What Next Plus

The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning.

News
751
TBD | Sam Bankman-Fried—and Crypto—on Trial
The government says FTX was a house of cards. SBF says it was just business.
29 min
752
Who Is Trump Without Trump Tower?
Trump’s latest trial has nothing to do with his stint in the White House. But it’s the legal peril that could hurt him the most.
22 min
753
The Fall of Kevin McCarthy
With a party like this, who needs an opposition?
22 min
754
Dianne Feinstein’s Replacement Is Here. Who Is ...
California governor Gavin Newsom selected EMILY’s List president, Laphonza Butler.
19 min
755
Where the Supreme Court Can Do the Most Damage
How a decision on “Chevron deference” could bring the federal government’s day-to-day functioning to a grinding halt.
21 min
756
TBD | Inside Crypto's House of Cards
This week, Sam Bankman-Fried goes on trial. The entire crypto industry will be watching.
31 min
757
TBD | Who Will Pay For A COVID Vaccine?
The government is no longer footing the bill for the COVID vaccine. What does that mean for access?
27 min
758
TBD | Is Amazon a Monopoly?
How the FTC’s case against the e-commerce giant could change everything about how you shop.
25 min
759
Can Marriage Fix America?
Why is this institution being touted as an economic cure-all?
20 min
760
Wait, China’s Taking Our Pandas Back?
A story of soft (and cuddly) power.
27 min
761
The Writer’s Strike Is Over: Who Won?
A tentative agreement has been reached between the studios and the writers’ guild. But what about the actors?
23 min
762
Rupert Murdoch and the Future of Fox
The audience that the network cultivated is now leaving it behind.
25 min
763
TBD | What Instacart’s IPO Means for Tech
After years of post-pandemic turmoil, Instacart managed to do something rare in the gig economy - turn a profit.
23 min
764
TBD | Did AirBnB Need to Go?
Short-term rentals are getting blamed for a lack of affordable housing. Is that fair?
21 min
765
The Case For Harm Reduction—And Beyond
Getting community support means addressing community needs.
29 min
766
How Wisconsin is a “Laboratory for Destroying D...
State Republicans are trying to cling to power—no matter what the electorate says.
25 min
767
The UAW Enters the Ring
Why auto workers are walking off the job now.
24 min
768
McCarthy’s Impeaching Biden to Keep His Job
The speaker is forever at the whim of the Freedom Caucus.
20 min
769
TBD | Can Politicians Keep Kids Safe Online?
At a time when lawmakers operate from wildly different standards of children’s “safety”, who can be trusted to regulate the internet?
27 min
770
TBD | Google Makes Its Case
The U.S. claims that Google monopolized search. Google claims the competition is just “a click away.”
29 min
771
The Case Against Harm Reduction
A safe consumption site is at odds with area homeowners’ vision for the neighborhood.
28 min
772
Fighting “Disaster Fatigue”
Natural disasters exact a mental toll—from the front lines of the recovery to those experiencing it second-hand.
20 min
773
How DeSantis Turned New College into a Circus
The conservative vision of education comes down on a Florida liberal arts school.
23 min
774
Prison for the Proud Boys. Now What?
What do the harsh sentences for January 6th mean for right-wing extremism?
21 min
775
This American Life: The Call
A journey into the opioid epidemic via an overdose hotline.
61 min