The movies come to Indicators of the Week. We dig into why one film is letting you reserve tickets a whole year in advance, what ticket prices might tell us about tariffs and inflation, and how Los Angeles might be cutting back on the red tape when it comes to making movies there.
Related episodes:
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA? (Apple / Spotify)
The story of China and Hollywood's big-screen romance (Apple / Spotify)
When is cosplay a crime? (Apple / Spotify)
Before La La Land, there was Fort Lee, New Jersey (Apple / Spotify)
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Fact-checking by Julia Ritchey. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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Short Wave - These Scientists Are Using AI To Listen To Frogs
If you were a miner in California during the Gold Rush, you might have dined on a California red-legged frog. The largest native frog in the western United States, this Golden State denizen used to be found as far inland as the Sierra Nevada mountains and south, into Baja California. But today, they're listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Conservationists have worked to translocate new populations of the red-legged frog back to California in hopes that their numbers can be restored. But how do they monitor those populations' growth? Enter AI.
Want to hear more stories about critters or conservation? Let us know at shortwave@npr.org.
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Want to hear more stories about critters or conservation? Let us know at shortwave@npr.org.
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
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State of the World from NPR - China’s Stranglehold on Coveted Rare Earth Minerals
The U.S. once controlled the market on rare earth minerals, sought after for the production of cell phones, computers, electric and hybrid vehicles, and more. But in the last few decades, China has cornered that market and surpassed the US. We explore how.
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Consider This from NPR - Will air traffic control’s $12.5 billion update fix employee morale?
Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy testified on Capitol Hill, where he thanked Congress for recently approving $12.5 billion dollars to modernize the nation's aging air traffic control system.
But some U.S. air traffic controllers say there's a much deeper problem: a nationwide staffing shortage that leaves controllers overworked and employee morale low.
NPR's Joel Rose and Joe Hernandez spoke with five current and former air traffic controllers to find out what improvements they want to see.
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But some U.S. air traffic controllers say there's a much deeper problem: a nationwide staffing shortage that leaves controllers overworked and employee morale low.
NPR's Joel Rose and Joe Hernandez spoke with five current and former air traffic controllers to find out what improvements they want to see.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
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1A - The Future Of US Funding For HIV Treatment And Prevention
In his rescissions request to Congress last month, President Donald Trump asked that the hundreds of millions dollars budgeted for the President's Emergency Plans for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, be cancelled.
Senate Republicans have decided that PEPFAR is safe from cuts for now, but those fighting the global epidemic are worried.
We talk about what these funding cuts would mean for those actually doing the research, and more importantly, for those living with HIV.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
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Senate Republicans have decided that PEPFAR is safe from cuts for now, but those fighting the global epidemic are worried.
We talk about what these funding cuts would mean for those actually doing the research, and more importantly, for those living with HIV.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
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Up First from NPR - Public Media Cuts, Trump And Fed Chair, Israel Strikes Syria
Senate Republicans voted to take back billions of dollars in funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, President Trump has been threatening to fire Fed chair Jerome Powell before his term ends next year, and Israel launched airstrikes into Syria's capital of Damascus.
Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today's episode of Up First was edited by Gerry Holmes, Dana Farrington, Miguel Macias, Janaya Williams and Mohamad ElBardicy.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from David Greenburg. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
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Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today's episode of Up First was edited by Gerry Holmes, Dana Farrington, Miguel Macias, Janaya Williams and Mohamad ElBardicy.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from David Greenburg. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
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The Indicator from Planet Money - When is cosplay a crime?
Cosplay—or dressing up as your favorite character from pop culture—is fun! But it can fall into a legal gray area when it comes to companies' intellectual property.
Today on the show: a group of cosplayers, Lucasfilm(!), a lawyer, and finding economic symbiosis in order to express yourself.
Related episodes:
Before La La Land there was Fort Lee, New Jersey (Apple / Spotify)
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA? (Apple / Spotify)
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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Today on the show: a group of cosplayers, Lucasfilm(!), a lawyer, and finding economic symbiosis in order to express yourself.
Related episodes:
Before La La Land there was Fort Lee, New Jersey (Apple / Spotify)
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA? (Apple / Spotify)
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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NPR's Book of the Day - ‘Trailblazer’ is a memoir by Carol Moseley Braun, first Black woman elected to Senate
Carol Moseley Braun is a woman of many firsts. She was both the first Black woman and Black Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate, and the first female senator from Illinois. In her new memoir Trailblazer, Moseley Braun shares the highs – and high costs – of breaking these barriers. In today's episode, she talks with NPR's Michel Martin about her political origin story and the high expectations she faced while in office.
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Consider This from NPR - Tariffs are a tax. Are you already paying it?
It's been over three months since President Trump announced very big across-the-board tariffs on imports from nearly every territory on Earth–including uninhabited islands. It's a move he said would revitalize the U.S. economy.
Since that splashy White House announcement, the tariff rates have been a wildly moving target. Ratcheted up - then back down - on China, specifically.
Overlaid with global product-specific tariffs on categories like automobiles and copper. Partially paused after the stock market tanked.
Through it all, the tariff rate has remained at or well-above 10 percent on nearly every good imported to the U.S.
And if you've listened to NPR's reporting since April, you'll have heard many voices make one particular prediction over and over again – that American consumers will pay the price.
If American consumers are going to pay for the tariffs, the question is: when ?
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
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Since that splashy White House announcement, the tariff rates have been a wildly moving target. Ratcheted up - then back down - on China, specifically.
Overlaid with global product-specific tariffs on categories like automobiles and copper. Partially paused after the stock market tanked.
Through it all, the tariff rate has remained at or well-above 10 percent on nearly every good imported to the U.S.
And if you've listened to NPR's reporting since April, you'll have heard many voices make one particular prediction over and over again – that American consumers will pay the price.
If American consumers are going to pay for the tariffs, the question is: when ?
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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1A - What Medicaid Cuts Mean For Americans
One of the biggest cuts included in President Donald Trump's recent tax and spending bill is to Medicaid, the federal program that provides health insurance to low-income Americans and people with disabilities. The Congressional Budget Office estimates it would lose $1 trillion over the next ten years.
Republicans say these changes address fraud and waste in the Medicaid program. But some rural hospitals and states warn it could have devastating effects.
We break down what those changes mean for you.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
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Republicans say these changes address fraud and waste in the Medicaid program. But some rural hospitals and states warn it could have devastating effects.
We break down what those changes mean for you.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
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