Weekly Program Highlights
Friday 11/6
NOON – 1:00 PM
Fresh Air… This week on Fresh Air, remember Sir Patrick Stewart. After decades with the Royal Shakespeare Company, he became famous for his role as Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. TV critic David Bianculli will also have a tribute, and listen back to a 2020 interview with Stewart.
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Science Friday… This week on Science Friday, find out what scientists are learning about fundamental physics after trapping antimatter particles for months to study them. Plus, a writer turned the tiny dramas unfolding in her backyard into a best seller, The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year. Small tweaks to her yard led to big changes in how she saw nature.
2:30 – 3:00 PM
Today, Explained… The United States had its election recently, but what about the one promised to Venezuela? The Trump administration has had little progress in establishing democracy but has had the resources to collect oil from the country. This week on Today, Explained, hear how the Venezuelan people feel about it.
4:00 – 4:30 PM
Marketplace… Foreign ownership of US debt skyrocked in the '90s and early aughts because the US was importing a ton of goods and foreign countries had greenbacks to spend. Take a look at why foreign demand for US debt is now stalling.
6:30 – 7:30 PM
The Club McKenzie… The Craze: An unusual number of short-lived national obsessions manifested in the 1920s, like the Charleston, for one. One common explanation is that radio, newspapers, and the movies let a stunt in one city become news everywhere within days, which turned local novelties into national fads. This show highlights the best-known crazes, with the circumstances that fed each one.
Saturday 11/7
10:00 – 11:00 AM
Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!… This week on Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!, the panelists are Adam Felber, Brian Babylon, and Joyelle Nicole Johnson. Plus, Sterlin Harjo, creator of Reservation Dogs and The Lowdown, stops by to chat and play Not My Job.
11:00 – NOON
Radiolab… Could parasites be the shadowy hands that pull the strings of life? This week on Radiolab, explore nature's moochers, with tales of lethargic farmers, zombie cockroaches, and even mind-controlled humans. And, examine claims that some parasites may actually be good for you.
3:00 – 5:00 PM
American Routes… This week on American Routes, pay tribute to the late Fats Domino with Imperial releases by the New Orleans piano man. Also, hear the Fat Man’s reflective side in a rare 2007 conversation with him about escaping Hurricane Katrina’s floodwaters and how his faith saw him through. Plus, blues harp player Billy Boy Arnold talks about South Side Chicago’s early rhythm and blues scene, and Fats Domino’s role in pushing Black music across the color line into what would become rock ‘n’ roll.
Sunday 11/8
10:00 – 11:00 AM
Hidden Brain… Most of us have ideas about what we’re looking for in a romantic partner. But psychologist Paul Eastwick says these preferences are surprisingly poor guides for finding love. This week, Hidden Brain explains why attraction is so difficult to predict, and what the research suggests is the best way to meet someone you'll connect with.
11:00 – NOON
This American Life… This week on This American Life, the doomed project of trying to translate what’s in your head into someone else’s head.
NOON – 2:00 PM
Sunday Baroque… November 3rd is Culture Day, a national holiday in Japan that celebrates the love of peace and freedom through cultural activities. Music plays an important cultural role in Japan. This week on Sunday Baroque, hear performances by musicians of Japanese heritage, including an internationally renowned Bach expert and a father/daughter lute duo.
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!… This week on Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!, the panelists are Adam Felber, Brian Babylon, and Joyelle Nicole Johnson. Plus, Sterlin Harjo, creator of Reservation Dogs and The Lowdown, stops by to chat and play Not My Job.
3:00 – 4:00 PM
Latino USA… This week on Latino USA, Maria Hinojosa talks with María Teresa Kumar, CEO of Voto Latino, and Mike Madrid, a Republican political consultant, about the top issues for Latino voters in the midterm election. Then, the La Brega podcast team explores the Puerto Rican landscape to tune in to the natural and wildlife sounds that could be lost if the controversial luxury complex, Esencia, is built.
4:00 – 5:00 PM
Reveal… A Black veteran on his way home from World War II was beaten blind by an unknown police officer. Then, Orson Welles pledged to solve the case on his weekly radio show. This week on Reveal, learn how this little-known story led to the desegregation of the military.
6:00 – 7:00 PM
The Moth Radio Hour… This week on The Moth Radio Hour, hear a special episode to celebrate 25 years of The Moth StorySLAMs, an open-mic storytelling competition that welcomes anyone with a five-minute story to share on the night’s theme. In this hour, stories from six champions from across the globe.
Monday 11/9
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Veterans Day Special: What’s Ray Saying?… From the popular podcast What's Ray Saying? comes a Veterans Day special about what it really means to be a man and a provider, plus true stories about military life. Hosted by master storyteller Ray Christian, who has appeared on Snap Judgment and The Moth Radio Hour, among other shows.
2:30 – 3:00 PM
Today, Explained… Take a look at why President Trump may up the ante on the Iran war and downshift the US-Israel relationship in the wake of the midterm elections.
Tuesday 11/10
1:00 – 2:00 PM
The Reluctant Therapist… Tune in for a conversation with military veterans Chas and Liz Ruth about their years of service and the lives of military families who pass down their legacy and dedication to the country from generation to generation. Although only seven percent of the American population serves in the military, according to Army recruiters, roughly 70 to 80 percent of all current military recruits have an immediate or extended family member who served before them. Even those relatives who do not directly serve become part of the military experience in support of their family members.
2:30 – 3:00 PM
Today, Explained… Data centers took a drubbing in the midterms. Democrats have promised to regulate against AI, now they just have to figure out how.
Wednesday 11/11
1:00 – 1:30 PM
Bioneers… This week on Bioneers, Brett KenCairn, founding director of the Center for Regenerative Solutions, says solving the climate emergency requires a radical redirection. He says the key is looking to nature’s own solutions to help natural systems heal themselves.
1:30 – 2:00 PM
California Report Magazine… This week on California Report Magazine, the story begins when a former correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez was charged with assaulting 13 women inside a California prison. But when over 150 incarcerated women were marched into a mess hall and tear-gassed, they said it was payback for speaking up. KQED and Snap Studios investigate sexual assault and systemic retaliation behind prison walls.
2:30 – 3:00 PM
Today, Explained… Route 66 is a century old on November 11th. Explore why the iconic roadway is a symbol of an America that we’re both nostalgic for and quickly leaving behind.
6:30 – 8:00 PM
KCBX in Concert… This week on KCBX in Concert, join host Lisa Nauful for a journey through elegance and musical mastery in a special program featuring Mozart’s sparkling “Paris” Symphony alongside the sophistication of Haydn’s Symphony No. 88, to the beauty of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. One, and the charm of Schubert’s Symphony Number Five. This program culminates in the lush warmth of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings.
Thursday 11/12
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Central Coast Voices… With a Super El Niño coming this winter, how can we best prepare for weather and other emergencies? Central Coast Voices host Bettina Swigger talks to the people in charge of providing emergency services about ways every resident, business, and organization can prepare. Scott Jalbert from San Luis Obispo County and Joe Little from the City of San Luis Obispo discuss practical ways to get ready for the unexpected.
Friday 11/13
6:30 – 7:30 PM
The Club McKenzie… A Decisive Shift: In the early days of jazz, Chicago was the accessible gateway out of the South, but New York City was the true record-making hub. This week on The Club McKenzie, Guy Rathbun traces the migration that shaped American music — from Fletcher Henderson setting the big band template at the Roseland Ballroom to classic cuts with Louis Armstrong. Don't miss this journey through jazz history.