Bob Collins
Thursday May 16, 2019
(Subject to change as events dictate. This page is updated throughout the day.)
9 a.m. – MPR News with Kerri Miller (Rebroadcast)
Is American democracy in danger? The answer likely depends on your political leanings. Today at 9 am, we’re taking a step back from the fighting in Washington and checking in on the overall health of American democracy. First, we’ll discuss who sets the moral tone for the nation, followed by a shorter discussion on the mechanisms that keep people in power accountable.
Guests:Sister Simone Campbell, Executive director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; Elizabeth Cobbs, professor of history at Texas A & M University
10 a.m.- 1A with Joshua Johnson
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders started out as an underdog when he ran for president against Hillary Clinton. In 2015, he launched his campaign outside the Capitol and said he had to keep it brief because he needed to get back to work. But now, he’s out in front, flying around the country and polling behind Vice President Joe Biden nationwide.
Guests: Sen. Bernie Sanders, member, U.S. Senate (I-Vt.); author of “The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class.”
11 a.m. – MPR News with Angela Davis (Rebroadcast)
Minnesota native Michele Norris was in St. Paul this past March as part of former first lady Michelle Obama’s book tour. She joined Obama on stage at the Xcel Energy Center.
Norris is a superstar in her own right. She grew up in Minneapolis and graduated from the University of Minnesota before moving on to become an award-winning journalist with a national audience.
Angela Davis spoke with Norris about growing up in Minnesota, her new ventures at the Aspen Institute, and race in America.
12 p.m. – MPR News Presents
MPR mental health reporter Alisa Roth’s keynote address, given last month at a mental health conference held at Hamline University. Alisa Roth is the author of a new book, “Insane: America’s Criminal Treatment of Mental Illness.”
1 p.m. – The Takeaway
This Friday marks the 65th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision, Brown vs. The Board of Education. According to a study out this month from UCLA and Penn State, 65 years after Brown v. Board, school segregation in America is actually getting worse.
This week, San Francisco banned the use of facial recognition software by police and other city departments. It is the first U.S. city to outlaw this technology that has been developing quickly and alarming privacy and civil rights advocates.
Disney is taking full control over the streaming service Hulu, the latest move by the company in this space, which plans the launch of Disney plus in the fall. The Takeaway looks at Disney’s reach and its many tentacles: how much of the entertainment world it is currently controlling, who is making the decisions at the helm, how it got to this point, and who its competitors are.
Today is the premiere of the podcast Truth Be Told, hosted by Tonya Mosley. It’s an advice show made by and for people of color. The Takeaway talks to her about what she says is a glaring oversight found throughout most mainstream advice columns.
2 p.m. – BBC NewsHour
The Trump administration ramps up the pressure on the Chinese technology firm Huawei; China calls the US a bully; the row between Canada and the Philippines over rotting waste; the fight against snakebite deaths around the world.
3 p.m. – All Things Considered
Fifteen years ago, Hillary and Julie Goodridge became the face of same-sex marriage. They separated two years after they won the right to marry. They say the fight took too great a toll on their relationship.
Also: Trump’s immigration plan, the abortion law of Alabama and the Tiny Desk Concert contest winner.
6:00 p.m. – Marketplace
A conversation with the founder of Latina Magazine. Over two decades ago Latina Magazine was one of the first American magazines to target the Latina audience and its founder went on to make diversity in Hollywood and in pop culture her career.
6:30 p.m. – The Daily
We talked to a farmer and a truck manufacturer who have supported President Trump about how his tariffs affect their businesses.
7 p.m. – The World
The US stance on the Chinese tech giant Huawei has sharpened, with an executive order from President Trump essentially cutting the company out of building America’s 5G communications network – for security reasons. We’ll look at how this move could impact consumers, and whether our future devices will actually be any more secure because of it.
Meanwhile, the triangulation between the US, Canada and China over Huawei also intensified this week. A Huawei executive remains under house arrest in Vancouver, where she’s fighting extradition to the United States. We’ll get an update on how that case connects to the arrest of Canadian citizens in China.
Also, schools in Mexico City are shut down today – because of the terrible air quality in the city this week. Authorities are advising residents to stay literally avoid breathing outdoors. Reporter Emily Green gives us an asthma-sufferer’s take on living with dense smoke and smog in the Mexican capital.
Plus, here in the US, we’re just entering the dawn of harnessing the ocean winds for power. But in northern Europe, the offshore wind business booming. And Britain, which has become a hub of offshore wind expertise, wants to share its knowledge with places like New Bedford, Massachusetts. The World’s Jason Margolis has that story.
8 p.m. – Fresh Air (Dave Davies hosts)
Investigative journalist Katherine Eban is the author of the new book “Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom.” She writes about the boom in the manufacturing of generic drugs, and how many of the generic drugs we take come from factories in India and China and are often unsafe and ineffective. Drugs can be contaminated, or the drugs can have altered ingredients. Companies gave regulators fake quality reports. She also writes that the FDA took too long to react. Eban spent 10 years researching her book. She is a contributor to Fortune magazine and has written for Vanity Fair, The New York Times, and The Nation.
