On Point | Podcast - podcast cover

On Point | Podcast

Hosted by Meghna Chakrabarti, On Point is a unique, curiosity-driven combination of original reporting, newsmaker interviews, first-person stories, and in-depth analysis, making the world more intelligible and humane. When the world is more complicated than ever, we aim to make sense of it together. On Point is produced by WBUR.

Episodes

The limits of the surveillance state

The New York Police Department says it utilizes the largest networks of cameras, license plate readers and radiological sensors in the world. So, how did the UnitedHealthcare CEO’s alleged killer manage to escape the city before his arrest in Pennsylvania?

Dec 16, 202448 min

The Jackpod: Union made

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer and what that could mean for American workers.

Dec 13, 202432 min

What Trump’s crypto embrace means for the U.S.

Trump has said America should have its own Bitcoin stockpile and even created his own cryptocurrency company. Crypto fans are cheering the incoming administration, but others worry this could be a dangerous scam.

Dec 13, 202447 min

Inside America's homeless encampment sweeps

Homelessness is on the rise. So are encampment sweeps. What does this mean for our cities and the people living on their streets? It’s our latest collaboration with the investigative newsroom, ProPublica.

Dec 12, 202447 min

The conservative case for labor in America

Conservative politics and labor advocacy don't often go hand in hand, unless you are columnist Sohrab Ahmari. Ahmari says conservative politicians have the chance to change material conditions for workers. And labor advocates have the chance to forge a new political path.

Dec 11, 202447 min

Six hours under martial law in South Korea

South Korea recently declared and then lifted martial law for the first time in more than 40 years. What led to it -- and what it tells us about the state of democracy in a key U.S. ally.

Dec 09, 202447 min

Why U.S. overdose deaths are dropping

For the first time in decades, drug overdose deaths are decreasing in the U.S. Federal data show a roughly 15% drop from 2023 to 2024. What's driving the decline?

Dec 06, 202447 min

Trump, authoritarianism, and what Americans think makes a good leader

Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat was one of many who warned about Trump and his authoritarian leanings. But this didn’t seem to matter for the nearly 77 million Americans who voted for him. What conversations about authoritarianism should we be having in the U.S.?

Dec 02, 202447 min

The big promises — and hidden challenges — of AI

Developers of Artificial Intelligence have made big promises about how transformational AI will be. But what it can really deliver may be something else — and that difference could impact your life.

Nov 27, 202447 min

Trump promised tax-free Social Security. Is it too good to be true?

President-elect Donald Trump has promised tax-free Social Security benefits. No taxes mean more money for individuals – but fewer funds going into the Social Security pool. A look inside how Social Security really works to figure out how best to save it.

Nov 26, 202447 min

The unregulated boom in the 'buy now, pay later' market

Rebroadcast: 'Buy now, pay later' loans for just about everything are growing. But there’s barely any data or regulation on this emerging market. Are consumers being helped or hurt by this new lending option?

Nov 26, 202445 min

How to become a 'supercommunicator'

Rebroadcast: As humans, we have conversations all the time. But research shows we actually aren’t very good at communicating. Journalist Charles Duhigg shows us not only how to become a communicator -- but a 'supercommunicator.'

Nov 26, 202448 min

Silicon Valley’s reign over tech, money and politics

Who are America's new oligarchs? They're pouring billions of dollars into politics, have the ear of the president-elect and control an endless stream of your data. Now that confluence of tech, money, and politics is making Silicon Valley tech titans the most powerful people in America.

Nov 25, 202447 min

Surviving in the ruins of northern Gaza

Humanitarian aid for Palestinians in northern Gaza is the lowest it's been in more than a year. People on the ground in Gaza share what, and who, could change the scale of civilian suffering.

Nov 20, 202447 min

What can we learn from North Carolina's elections?

Donald Trump won North Carolina. But Democrats in the state swept every major executive branch race, including governor, and broke the Republican supermajority in the statehouse. What explains this split?

Nov 18, 202447 min

How to get Americans excited about voting again

Millions of voters who turned out in 2020 didn't show up this year. Why they stayed home or left the top of the ticket blank -- and how we might reinvigorate Americans' belief in voting.

Nov 15, 202447 min

Starr County and the new politics of Texas border communities

Starr County, Texas is 97% Latino. For more than 130 years the County voted for Democrats. Until last week. In fact, Starr County has been swinging right for the past 8 years, with a 75-point shift to Republicans since 2016. What's motivating Latino voters in Starr County to back Republicans over Democrats?

Nov 14, 202447 min

The Second Battle of Fallujah, 20 years later

This month marks 20 years since the start of the bloodiest battle of the Iraq War. Marines who were on the ground share their stories and the two-decade long struggle to heal.

Nov 13, 202447 min
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