What Next | Daily News and Analysis

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.


Get more of What Next with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of What Next and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/whatnextplus for access wherever you listen.

Daily News
News Commentary
Politics
751
TBD | Social Media’s Pivot from News
When it comes to natural disasters, getting the latest news via Twitter or Facebook is, well, disastrous.
25 min
752
TBD | Is LinkedIn...Cool Now?
Personal posts, influencers, and cultural cachet, all in a surprising place.
23 min
753
Best of 2023 | Fighting for the Right to Die
Her state didn’t allow terminally-ill patients the choice to end their lives—but Vermont did.
24 min
754
Best of 2023 | What Texas' Attacks on Trans Hea...
When Governor Abbott directed the state to investigate gender-affirming care as child abuse, trans kids and their families had to decide if Texas could still be home. Many left.
25 min
755
Best of 2023 | He Couldn’t Teach ‘Slavery Was W...
More teachers are quitting as a wave of restrictive legislation targets the nation’s educators.
26 min
756
Best of 2023 | The Diagnosis Was Fatal. She Cou...
Lauren Hall was traumatized by the lack of care. Then she got pregnant again and sued the state.
28 min
757
TBD | The Cost of "Sustainable" Pet Food
There's been a rise in high-end pet food, marketed as a healthy, environmentally-friendly option for our pets. The reality is much more complicated.
24 min
758
TBD | TikTok's Shady Deal with the U.S.
Inside the draft of a deal between ByteDance and the U.S. to keep TikTok in the states.
24 min
759
From a Texas Bus to the New York Subway
Where the new candy sellers are coming from, and why they came.
22 min
760
What’s Vivek Ramaswamy’s Deal?
Trailing Trump substantially and telling voters he’s not interested in VP or a cabinet position, the political newcomer is campaigning tirelessly.
25 min
761
Why The Blind Side's Narrative Fell Apart
Inside the gap between reality and the “feel-good” film.
23 min
762
Why Tuition’s So Damn High
State schools across the country are trying to raise their rankings no matter the cost—because students foot the bill.
21 min
763
TBD | Digital Life After Death
Is the ghost of your online life destined to haunt your friends and family?
23 min
764
TBD | How Crypto Fails Sex Workers
Why sex workers turned to crypto, and how crypto turned on them.
22 min
765
Who Failed Hawaii?
Did an aging electrical grid, a failed warning system, or an overstretched fire department contribute to the deadliest American wildfire in a century?
18 min
766
Fani Willis Takes on Trump
How bluster became a criminal conspiracy to disenfranchise Black voters.
22 min
767
The Trials of Hunter Biden
Searching for straight answers in the legal turmoil that surrounds the president’s son.
21 min
768
Trump’s Spiraling Legal Fees
With every indictment, Trump gets another fundraising boost—and another huge legal expense.
19 min
769
TBD | Tech's Mask Off Moment
Richard Hanania exposes ugly truths about the power and politics of the tech industry.
26 min
770
TBD | Can Smart Guns Save Lives?
Is a gun only you can shoot really safer than a regular firearm?
26 min
771
Justice for the Gilgo Beach Murder Victims
All these years later, questions remain about whose disappearance gets investigated—and whose families are left to wonder.
24 min
772
Haiti’s Kidnapping Crisis
Though the international response has been slow, Kenya has offered help.
18 min
773
Judges on the Trump Trials
How Judges Aileen Cannon and Tanya Chutkan will preside.
26 min
774
Florida Public Schools' New Anti-Woke Partner
How right-wing propaganda made it into Florida classrooms.
23 min
775
TBD | Another Summer of COVID
COVID infections are up this summer - again. But it's hard to tell just how bad it is.
25 min