In its very first broadcast, the U.S.-government-run service called Voice of America pledged honesty.
"The news may be good and it may be bad. We shall tell you the truth."
The idea was to model a free press, especially for audiences in places that might not have one. Places where political parties and governments might pressure or intimidate journalists.
But over the past seven months, Voice of America and its federal parent organization, U.S. Agency for Global Media, have been caught in an ideological war. Employees say agency CEO Michael Pack, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, obsessed over staff loyalty and embraced conspiracy theories.
NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik talked to more than 60 current and former staffers. He's put together a comprehensive picture of Pack's radical tenure.
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Short Wave - How Bonobos Help Explain The Evolution Of Nice
How did humans evolve some key cooperative behaviors like sharing? NPR Science Correspondent Jon Hamilton reports back from a bonobo sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where scientists are trying to answer that very question.
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Consider This from NPR - Biden Administration: ‘It Will Be Months’ Before Widespread Vaccine Availability
President Biden said Tuesday that the federal government's vaccine distribution program is "in worse shape than we anticipated." His administration's coronavirus response team held its first public briefing on Wednesday where officials detailed plans to increase vaccine supply and capacity, but also said it will be months before anyone who wants a vaccine can get one.
The lack of supply has led to different challenges in different areas of the country. NPR gathered three reporters to learn more: Blake Farmer with Nashville Public Radio, Amelia Templeton with Oregon Public Broadcasting, and Veronica Zaragovia with WLRN in Miami.
Additional reporting this episode from Georgia Public Broadcasting's Grant Blankenskip, who reported on efforts by Georgia residents to get a vaccine.
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The lack of supply has led to different challenges in different areas of the country. NPR gathered three reporters to learn more: Blake Farmer with Nashville Public Radio, Amelia Templeton with Oregon Public Broadcasting, and Veronica Zaragovia with WLRN in Miami.
Additional reporting this episode from Georgia Public Broadcasting's Grant Blankenskip, who reported on efforts by Georgia residents to get a vaccine.
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Short Wave - What The Spread Of Coronavirus Variants Means For The U.S.
Different versions of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are emerging. Some are spreading quickly around the world, others more slowly — but several have the public health community and researchers worried because they are behaving differently than the older version of the coronavirus. Maddie talks with NPR science correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff about the coronavirus variant first identified in the UK in late 2020 — they discuss how big of a deal it is, how vaccines may be affected, and what needs to happen to slow its spread.
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Consider This from NPR - Deplatforming: Not A First Amendment Issue, But Still A Tough Call For Big Tech
Removing disinformation — and users who spread it — can come at a cost for web hosts and social media platforms. But studies indicate "deplatforming" does stem the flow of disinformation.
Kate Starbird with the University of Washington explains why it's easier to see the effects of deplatforming in the short-term. And NPR's Shannon Bond looks at how one growing social media site is dealing with new attention and new challenges.
Additional reporting in this episode from NPR's Bobby Allyn, who's reported on the removal of Parler by Amazon Web Services.
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Kate Starbird with the University of Washington explains why it's easier to see the effects of deplatforming in the short-term. And NPR's Shannon Bond looks at how one growing social media site is dealing with new attention and new challenges.
Additional reporting in this episode from NPR's Bobby Allyn, who's reported on the removal of Parler by Amazon Web Services.
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Short Wave - The Surprising History of Handwashing
Washing your hands. It's one of the easiest and most effective things you can do to protect yourself from the coronavirus, the flu, and other respiratory illnesses. But there was a time when that wasn't so obvious. Dana Tulodziecki, a professor at Purdue University, tells the story of Ignaz Semmelweis, the scientist who's credited with discovering the importance of handwashing. We'll hear how he figured it out and why there's more to the story. (Encore episode)
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Consider This from NPR - ‘We Have To Stop Rewarding Obstruction:’ Will Democrats Nuke The Filibuster?
Adam Jentleson knows firsthand how powerful a tool the filibuster can be — and what's possible without it. He was deputy chief of staff to former Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, who was majority leader in 2013 when Democrats exercised "the nuclear option," eliminating the filibuster for presidential appointees.
Now, Jentleson and a growing number of Democrats argue Senate leaders should eliminate the filibuster for legislation, which would enable Democrats to pass major legislation with a simple Senate majority, instead of the current 60-vote threshold. Jentleson lays out his argument in a recent book, Kill Switch: The Rise of the Modern Senate and the Crippling of American Democracy.
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Now, Jentleson and a growing number of Democrats argue Senate leaders should eliminate the filibuster for legislation, which would enable Democrats to pass major legislation with a simple Senate majority, instead of the current 60-vote threshold. Jentleson lays out his argument in a recent book, Kill Switch: The Rise of the Modern Senate and the Crippling of American Democracy.
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Short Wave - A Pesky Rumble: Pink Bollworms Vs. Cotton Farmers
The pink bollworm — an invasive species that plagues cotton farmers around the world — has been successfully eradicated from much of the U.S. and Mexico. Eradication campaigns rarely work, but this one did. NPR food and farming reporter Dan Charles gives us the play-by-play to how it took two concurrent approaches to eradicate this devastating pest.
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Consider This from NPR - BONUS: Breathe
Breathing is essential to life. And lately, the safety of the air we inhale, or the need to pause and take a deep breath, is on our minds a lot. In this episode of NPR's TED Radio Hour, we explore the power of breath.
Guests include former world champion freediver Tanya Streeter, journalist Beth Gardiner, activist Yvette Arellano, paleontologist Emma Schachner, scent historian Caro Verbeek and mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe.
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Guests include former world champion freediver Tanya Streeter, journalist Beth Gardiner, activist Yvette Arellano, paleontologist Emma Schachner, scent historian Caro Verbeek and mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe.
Listen to TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts, including NPR One, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts and Spotify.
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Consider This from NPR - ‘Battlefield Medicine’ In Los Angeles ICU As Biden Launches ‘Wartime Effort’
More than 400,000 Americans have been killed by the coronavirus. That's more Americans than were killed in all of World War II, President Biden pointed out this week. He calls his new plan to fight the pandemic a "wartime effort."
That effort begins with taking charge of a bottlenecked vaccine rollout. NPR pharmaceutical correspondent Sydney Lupkin reports on several factors that are slowing the process down. And NPR's Yuki Noguchi explores why it may take some time for pharmacies to become major vaccine distribution sites.
The need for more vaccine is a national story, but the wait is especially excruciating in Los Angeles. NPR's Leila Fadel visited one hospital pushed to the brink, where doctors compare their work to "battlefield medicine."
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That effort begins with taking charge of a bottlenecked vaccine rollout. NPR pharmaceutical correspondent Sydney Lupkin reports on several factors that are slowing the process down. And NPR's Yuki Noguchi explores why it may take some time for pharmacies to become major vaccine distribution sites.
The need for more vaccine is a national story, but the wait is especially excruciating in Los Angeles. NPR's Leila Fadel visited one hospital pushed to the brink, where doctors compare their work to "battlefield medicine."
In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
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