A Public Affair - podcast cover

A Public Affair

Douglas Haynes, Ali Muldrow, Carousel Bayrd, Allen Ruff, & Esty Dinurwww.wortfm.org
Listener Sponsored Community Radio in Madison, WI
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Episodes

Middle East Expert puts US Bombing of Iran in Perspective

Norman Stockwell sits in for Allen Ruff today to debrief with Annelle Sheline of the Quincy Institute. They talk about Trump's decision to bomb Iran and the history of the US’s intervention in the Middle East that got us here today. The post Middle East Expert puts US Bombing of Iran in Perspective appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jul 03, 202554 min

A Win for Reproductive Freedom in Wisconsin

To talk about the status of reproductive rights, host Ali Muldrow is joined by Analiese Eicher of Planned Parenthood, Wisconsin. The post A Win for Reproductive Freedom in Wisconsin appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jul 02, 202553 min

When progressive ideas about government became anti-American

Christina Lieffring speaks with Clay Risen about his new book, Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America, in which he shows that the movement was much bigger than one industry or one man. The post When progressive ideas about government became anti-American appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jul 01, 202553 min

Rural Communities in Alaska Face Down Climate Change

To talk about the ways that climate change is affecting rural communities in Alaska, host Douglas Haynes is joined by ProPublica and KYUK journalist, Emily Schwing. The post Rural Communities in Alaska Face Down Climate Change appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 30, 202554 min

Addressing Housing from the Ground Up

Often we’re presented with a very top-down picture of civic infrastructure, but Danny Parker reports from the front lines and focuses on the lived realities of the most vulnerable in our communities. The post Addressing Housing from the Ground Up appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 27, 202552 min

This War is about Oil

Zoltán Grossman reminds listeners that 1953 was the beginning of the antagonism between the US and Iran and that the oil industry has always driven the US’s involvement in the Middle East. The post This War is about Oil appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 26, 202553 min

Lessons from Youth Poets

To talk about the experiences of youth impacted by the justice system, host Ali Muldrow welcomes back to the show Victor Trillo Jr. and Amy Friedman, to talk about the collection, Home and Away. The post Lessons from Youth Poets appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 25, 202554 min

The Ongoing Violence of US Empire

On today’s show, host Sara Gabler speaks with Stephen Zunes and Negin Owliaei about the rapidly developing situation in Iran. The post The Ongoing Violence of US Empire appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 24, 202553 min

State Budget Roundtable with Jessie Opoien and JR Ross

To make sense of the state budget process, host Douglas Haynes is joined by two veteran journalists, Jessie Opoien and JR Ross. The post State Budget Roundtable with Jessie Opoien and JR Ross appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 23, 202554 min

How Banality Enables Evil

On today’s show, host Esty Dinur speaks with two guests--Elizabeth Minnich and Sam Husseini--about Israel’s actions against Palestinians and now Iran. The post How Banality Enables Evil appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 20, 202553 min

Analyzing the LA protests with Truthout reporter Schuyler Mitchell

Schuyler Mitchell breaks down the recent events in LA, from the growing impunity of ICE and the National Guard to the increasing authoritarianism of the Trump administration. The post Analyzing the LA protests with Truthout reporter Schuyler Mitchell appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 19, 202553 min

Adding Tears to the Sparkle of Pride

Ali Muldrow celebrates Pride month with two guests in the studio: Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford and Alder Sean O’Brian, who both serve Madison’s east side. The post Adding Tears to the Sparkle of Pride appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 18, 202553 min

Youth-Centered Spaces Are Missing in Madison

Sabrina Madison speaks with two local leaders, Justice Castañeda and Rosa Thompson, about an issue that many folks overlook: the lack of teen-centered spaces in Dane County, especially for Black youth. The post Youth-Centered Spaces Are Missing in Madison appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 17, 202552 min

Fostering Food Justice and Outdoor Education

Host Douglas Haynes speaks with three organizers of the Nourishing Minds, Sustaining Futures Summit about the event's speakers, workshops, and the importance of environmental education. The post Fostering Food Justice and Outdoor Education appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 16, 202553 min

LA Stands Up for Immigrants’ Rights

Bill Gallegos and Aquilina Soriano Versoza highlight the work of immigrant rights activists in light of the ongoing ICE raids in Los Angeles. The post LA Stands Up for Immigrants’ Rights appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 13, 202554 min

How Aid is Being Weaponized in Gaza

Allen Ruff speaks with friend of the show, Mouin Rabbani, about Yasser Abu Shabab, the continuing genocide in Gaza, the chaos created by US-backed aid organizations, and more. The post How Aid is Being Weaponized in Gaza appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 12, 2025

A Safe, Decent, Affordable Home for Everyone

Matvei Mozhaev speaks with Maria Foscarinis, a principal architect of the 1987 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the first major piece of federal legislation to address homelessness. The post A Safe, Decent, Affordable Home for Everyone appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 11, 202552 min

What’s in Madison’s Water?

Greg Michaud interviews Joe Grande, the Water Resources Manager at Madison Water Utility. They discuss what’s in Madison’s drinking water and how consumers can have confidence in their tap water. The post What’s in Madison’s Water? appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 11, 2025

AI Data Centers are Coming to Wisconsin

Douglas Haynes unpacks the future of AI in the state of Wisconsin with Brett Korte and Lorena Jaume-Palasí. The post AI Data Centers are Coming to Wisconsin appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 10, 202553 min

Media in the time of the American Empire’s Decline

Economist Richard D. Wolff joins host Esty Dinur to talk about the state of the American empire and the state of independent media. The post Media in the time of the American Empire’s Decline appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 06, 202554 min

True Community is a Subversive Thing

Today Allen Ruff sits in the guest seat and is interviewed by Bert Zipperer about his life and the history of WORT. The post True Community is a Subversive Thing appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 05, 202554 min

Life Lived on the Edge of Freedom

Yuri Rashkin is joined by independent journalist Jonathan Fink to break down the recent development in the war in Ukraine. The post Life Lived on the Edge of Freedom appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 04, 202552 min

On the Morality of Taxpaying

On today’s show, host Sara Gabler speaks with sociologist Dr. Ruth Braunstein about money and morality and how people invest a lot of symbolic value (in addition to material value) in the act of tax paying. The post On the Morality of Taxpaying appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 03, 202553 min

Building Symbiotic Relationships with Beavers

Journalist Bennet Goldstein discusses the ways that people are living with beavers and learning how to mitigate floods and drought from them. The post Building Symbiotic Relationships with Beavers appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

Jun 02, 202554 min

Resisting Nuclear Energy in Wisconsin

On today’s show, host Esty Dinur is joined by two representatives from Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) to talk about the Point Beach Nuclear Reactor in Two Rivers, Wisconsin on Lake Michigan. The post Resisting Nuclear Energy in Wisconsin appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

May 30, 202553 min

An Update from Cuba

Allen Ruff speaks with three solidarity activists who recently returned from Cuba as part of a delegation to Santiago de Cuba called Levantate por Cuba. The post An Update from Cuba appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

May 29, 2025

Focus on Housing with Briarpatch Youth Services and Porchlight

As the average price of a home soars to ~$500K, the number of kids experiencing homelessness in Madison is growing. Today we’re picking up that theme with Karla Thennes of Porchlight and Jen Ripp of Briarpatch Youth Services. The post Focus on Housing with Briarpatch Youth Services and Porchlight appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

May 28, 202554 min

How Health Became a Luxury Product

Richelle Wilson is joined by journalist Amy Larocca to talk about the world of wellness and her new book, How to Be Well: Navigating Our Self-Care Epidemic, One Dubious Cure at a Time. The post How Health Became a Luxury Product appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

May 27, 202553 min

The Crises of Regional Colleges and Universities

Douglas Haynes is joined by journalist Molly Parker to talk about the erosion of educational access in rural areas and the value of regional universities. The post The Crises of Regional Colleges and Universities appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

May 26, 202553 min

“You can’t put the oil back in the pipeline”

On today’s show, host Esty Dinur is joined by two legal experts from Earthjustice–Andre Segura and Stefanie Tsosie–to talk about the Trump administration’s attacks on the environment. The post “You can’t put the oil back in the pipeline” appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9 .

May 23, 202553 min
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