of the Boston mafia.Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 12 February 2025

Part 4: The state lottery can’t run the mob out of the numbers business on their own. Luckily they’ve got help from the FBI, who are just launching a daring operation of their own – to bug the headquarters of the Boston mafia.Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 12 February 2025

Part 3: Before the Massachusetts Lottery can claim to be number one, they have to take out the competition. So in 1976 the state lottery challenges organized crime head on by copying their most popular game: 'the numbers.'Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 5 February 2025

Part 3: Before the Massachusetts Lottery can claim to be number one, they have to take out the competition. So in 1976 the state lottery challenges organized crime head on by copying their most popular game: 'the numbers.'Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 5 February 2025

Part 2: When states got into the gambling business, they wanted the same thing organized crime wanted: money and power. The question now is who in government will get to wield that awesome power? Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2025

Part 2: When states got into the gambling business, they wanted the same thing organized crime wanted: money and power. The question now is who in government will get to wield that awesome power? Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2025

Part 1: It’s 1974, illegal bookies are everywhere and the brand new state lottery is struggling to compete. But a simple piece of paper is about to change the game forever: the nation’s first scratch ticket. Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2025

Part 1: It’s 1974, illegal bookies are everywhere and the brand new state lottery is struggling to compete. But a simple piece of paper is about to change the game forever: the nation’s first scratch ticket. Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2025

Legal gambling is everywhere. But how did it get like this? And why can't we fully embrace it? "Scratch & Win" looks for answers in the unlikely story of America's most successful lottery, and the charismatic state treasurer who was determined to beat the mob at their own game. ---------------------------Credits:Host and Scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jenifer McKimFact-checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian HeGraphic Design: Bill Miller

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2025

Heads up: in two weeks this feed will transform into a new show produced by the same team as the Big Dig. It's called Scratch & Win. Stay tuned.

Transcribed - Published: 9 January 2025

Just dropping in to share some news about the show, and what's coming next. 

Transcribed - Published: 12 June 2024

An episode from a new GBH News podcast about reparations: "When a City Tries to Heal Itself"Boston, a city entrenched in the history of the American Revolution, creates a task force to explore the city’s history of slavery and economic discrimination and to consider reparations for Black citizens. The effort is delicately balanced to navigate political challenges – and yet it is immediately beset with delay and mismanaging, leading some city residents to wonder whether Boston is really serious.———Credits:Host, Producer and Writer: Saraya WintersmithSenior Producer: Jerome CampbellEditorial Assistant: Mara MellitsEditor: Paul SingerProduction oversight: Lee HillMixing & Sound Design: David Goodman and Gary MottTheme Song and original music: Malik WilliamsArtwork: Matt Welch and Mamie-Hawa BawohProject Manager: Meiqian HeManaging Producer for GBH Podcasts: Devin Maverick Robins

Transcribed - Published: 29 February 2024

Boston, a city entrenched in the history of the American Revolution, creates a task force to explore the city’s history of slavery and economic discrimination and to consider reparations for Black citizens. The effort is delicately balanced to navigate political challenges – and yet it is immediately beset with delay and mismanaging, leading some city residents to wonder whether Boston is really serious.

Transcribed - Published: 29 February 2024

An episode from our colleagues at Detours: The Hardest Fact I Ever Checked Adam Monahan, producer for GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, attempts to verify what could be one of the most valuable objects to ever appear on the program: a flag from John F. Kennedy’s famed navy boat, the PT-109. With the help of a chemist, an appraiser, an author and a curator (oh, and his mom too), Adam tries to determine whether or not we have a national treasure on our hands.

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2024

An episode from our colleagues at The Frontline Dispatch: Documenting the Siege of Mariupol 20 Days in Mariupol is an unflinching, first-hand account of the early days of Russia’s invasion of the port city of Mariupol, which remains under Russian occupation to this day. Ukrainian-born director and journalist Mstyslav Chernov and his colleagues from the Associated Press were the last international journalists to remain in Mariupol as Russian troops attacked. His new film, from FRONTLINE and the AP, draws on Chernov’s news dispatches and his reflections as he documented the devastation of his home country for the world to see. Chernov sat down with FRONTLINE editor-in-chief and executive producer Raney Aronson-Rath and editor and producer Michelle Mizner in February 2023, as we marked the grim anniversary of the war in Ukraine. In this episode of The FRONTLINE Dispatch, recorded at the Boston Public Library, Chernov recounts the decision to go to Mariupol, how he and Mizner created a documentary feature from his Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism, and what he hopes people will take away from the film — today, and in years to come. “I know that we form our understanding of the current events of the world around us by watching news and consuming news,” Chernov said. “ But [we] form our understanding of our past with documentary films… Film is a medium which carries meaning across time, for generations to come.” An earlier version of this episode was published in July. You can watch 20 Days in Mariupol on FRONTLINE’s website, FRONTLINE’s YouTube Channel, the PBS App, and the PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel. Want to be notified every time a new podcast episode drops? Sign up for The FRONTLINE Dispatch newsletter.

Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2023

Part 9: It’s been fifty years since the Big Dig was first conceived, thirty years since construction began, more than a dozen years since it was completed – and the final twist is: the project has largely delivered on its promises. How do we reconcile that reality with the scandal and outrage we’ve heard so much about?Credits:Host and scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossEditor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Stephanie LeydonFact Checker: Lisa WardleScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossProject Manager: Meiqian He

Transcribed - Published: 15 November 2023