Viewpoints

Sit down with Viewpoints each week as we report on social issues, the environment, history, food – you name it. What’s it like to give birth in prison? Could the plague resurface with climate change? How has politics been permanently reshaped by the Trump era? Candid stories on topics you should know, plus Culture Crash – a three-minute recap on a timely topic in media to keep you up-to-date on all things music, TV and film. Hosted by Marty Peterson, Gary Price, Ebony McMorris, Evan Rook and produced by Amirah Zaveri. New shows posted each Sunday by 5 a.m. EST. Subscribe and listen, and find out more info at viewpointsradio.org. Also, follow us on X & Instagram @ViewpointsRadio.

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Episodes

• Why More Retirees Are Choosing This Option

  Sunday, July 13, 2025

  10 minutes

  As inflation and housing costs rise across the U.S., a growing number of retirees are looking beyond the border for a more affordable lifestyle. We speak with a couple enjoying their retirement in Ecuador, and a longtime expat who made the move more than two decades ago. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/why-more-retirees-are-choosing-this-option Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Why Are All Major U.S. Cities Sinking?

  Sunday, July 13, 2025

  10 minutes

  Across the U.S. and around the world, major cities are slowly sinking. This phenomenon—called land subsidence—is driven by groundwater overuse, rapid urban development and is intensified by climate change. In this segment, experts Tom Parsons and Pietro Teatini break down what’s causing the ground to drop, why it’s happening faster in some places than others, and what can be done to slow or manage the damage before it’s too late. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/why-are-all-major-u-s-cities-sinking Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Viewpoints Explained: Afghanistan, Four Years On: What’s Left For Women Under Taliban Rule?

  Wednesday, July 9, 2025

  3 minutes

  Since the Taliban’s return, Afghan women have vanished from public life—barred from school, work, and many public places. As individual rights and economic prosperity continue to erode, many Afghans are living in a homeland that no longer feels like home. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/viewpoints-explained-afghanistan-four-years-on-whats-left-for-women-under-taliban-rule Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Culture Crash: James Gunn’s Superman: The Hero The Dc Universe Desperately Needs

  Wednesday, July 9, 2025

  4 minutes

  Warner Bros. and DC Comics have handed James Gunn the keys to Superman. Will it be a success? Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/culture-crash-wheres-the-song-of-the-summer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Burning Year-Round: The New Reality Of Firefighting In America

  Sunday, July 6, 2025

  12 minutes

  As wildfire season stretches into winter and blazes burn hotter and faster than ever, former firefighter Kelly Ramsey reflects on her time battling fires during California’s brutal 2020 and 2021 season. She shares her candid experience with us of what it’s like to fight fire in a system that’s breaking under its own weight. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/burning-year-round-the-new-reality-of-firefighting-in-america Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Highways To Displacement: The Hidden History Of Urban Renewal

  Sunday, July 6, 2025

  8 minutes

  It looked like progress—new highways, modern bridges—but in cities across America, those blueprints masked something else entirely. In Detroit and beyond, entire Black neighborhoods were destroyed, and communities were split by concrete. We uncover the deeper implications of transportation policy in the mid 1900’s and how cities today are trying to get back to these once-connected and diverse communities. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/highways-to-displacement-the-hidden-history-of-urban-renewal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Culture Crash: Where’s The Song Of The Summer?

  Wednesday, July 2, 2025

  3 minutes

  By this time last year, the charts were packed with new pop powerhouses. But this year the usual summer music buzz feels oddly quiet. We look at what’s behind the pop music slowdown. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/culture-crash-wheres-the-song-of-the-summer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Viewpoints Explained: What Juneteenth Reveals About American History

  Wednesday, July 2, 2025

  3 minutes

  Juneteenth marks the true end of slavery in the U.S., but its meaning runs deeper than just a date. We uncover how the holiday came to be and its significance today. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/viewpoints-explained-what-juneteenth-reveals-about-american-history Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Harvard University Vs. President Donald Trump: Inside The Upheaval In Higher Education

  Sunday, June 29, 2025

  10 minutes

  A high-stakes legal fight is unfolding between Harvard University and the current administration. At the center: international students, federal funding and questions about free speech on campus. We look at how one of the country’s top schools became a political flashpoint—and what’s at stake beyond the Ivy League. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/harvard-university-vs-president-donald-trump-inside-the-upheaval-in-higher-education Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• America’s Deep Ties To The Rise Of Fast Food

  Sunday, June 29, 2025

  10 minutes

  From McDonald’s to Taco Bell, fast food is in nearly every American town and city —but how did we get here, and what does our obsession with speed and convenience say about our culture? We trace the rise of fast food and explore its broader impact on health, business, and the American family. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/americas-deep-ties-to-the-rise-of-fast-food Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Culture Crash: Stephen King’s Most Unexpected Movie Yet

  Wednesday, June 25, 2025

  3 minutes

  The Life of Chuck is a rare, heartfelt Stephen King adaptation that traces one man’s life in reverse. Directed by Mike Flanagan, it swaps horror for hope, and we review why it’s a must see this summer. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/culture-crash-stephen-kings-most-unexpected-movie-yet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Viewpoints Explained: Sinking Cities: What’s Causing The Ground To Drop

  Wednesday, June 25, 2025

  3 minutes

  A new study finds that America’s largest cities are sinking each year. We cover what’s really behind this change and why it’s an urgent issue affecting millions. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/viewpoints-explained-sinking-cities-whats-causing-the-ground-to-drop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• The Push To Improve Youth Mental Health Care

  Sunday, June 22, 2025

  9 minutes

  More than one third of collegiate athletes have experienced a mental illness at some point in their lives. We speak with Dr. Julie Amato, a sports psychologist, about the prevalence of mental health disorders among young athletes and what’s being done to improve support services and get rid of stigma both on and off-campus. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/the-push-to-improve-youth-mental-health-care Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• “They Called It Healthcare. We Called It Survival.”

  Sunday, June 22, 2025

  11 minutes

  Incarcerated people are legally entitled to healthcare, but are often met with delays, denials and bias. Former prisoner Chanell Burnette and researcher Brian Nam-Sonenstein reveal how cost-cutting, secrecy, and for-profit contractors are putting lives at risk inside U.S. prisons. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/they-called-it-healthcare-we-called-it-survival Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Culture Crash: Love Movies? Why You Should Get On Letterboxd

  Wednesday, June 18, 2025

  3 minutes

  We review the online platform, Letterboxd. Think Goodreads - but for movies instead. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/culture-crash-love-movies-why-you-should-get-on-letterboxd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Viewpoints Explained: The Sneaky Ways In Which We Overcaffeinate

  Wednesday, June 18, 2025

  3 minutes

  Over the past two decades, caffeine levels have continued to creep higher and higher. We cover how much hidden caffeine is packed inside many of these newer energy drinks and the consequences of being overly caffeinated. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/viewpoints-explained-the-sneaky-ways-in-which-we-overcaffeinate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Is Artificial Intelligence Destroying Education?

  Sunday, June 15, 2025

  10 minutes

  As the use of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT become common in schools, teachers are grappling with a steep rise in student cheating and declining engagement. We discuss AI’s real-world impact on learning, from eroded writing and reading comprehension skills to broader ethical and societal concerns. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/is-artificial-intelligence-destroying-education Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• How A Single Mother In Boston Sparked A Political Empire

  Sunday, June 15, 2025

  10 minutes

  Many would argue that the Kennedy family is an American cultural and political dynasty. From former President John F. Kennedy to past Kennedy’s that have served as senators, ambassadors and in other high ranking government positions, the name today still signifies power and prestige. We cover the long history of the Kennedy reign and how this name continues to persist today. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/how-a-single-mother-in-boston-sparked-a-political-empire Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Viewpoints Explained: The Quiet Shift Happening Before Weddings This Summer

  Wednesday, June 11, 2025

  3 minutes

  Weddings come with a long checklist—venue, catering, flowers, music and so on. But an increasing number of couples are adding something unexpected to this list. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/viewpoints-explained-the-quiet-shift-happening-before-weddings-this-summer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Culture Crash: Death Rides Again In “Final Destination: Bloodlines”

  Wednesday, June 11, 2025

  3 minutes

  It’s not your typical horror franchise—and that’s exactly the point. Final Destination is back yet again, and this time has more elaborate deaths, unexpected nostalgia and a familiar question: can anyone really cheat death? Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/culture-crash-death-rides-again-in-final-destination-bloodlines Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Erased: The Untold Story Of Native Children In U.S. Boarding Schools

  Sunday, June 8, 2025

  9 minutes

  For several decades, Native families passed down quiet, painful stories about children taken, languages lost and lives upended. Journalist and citizen of the Red Cliff Ojibwe Tribe Mary Annette Pember heard them too, but it wasn’t until she went digging through church archives that these and countless other stories were brought to the surface. This week, we trace the dark hidden history of Native American boarding schools in a post-Civil War America. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/erased-the-untold-story-of-native-children-in-u-s-boarding-schools Learn more about your ad choices....

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• The Surprising Science Of What We Regret Most

  Sunday, June 8, 2025

  11 minutes

  Ever wish that you could turn back time and choose differently? Everyone’s been there at one point or another. Regret is an all-too-common feeling that’s part of life| but it’s what we learn from our mistakes that matters. Writer Daniel Pink joins us this week to break down the intricacies of this emotion and what so many people get wrong about regret. https://viewpointsradio.org/the-surprising-science-of-what-we-regret-most Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Culture Crash: Bon Iver Breaks The Pattern In His Newest Album

  Wednesday, June 4, 2025

  4 minutes

  Bon Iver has made heartbreak an art form — but his latest album flips the script in a way that listeners aren’t expecting. We cover how we feel about this newest drop titled, “Sable, Fable”. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/culture-crash-bon-iver-breaks-the-pattern-in-his-newest-album Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Viewpoints Explained: The Secret Timing Of Cicadas

  Wednesday, June 4, 2025

  3 minutes

  Last summer, the ground erupted in sound. What caused this rare, deafening phenomenon — and how do cicadas know when it’s time to emerge after several years underground? Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/viewpoints-explained-the-secret-timing-of-cicadas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• When The Sentence Ends, The Struggle Begins

  Sunday, June 1, 2025

  10 minutes

  For tens of millions of former prisoners, freedom comes with a steep price — social stigma, debt, and systemic barriers to employment. We dive into the challenges this population faces when reentering society, and how a new wave of “second chance” hiring is creating meaningful change in the workforce. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/when-the-sentence-ends-the-struggle-begins Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• When Therapy Isn’t Enough: How Life Coaches Help You Rewrite The Playbook

  Sunday, June 1, 2025

  10 minutes

  Burnout, anxiety, and identity crises—sometimes therapy alone isn’t enough. This episode explores the transformative role of life coaching through the lens of Mason Farmani, a high-powered executive who realized success wasn’t the same as fulfillment. We break down makes life coaching different, what to look for in a credible coach, and why self-awareness—not job titles—is the real foundation of a meaningful life. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/when-therapy-isnt-enough-how-life-coaches-help-you-rewrite-the-playbook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• One on One: Author Hayley Campbell delves into all things death.

  Friday, May 30, 2025

  22 minutes

  In this podcast-exclusive episode, you'll hear the original interview audio between Viewpoints Radio producer Polly Hansen and BBC correspondent and author of "All the Living and the Dead" Hayley Campbell. The two have a conversation about the nuances of working within the death industry and all of the invisible roles within this field that people aren't as familiar with. They also talk about how death is viewed in the U.S. and why - unlike other cultures - people tend to distance themselves from the post-mortem body. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Viewpoints Explained: Alcatraz: Prison, Museum… Or Political Symbol?

  Wednesday, May 28, 2025

  3 minutes

  Earlier this month, former President Donald Trump called for the reopening of Alcatraz as a federal prison. But what would that take? We explore the history, cost, legal hurdles, and political undertones behind the proposal—and why the idea may not be as straightforward as it sounds. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/viewpoints-explained-alcatraz-prison-museum-or-political-symbo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Culture Crash: Ryan Coogler’s “SINNERS” & The Rise Of The Original Blockbuster

  Wednesday, May 28, 2025

  4 minutes

  With Sinners, Ryan Coogler moves beyond franchises to deliver a bold, original film that’s part musical, part horror, and entirely unforgettable. We look at how this ambitious story set in 1930s Mississippi is winning over critics and audiences alike. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/culture-crash-ryan-cooglers-sinners-the-rise-of-the-original-blockbuster Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Headline Stress Disorder Is Real – Are You Stuck In The Doom Loop?

  Sunday, May 25, 2025

  11 minutes

  We’re more connected to the news than ever—but at what cost? We explore how the modern media environment is reshaping our mental space, and what happens when it becomes harder to look away than to stay informed. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/headline-stress-disorder-is-real-are-you-stuck-in-the-doom-loop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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